Chosen- A Selection Fanfiction

Chapter 47

 The Spring Ball is in one day.

One day until whatever Aaron and Leila have planned. 

One day until it's over. 

I was with Cecelia and Diana in front of my mirror as they experimented with different hairstyles to try for tomorrow. I was excited for the Spring Ball, but at the same time, I was scared. I didn't know what was going to come after this chapter of my life, and for all I know, that story might end. 

I wasn't ready for that. 

I fiddled with my fingers, analyzing my cuticles and nailbeds as if they were the most interesting thing in the world. They were unpolished and natural, and I liked the way my nails looked without polish on them. They looked clean. 

"So I think curling this part would be pretty," Diana said. I hummed in response, and I heard Cecelia walk over to the loveseat and plop down on the soft white cushion. "So would dying this part red," she continued. 

"Maybe we should dye your whole head blue." Diana continued to toy with my hair as I zoned out. "What if we just shaved it instead?"

"Elisa, are you even listening to me?" she finally yelled, exasperated. 

My head shot up. "Absolutely," I lied. She turned her head to the side and pursed her lips. I bit down on my lip shamefully with a pink blush appearing on the apples of my cheeks. I met her hazel eyes in an embarrassed gesture. 

"What's bothering you now?" she said stroking my hair comfortingly. I lowered my eyes back down and played with my hands. 

"I'd rather not talk about it," I muttered with a wavering voice. I saw Diana and Cecelia share a glance in the mirror behind me, and before Diana could delve any further, Cecelia crossed her legs and shook her head with pursed lips. 

"I still think we should curl it," said Diana with a softer tone. Cecelia's face relaxed and fell into a tight lipped smile. 

Cecelia nodded her head. "Yeah," she said. "Me too."

/\/\/\

I looked in the large mirrors across the room.  Danielle, Leila, and I were in spa chairs with fluffy white robes getting pedicures. Danielle's masked face was laughing at a joke Leila had told to her maids. Given, it was funny, but I felt too heavy inside. 

"Elisa, is something wrong?" Leila asked in between giggles. She covered up her perfectly straight teeth with a dainty hand. 

I lifted my eyebrows and painted on a smile. "I'm fine, thanks. I'm just getting a little headache," I faked. 

The little session continued, and I found the will to be a little happier. Even if I'm not destined to be the next Queen of Illea, I can still enjoy my last night as an Elite with my cousin and close friend. I loved Leila- honestly, I do, and I hope I can see her again after all of this is over. I figured I would see Danielle since we were family, and I don't have much of that.

We all shuffled back into our rooms to finish getting ready. Diana replicated the hairstyle that she practiced on me yesterday while I laughed along with Cecelia telling me a story from her childhood. I loved being here with them- they made my life so much more interesting. 

"Why haven't you been playing the piano lately?" Diana asked semi-absentmindedly. I watched my dark hair wrap around the heated iron before it fell down in a tumbling wave. 

"I don't know. I haven't really felt the need to," I said stretching my manicured fingers in front of me. "It reminds me of my family," I added softly while scanning my fingers for something amiss. I noticed that my ring finger was bare of the sapphire ring that it usually bore. "Has anyone seen my family ring?" I asked worriedly.