Chosen- A Selection Fanfiction

Chapter 46

When I woke up the next morning, Aaron wasn't there. The spot next to me was cold, and I was reluctant to move from my warm position underneath the thin hospital sheets. After I finally convinced myself to move, I got up and walked to my bathroom to wash my face.

My eyes were kind of droopy with bags under them. My skin looked paler than usual, and it had taken on a slightly yellow complexion since last night. I tried to look at myself the least I could, but I couldn't help but be drawn back to my ill reflection. 

I left the room after tightening the strings of the hospital gown. I found the nearest nurse on duty and stopped her. "Hello, I was wondering if I could go back to my room now?" I asked in a raspy voice. 

She looked at me with wide eyes. "Lady Elisa, as much as I know you are tired of this place, you need to rest," she said sadly. She laid a gentle hand on my arm and led me back to my room. 

"How are you feeling?" she said. I knew better than to respond with a simple 'fine' because that didn't help the doctors know how to help me one bit. 

"I feel like my arms have lead in them. It's hard for me to keep my eyes open, and I feel like I either need to stretch or sleep. It's kind of hard for me to breathe," I said, suddenly realizing how tight my chest was. 

"It's probably from the drug. Lady Leila wasn't nearly affected by it as you were, but I think she felt like her limbs were heavy, too. It's probably because you haven't been exposed to anything like that since the incident with your heart attack," she said bluntly. "Maybe just rest a little more."

"I have been resting," I laughed as the air escaped my mouth. It came out as a huff that gave me a slight urge to cough. "I'm tired of sitting with nothing to do. I won't shatter like glass if I walk around for a little while."

She smiled at me and poured me a glass of water to set on my bedside table. "You're just as fragile, though, Lady Elisa. I wouldn't want to have to tell your circle of friends that you've been broken- they might break as well."

"What support group?" I asked, still a bit tired and dazed. I took a sip of the nearby water before setting the glass back down on the metal beside me.

"Your friends, your brother, and that boy that's in love with you that was here yesterday," she said with a sly glance towards me. She fixed the sheets at the end of the bed that I was tucked under to secure the blankets under the mattress that was noticeably on the thinner side. 

My eyes widened as I rushed to explain. "No, no, no, no- he's just a very good friend to me, nothing more," I said reassuringly. "Nathan had just gotten back from a long trip, and-"

She sent me a look to cut me off. "I wasn't talking about the young nephew of the Queen. I was talking about her son," she lowered her head and looked to me. My cheeks flushed slightly. "He must be very much in love with you- madly, even- to sit outside that door for so long yesterday."

"What do you mean he sat by the door? What are you talking about?" Hadn't Aaron left after Nathan came in to talk to me?

"The whole time Mr. Ray was in here, his Highness sat outside your door. I thought he had fallen asleep until he jerked up at the sound of the door opening," she responded while she stood at the door. "Have a nice day, Lady Elisa," she beamed. 

"You too," I said absent mindedly. I don't think she heard me before the door shut. I had to figure a way out of here. I needed to see Aaron- badly. I waited for about half an hour before trying to sneak out again and hopefully more successfully this time.

I made it past the swinging doors of the infirmary and down the hallway. My legs felt slower and heavier, and I was barefoot, but none of it mattered. I got to my room where my maids were diligently cleaning, but that wasn't a surprise. Cecelia and Diana were never really the type to sit around.

"Elisa! What are you doing back so soon?" Diana asked. She looked at my hair and began combing through it with her fingers. 

"I don't really have time to explain, but I need to get dressed quickly," I said fighting a grin. Diana went to the bathroom to get a hairbrush, and Cecelia ventured into my closet. While Cecelia looked for a dress, Diana yanked the brush through my hair. 

She carefully put it into a bun with a few curls framing my face, and Cecelia threw a dress over my head that was a dark color that reminded me of red wine. It barely went below my knees, and the skirt was fluffy. I said thank you and went back out the door slipping matching flats on my feet. 

I wandered the palace looking for him, and I finally heard his voice at the top of a staircase. I spotted him over the railing and almost called out to him, but he was talking to Leila and holding her hands. 

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Aaron asked her. "I know that ending it this way can be really hard for us."

"I know. I'm just ready for the Selection to be over so we can move on with everything," she said, looking up at him with a smile. 

"I'm glad you came to talk to me about it, Leila," he said back to her with an endearing smile. "I'm excited for us both."

"When are you going to tell everyone? I'm sure you don't want to keep it a secret," she laughed. 

"The Spring Ball. There's going to be a lot of press, and a lot of attention. It's the perfect time."

"I can't even tell you how excited I am for it to be over. I love you so much for this," she tried to say quietly, but I could tell that she was too excited to keep her voice low. 

I didn't want to stay there any longer. I walked downstairs and outside the back garden, and as much as I wanted to, I didn't run or cry. I kept the tears in and walked at a very, very brisk pace. I opened the doors to the outside, and once they were shut very securely behind me, I broke into a run. 

I didn't know where I was going. I had carried my shoes in my hands and allowed my feet to guide me. I had opened my eyes again and found myself in front of Penelope's pavilion. I staggered up the steps and collapsed at the glass with her name carved into it. 

I swept the tears off of my cheeks and fished a twig out of my hair. "Oh, Penelope," I choked. "How did things go so terribly wrong?"

ps you're not allowed to hate me

Ok so it's the first time I've posted in a while and it feels good. I have some important updates coming up, and I'm pretty pumped to write them.

The excuse I have for you today is that I'm honestly trying to keep myself breathing. Stress is coming at me at all angles and I'm trying to stay on top of it. 

Love you all more than you know, and I'll try not to take forever with the next update!!