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All rights go to the fabulous Kiera Cass.

-ReadLikeYouMeanIt

I can't believe I've made it this far in the Selection. There are only twenty girls left. There were thirty-four. How has this all happened so fast?

It seems like yesterday I was back in Calgary going to the school for the arts. Ever since the castes were abolished, there have been special schools for each profession. There are evens schools for people who don't know what they want to do. No one expected there to be a Selection for the Prince. After the Princess has her Selection and chose her husband, people thought either they'd marry the Prince off or he'd find his love somewhere else. And how the heck did I get selected? What's special about me? More importantly, why am I still here? There's nothing special about my family. I'm not beautiful (well, I don't think I am). I probably wouldn't be a good leader. What does the Prince see in me? I'm so shy. Most of my teachers thought I was bright, but I was never the smartest one in my class. I can sing pretty well, but I'm no pop star. I'm not the best dancer. My acting is just so-so. My brown hair is so plain. It's curly, but not in a beautiful way. I can make it work, but I just always end up hating it. I'm not that skinny. I'm not fat either. My nail beds suck. I can't walk in heels. I do like the dresses they have here. I can read pretty well, and I enjoy reading, but what does that do? I'm just so...boring. I'm plain. I don't stand out.

My family's not better. My older brother, Nick (21), drinks too much. My dad, Calvin, can't keep the same job for a year. My mom, Julienne, has so poor health, she might as well be dead. My little sister, Danielle (16), is so rebellious, we can't keep track of her. My twin brother, Drew, and I (18) are the only sane ones. My grandparents died when I was so young. My parents had kids when they were so young, nineteen for my mom and twenty for my dad. They had been married for a year. My dad stopped going to school and began doing labor work. Since so many people do labor work, he always gets fired. We keep hoping he'll get promoted at some point. God knows he's so hard-working, but he keeps getting replaced by someone younger and more "capable". Basically, these people studied how to plant seeds for farms and my dad just learned when he began working. He's always wanted to go back to school, but he can't afford to. Maybe now that I'm in the Selection, he can go back.

We've been here for one week. I have done nothing to impress. I've done the exact opposite actually. The first time I met the Prince, I was in the hallway. It was the first night and it wasn't curfew yet, so I wanted to walk around a bit. Only on the second first floor, a floor beneath where the Selected stay. I had just stopped to look at a painting of the royal family when I heard someone say, "Hello, Miss."

I turned around, expecting it to be a guard telling me to go back to my room, but it wasn't. It was the Prince.

"Oh! Hello! I mean, uh, good evening, Your Highness." I stumbled for words. I attempted to curtsy, but I lost my balance and fell right into him, making him fall as well. We both fell to the floor. He began laughing, but I was determined to get up and get the hell out of there. I got up and made sure my balance was right. He got up as well, still laughing slightly.

"I'm so sorry." I said, making sure he was okay.

"That's all right," he said gently. "Are you okay, my dear?"

Okay, that's kind of creepy. I thought. "Um, yes, thank you."

"Well, no harm done." He said, smiling.

"I—I—I have to go." I said. And I just took off running. I ran to my room, closed the door, and tried to sleep the memory away. It didn't work, big shocker there.

The next day, when we officially met the Prince, didn't go any better either. He called me over to meet him, and when he saw my face, he immediately started smiling. I could tell he was trying to stifle a laugh.

"Good day, Your Highness," I said, curtsying, but staying on balance this time.

"Good day," he said, bowing back. "Please sit." He gestured to a chair.

I sat down and put my hands in my lap, trying not to fidget.

"So," he began. "I hope you rested well."

"Yes, thank you. And you?"

"Yes, thank you." He looked a bit surprised that I asked him a question about his feelings. Had none of the girls actually done that? How often did he get asked a question like that?

"So, Lady Arabella," he began.

"Oh, please call me Belle. That's what my friends and family call me." I said. Oh god, what if that was rude? Did that count as interrupting him?

"Okay, Lady Belle," he winks. I sigh in relief. "Where are you from?"

"Calgary."

"Oh, Calgary is such a beautiful place. I've gotten to visit a few times."

"Yes, that's right! I remember some of the parades that were held."

He sighs. "Yes, Father always wanted to appeal to the public."

"Well, it worked."

He laughs at this. "Yes, I suppose it did. Which is why we continued to do it. What's your family like?"

"Oh, well, they're fairly poor. Well, they used to be. Now that I'm in the Selection, they'll have better opportunities. I can't thank you and your family enough for all of the generosity you've shown us." I pause. "God, that sounded clichéd, didn't it?"

He laughs slightly. "A bit, I'm afraid."

"Sorry." I blush.

"No need to apologize. Now, where did you go to school?"

"I went to Newsome School for the Arts."

"Ah, fine school. What did you study?"

"Well, I took voice lessons, acting lessons, some dance classes. I don't think I was that good though. However, I enjoyed it."

"Well, it sounds like you're rather talented! You'll have to sing for me sometime."

I blush more. "Oh, um, okay."

"Oh, I didn't mean to put you on the spot! You don't have to sing if you don't want to."

"Well, I, just—"

I was interrupted by a guard. "Your Highness, it's time for the next candidate."

"Thank you, Officer Shultz." He turned to me. "Thank you, Lady Belle." He kissed my hand and sent me on.

I had felt pretty honored that he had kissed my hand at our first meeting. But after that, I didn't see him. I'd see him in the hallway, but he's never gone on a date with me. I don't know what I did. It was probably my clumsiness. I've messed up everything, and now I'm going to be thrown out.