Chapter 3: I'll Do That For You
It was Friday. The day of the results. I am pretty confident that I didn't get in. It was probably the odds that the castes will get dissolved. Like that was going to happen. This corrupted world will stay corrupted, as sad as that may sound. The eights did nothing to get to where they were- on the streets and starving. They can't earn enough to support a family, so most were sent out to the streets to beg. They do life-threatening jobs and hard-labor just to put food on their table. And then the twos however, they just had to stand in front of a camera and smile to get money for shopping sprees and that stuff. Oh, how I hate how this country works.
The female population of the Singer household was absolutely hectic. They were jumping up and down as if they have seen their favourite celebrity. I preferred the male population of the Singer household much much more. They were quiet and calm.
I was tempted to tell the female Singers on how I rigged the application to be not in my favor, but I chose not to. That would earn me a huge 2 hour- day rant from them about how great the prince is and how I missed a huge opportunity. But I am excited about telling them about the new job I had that could greatly benefit the family, and that could potentially give all of us an education and a chance for a brighter future. I feel immensely proud about that.
All of us were cuddled up on the couch, waiting for the Friday Capital Report to start up on the small computer screen.
Suddenly a face that looked way too excited and had way too many face lefts flashed onto the screen.
I almost peed my pants.
"Heeeelllllooooo, Illea!" The announcer said happily. "My name is Gavril," Oh. So he is the ever so famous Gavril. I never knew he looked so... Ken dollish, which isn't a compliment. "And welcome to the weekly Friday Illea report!"
"As you all know, today is the big day for our dear Prince Aspen." The screen flashed to his majesty's arrogant face. His nose was in the air, like a total snob. "He is turning 20, and we are very proud to welcome up the blah blah blah he is too awesome blah blah blah blah I love his hair blah blah I love cookies blah blah blah Cookie Monster is a threat blah blah blah blah blah." And then I started to drift off.
There was a pumpkin king who wanted cookies for his banana lieutenants because-
"Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh! Its starting Ames!" May exclaimed with joy while shaking me really hard, "Aren't you so darn excited?!"
Excited my ass.
The camera flashed back to Gavril's modified face again and he started talking, "Remember that all of these girls are very very lucky and have been hand chosen by the one and only Prince Aspen."
Lucky them.
"So let's get started with the selected twos, Shall we?" The audience replied with a smattering applause and screams of delight.
"Celeste Newsome, a two, from Clermont." Pictures of her photo shoot were littered on the screen. Wow. She looks bitchy. And beautiful. Her photos showed her giving her white, bright smile.
He called out way too many more names from the caste of two and he droned on and on and on.
I'm gonna sleep.
My mom shook me awake. "America! They are moving on to the fives! Hurry up! Look!"
I groggily stretched my arms and rubbed my eyes.
"America Singer, a five from Carolina."
Ha. Very funny, mom.
I laughed a couple of times, expecting to get a reply from my mom, but she just stared at the screen.
.
.
.
I looked on the screen and saw the one picture of me smiling shyly at the camera.
I looked at my dad for reassurance, but he looked as shocked as I am.
Was he in this joke too?
My dad slowly looked at me and I saw the pure surprise glazing his eyes over.
I realized that this wasn't a joke.
There was just silence.
"Fuck." I whispered. No. This can't be happening.
I don't want this life. I don't want it.
Please let this be a dream.
Please let this be a nightmare.
This must be a nightmare.
This has to be a nightmare.
Wake up, America!
There is no way I could've gotten in.
I pinched myself.
Wake up wake up wake up wake up wake up
Nothing happened.
This was reality.
How?
...Why?
Please no...
A tear escaped from my eyes. And that broke the dam.
Tears started streaming down my face. I didn't want to get in! This has to be a mistake. I tried my hardest not to get in... And I got in. This has to be a joke.
There was no turning back now. Every one of the selected life's changed the moment their name is called. Now cameras will follow you wherever you went. My stomach filled with dread and I suddenly had to fight the urge to throw up. I closed my eyes.
Screams and yells of excitement and disbelief echoed throughout the room and I saw a faded image of May running toward me.
Everything felt blurred.
It felt light headed.
Please let this be a dream.
Everything went black.
...
Bright lights blind my eyes, even with my eyelids shut closed. The too clean scent of a sterilized room fills my nose and I sneeze.
Bleh.
I grimace and my ears perk up when I hear a voice vaguely like my dad's.
"America? Kitten?" The person who's voice sounds like my dad's gasped.
I snap my eyes open. I search around the room and see my dad a few feet away, looking at me, surprised and relieved, holding a glass of water. He started shuffling toward me while I looked around.
Everything around me was white. White walls, white ceilings, white bed... And I was in a whi- never mind, blue gown. I was on a bed that was far more comfortable than my house's. This one felt much softer, plush, bouncy. I wanted to melt in it because of how comfortable it was. I stared at my wrist and saw a needle attached to it. The beep of a heart monitor echoed throughout the room and to the right of me I had a table lined with needles, syringes, and vials. I reached up to touch my face, but I was met with the touch of a plastic mask.
In other words, I was in a hospital.
"Daddy? Why am I in a hospital?" I asked in confusion. But when I realized that he couldn't hear me because of my respiration mask, I ripped it off and repeated my question.
"Daddy?" His face was grim and concerned. He walked forward toward my bed and kneeled down. He put the hand that was not carrying the glass of water on my thigh, containing a reassuring touch. Why?
He handed a glass of water to me and I didn't notice the really dry throat I had until now. I gulped down the glass of water, while trying to read my dad's face. It was unreadable. Would someone just tell me what in the freaking hell is going on? Why in the fuck am I in a hospital?
"America, I know you're confused," I said that out loud, didn't I. "Just one question at a time, okay?" I nodded my head.
"So, Kitten, do you know what happened before you got here?"
I thought back as far as I could remember.
"So we were watching the selection and then... Did someone die?"
I watched as a sad smile curled up my dad's face. He put a warm hand on my forehead and sighed.
"Oh, kitten," my dad said sadly. "No one died, fortunately, but..."
"What."
"You fainted."
Fainted?
I thought back to when everything went black. The sound of screaming and yelling engulfed and deafened my ears.
"Call Illea Hospital!"
"America! Are you okay?"
"America! Wake up!" A sharp pain stung my cheek.
The sound of sirens wailing in my ear welcomed me as I struggled to stay conscious. I felt people pick me up and lie me on a plank. The sound of clicking... CLICKING? Cameras!
Cameras.
"Did the-" I started, but my dad interrupted me, almost knowing exactly was I was going to ask and how I was going to react.
"I tried to fend off the cameras," tried. "And I think that I did the job pretty well. So don't worry, America. I always knew that you liked flying under the radar."
I hoped my eyes expressed the thanks I wanted to say because I was about on the verge of tears. My dad is so helpful in so many ways. He always knows what i want and what I need.
I quickly wiped my tears away and sat there, staring at the wall.
I was still confused about something though...
"What caused me to faint?" I questioned. My dad's face immediately melted into a passive expression.
"How about we leave this topic for another time, okay?"
"No."
"Are you sure?" My dad's pleading voice threatened to break to break my stubbornness. Walls of Steel, America!
"Yes. I am sure."
"America..."
"Tell me."
"Okay." My dad sighed. "Just, try not to faint again, okay?" I directed a 'no duh' face at my dad.
"So we were watching the Illea Report-" And memories started rushing back to my brain.
I got in.
"I got in, didn't I? Into the selection?" I said to my dad, interrupting his story telling. He nodded his head slowly in a calming manner. Dad smiled grimly and put his hand over mine.
"I will support every decision you make, okay?" I looked down and also nodded.
"More water," I croaked, starting to feel nauseous again. My dad quickly grabbed the cup out of my hand and rushed out the door to get more water for me.
But immediately when my dad walked out, my mom traded places and walked in.
I clenched my fists at the sight of my mom.
She's the one who caused me to get into the selection.
My nauseousness fully converted into dead on rage.
I bit my tongue to prevent me from immediately start swearing and throwing cuss words everywhere.
"Hello, mum," I said in a hostile tone. She caught on that I wasn't happy with her.
"Hello, America. Glad to see you awake." I sneered at her haughty expression.
"Get out." I growled. I didn't want to see any bit of her. That bitch turned my life upside down. Now nothing is going to be the same.
Just because of her.
She made my dad come in and convince me to go on that fateful day.
"Get out!" I repeated, after several seconds of a staring contest. My eyes filled with fury versus her eyes filled with arrogance and pleasure.
But instead of walking out and following my orders, she just shrugged her shoulders and said in a very condescending tone, "The plane leaves tomorrow. Today, they are releasing you and I fully expect for you to go home and to immediately pack your bags. And don't even think about talking to your dad or running away."
I opened my mouth to retort, but she flipped her hair and pridefully walked out of the room. I swore at her to just remind her about how she is leaving our relationship to be. She didn't turn back and the clicking sound of her heels slowly subsided.
I released a growl and glared at the door, challenging it to bring someone else in. Mom acts so immaturely. How could such a sweet guy like my dad marry someone like her? I took a deep breath and thought of ways to avoid the inevitable.
...
I wake up to sound of screaming and yelling. It seemed vaguely similar to a person celebrating.
Wait did I fall asleep? Eh, who cares. Gah, this bed is too comfortable. Sleep. My brain was too muddled to process anything.
"America! Waddle! We have to go huff and puff to blow!" A person said, mentally pulling me out of my deep sleep.
"AMERICA! Wake up! We have to go home to pack up your bags!" The person repeated in my awakening mind.
No... Just a few more minutes.
"Ammeeyyyy!" The voice squealed and poked my cheek.
Shut up. Shut up. Slleeeeeeepp.
"AMERICA!" The voice screamed. That immediately shocked me out of my sleep and I glared at my sister for waking me up from my escape from life.
"What?!" I growled.
Her face instantly dimmed down and I regretted the tone I said that to her with.
"I'm sorry May," I apologized and tried to laugh it off, "you know how much I love my beauty sleep."
She smiled and walked over to me.
"It's okay! I'm also sorry for waking you up from your beauty sleep. " I smiled at how sweet she is. "I'm just so excited that my big sister got into the selection! We have to pack up!" And my smile vanished and my heart started beating wildly.
The constant beeping from the heart monitor sped up and May started freaking out.
"Oh my gosh! Did I say something wrong? Oh, please don't die America!" She started bawling. I chuckled softly, but the dread was still weighing me down.
"May! Oh, dear, I didn't mean to scare you like that!" I scrambled for words, "um, I just got... I just got so excited for tomorrow!" I lied.
"Oh my gosh, me too! But I'm also sad that you are leaving." She frowned.
"Oh don't worry," I comforted her and put a hand on her shoulder, "I'll return home as fast as I can." And I instantly knew that I shouldn't have said that because her face morphed into a disappointed and angry face.
"America, you are going to stay in that competition for as long as you can!" She stated.
Ugh! Not her too! She's like a mini mom! I have to nip that in the bud before it gets too serious.
I got worked up by her words, and I resisted from yelling back at her. I took a couple of deep breaths and nodded.
"I'll do that for you, May."
But that promise was hollow.
I'm in a book hangover.
Cassandra Clare is too good at writing books.
And the feels... TOO STRONG.
And WessaJessa. Sorry Jessa shippers.
My brain is pure mush right now.
Meh hehehehheheheh.
And the Young Elites by Marie Lu...
And Graceling...
And Red Queen...
Bnjfdakgnfljangjkfdaon- my mental status right now. Enzoooooooooooooooo...
And I forgot to answer the guest named Joey's question about how old Aspen and Maxon are, they are 21 and 19, If that's possible. I need to review health class. Heh.
HEALTH CLASS FTW.
~ThyShippingQueen