The Next Selection

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

     As everyone shouts happy birthday to me, I think how it's been only two months and my life has changed so much. If I were still at home, a small party of about a dozen people would be held in our backyard. But now, almost a thousand people are at my party. And it's in the royal castle. Before I can get another thought out, Ambrosia and Tambry tackle me in an explosion of hugs. Ahren lets go of my arm and begins talking to the nearest guest, trying to act casual. "Hey!" they both shout with smiles. I look at them and begin laughing at how loud they are.
"Thank you!" I shout back just as loud. They both automatically turn to stone.
"You don't have to be so loud," Ambrosia says with an over-sarcastic roll of her emerald eyes.
"Oh, please," I answer just as sarcastically. They begin laughing again.
"So, you're eighteen now?" Tambry asks.
"Yep," I answer.
"Well, now I'm jealous. You're older than me," she says with a smile.
"Come on, I'm sure you'll survive."
"I guess," she says.
"Let's party!" Ambrosia says grabbing our wrists and leading us to where the orchestra is performing. "I want you to play the most upbeat, out of control, craziest song you know," Ambrosia says to the conductor. He quickly nods his head and the orchestra begins playing. "It'll do."
She leads us to the floor where some couples are already dancing. But, she begins twirling us all in circles. As people begin staring at the crazy girls twirling in the middle of the floor, I see Ahren in the corner of the room. And Camilla Prescott is with him. I stop moving and watch as she runs her highly-manicured fingers through his hair. And he's going along with it like I'm not right in front of him. As she begins kissing his cheeks, I feel someone bump into me and I see Ambrosia now staring at them. And Tambry soon follows.
     That little slim model from Denbeigh is about to kiss him when he finally looks up and sees us watching. The hurt in his eyes is almost nothing compared to the betrayal in mine. And that's when the tears come. He slumps his shoulders and Camilla turns with a smirk of victory on her face. I try to wipe the tears without notice and turn to my friends. "I...uh...I think I'm gonna go," I say quietly. I walk from the room with my head held high, but as soon  as I'm out of sight, I run to my room. My maids are folding bed sheets when I get there. They see the pain on my face, and at that point, I break down. I fall onto my bed sobbing and they come over to comfort me.
"Miss, what happened?" Celine asks.
"It doesn't matter. I just want to forget everything that's happened in the past two months," I say with a sappy voice. It takes my maids an hour to calm me down. They grab me a comfortable dress to wear since it's only eleven in the morning. I walk to the balcony and see the squashed rose bushes and the bench where we sit. Not only that, but I feel the necklace still hanging from my neck. I quickly take it off and lay it on the table on the balcony.
     At nine that night, I lay down on my bed. I ate lunch in my room. Ambrosia and Tambry tried to come by several times, but I didn't want to see anyone. I close my eyes and begin wishing for my family when a knock comes to my door. I get up and throw it open, expecting to see Ambrosia or Tambry. But, it's Ahren. I sigh and roll my eyes. "Yes, your highness," I say coldly. He sighs too and rubs his eyes.
"I am so sorry about Camilla. She just came up to me and...well, you know the rest."
"Wow. That's your big apology. It's not even that you were talking to her. It's the fact that it was on my birthday. At my party," I say.
"Please, just let me explain," he says beginning to step into my room. I throw out my arm and shake my head.
"I don't think that's a good idea."
"But..."
"Just go," I say. He looks at me with pleading eyes, but I just glare at him. He nods and walks away, leaving me with a hole in my heart. I shut the door with tears in my eyes and walk over to my bed.
"Miss, do you want dinner?" Patricia asks.
"No, I'm fine," I say throwing back the covers. They all look at me as I roll into the sheets and close my eyes.
"Miss," Eliza begins.
"You are dismissed for today," I say.
"Miss..."
"Leave!" I shout at them. They stare at me with wide eyes and scurry from the room. I shut my eyes and feel the tears slipping. Happy birthday to me.