Beta: Abizeau


Chapter 2

True to her word, for the next 12 hours, while Romina packed with anger, she did not talk to Carmen. At that moment, Carmen Theia Lu-Garcia did not exist to her. If they were in the same room together, Romina didn't lay eyes on her; if Carmen tried to apologize, Romina wouldn't hear it. As far as Romina was concern, Carmen was a ghost to her. If it wasn't for her meddling ways, she wouldn't be packing to go to Angeles right now. She wouldn't have to pretend to be straighter than she already was, for the whole world to see. She wouldn't have to be in front of the cameras, where the world would be watching her, if it wasn't for her. What Carmen did was selfish and cruel, and it took all of Romina's willpower not to choke out her little sister.

Everybody else avoided Romina like she was a contagious, rabid dog and maybe she was, with how she slammed doors and snapped at everyone and how everybody caught her death glare. She never felt this anger before, where she wanted to yell and scream and cry and sleep all at once, where she wanted to toss and hit everything on sight. How could Carmen do this to her? Was she so desperate to be close to the Royal Family that she was willing to throw her own sister into a shitshow?

When she was packed and ready to go, all of Romina's anger left her in one swoop and she collapsed on her bed. She let out a long and deep breath and felt tears prickle in the corner of her eyes, her chest aching as the weight of the situation fully hit her.

"What the fuck," Romina whispered.

And just like that, the dam of ugly tears came forth and Romina covered her face, not knowing what else to do. She felt embarrassed for crying like this as if she was being sent to her death. It was just the Selection, it wasn't guaranteed that she would even make it pass the first day. Hell, even the hour. And if she did, she would learn some Royal tricks, eat good, wear nice dresses, sleep well, and so much more. Yet the thought of holding a charade bigger than what she had to do at home, just made her want to die. She was crying because she had to be less her than she already was; now she was going to be like an actress. Who wanted to be an actress for their entire life? At least with real actresses, they could stop pretending and be themselves. Once she'd be eliminated, every man would want her and she would have to get married. She never heard in the history of Illea, that a former Selected rejected marriage proposals. She sure in hell didn't want to be the first.

Okay, Romina breathe, Romina thought to herself, pushing her hair out of her face. One thing at a time; first, she had to breathe. Her face felt hot and her eyes stung. She breathed through her nose and out through her mouth, as she wiped her eyes. She had to think about this, really think about it. Overall, she hated it. This whole thing was too much for her. She already hated how she kept a part of herself locked down, scared of the outcome of coming out, now it was just another layer that she had to add on. Romina had always felt cautious when she talked to her family about anything, scared that if she started talking that she would let something slip. She would just be applying it there in the Selection.

Another thing that Romina had to think about was the fact that she might not have to spend a lot of time with the Prince. Maybe she would be in the Women's Room most of the time or in the dinner room or have time to look around the castle. There were plenty of girls that went on one or two dates with the Prince, and then that was the end of that. She could be invisible until she could go home, and… sleep in her own bed and think of her next step. Yeah, being invisible could totally work.

She straightened up at the thought, and slowly she started nodding. Yes! She could just be invisible and boring, and when she got sent home nobody would care enough to pursue her because she was so standoffish. Romina squinted off into the distance as her mind started racing. What would she even do to be unappealing? Dresses were a requirement until ordered otherwise but being quiet would be the right path…

A knock at the door made Romina jump out her thoughts and she turned towards it with narrowed eyes. If it was Carmen, trying to apologize, one more time…

"Chill out, it's me, Zheng," her older sister said. "I can feel that glare from over here."

Romina hesitated, unsure if she wanted to let Zheng in. After all, Carmen could be using Zheng to get in and talk to her, and that wasn't a risk she wanted to take. At the same time, she didn't want to ice Zheng out more than she already had, along with the rest of the family who wasn't Carmen. She sighed as she stood up and walked over to the door. She opened the door a crack, to see it was just Zheng before letting her in. Just as she was about to close the door, a hand stopped it and pushed it open more.

Carmen's wide eyes stared into Romina's cold ones, as Romina was still holding the door knob and Carmen's hand against the door. If looks could kill, Carmen would be dead.

"Did you two plan this?" Romina asked calmly, her head turned to Zheng.

Zheng looked guilty and Romina rolled her eyes and turned back to Carmen.

"Let me be very clear," Romina said. "I'm still furious with you, and looking at you right now, it's taking me everything not to hit you in the face. Honestly, I want to slam this door in your face and I don't care if I break your nose or you arm."

Carmen paled at this and she swallowed hard. Her eyes flitted over to Zheng, and Romina guessed that Zheng looked equally shocked as Carmen. Deep down, Romina felt bad for being so cruel but right now, she didn't give a fuck about feelings or how scary she looked. She wanted Carmen to understand how pissed she was, and it was going to be a while before she would forgive her.

"Do you hate me?" Carmen asked, her voice small.

Romina rolled her eyes. "No, Carmen, get in here."

Carmen scampered inside and Romina closed the door behind her. She turned to her sisters with her arms folded, looking at each of them before sighing.

"Look, Carmen, I'm pissed with you but I don't hate you. Do I want to fight you right now? Yes. Do I want to kill you? Yes. But do I hate you? No."

Carmen glanced over to Zheng, who was just as lost as she was.

"You want to kill me… but you don't hate me?"

"Emotions are complicated, take what you will or get out of my room."

"I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth," Carmen chuckled, nervously.

"I didn't know that you knew metaphors."

"I'm going to take that insult because at least you're talking to me."

Romina gave Carmen a tight smile before she sat next to Zheng.

"These are the last few hours, you guys," Romina sighed. "This is going to be the last time I see you, maybe in months, or a week. You know as great as they try to make it sound, it's going to be a pretty prison. We only get to call you, never see you unless they give a greenlight for visitation and you can only go to your room or the Women's Room, waiting for the Prince to take you somewhere."

"It's a pretty prison?" Carmen offered.

Romina looked over at Carmen, with a dark expression that convey that her sister wasn't out of the doghouse yet. The younger girl smiled sheepishly and looked away, shrugging her shoulders and found interest on the designs of the cover.

"Well, listen, we'll always be at the phone, and inform you about everything that's happening."

"What about Monica and Tyler?" Romina asked, lowering her voice.

At this, Carmen dropped onto the bed.

"Oh shit, I didn't think about that."

"Yeah because you don't think-"

"Hey! Okay, enough with being bitchy, Ro. I mean it."

Romina rolled her eyes and looked away.

"Carmen said that she was sorry multiple times, tried to express it, and you haven't been hearing it. Which is fine, be upset but don't be cruel. Besides, it won't be too bad, we'll figure this out. Okay? But please, stop being a jackass. It's not fair to anybody, and you're scaring Ru."

Romina sighed, and rubbed her brow.

"This isn't fair either. I didn't want this and I didn't ask for it, and I didn't get a choice in the matter."

Carmen sighed. "Ro, I'm sorry. I am, I thought I was being helpful, encouraging. I didn't know that you actually didn't want to go."

"That's bullshit and you know it," Romina said. "I said it repeatedly, I made myself clear, and I showed no interest in ever participating and yet, you went behind my back and did it anyway. I'm leaving tomorrow, and I want you to be honest with me. You did this for yourself, didn't you?"

There was silence and Romina turned around to look at Carmen. The younger girl had her eyes closed, a sad look on her face that was honestly pissing Romina off. What in the world did she have to be sad about? She had to have known that there were consequences to this!

"Okay, so maybe I did but is it really so bad? You're getting paid for this and you get to find your soulmate, whether it's the prince, or the guy watching you and wanting you. We'll have to do it the old boring way."

It was on the tip of Romina's tongue to blurt out "I don't want a man!" but she bit it down hard and closed her eyes. 'The boring way'. Was that what possessed Carmen to write her name on that paper, take a picture and send it off? And why her, at that anyway?

"Why did you sign me up but not Zheng? Zheng is of age too! And she said no just like I did and you never pressed the matter, so why me? Hm? I don't believe the bullshit of wanting me to do this the fun way. Why did you ignore my wishes but not hers?"

Carmen was silent and Zheng and Romina exchanged looks.

"Unless, you submitted Zheng in too?"

Carmen seemed to try to make herself disappear.

"Are you fucking kidding me, Car? Me too?" Zheng said. "What the hell."

"I didn't think either of you would get Selected! All I ever wanted you to do was to at least submit, if you made it yay. If not then that was okay. A win-win situation."

"For you maybe! But not for us, did you even think about our feelings?" Zheng said, getting angry.

"I-I didn't think that it was a big deal." Carmen said

"Of course you don't, because this is something you want to do. Not us, so of course we're upset! I can't believe you, Carmen!"

"Look, I'm sorry, I am, and I realize now that it was bad of me to do that."

"Do you, though?" Romina asked, her eyes narrowed. "You seem very nonchalant about this."

"You guys! I'm sorry but at the same time, I think you guys are just overreacting. It's going to be fun."

Romina laughed, a long and hysterically laugh that caused her sisters to exchange looks.

"Carmen, get the fuck out of my room. I'm done listening. I'll remember this next time you say no to something because I obviously know you better than you know yourself."

Carmen stared at Romina shocked and turned to Zheng, who wouldn't look her in the face. She swallowed hard and nodded, getting up from the bed, leaving the room without a word.

"Maybe Monica can talk some sense into her, next Saturday?" Romina whispered. "About how people's lives are their own? I can't believe it!"

"Me neither. I was actually in that bin. I could be in your shoes right now."

"But you're not, I'm going." Romina sighed. "At least I'm getting paid for being there. I know this is probably petty but I don't want Carmen getting any money at all, not until she understands what she did was wrong. I honestly think that's why she signed us both up anyway."

"If that was truly the case, why didn't she say anything?" Zheng said. "Like, I might have did it for that and not to marry a Prince."

Romina shook her head, a smile on her face. "I hate both of you, really."

"You'll forgive Carmen eventually, and Carmen will realize that this wasn't cool. But until then… please be civil until you leave. I don't want our last day to be full of tension."

Romina sighed. "Fine, I'll behave but I'm still very pissed with her."

"As am I but for now let's try to end on a good note."


The next morning, breakfast felt off. Romina tried to pretend that everything was good and she was calm and that she wasn't thinking about hitting Carmen every chance she got. No, right now, Romina was all smiles and kisses and hugs and apologies.

She was ready to go off to the castle and be one of Illea's darlings and hopefully be the Prince's One (or not, she prayed to whatever God was listening), and if not (oh, she really hope not), then she got sent home, rich and wanted by all.

It wasn't too bad, she got it.

And when the car came to pick her up, she hugged each family member tightly and said 'I love you' to all of them. Then she picked up her bags and was out the door.


A/N: Next chapter Romina will be meeting some other Selected BUT those that have reserve a place or haven't but want to submit a character can. They just getting on the planes to head to the palace and that's about it. After that chapter, I will wait until a couple weeks for more submissions.