This chapter highlights Nat and Nicole's send off, and introduces another character, Lissa. Thanks to my reviewers- mnbvcxz-xx, TheGirlWithTheRainbowTattoo, Demigod-Gallagher-Selected , Fairy not princess, zanzibaby, delovlies, theYAfangirl17. Love you guys!
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Nat ran the brush through her hair one final time, trying to get her dark chestnut curls to lay smooth. As usual, the frizz protested. She gritted her teeth-something she had started during the last few days-and dug through the bag of beauty products the palace people had given her. The last several days had been a whirlwind of activity. The whole inconceivable notion that when the girl representing Yukon was chosen, was related to one of the girls already chosen drove reporters and the public to their house in droves. Especially since they weren't just related. They weren't just cousins, or even sisters. They were identical twins.
They had gotten quite a kick out of switching places on the reporters and palace people, though. People swarmed by the droves to get them to sign papers about the validity of their forms, take their pictures, take their measurements for fancy-schamncy ball gowns, people to inform them that were now, in fact, Threes, and give them beauty products and vitamins, and go into every minute detail regarding the Selection. Not to mention the phone calls requesting interviews, and the reporters and photographers everywhere. With all that was going on, Nat barely had time to think about all of it. Never in her wildest dreams had she considered being selected. Never. Not once. Her leg muscles were sore from not riding, even on a daily basis. She hadn't seen Ben once, and he hadn't called. Nat didn't know if she should laugh or cry.
Of course, Nicole was terribly happy about the whole thing. Nat swore that even her skin was glowing. Maybe it was just the vitamins and the face washes and the makeup though. Speaking of which, Nat dug a bottle of hair product guaranteed to get rid of frizz, and misted her curls down, and brushed some more. Now her hair just looked greasy and unwashed and weighed down. She groaned, and tried the dry shampoo, which worked pretty well. She deemed her hair respectable, and put on just a touch of mascara and some powder. All the stress was great for breaking out.
Nat then took her Selection outfit off the hanger, and quickly took of the jeans and sweatshirt she had hastily donned this morning to go downstairs and eat breakfast. It would be the last time she would eat with her family for a while. Usually, she would just go downstairs in her pj's, but had been surprised by a reporter in all her bedtime glory twice already before learning her lesson. She put on the starched short sleeved button down blouse, and tucked it into the knee length black skirt. Not very practical for the rapidly approaching winter, but Angeles was supposed to be warm, so oh well. Still, Nat hiked a pair of knee socks on, and then put on her ankle high riding boots. She had wanted to wear her usual calf high ones, but that hadn't worked so well with the skirt. Nat slipped on the palace issued black cardigan over the sweater, and surveyed her and Nicole's room. Nicole had been ready almost half an hour ago, even though Nat had at least ten minutes before their driver came.
Nat hefted the small tan valise Mom had given her to pack her things. They had told her it wasn't necessary to bring clothes, but Nat had figured that a pair of jeans might come in handy, since the seamstresses who had come to take their measurements had shook their heads when Nat asked them about pants. She also had packed her standard riding boots, and her small wooden box. Nicole had long since stopped using hers, but Nat kept all her 'treasures' there. She kept all her jewelry and little mementos, as well as a stack of photos with a rubber band around them. She hadn't opened it, since it contained the bracelet Ben had given her. The one she had worn until receiving news of their breakup several days later. Nat hadn't thrown it away, since she had been harboring the hope for getting back together. Now she wasn't so sure what the future held.
With one last lance, Nat left the room, switching off the light as she left. Ben didn't want her, well, fine. She didn't need him anymore. Besides, she was a Three now! There was no way Ben, with his fragile male ego, would date her now. He'd had his chance, but he hadn't made the most of it. It certainly wasn't any of Nat's concern anymore. She entered the living room.
"Nat! We have five minutes! You're cutting it close!" Nicole said, jumping to her feet in her cream ballet flats. Nat shrugged.
"That's plenty of time." She said, setting her suitcase down as Nicole handed her the province flower, a small cluster of rhododendron blossoms, and Nat used a hair pin to pen it above her ear. Nicole sported a single rhododendron blossom and several tiny forget-me-nots, representing Yukon as well as Kent. They were throwing a little send off in the hometown for all the Selected today and Nat was not looking forward to it. She was already so exhausted from the preparations, and the Selection hadn't even begun. Besides, she didn't want to see Ben there.
A few minutes later, two cars showed up, on to take her and Nicole, and one to take the rest of their family. The twins climbed into the limo, stocked with drinks and snacks and the best car seats ever.
"Maybe this won't be so bad after all…" Nat said as she settled next to Nicole, spying the tray of treats next to the fully stocked fridge.
"Hurry up and make the most of it. It's like five minutes until we get there." Nicole reminded her, taking an expensive looking bottle of water from the fridge, and taking a drink.
"How's it taste?" Nat asked. '
"Like water. How'd you expect it to taste?" Nicole grinned.
"I don't know. Like…super water or something." Nat perused the tray of treats and settled on a generously sized brownie with a dusting of powdered sugar. She took a giant bite.
"Oh. my. gosh!" She half- shirked. "This is the best brownie ever!" Unfortunately, she didn't have much time to enjoy it, as they pulled up at the square, crowded with twice as many people that were usually there for parades and things.
"Before we do this," Nicole said as the car pulled to a stop and the driver got out to open the door for them. "I just want to say that I'm so glad we're doing it together."
"Me too!" Nat said, giving Nicole a one-armed hug. "Prince Ethan better watch out"
"Just don't be too mad when I win." Nicole teased as the door opened, and the sound of the citizens of Kent yelling their names filled their ears. The driver offered his hand, and helped the girls out, and two guards helped them navigate through the crowd to the raised platform. The mayor presented them to the crowd with more pomp and circumstance than Nat had ever experienced, and then launched into a flowery speech about how honored he was to have not one, but two girls from Kent in the Selection, and how he hoped Nicole would honor both Yukon and Kent. When he handed the microphone to Nat, she froze, until Nicole gave her a little shove forward, and she managed to smile and say something about how grateful she was to be chosen. Nicole had, as usual, be prepared, and said a nice speech she had written on two note cards, but Nat didn't remember half of what she said.
She suddenly had realized that this was the real deal, and that it was happening. To her. Natalia Rosalyn. And it totally didn't seem real.. Nicole handed the microphone back to the mayor, and he said some closing words. Before she realized it, their aides, Darcie and Marina, were telling them it was time to say goodbye. Lea started crying before Nat could even hug her.
"Bye, sweetie." She hugged the miserable eight year old. "Be good, okay?"
"I wanna go with you! I wanna be a princess!" Lea cried.
"You don't need the Selection to be a princess." Nat said, before Nicole swopped into to comfort the girl. She moved onto Eva.
"Take care of Lea, okay?" She hugged her sister. Eva nodded, and Nat suddenly regretted not spending much time with her two younger sisters as she did with Nicole and Jason. She hugged Eva again, for good measure. "You'll be eighteen in five years, when Prince Wesley has his Selection, so you might get chosen!" Nat whispered.
"Really?" Eva asked.
"Yeah, sure. You have two famous older sisters now!" Nat joked. Eva smiled, and then went to say goodbye to Nicole. Nat turned to Jason, and threw her arms around her brother. She had always been closer to him than to Eva and Lea.
"You'll be fine. I'm proud of you." Jason said softly. "If Prince Ethan is a jerk, call me and I'll beat him up for you two."
"You'll beat up a prince?" Nat said, blinking away the sudden onslaught of tears.
"Whatever it takes." Jason said. "Now don't get into too much trouble."
"I won't." Nat gave him another quick hug. "Check on the horses I ride, okay? Don't let them get too lonely. If I call while you're at work, will you let me talk to them? Just hold the phone-"
"I'm not letting you talk to horses on a phone!" Jason said, grinning. "Call them yourself, you're a Three now! Now say goodbye to Mom and Dad. You've got to get going!"
Nat turned to her parents. "Bye, Mom. Bye Dad." She hugged them in turn, and felt those stupid tears creep up again. She evidently had a lot of growing up to do. "Don't replace us." She said with a watery smile.
"We love you, no matter what happens." Mom bent for another hug.
"I never thought both my girls would be in the Selection." Dad said fondly, hugging Nicole. "I'm already proud, even if you get kicked out first." He kissed their heads, and then shoved them gently to the waiting car. "Love you two!" He called after them.
"Love you too!" Nat said, before following Nicole
"Bye!" Nicole waved excitedly at everyone. "Love you!" She called. They were almost to the car, when Ben ran out towards them.
"Nat-" He began. Before Nat could even collect her thoughts, Nicole stepped forward, and slapped Ben across his face.
"That was for breaking up with my sister without telling her, you jerk!" She yelled. Nicole climbed gracefully into the car, leaving Nat and Ben, stunned. Nat turned to get into the car.
"Nat, listen to me." Ben pleaded. "I shouldn't have broken up with you like that. I'm sorry."
"You have every right." Nat said, trying to get the words out before she dissolved into a bucket of tears. Wasn't she supposed to be the strong one, and not Nicole? "Please, just go."
"Wait, you don't have to do this." Ben grabbed her hand.
"You had your chance, Ben. Don't try to do this just to get famous. I forgive you, but I don't have any regrets." Liar. "Thanks, though. You showed me a world I never knew existed. Racing, I mean." Before either of them could say or anything, or Nat could change her mind, she scrambled into the car and slammed the door.
"Thanks for that, Nicky." She said to Nicole, trying really, really hard not to cry.
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Melissa Dove tried to ignore the stares of all the upper castes as she hurried to the car. They hated her. And why wouldn't they? She was Seven who didn't exactly deserve to be in the Selection. She was one step above a prostitute, for crying out loud! As a burlesque dancer, she was scum.
But that couldn't get her down. Not today! She was in the Selection! She had a chance to fall in love, to be a princess! Even if Prince Ethan hated her, she was still a Three. She could go to college, and pursue her dream of studying history now! No more prancing around on stage with more lipstick than clothes. It paid good, but it was torture.
The only thing left to do was to say goodbye. She turned to her mother.
"Bye, Mom." She gave her a quick hug. "Thanks. For everything." Her mother stepped back, tears filling her eyes, gray, like Lissa's.
"I can't believe this is happening." Lissa's mother managed, her voice choked. "I never thought my girl would have a future of any kind. I'm so sorry I couldn't have done more." She hugged Lissa again, squeezing her tightly. For a moment, Lissa felt afraid. She was only fifteen, almost sixteen, yet here she was, with a not even a three percent chance of winning the Selection and becoming the princess of Illea. Was she even old enough to get married? Lisssa tightened her grip on her mom. Her childhood had been quick, and she'd been forced to grow up fast/ As she ended the embrace, Lissa wished time would stop, and she could stay herself a while longer. She studied her mom, only fifteen years older than Lissa herself.
"Its fine, Mom." She said, blinking back tears. "You could have done a lot worse."She tried to joke, but was suddenly too overcome, and started to cry as she saw tears coursing down her mom's cheeks.
"When I was fifteen, I was due to be a mother, and now that child is off to the Selection." Her mother said. "I don't know whether to be happy or sad." She hugged Lissa again, and kissed her cheek. "Whatever it is, I love you, and I'm so very proud to call you my daughter."
"Thanks." Lissa managed.
"Now hurry and say goodbye to your brothers. You need to go." Mom said. Lissa nodded, wiping away traces of her cry, and smoothing down her dark blonde curls. She took Ian, her two year old baby brother from her aide, Ashleigh..
"Bye Ian." She whispered in the baby's ear. Even if they had different fathers, Lissa still loved her brother. "Don't forget me." She handed him o her mother and moved to Regan, who was seven, and still only her half brother. She hugged him tightly.
"Make sure to watch out for Mom." She told him. "I love you."
"Love you too." Regan mumbled shyly, before stepping back, and sniffling, though he tried to hide it. Lissa swallowed at the lump in her throat, and moved to twelve year old Adrian. This would be hard. She didn't know if they were fully fledged siblings, since her father had stuck around until she was two and a half, so there was a good possibility.
"Don't let anything happen to them." She sobbed as they hugged.
"I won't. And Lissa?" Adrian said. Lissa stepped back, remembering the time Adrian had saved her when one of the attendees of the nightclub and her mother's then boyfriend had tried to take advantage of her.
"Yes?" She said tearfully.
"Follow your heart." Adrian said, pressing a small object into her hand. Lissa looked down, seeing a thin silver ring with his words encrypted on it in tiny letters. Follow your heart. Lissa started to cry again as she slipped it on.
"I will." She hugged everyone one more time and moved to the car, and got in. As it pulled away, she waved and blew kisses out the window. Then she faced forward.
A lot of bad things had happened to her, but that didn't mean good things wouldn't either.
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The next chapter will introduce Katherine and describe her plane ride, as well Nat and Nicole's! Thanks for reading!
-Shades
