Hi guys! Hope you're all having an awesome summer! July is halfway over, can you believe it? So I've been updating pretty quickly the past few weeks but that's probably not going to last much longer because things are starting to pick up in my life. But if you guys are looking for another story to read, check out Scarlett Brinnley Brookson's story. It's an awesome SYOC and she has lots of spots open so definitely check it out and submit a girl if you can.

You are all seriously too amazing for words! I have more than 250 reviews and that's all thanks to you guys who take time to talk with me and let me know your thoughts. I have no clue how to thank you guys, especially Ashley Jackson (x2), blank, morethanjustastory, XOStarbrightXO, Demigod18, Scarlett Brinnley Brookson (x2), wolfofstark, and Cookiedoodles168! You all inspire me so much you have no idea, hope you like this chapter!

...

Kadence wasn't sure how she felt about being the second to last girl to get a date. The only other girl who had yet to have one was Taylor. And if Kadence and Taylor were on the same level then Kadence would rather just go home.

She hadn't entered the Selection for love but it would have been nice not to be the last girl picked for a date. Kadence wasn't sure if she even wanted to go for a picnic in the gardens, but she knew there was no way she could tell Brandon no. Even when he said there would be cameras, there to capture every moment of their date.

She looked herself over in the mirror while she waited for Brandon to come pick her up. The dress she was wearing was one of her favorites. It was blush pink with a skirt that poofed down to her knees. The straps were sheer with a lace neckline and shimmering pearls interspaced throughout. A section of her brown hair was braided by her ear leading around her head where it joined the rest of her hair in a sleek ponytail that fell over her left shoulder. She smiled nervously at her reflection, not ready for the knock that sounded on her door.

At least Brandon looked almost as nervous as she felt, which made her feel a bit better about the whole thing.

"You look lovely," he told her, reaching for her hand to brush a kiss across it.

"Um, thanks," she responded, reaching up to adjust her ponytail, unaware of Brandon's intentions.

With one more glance he offered her his arm, which she timidly took.

As they made their way down to the first floor Brandon asked her, "Have you seen the gardens yet?"

"Just from the windows, I haven't had time to go out there yet, but they look gorgeous."

"They are," he nodded, "the gardens are one of Serenity's favorite places. She and Matthew had most of their dates out there and they still love to come out together and watch the sunsets, when they have time."

Kadence and Brandon reached the French doors that opened out onto a walkway leading into the sprawling gardens. Just outside the doors Kadence spotted a few people equipped with cameras, all pointed their way and waiting for them.

The minute they stepped outside Kadence felt the intense heat and humidity of the September afternoon. She felt pinpricks of sweat bead on her neck and palms and she wasn't sure if they were because of the heat or the cameras watching her. She was aware of the magnificent beauty that surrounded her but she couldn't focus on it because every nerve in her body was concentrated on the spot where her hand rested on Brandon's arm and their shoulders pressed together. She scooted nearer, wishing she was invisible.

Brandon looked down at her sympathetically, "Just pretend they're not here," he whispered.

She nodded and they continued their path through the flowers, slowly meandering until they came to a small clearing. A wicker table with chairs was set up in the middle of a lawn with a pretty umbrella sprouting from the table to give them some shade. The forest loomed in front of them with riding paths for horses all around and the perfect gardens behind them. In the distance Kadence could faintly make out the tall wall that surrounded the palace. Brandon pulled out a chair for her and she sat down.

The men with the cameras stopped a ways away, still in the flowers, but Kadence was sure they could see and hear everything.

The fact that they were being watched, coupled with Kadence's own shy nature, made her retreat into herself. She smiled at Brandon, enjoying his presence, but didn't say anything. He smiled back at her, unsure what to say to her either.

"It's a nice day," he finally said, "though a bit warm."

Kadence chuckled, "Hardly. Fennley is much hotter, it's like being cooked, even during the winter. This is a wonderful temperature."

Brandon smiled but didn't say anything else. A maid scurried over and poured them each a glass of peach iced tea. In the silence, Kadence took a small sip.

"So anything interesting happen lately?" She asked him.

Brandon smiled, "In case you haven't heard my sister is now eighteen and she's having a huge party tomorrow."

"You know, I think someone mentioned that."

He laughed and Kadence joined him. There was something about being with him that made her feel safe and secure, and she loved it.

"What about you?" He asked, "Do you have any siblings?"

For one second her mind flashed to Aria. But that was ridiculous. They were the farthest thing from sisters. Aria couldn't stand her. Besides, she was all too aware of the cameras watching, and Kadence had seen the magazine articles and the theories about her and Aria. She knew if she told Brandon and the cameras found out she wouldn't have a moment of peace while she was at the palace. And she wasn't ready for that. Maybe someday, but not now. Now, all she wanted to focus on was the prince in front of her and the way he made a flock of butterflies appear in her stomach anytime he was close.

"No," she answered, "it's always been just me and my dad. I can't even imagine what it must have been like to grow up with so many siblings."

"There was never a dull moment," he agreed.

Kadence giggled and reached for one of the mini sandwiches that were on a platter but before she could get one a buzzing bee that had been circling the table for a while landed on her outstretched wrist.

Kadence froze. The bee began to slowly climb up her arm and Kadence couldn't take her eyes off of it.

Brandon didn't see the bee but he saw the fear in her eyes.

"What is it?" he asked, looking around for a threat, "Are you okay?" He followed her gaze to the bee that was still climbing her and chuckled, "Kadence, it's alright, it's just a bee. Shake it off."

Timidly she shook her wrist but the bee didn't move.

"Like this," Brandon said, grabbing her hand and roughly shaking it and swatting at the bee.

The bee fell off of her arm and onto her leg, where it promptly crawled beneath her skirt.

Jumping up from her seat Kadence started to shriek, "Get it off! Get it off!"

"Calm down," Brandon ordered, "relax. You're going to make it worse."

Kadence couldn't calm down, especially not when she felt the bee stuck in her skirt. She jumped again, trying to dislodge it, but then she felt a sharp pain in her thigh and she screamed, "Ouch! Ow! It stung me!"

Her thigh burned but before she could focus on that all of the sprinklers by their table shot out of the ground and began spraying. Kadence shrieked as the cold water hit her, making her dress stick to her legs. The table was instantly soaked, all of the food ruined, and Brandon jumped up as well.

"What the heck? How did this happen? The sprinklers are supposed to go off at night!" His suit was soaked and some of the higher sprinklers shot jets that soaked his dark hair.

Kadence felt her own hair dampen into tangles and looked down at her sopping, practically see-through dress.

She turned to Brandon, wanting to apologize for the terrible date, but her attention was caught by the camera crew, who were filming everything. All of her sympathy dried up. He set me up, she thought, He knew the sprinklers were going to come on and he'd made sure the cameras could see it. He wanted to humiliate her in front of all of Illéa, well she wouldn't stand for it.

"Are you okay?" He asked, smiling as she turned to him.

"You think this is funny?" she demanded, "Did you do this on purpose? To humiliate me? Make me want to leave? If you don't like me then just eliminate me, you don't have to go through all this."

Brandon's face fell and he struggled to compose his thoughts, "You think- but I didn't. I would never-"

Kadence didn't want his excuses. She turned away, ready to go back to the palace.

"Wait," he called, trying to catch her, "Aria, slow down."

She whirled on him so fast he nearly fell trying not to run into her.

"Aria?!" she screamed, hurt and outrage filling her voice, "I'm not Aria! I'm not her and I never will be so everyone can just stop comparing me to her." Her voice broke at the end but she refused to cry in front of Brandon and the cameras. Instead she let her anger fuel her as she stomped away from the garden.

"I'm sorry, it just slipped out. I meant Kadence. I really did- Kadence, wait!" He called, but she didn't slow.

She disappeared around a bend and Brandon knew better than to go after her.

With a sigh, Brandon turned to the camera crew and motioned for them to stop filming. His gaze met Logan's, the only palace approved cameraman there.

"I really messed up, didn't I?" he said more to himself than Logan.

But his friend nodded anyway, "Yeah, you did," he said before lowering his camera and following Kadence back to the palace.

Brandon knew he was right, and he knew that he had to do something to make it up.

...

Aria was in her room, taking a break from all the gossip and competition that usually surrounded her in the Women's Room. Her designs had been lacking lately because of all her time spent during the Selection. She'd helped her maids design her dress for Natalie's party the next night and had done half of her on for the Report, but she was determined that for the next big event the palace hosted she would be wearing one of her original designs.

She was curled up on the window seat in her room, overlooking the front drive of the palace where a marvelous fountain stood. A half-drunk cup of tea was next to her, abandoned as she'd lost herself in the drawings. Her pencil flew across the paper, translating her thoughts into the sketchbook. It was one of her most detailed dresses yet. A silver a-line with a modest v-neck and flowing skirt. It was filled with embroidery and embellishments that Aria knew would take forever to add on, but it was gorgeous. She was caught up in drawing a series of sparkling flower embellishments when she heard a door slam. The sound was so unexpected in the nearly soundproofed palace that she jumped, sending a line streaking across her page.

Aria thought about getting up to investigate the sound but she was in her designing zone and didn't want to get up. With a sigh she attempted to erase the stray line from her dress without erasing any of the details she'd so painstakingly drawn in. She could tell that the line would never fully go away but it was getting better. She was just getting back into her design when her door flew open without a knock.

She was too surprised to be indignant, but when she saw who was at the door she was annoyed at the interruption.

"What?" she said, still focused on her drawing.

"It's Kadence," Logan told her, "she's pretty upset. You should go talk to her."

Even though Aria wasn't even sure if she liked Kadence, they were sisters, and every protective instinct in her body was on alert. She flew over to Logan and demanded, "What did you do to her?"

"Nothing. She was on a date and. . . you should hear it from her, she's in her room."

Without another word Aria sprinted across the hall. But when she got to he door she was suddenly nervous. She was probably the last person Kadence wanted to see. But when Aria heard a muffled sob from the other side of the door she knocked quietly.

The crying quit and Aria knocked again. When Kadence didn't answer Aria cracked the door. She saw her sister curled into a ball on her bed soaking wet and fully clothed.

"Kadence?" she asked.

Kadence lifted her head and glared at Aria, "Go away."

Aria stepped into the room and shut the door behind her.

"Are you okay?" she asked gently.

"I said go away," Kadence told her, reaching behind her and grabbing the nearest thing she could find to hurl at Aria.

The pillow bounced harmlessly off of Aria's shoulder and Kadence just grew more enraged.

"Just leave me alone!" she cried, throwing another pillow. That one hit Aria in the stomach. Maybe they were more alike than Aria had ever realized, "I don't need you to come over here and flaunt how perfect everything is for you. I feel bad enough."

She tossed another pillow and this one missed by a foot. That didn't deter her though and she had a whole bed full. She threw pillow after pillow and Aria took it all.

"At least try to dodge them," Kadence yelled, tears streaming down her face, "why are you letting them hit you?"

Aria smiled sadly, "Because I deserve it."

Kadence had exhausted herself and she fell back on the bed with a wail.

Aria cautiously approached her, "What happened?"

Slowly the story spilled out of Kadence, accompanied by her tears. When she told Aria about the bee Aria rolled up her dress and saw the welt. With deft fingers she pulled out the stinger, grateful it hadn't been in her longer. The skin was red and enflamed. Aria went into the bathroom and dug through the medicine cabinet but couldn't find anything useful. What Kadence really needed was some ice.

Aria listened to the rest of the story without interrupting. When Kadence finished Aria stood up and held out a hand, "Come on."

"What?" Kadence asked.

"Let's get you cleaned up," Aria told her.

While Kadence changed into a dry dress, Aria got a warm washcloth to wash off the ruined makeup. Kadence brushed the tangles out of her hair while Aria gently cleaned her face.

Kadence reached for the foundation but Aria stopped her, "Don't. You're just going to have to wash it off again before the Report."

Kadence nodded. She was much calmer now but Aria could tell she was still upset.

"I have an idea," Aria said, grabbing Kadence's hand, "let's go."

"Where?" Kadence asked, hesitant.

"It's a surprise."

"I don't want to go looking like this," Kadence said, knowing it was shallow but not caring at the moment. She'd had enough of looking bad for the day.

"No one's going to see you," Aria argued.

"I don't care," Kadence said.

"Fine," Aria said, growing impatient, "what if I take off my makeup too?"

Kadence thought about it for a minute before nodding.

Aria quickly swiped off her own makeup, hardly recognizing herself without her red lipstick and dramatic eye makeup.

When Kadence came up behind her in the mirror, Aria knew they had never looked more similar. Even she was having a hard time telling them apart.

Before Kadence could say anything, and Aria knew she wanted to, Aria turned to her and said, "Can we go now?"

"Okay."

Aria led her out to the hallway and was surprised when they were the only ones there, but she shook that off and started leading Kadence down the stairs.

At the landing Kadence stopped, "Aria, where are we going?"

Aria looked at her twin as if the answer were obvious, "You're upset and need to get over a guy."

"So?"

"So there's only one cure that can get you through that."

"And what is that?" Kadence asked.

Aria smiled knowingly, "Ice cream. We're going to get ice cream."

...

Not my longest chapter, but still pretty good. I'd love to hear what you guys think about Kadence and Aria now as well as Kadence and Brandon.

The Report will be next chapter and will probably only feature the Main girls. For those of you on the Pinterest feel free to start pinning for your girls!

Thanks for everything, love you all!

~Jen