Chosen

Chapter 11

The bubble that is my good mood bursts the next day when I get to the dining hall. For a split second I don't notice the change, but then the hairs standing up on the back of my neck alert me to the fact that everyone is staring at me. Or, more accurately, half of them are. The other half is staring up at the chief's table, where Celia is seated next to Crane.

My mouth drops open.

Before I can do anything other than gape at them, Jay is by my side and guiding me quickly through the breakfast line. I'm still dazed as he tugs me over to the far corner, our meals balanced in his other arm. When I don't sit down, he gently puts pressure on my shoulders until my brain somehow tells my knees to bend, and I lower myself shakily into my chair.

I knew that the details of the Choosing would get out eventually, but I didn't image that it would happen in such an official and public way. The only thing missing is an intercom announcement. Crane must have wanted to get out ahead of this. He ignores everyone in the room as he eats his meal, completely uninterested in the community's reaction. Next to him, Celia looks smug as she daintily cuts her food.

I feel my cheeks flame with embarrassment, and I know this is my father's way of rubbing my own decision in my face, making sure he's doing everything in his power to make me regret my choice. It's like he's trying to steal it from me.

Then it clicks. That's exactly what he's doing. He's making it look like he chose Celia over me, instead of me being chosen for something else before he could make his own claim. He knows that if it looks like he chose her, not only will Celia be validated as a choice instead of viewed as the leftover pick, but it discredits me. Now everyone will think there's some reason why I was passed over, that I wasn't good enough to be chief.

"...Elia? Elia, please talk to me," Jay is begging me. I come back to the present and finally look at him.

"Jeez, you had me really worried," he whispers. He still looks worried, in fact. I look up at the dining hall and immediately wish I hadn't. I can't stand the looks of sympathy, betrayal, confusion, and morbid curiosity. A pair of stormy eyes stands out amongst them, the only gaze that doesn't hold pity, only concern.

I take a deep breath but I end up coughing, with Jay patting my back as he hands me first my water, then his. When my throat irritation eases enough so I'm only sputtering occasionally, I do my best to eat as quickly as possible so I can get out of here. Jay is murmuring words of comfort, but I don't take any of them in and eventually he gives up.

As soon as I'm finished eating I get up and stride quickly towards the dish belt, place my plate and utensils on it, and continue on toward the door without stopping. Jay is hot on my heels. When we get out into the hallway, I lose it.

"I can't believe that conniving jackass!" I sob into my hands as I lean against the wall. Jay gives a worried look at the doors and puts his arm around my shoulder to lead me further away from prying eyes and ears. Before we go more than three steps, the dining hall doors open.

"Shoot," Jay whispers under his breath.

Then West is in my line of vision, stooped over from his height of over six feet to look in my eyes.

"What're you doing?" Jay exclaims shrilly. "Back off and give her some space!"

West ignores him completely, instead reaching out to briefly touch my chin before putting his hands on his thighs. His fingers dig in like he's hanging on for dear life. "Just breathe," he tells me. I lock eyes with him and obey, an odd calm settling over me as I look in those turbulent eyes, that seem to go from gray to blue to green and back again.

"Hey, what's the big idea? I said back off!" Jay shoves West's shoulder, breaking our eye contact. Surprise and anger flit across West's face as he surveys Jay with distaste.