Atlas (A Selection/Hat Films Fanfiction)

~ Eight ~

When I stepped into women's room the next day, there were three less girls with us. 

Two had left on their own volition. Even though that was technically against the rules, I didn't think the princes wanted to hold any of the selected here against their wills. However, I was surprised to find out that Lady Valentine was also dismissed yesterday. 

"Dismissed?" I asked Beckii in a quiet whisper after I had heard the news, "So she didn't leave because of the attack?" 

"She broke one of the rules," Valeera explained, "She slapped Albany." 

"Do you know why?" Beckii asked, leaning in expectantly. Valentine always struck me as the perfect lady. Albany must have done something really bad to push her to violence. 

"I don't know, but something tells me Albany probably deserved it," she answered, rolling her eyes as she shot a glare towards the model. 

"Valentine was the only one that was higher than her in the polls," Valeera pointed out, "she definitely provoked it." 

Beckii paled, bringing a hand up to her mouth. "You don't think she's going to go after someone else, do you?" Of course Beckii would be worried, since she was very closely behind Albany right now. "I mean, those polls are only what the people think. It's the princes' decisions still, right?"

"If they're smart, they'll consider what their people want," Valeera said, checking around for Silver before kicking her heals off and stretching out across the couch she was sitting on. Beckii looked as if she was going to cry when she heard that. 

"But as long as you don't let Albany get to you, you'll be fine," I added, trying to reassure her. 

"I doubt Prince Ross will be sending you home, not when you're the only one that has gotten a second date with him," Valeera added. 

I balked at that. I hadn't known about Beckii's dates with Ross; I considered her the selected I felt closest too, but Ross hadn't mentioned it either, even though he knew I considered Beckii my friend. I came to the terrible conclusion that I didn't know anything about Beckii other than surface details I could read in any magazine scattered around the Women's Room. 

"Besides Atlas," Beckii said, almost sounding jaded. 

My head snapped towards her incredulously. "What?" I asked, "What do you mean by that?" 

"Nothing," Beckii muttered, turning her eyes down to avoid my gaze, "you just spend a lot of time together..." 

I actually laughed at that. I forgot that everyone else still thinks I'm competing. Both the girls looked startled at my reaction.  "I can promise you there is nothing going on between Prince Ross and I," I assured them. I then turned to Beckii. "Listen, I'm not Albany. You don't need to keep things from me because you think I'll get jealous or use the information against you..." 

"Atlas, you're my competition," she said quietly, still avoiding my gaze. 

"No, Albany is your competition," I stressed, "Beckii, you can trust me. And honestly, I think your a better princess now than I will ever be in my entire life." 

"Really?" she asked, perking up. 

"Of course," I said, laying a hand on hers, "You're good with the people, you're sweet, caring, loving. You're always so collected and composed, you really have a charm to you. I would be the luckiest person in the world to be able to call you my queen one day." Beckii blushed, smiling into her lap.

"I think you would be good a queen too," she said quietly, looking me in the eye, "You've got a fierce personality, you could enact incredible change in this country."