The Selection - Annalise

Chapter Two

I realized I was going to have to get used to being called 'my lady'.

"Thank you," I smiled at her. I was going to try my best to act like a lady, and I delicately stepped down the last step.

I turned to my mother and hugged her, setting down my bag. I felt the tears and I blinked them away. I was supposed to act like a lady.

"You'll do great," she whispered as I walked over to go hug Dad.

"Hey," he said as I embraced him. "Good luck out there, Ann dear." I almost cried, but I managed to handle myself. I looked up and saw Maddie. Her face was wet with tears but I could see she was clearly happy for me.

I kneeled down as she came and hugged me. I could hear her sobbing.

That was it.

I tucked my head into her shoulder, closing my eyes in a last attempt to stop the tears.

"I love you, Ann," she sniffed.

"I love you too."

"Promise you'll never forget about me," she pulled away and smiled at me.

I put my finger to her nose. "I promise."

"We really must go, my lady," the women said. She didn't sound frustrated but definitely rushed.

"Okay," I replied, refusing to look up at her. "Bye, Maddie." I pulled away and quickly wiped away tears. I turned and saw the women.

"I can help you with that," she said. I was confused until she pulled out some sort of makeup I couldn't name. She took it and rubbed it on my nose and around my eyes and dried my eyelashes. She was surprisingly quick. "Now, there will be a lot of people out there, so be prepared, oh, and my name is Amy," she took my bag and motioned for me to go in front of her.

I did and smiled at her. "Thank you, Amy."

I opened the door to my house and I almost shrunk as I saw the amounts of people surrounding my house. "Wow," I breathed to myself.

Apparently, Amy heard and she whispered, "I know right."

I chuckled at that and stood up straighter. I smiled brightly and waved at the people surrounding me. I felt truly loved.

I climbed into the back of the car and sat as ladylike as I could with my legs crossed. The driver rolled down the window so I could smile and wave at my fans.

After a while, we arrived at the airport and I was entered into a room with one other girl. She was Eliza, a 3. She was truly as beautiful as she looked on the Report. She had straight blonde hair that went to her shoulders and blue eyes. She was reading a magazine that had a collage of all of our faces.

She looked up and smiled. "Hello!" She set down the magazine and stood up to shake my hand. "My name is Eliza--" She cut off as she realized I probably knew that. She blushed and chuckled.

I joined her. I think I could get along with her. "My name is Annalise, but feel free to call me Ann." My eyes traveled down to the open magazine. It had a poll of the most favorited girls.

"Oh! Look, Ann!" She quickly picked up the magazine and sat down on the couch. I sat down next to her and gazed at the magazine. "You're in second!"

How was I already in second? Did people judge us on our looks?

"I'm in twenty-eighth," Eliza said, pointing. "I'll change that soon!" She winked at me.

I chuckled. "I'm going to have trouble beating you!"

"You already did!" Eliza laughed. I gazed down at the first place person. Her name was Summer Woodson and she had long blonde slightly wavy hair and green eyes. "If it helps, I think you're prettier."

"Ha!" I snorted. "You're funny, you know that?"

Before Eliza could reply another girl walked in. I immediately recognized her as Holly because of her red hair. She was a 4 and had a soft face. She looked at me and then Eliza.

I looked down at the chart. She was in 3rd.

"Hello," Eliza politely said. Holly smiled and gave a nod of her head.

"Eliza, Annalise, correct?" Holly sat down and looked at the magazine.

"Yes, but I preferred to be called Ann," I replied.

"My mother's name is Anne!" Holly smiled. "If you act anything like her then I should already call you princess!"

I smiled and laughed. They liked me, and I liked them.

A fourth girl walked in. She had long wavy blonde hair and green eyes, similar to Summer but wider in the face. Her name was Tyler and she was one of the girls on the Report I was considering to be friends with. I stood as I saw a guard walk next to her and the others did the same.

"We need to board the plane now, ladies," he instructed, leading us toward the tunnel that led to the plane.

I walked up next to Tyler and smiled at her and she returned it. "You're pretty," she whispered as we got onto the plane.

"Thanks, but you're much prettier." She blushed and looked away.

Honestly, I was a bit scared getting on the airplane for the first time. I would be traveling from Carolina all the way to Angeles which was all the way across the country. Thankfully the plane looked comforting which eased my fear.

I got to sit in my own seat. It had a television in front of it and the window to my left. I also could order any food or drink for free. This already felt like luxury but I couldn't imagine how it would be like in the palace.

I bit my lip as we took off. It hurt my ears so much but I could handle it.

The city below me was amazing. It was beautiful! I found that I loved lights, especially in the night. I sighed, wondering how this would like in the dark. It would be beautiful. I sighed and shut my eyes.

My life was about to change forever.