At first I had thought it was a joke. And then it was as real as a slap in the face, because it was. My mother could not help it. It was a shock to us all. My face stilled burned when my father had clicked the tele off. Camille was tucked crying into Tom's arm's, I have never been more disgusted with my brother.
"How could you do this to your sister?" My mother asked her tone very sharp.
"As if I had a choice mother!" I say my hands balled into fist I could hear the crinkle of paper beneath my fingers and I quickly closed the book I had held.
"You didn't have to sign the papers!" My mother shouted at me, my father grabbing her arm before it fell upon my face again. He bent down and whispered into her ear. She smiled and walked out of the room. My father took Camille from Tom and walked her back to her room, I could hear my father talking to Camille's fiancé, telling to come over here quick. And then the door closed leaving Tom and I, alone.
"I can't believe you." Tom said as he stood up, putting a hand into his hair.
"How could you be so cruel to Camille?" His voice was rising, I stood there unaware of what to say. Tom took a step towards me.
"All I did was take a picture!" I stammered back at him my foot landing harshly against the carpet.
"I didn't even want to!" I snapped, and then a smile played across Tom's face. One of those gut wrenching smiles that he always had before something terrible happened. And something terrible did happen.
It took no less than a second for him to wrap his long fingers around my wrist, and pull me against him. I couldn't help but feel disgusted.
"You know Teresa, you are not my sister." He said next to the crook of my neck, I had never felt more disgusted and exposed in my life. I struggled to pull my hand from his grasp but it didn't budge. One second I was facing and the next I wasn't.
"Not fully, any way." He whispered his mouth tangled in my hair, and at that moment I did what any respectable girl would do. I kicked him. The second his hand loosened on mine I pulled it away, and then gracefully spit at him. Their was a shuddering sound of feet descending the stairs as my father opened the stairway door, with Elias and a bag of his things. My mother took a minute or two before she arrived.
"This is what happens when you disobey your parents." My father said as he pushed Elias towards the floor, Tom was still crying on the floor. My mother looked at me her face red. She threw a bag at me and I caught it. Elias had started crying in my arms.
" You and your brother must leave! Neither of you are a help to the family! And I can't have you bringing shame to the family." She said rather harshly. I patted Elias head and pleaded with them to let Elias stay, but they didn't budge they just pushed us out the door, the hairs rain falling onto his shredded back.
"Come on Elias." I said as I pulled on his coat to get him walking.
"I know a place where you can stay.". I knew I would regret this.
The streets were extremely muddy and so e of the windows around the city were smashed due to the recent rebel attack, all I could do is hope he was still there. The house looked smaller than it did the first time I had been there, but then again I was only six when my mother had took me here. I knocked on the red door, the sound that came away sounded rotten and old. The door screeched on it's hinges and I saw him.
I saw my father.
"Hello, can I..."
"Dad?" I asked as he turned his head to see me, he had the same gray eye's as me, his were just a little softer.
"Teresa, come in." He said as he ushers Elias and I inside. The door closed and I was stuck inside a living room, his wife looked up at me over her swollen belly as she sat up from the couch, a child ran towards us.
"Who is it? Who is it?" She repeated over and over again. I looked towards my dad's wife, and received nothing but a cold glare from her. No matter what happened, she thought I was a Gregory.
"What happened?" He said after shushing the child.
"My mother, she, she kicked us out." I said as I shifted under the weight of Elias, his wounds had not healed, he had to lean on me to walk.
"You can stay here if you like." His wife said as she walked toward us.
"I won't be staying. I just need a place for Elias." I said, his wife's face had softened, she looked at me with a pained look. I realized her had had became a fist against her stomach. I looked from her hand to my dad, and then back.
"Please sit honey, please you shouldn't be walking. You as well Elias, please." My father said and he walked us all into the living area. I sat a crossed from them, Elias's head was still on my shoulder, he had stopped crying.
"Why aren't you staying?" My father asked after his wife had settled. His jaw had now grown a beard and he looked older more sophisticated.
"I was selected for The Selection." I said and his mouth formed an O.
"You don't have to feed him, he can cook, and find work once he is healed. And I'll send you my checks, just please let him stay here." Elias started crying again. He tried to talk but it just came out in moans.
"Of coarse, and congratulations." His wife said, I nodded my head and thanked her.
"For the time being though you can stay here as well." My father said rubbing his hand on his wife stomach, her face became less tight and she smiled.
"I will get Matthew to give you his room." She said and then called out his name. A few minutes later, he appeared.
" Yes mother?" He asked, he wasn't much older than me, he looked young, but his eyes held something old. Like he had lived a thousand years and suffered horrible things. He came and then stopped a few feet from me.
"Teresa?" He said his head slightly tilted to the side. He was Camille's servant, he and I had the common dispute about her. As all men his age, he was hopelessly in love with her.
"Matthew, she is going to require your room." His mother said. I couldn't help but feel guilty.
"Is Camille okay?" He asked. I couldn't feel anymore sick without loosening the contents of my stomach.
"Yes." I said trying to hold back all the negative feelings I had towards her, but they could see it in my eye's. After all the eyes can never lie. Matthew let's me take over his room, not that I have much. Just a light jacket, a burgundy scarf, blue jeans, four shirts, and my undergarments. The only book I have left is the one in my hand. I sat down on the bed I'm guessing it is made out of straw.
I couldn't bring myself to do anything else, so I fell asleep.
I was awoken by my nightmare. I could still feel Tom's clammy hands gripping my wrists as I tried to squirm away from him. I was sweating. The rising sun had left a pale orange glow against the far wall. It smelled lightly of smoke. For once in my life, I woke up and no one was yelling my name. I stood up and dressed myself in the blue jeans and a white T-shirt, and then I pulled on the jacket. My head snapped towards the door as it produced a soft sound.
Someone was knocking on it.
I don't think I have ever dreaded those two steps it took to cross the room, and open the door. There in the bedroom door frame stood the officer that had hit me. I swallowed back my spit, there was a lump in my throat.
"I need you to answer some questions, we just need more information before you can go." He said, a sneer on his face like he knew something I didn't.
*time gap, two weeks.*
The officer had come and gone at least once every day over the last two weeks, I was happy that this would be the last day he produced anyone new, to poke and prod me with questions. Today he brought a man, he called himself Thayer.
"Can we speak in private?" Thayer asked as he motion towards the six children and Elias sitting on the couch. My dad nodded his head yes as he walked us to my room. My Dad, Thayer and I adjusted ourselves around Matthew's desk.
"Mrs. Gregory, this is going to sound harsh but of last Friday, you are now considered property of Illea. You must take care of your body from here on out. I have several forms for you to sign as we go through this information, any failure to comply on your part will result in immediate removal from the selection. Do you understand?". I nodded my head yes.
"Let's start with the easy stuff, now since you are a six you will probably need vitamins." I thought I was a two, but I wasn't going to interject, and correct him. He rambled on about me having to take it by myself, until someone was able to help me at the palace, but who needs help taking a pill?
"I have me your physical from you doctor, it say's that you are in perfect condition, except for that lash against you face. We will have someone take care of it though." He said and then flipped over a paper. His face formed some thing funny like he was nervous to ask the next question.
"Now I know this is personal, but I've had to discuss it with every contestant so please don't be shy." He paused and took in a breath.
"I need confirmation that you, are in fact, a virgin.". I felt sick, very, very sick. The second he said the word, I could feel Tom looking at me smirking, at how he could have taken this away from me.
"Yes, I am." I said.
"Consider please if you are found to be..." I stopped him.
"Sir, I am not stupid I know the law, and I would never let that happen." I said and he nodded his head.
"I need you to sign this form confirming your statement." He said as he pushed the paper and pen towards me, I quickly scrawled my name wanting this to be over soon.
"Now I need to go over the rules with you. They are very straightforward and you shouldn't have a problem complying. If you have any questions just ask." He said and I nodded my head.
"You may not leave the palace on your own accord, you must be dismissed by the prince. Not even the king or queen can dismiss you. They can tell the prince they disapprove but they cannot force you out. There is no set time long for the selection, it may take weeks or years."
YEARS!?
"You do not arrange your times with the prince. He will reach out to you if he wants one-on-one time with you. If you are in a lager social setting that is different. But you do not go to him without being asked. While you are not expected to get along with the other 34 you are not to fight with them, or sabotage them. Your only romantic relationship shall be with the prince, if you are found writing love notes to someone here or are caught in a relationship with someone at the palace that is considered treason and is punishable by death. If you are breaking any of Illea's written laws you will receive the punishment tied to the offense, your status as one of the selected does not put you above the law. You must not wear clothes that are not provided for you, you must not eat food that is not made for at the palace, this is a security issue an will be strictly enforced.". He took in air.
"On Fridays you will be expected to appear on the report. on occasion you will be warned there will be cameras and reporters at the palace. For each week you stay at the palace you will be compensated. I will give you your first check before I leave. Also should you not stay at the palace and aide will help you adjust to your life outside the palace.". He took in another breath.
"Should you make it to the top ten you shall be coma an elite, once you reach that status you will learn the inner workings and obligations of a queen. From now on you are considered a three. If you stay in the selection and become the princess you and your family will become ones." I nodded my head, taking in all this information was like being handed a apple and being told to make a cake.
"I need you to sign this form saying you have heard all the official rules and you agree to them. " I nodded my head and took the paper.
"Here is your check. I will send the Gregory's the later ones."
"No, the Gregory's are not my family. She may be my mother but THEY are not my family. Elias and the Anderling's are my family, the money will go to them." I say and he nods his head. Thayer collected all the forms and then had me escort him to the door. It took him an extraordinary amount of time to get to the door. His foot steps slowly falling one after another. I caught my breath as he pulled open the door and then turned to face me, his eyes told me he knew the inner workings of the Gergory house hold but I told myself, that now one knew.
"It would be smart if you didn't refuse the prince." Thayer said as he moved the door open further, rays of sun falling against the ground.
"What do you mean?" I asked but the implication was there. Give the prince whatever he wants. I felt sick, a small amount of bile rising up in my throat as he confirmed.
"If he ever wants to do anything, more than kiss, it would be wise not to say no." And then he was gone, in the flash of a blink. I slid down the wall holding on to my stomach.
I would never be able to leave behind the Gregory name.