The Selection

Wishes

Jason's POV
The selection is going to start in a few minutes and I am not even ready. I have been thinking about yesterday. Why do I feel so relaxed when I am with her? Those beautiful eyes, her chocolate brown braided hair and above all her voice... Holy Zeus, I am gonna miss them all.

But today is not the time to think about these things. I have to understand that I cannot meet her now. Our paths are going to be separate from today. I have to act selflessly, my duty comes first and then my feelings, which are growing complex. I don't know what I feel about her. But, one thing is for sure, I have to forget that a girl named Piper ever existed in my life. I hate to think about that but I have to.

~~~~~~~

As I walked towards the Grand Hall, I saw a thick crowd standing near the castle doors. They were waiting there for me to address them and here I am timid.

Sweat stood in beads on my forehead as I stood in front of the kingdom. But despite the shaking of my hands, I smiled at them and started, after all, they are my people.

"Citizens of Illea, today's event will be written in golden letters in the history of Ilea. Centuries ago, this ritual of having a Selection started and it is going on till this date. My Great grandfather had a selection, my grandfather had a selection, my father had a selection."I took a breath, "Today, I, Jason Grace, am going to hold a Selection for my future bride and the Queen of Illea."

Applause erupted from the crowd. I smiled again. These are my people and I am going to do anything and everything for them.

A guard came towards me and handed me the list of the selected girls. A chill went through my spine. Everything seemed real now. I raised my hand and the noise stopped. I started reading the names on the list.

1.Drew Tanaka
2.Lavinia Asimov
3.Leila
4.Hazel Levesque
5.Lavinia Asimov
.... The list went on and on, I can't remember all the names. I read the last name Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano. Waoh! What a big name it is! I think she might be interesting like a name.

Anyways, I was just giving the list back to the person who brought it, but he stopped and then said, "Your majesty, sorry, actually I was asked to add one more name to the list."He took it from me, the whole Hall is staring at us. He gave it back and I looked at the last name.

But the words didn't come out of my mouth. How can it happen? I was shocked. It seemed as if my eyes are going to fall from their sockets. This can't happen!

~~~~~~~

I couldn't stop thinking about what happened in the hall as I laid on my bed. All the meetings for the day were cancelled for me as the courtiers said that I needed some time for myself.

But that relaxation time has gone into vain. I have to find the truth. Maybe someone is poking fun at me, maybe the name was there because someone was just trying to torment me. Or maybe I was dreaming, maybe what I am thinking didn't actually happen. It has to be.
So I got up abruptly from my bed to find the truth.
I got ready as a normal adolescent, for the same reason I didn't want anyone to recognise me.

~~~~~~~

I kept having the flashback of the Selection. Her name. And my words before I left the place.

"Pi... Pip... Piper McLean"
Was it her? Or someone else? Either way, I don't want to come across anyone with that name. Just imagine if she gets to know that Sparky is Jason Grace and Jason Grace is Sparky, she will take the flesh out of me. No, she won't do that. There will only be a thin line of hurt on her face. She will crumble. The thought made me shudder.

As I was busy with my thousand thoughts about her, I jumped when someone collided with me. It seems as if it has become a ritual to get bumped into someone.

"Sorry" Both of us said in unison. But there was something in the person's voice that made me realise that she was...

We raised our heads to look at each other, at the same time. I can't believe it!

"Piper! " It was not a dream. She has come her to participate in the Selection.

Before I could say anything, she pulled me into an embrace. I could feel her breath, they were uneven.
We pulled away. I looked at her. She was no longer wearing a shabby dress, but a wonderful gown. The gown looked more beautiful on her.

"Piper, you look...! " I said.
"Yeah, I know I am looking a bit different. They put me into this dress. I don't know why. " She said.
"You are looking ravishing in this dress, I might say. " I said.
She blushed a little. I love it when she blushes.
"Sparky, I didn't know you were here!" She said.

"Hmmm... I was here as I am busy with some work, you know, the Selection." I said.

"They were also murmuring about 'the selection'. Can you tell me what is this selection thing? " The words almost broke my heart. She doesn't know about Selection and she is participating in it. If I told her about it she would certainly storm out of the palace.

"I don't know much about it. I will tell you later" I made a safe move.
"Well,who are 'they'? I asked

Her jaw tightened and her eyes changed colour, it happens when she is mad at someone.

"I was walking when some guard came to my village. They approached me, holding a paper in their hands, said something about the selection and then tossed me this dress. They asked me to come with them. Obviously, I refused but they kept on insisting that have to participate in the selection. I could nothing than to relent and they brought me here, to this palace, which seems to belong to the 'famous Prince of Illea'" she said.
"Anyways, they asked me to go to my room or else they will...," she bit her lip and continued, " I can't figure out where the room is. Can you help me? "

"Of course, I know each and every part of this palace, after all, I..., " I realized what I was going to say, "I have been a guard here for about two years. " I lied.

She smiled at me and handed me the paper on which her room number was written. Her room was on the second floor, like all the selection girls, but unlike the others, her room was just above the garden. Her balcony will give a really vivid view of the city. Nice!

We walked in silence. Her expression was a little weird. She was hiding something from me. But I did not press her. She has been through a lot, I can't let her feel distressed again.

~~~~~~~~

I opened the doors of the room. It was I would say one of my favourite rooms. This was the room were I used to play with my cousins, Nico and Percy, when they came to visit me. This was the room where my mother used to run after me for not eating my meals before she went in a deep slumber. This room brought back many sweet memories. But now it belongs to Piper.

I found Calypso, running here and there, evidently nervous. She was one of really good friends and pretty close to my jokerboy, Leo.

When she saw us, she bowed.
"Calypso, this is Piper McLean, one of the participants of the Selection."I said.

"Good morning maam! " She said, bowing again.

"Maam" Piper shrugged.

"Piper, did you like your new room? " I asked her.

"But Sparky, I have never-"

"I know this is going to be a new experience for you but don't worry, everything will be alright. Okay? I will visit you tomorrow. " I smiled at her.

"Okay."

A wide grin was spread on Calypso's face. She knew it was me. I just gestured her to stay quiet and not to reveal my identity. Afterwards I will tell her about Piper.

One thing I learnt today was that wishes come true but the problem is you have to be specific about what you want. I wished for her, unconsciously,  it was granted but not in the way I wanted it to.