All credit to Kiera Cass for writing The Selection.
"Zooooee! Wake up, Zooee!"
A, loud insistent whisper woke Zoeyl up. It was, of course, her younger sister, Isla. She loved Isla to the moon and back, but the younger sibling could definitely be a handful. Zoeyl briefly considered pretending to be asleep, but rolled over sluggishly when she pictured her little sister.
"Zooee, Zooee, Zooee, guess what!" Isla whispered in her loud stage whisper.
"Iz, Iz, Iz, what?" whispered Zoeyl, imitating Isla.
"Ama brought home a treat for us! Come on!" Ama was their mother. Other people often thought that "Ama" was short for "Mama," but in the Freedman household they went by first names. Ama's full name was Amaya, but her whole family shortened it to Ama, just like they made Zoeyl into Zooee.
In the dim light of the setting sun, Zoeyl could see Isla's shiny hazel eyes, and they were so eager that she groaned and sat up, slipping her feet into some ragged pink slippers. "Treats" were rare, so she understood the little girl's excitement. Her mother and father were Seven's, making times hard and money scarce. She wondered what this treat could possibly be.
Zoeyl and Isla slipped into the living room just as the sun's last rays disappeared from sight. The older girl worked during the night, collecting trash from around the nice neighborhoods where Threes and some richer Fours lived. She had just been allowed to work over a year ago, when she turned sixteen, but all her life she had been looking at the jobs for Sevens. Ama sat on the beaten up couch, chugging a bottle of water. She smiled when she saw her girls. Behind her back, Zoeyl could see two boxes wrapped in brown paper, one long and wide and the other small. Isla ran to give Ama a hug, then swooped behind her and grabbed the boxes.
"Which one for me?" she asked.
"The small one." Ama replied, smiling. A tiny pout formed on Isla lips. It was obvious that she wanted the larger box. But when she ripped off the paper and opened the box, the pout morphed into a look of surprise, then of happiness. She ran and gave Ama another hug, then jumped over to Zoeyl, holding out the box for her older sister to see.
"Put it on for me, Zooee?" she asked softly. Inside the box was a gorgeous silver necklace with a tiny pendant shaped into a sun. Zoeyl's breath caught; she couldn't even imagine where Ama had gotten this thing of beauty, and of price.
"But of course, my little Iz." she said, picking up the necklace from it's box and laying it around Isla's slim neck. She fastened the delicate clasp and stepped back to admire her sister. Isla walked slowly to the family's single mirror in their single bathroom, and stared at herself for a minute, seemingly in a reverie. Then, remembering the second box, she turned and hopped into the living room, her cheerful, lively self once again.
"Zooee, come open your box!" she said excitedly. Zoeyl slowly walked toward the offered box. If Isla had gotten a silver necklace, the older girl couldn't imagine what she would be receiving. And- well, she knew this was extremely selfish, but- she couldn't help hoping that hers was as good, or better.
"Zooee!" Zoeyl grabbed the box from her wildly gesturing sister and slowly unwrapped it, opening the large, flat box as the paper fell away. She once again caught her breath. Inside, a light green fabric shimmered. She looked up at Ama, eyes wide. Ama nodded her head, telling her daughter to take it out. Fingers trembling, Zoeyl pinched the fabric between her two fingers. It was even softer than she had expected. In one swift motion, she pulled it out of the box completely. A soft thud; Isla had dropped the doll she was holding, eyes humongous and mouth open.
"No." whispered Zoeyl.
The dress was stunning, different shades of pearlescent spring green and cut-out shoulders. Looking up at Ama again, she saw her mother looking proud and content. Ama tilted her head down, gesturing at the box and smiling. Looking down, Zoeyl saw that there was still something else still in the box. Bending down while cradling the dress, she saw that it was… No, it couldn't be! She thought that came later! But no, it surely and truly was… A form for the Selection!