Chosen- A Selection Fanfiction

Chapter 43

Time has started going by, and I've noticed the staff getting shorter and shorter, and I knew they would never do this with the ball coming up next month. The selection has been moving very slowly as well, and I think the public has lost interest. I was alright with that though since I didn't particularly like the pressure they put on Aaron's relationships.

I sat with Cecelia and Diana playing cards, which was really unusual without Mary's quick shuffling hand. The silence was never filled with conversation or laughter, but the air was heavy and suffocating.

"So, what kind of dress would you like for the spring ball?" asked Cecelia before discarding onto the pile.

"I don't know. Are you making it this time?" I asked, looking at her. She nodded back shyly in response, and I just smiled with excitement. "Whatever you think I should wear. I trust your judgement; you know what I look good in."

"Really?" she asked with bubbling happiness. "Thank you!"

"It's not a problem, Cecelia," I replied. "Well, I think I need to go to the women's room today. I'll see you girls later, alright?"

"Sounds good. Have fun," Diana cheered sarcastically.

I stuck my tongue out at her before leaving into the hallway with a book tucked behind my back. My reading has gotten stronger, and my headaches are becoming less frequent. I was just happy to be able to read without getting a migraine.

I opened the door to the women's room and it was pretty empty. I saw Danielle and Olivia, but America and Marlee were nowhere to be found. I took a seat beside Danielle and started reading.

"Hey, Elisa," Danielle greeted. I looked up from my book and smiled at my cousin.

"Hey. It's been a while, hasn't it? Other than meals and such?" I closed my book knowing this conversation wouldn't be short, and I crossed my legs and adjusted my skirt.

"Too long. What have you been up to?" she asked putting down her magazine. She placed it on top of the stack of the other brightly colored issues of Illea Weekly, straightening the corners and aligning it perfectly.

"Honestly, not much. I play cards sometimes with my maids. I'll go riding, too, but I have to have somebody ride with me in case I fall out or something. People don't generally trust me anymore- not for a lack of responsibility, but mainly just because I'm still 'healing'. Where is everyone?" I asked, looking around at Olivia as well.

The young princess looked up from the book she was reading. "I know Marlee and Mom are on a trip to Italy to see the Queen and Prince Lucca and Aaron and Leila are somewhere in the city on a date. Dad's in a meeting, and I'm here. Everyone's been, well, leaving lately."

"Aaron took Leila out into the city?" Danielle asked incredulously. Her eyebrows rose to form two perfect arches on her face. She blinked a few times. "Where?"

I had looked to Olivia as well, my violet eyes struggling to hide the fire rising in my irises. Her eyes drifted back down to the magazine that coincidentally had her on the cover. "He said something about taking her to a museum. I don't know."

I felt kind of hurt. He had never taken me out to see Angeles- unless you count being there whenever I was rescued from being kidnapped, but that was an extreme case. He would have done that for any of us. This late in the selection, the tiniest gesture could have a colossal impact.

I couldn't afford to lose him.

I know that was extremely selfish of me, but I didn't have anywhere else to go. I wasn't about to go live with my long lost uncle and his nine children. Plus, he's training Harry to be a businessman, and I wouldn't want to get in the way of anything.