Selected || H.S

29.

Please vote, it takes a second to do, but it means a lot to me! Thank you xo

"Vanhoose, where's the wooden spoon?"

"Next to the cheese, I forgot it there earlier!" I thank him, walking over to the counter to find the wooden spoon. I've been at the soup kitchen all afternoon already and there was no sign of Matt. Did he lie about coming back? He really worried me yesterday and the fact that he's not here yet just makes it worse. Did something happen to him?

"Mady, is the tomato sauce finished? The spaghetti are ready," I hear Audrey say and I nod, taking the large pot and pouring the boiling sauce over the pastas. She mixes the meal with a long wooden spoon while I take out clean plates and utensils with Vanhoose.

"How do you like it here?" He asks, his tone warm, and I smile at him.

"A lot. I like talking with the people coming here, they are nicer and more polite than so many Threes, Twos or Goldens I know," I admit. There's so many prejudice around homeless people, but if you get to know them, you'll realize that they're not all crazy or worthless. Many of them had successful job and know a lot of things about the world, but, sadly, our society only focuses on the outside and doesn't even want to waste time giving them attention. If there were more people like Vanhoose, the world would probably be a better place. "Plus, I miss doing chores. I've been used to work all my life before the Selection, I gotta say that it feels nice to do something useful once again." I chuckle lightly, while he laughs deeply.

"You sure are a sweet girl! I'm glad I got to work with you and Audrey, you don't see many genuine people walking around the streets lately. I'm sure you'd make a wonderful Queen." He smiles brightly at me, honesty clear in his eyes and I stay speechless for a second. 

Queen? I would make a great Queen?

"T-Thank you, Vanhoose, it means a lot." I try to hide my uneasiness, but slightly fail as my voice cracks. I know what this competition is all about, but I'm still not sure about the whole Queen thing. I do care about Limia and its citizens, I do care about Harry, but I don't think I'm built to take care of that many responsibilities.

He gives me a light pat on the shoulder before walking back in the kitchen to take the large casseroles full of mouthwatering pastas. Audrey comes to stand next to me, ready to poor juice in their glasses while I will serve the food. When everything is ready, Vanhoose goes to open the front doors, letting the queue of men and women enter the large soup kitchen, ready to eat dinner. 

"There you go, enjoy your meal!" I tell each of them as I scoop some spaghetti and place them in their plates. They thank me back before walking over to Audrey and it goes on like this for about an hour. I hear the ladle scratch against the bottom of the empty pot, signaling Vanhoose to bring me the second one to replace it. The second one is quick to be emptied and Vanhoose goes to close the doors, but someone stops him before he does.

"You're lucky there's still a little bit of food Matt, next time come earlier." I hear Vanhoose say and my head snaps up to look at him. I let out a breath of relief when I see the blonde haired man come inside the cafeteria, thanking the cook for letting him in. Vanhoose gives him a light pat on the shoulder before going back inside his kitchen, while Matt takes a tray for himself and shows me his plate.

"Good evening Matt, how are you feeling?" I ask him politely. His green eyes seem full with a slight sadness as he forces a small smile on his face.

"Fine, thank you for asking." My smile fades as I sense the pain in his voice. I watch him intently as he takes the glass Audrey gives him, also reaching for some utensils. When I think he's going to walk away, he turns to look at me with tensed  features. He tilts his head to the side, showing me the tables and I look around me before taking off my apron.