The Princess (The Selection)

Chapter Forty Six

"So Blake is definitely gone?" Astra asks. I nod and pick at the red nail polish my maids coated on me this after. I have no success with trying to get any of to chip off.

"Yep. Now it's down to the top three and I basically have to sit around and wait until someone proposes," I say. Astra makes a noise that is like a mixture of a snort and laugh with her nose.

"So, you can't propose or eliminate anyone?" Emily asks. Astra throws a pillow at her.

"Don't you pay attention during the report?" Astra asks. Emily shakes her head and flips a page in the magazine about celebrities she was reading, completely ignoring the projectile that had hit her face moments before.

"Nope. All I care about is the selection but Gavril started talking and it got boring so I just checked out your boyfriends," Emily says. Astra and I laugh.

"Well, I'm glad you think they're handsome but they're mine. And you missed Gavril explaining the rest of the Selection," I say. Emily tosses the magazine to the side. It lands on the end table with the television remote and all the other magazines she had picked through earlier.

"Well, what is going to happen?" Emily asks.

"My dad and the advisors or whatever make all the decisions. They decided that they have until Christmas to propose. If no one has then I will eliminate someone and the other two have two days to propose. If neither of them do, I have to propose," I explain. Emily scrunches up her eyebrows.

"Why are they making you propose?" Emily asks. I shrug.

"I didn't know any of that until about five minutes before the Report. The reasoning behind it hasn't really been explained to me. I think they're trying to finish it. Now that we're down to three, the nation is going to start to get eager so they're ending it," I explain. The both nod slowly.

"So, your parents are okay with that?" Astra asks. I shrug because I'm honestly unsure.

"Considering some of the events that happened during your father's Selection can you believe their rushing you to a decision?" Emily asks.

"I really do doubt that my mother is okay with it. And, in a way, I doubt my father is, too. They're first concern for things like this, though, is for the country. Whoever I pick has to be a good ruler," I explain. Astra nods and picks up the television remote. She pushes the power button and a rerun of last night's report is on.

"This is starting to get really depressing," Astra says. I laugh even though it's true. Astra flips through a bunch of movies, Emily making sure to add comments on the ones she's seen.

"Okay, Celia, I almost forgot. I was wondering if you're busy next week," Astra says after stopping on some movie I've never heard of but Emily claimed that it was good.

"Nope. I just plan on sitting around and waiting on someone to propose," I say. I sigh and make a big, dramatic act out of it. They both laugh.

"As exciting as that sounds, we were wondering if you could come on our usual shopping spree like we've done for the last few years," Astra says.

"I would love to," I say.
Guys, I want to ask you all something serious. Do I use Emily and Astra too much? I'm sorry if I do but I love their characters! Please comment if you have any ideas for the last couple of dates. Comments and votes are greatly appreciated!

Disclaimer: Kiera Cass owns The Selection, not me.