Atlas (A Selection/Hat Films Fanfiction)

~ Forty One ~

"Do you have any winter traditions you used to do back home?" Alex asked, taking a bite of his toast. He made sure to eat over the tray so he wouldn't get crumbs on my bed. Hannah had put the fear of God into him when she came in to find us eating breakfast on a tray between us.

We had gone our separate ways after our non-date last night to try and get at least a couple hours of sleep, but Alex didn't stay away for long. The prince had surprised me with breakfast in bed, a gesture so kind I had to bite back tears when he arrived with a tray of food to share. We looked a little ridiculous, since I was in pajamas and he was wearing his regular three-piece suit, but he seemed comfortable. I admired the way he looked in my bed, the weak winter sunlight hitting him at all the right angles to accentuate his features.

I set down my glass of orange juice carefully. "Um, I'm not really the 'baking cookies' type," I joked, looking up at my ceiling, "but Ari, Sjin, and I would walk into the two and three districts to admire the lights and decorations at night. Oh! We would also build snowmen after the big storms." Winter was never an easy time for us, but there were small moments of respite that I clung to dearly.

"Snowmen?" he asked, swallowing, "What are those?" Alex cocked his head to the side, his eyebrows furrowing.

"You've never built a snowman?" I scoffed, sitting up straight, "Or seen one on TV or in a movie?"

"I rarely have time for those kinds of leisurely activities," he explained.

"They're considered childish, Atlas," Hannah explained from her place across the room where she was folding towels, "so you won't see them in any of the décor come Christmas."

"Has everyone else built a snowman besides me?!" he asked incredulously, looking around the room.

"Yes," Hannah, Luna, Gemma, and I replied in unison. We exchanged glances between the four of us, giggling, and Alex reddened.

"We can go build one together if it bothers you that much," I comforted, reaching over to touch his arm.

"Right now?" he asked, looking toward my balcony, "you have class, and I have meetings."

I wasn't implying we should go outside right now but blowing off our responsibilities was very tempting. "Think we can get away with being late?" I offered slyly, smirking at the prince.

"Do you have anything to wear?" he asked more toward Hannah than to me.

"Of course she does," Gemma scolded, opening up my closet and disappearing from the room. I heard the scratching of hangers scraping against metal and the opening of drawers.

"Just give me a minute," I told him, twisting to knock the breadcrumbs off my hands.

I flinched when Hannah called me name, reprimanding me for the crumbs on my bed. "Atlas," she reprimanded, but then looked over her shoulder to Alexandre, "It will be more than a minute, your majesty."

"It's just a snowman," I groaned, walking into the closet to get dressed away from the prince, "Do I have to go with a full face of makeup?"

"Yes," Gemma answered for Hannah, tugging at the strings of my corset so she could slip it over my head, "There are photographers all over for the elimination this afternoon. You need to look like a princess candidate at all times."

I felt my face fall and I chewed on the inside of my cheek. I knew it was immature, but I really didn't want to deal with all of that right now, so I had pushed it out of my mind. Unfortunately, it only made the Selection come crashing back into my mind with full force. I winced as Gemma cinched the corset around my waist.