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"IF I COULD HAVE your attention

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"IF I COULD HAVE your attention..." A very handsome looking Eli stood on a podium that had been dragged center-stage atop the Night Class platform. He held a glass of white wine in one hand and ran the fingers of his free hand through his golden hair. Sophie pursed her lips and watched as his hand lowered back to his side. 

He looked mighty-fine in that charcoal colored suit. 

Tabatha practically drooled. Her elbow was propped against the table and her palm cupped her chin. Kitty was slumped down further in her seat so she wouldn't be seen, but slightly turned so she could see what was going on behind her. Most of the other waiters and waitresses had clustered near the kitchen doors and were hugging their round trays to their torsos. Their eyes were glazed over; they seemed to be just as entranced by Eli as the students who sat around the tables were. 

"I would like to announce the potential prizes for this year's annual Mating Game!" Eli lifted his glass into the air and smiled cheerfully as his crowd erupted into an excited cheer. "But before that," he said, lowering his glass as the masses fell silent. "I will explain the rules to the new members of our family." 

Sophie's ears perked. She shifted around in her seat and waited for Eli to continue. 

"The Mating Game is simple. There will be eight contestants total. Two males and females from the Night Class will compete alongside two males and females from the Day Class. There are two prizes: a male and female from the Night Class. The contestants will compete in three unique challenges, designed to test physical and mental strength, personality compatibility, and chances of survival, for a chance to win the favor of either the male or female prize! Contestants will be moved to a remote location within the castle throughout the duration of The Mating Game, and will not be allowed contact outside of their fellow contestants. The challenges will be revealed as the contest goes on and the entire game will be played out on the televisions for non-contestants to see." 

Tabatha let out a dreamy sigh.

Sophie swallowed around the knot that had grown in the back of her throat. That was the infamous Mating Game? It sounded more like human trafficking. She had expected something remotely childish --a guessing game of sorts where everyone would take a guess as to who their "soul mate" would be. She chanced a look around the room and her frown deepened when she saw that every kid --girl and boy-- wore the same glazed expression Tabatha wore. Eli cleared his throat, as if he was aware that her attention had frayed, and Sophie's gaze shot back up to the platform. 

Eli's smile widened. "Now that formalities are out of the way. Let's get to it." 

He turned and held out an expectant hand. One of the many models within the Night Class pressed an ivory colored piece of paper into his outstretched palm. Eli skillfully unfolded it without spilling his wine and morphed his expression into one that could win a poker tournament.

His eyes skimmed over the paper. 

"The female for this prize will be..." Eli drew in a sharp breath, as he created a suspenseful pause. Sophie almost laughed at the tortured looks on Tabatha's and Kitty's faces. The anticipation that coated the entire room was ridiculous. But she had to give the guy some props. He was almost as good as Ryan Seacrest. 

Eli's impassive expression shattered with a grin. "Evangeline Matthews," he said as he lowered the piece of paper and looked around him, motioning for Evangeline to step forward. An Alexandra Daddario look-alike stepped forward, with her startling blue eyes shifting around the masses carefully. Her dark brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and her blue lace pencil dress clung to her pale skin like paint. Her feet were covered in bleached flats. 

Eli wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She stood a good four inches beneath his nose. Sophie leaned closer to get a better look at her face --the girl didn't wear any emotion except a hollow, blankness. Eli rubbed Evangeline's shoulder and released her, returning his gaze back to the paper in his hand. "As for the male prize..."

His blonde eyebrows merged together above his eyes, creating a fuzzy blonde caterpillar. He reread the paper again and then glanced sideways at Evangeline. Silence coated the room, as well as a sticky sense of impatience. Evangeline's startling eyes shot down toward the paper and then widened into round paper-plates. She looked up at Eli uneasily and Sophie could just barely see her head bob up and down in a nod. 

Eli let out a humorless laugh. "Well, folks..." he folded the paper up and slipped it into the front pocket of his suit. "As for the male prize, well," he said, throwing his hands up into the air and grinning sheepishly, "You're looking at him!" 

A chorus of screams and squeals ripped through the air. The guys, who were too manly to shriek like a banshee, high-fived each other and bumped fists, nodding in approval. Sophie clamped her hands down over her ears and grimaced when she saw Tabatha bouncing up and down in her chair. She didn't see the point in all the excitement. The way Eli had put it earlier made her think that whoever won the competition would be sold to Eli and Evangeline as slaves, or something. 

Sure, they were beautiful, but looks weren't everything. 

Once the noise quieted down a bit, Eli cleared his throat again. The room suddenly became drowned in silence; everyone was waiting on the edges of their seats to hear what he had to say. Eli wrapped an arm around Evangeline's shoulders again, and she mirrored his movements by wrapping an arm around his waist. 

"We are your prizes, my dears."  Eli smirked into the audience, and Sophie frowned at him. His eyes locked with hers and his smirk deepened. "Throughout this first week, we will announce nominees and you will be allowed to vote. Next week we will announce the contestants. The week after will mark the start of The Mating Game." 

Both he and Evangeline bent at the waist and angled their heads down. Eli's voice dripped with gratitude as he said, "Thank you for sparing us your attention tonight. That is all." 

The Day Class was ushered out of the dining hall after that, and Sophie remained quiet throughout the entire trek to her dorm room. Tabatha twirled and cooed over the fact that Eli would be a prize this year as they walked. When they stepped foot inside their room, and Tabatha closed the door, Sophie whirled. 

"That was The Mating Game?" She couldn't hide her disgust. 

Tabatha eyed her weirdly for a few moments. She nodded and then her lips stretched back into a huge grin. "Relax. It's not that big of a deal." She stepped forward and placed a hand on Sophie's shoulder. "Very rarely do newbies get nominated. Hardly anybody knows your name, yet. All you'll have to do is watch, and get free cookies every now and again when the contestants try to butter us voters up. It's just like a game show." 

"Just a game show," Sophie scoffed. "It sounds like Eli and Evangeline are going to be auctioned off. They are the prizes after all." 

Tabatha just rolled her eyes at Sophie.

"Don't worry about it. You probably won't even be picked anyways." 

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