37
Solo
In the evening of the same day when Emilia had first met the Selected, she asked Rihanna to leave her alone for a while. Angeles Palace had, fortunately, lifts – she would be able to work on her own, without Rihanna's help.
That left Rihanna with one problem – what to do?
She could join the others, but she really wasn't in the mood to deal with any type of "Why didn't you tell us about Emilia?" questions, or anything really. Rihanna sighed – the sun above the skyline of Angeles was setting which probably was a nice view, if it wasn't for the worry she headed for her best friend…
"How are you doing?" Sam approached her from behind. Right. This was about the time when he finished for the day, wasn't it?
"Nah." Rihanna groaned. "Emmy wants to be on her own and/or talk to her father, and that leaves me alone."
"What about your friends? Tilly and the others?" Sam asked.
"Nah." Rihanna repeated. "I am not in the mood to be the connection between staff and Selected right now."
"Understandable." Sam chuckled. "What are you planning for the evening?"
"Aside of the uninventable dinner with the others where I can't just chat with my best friend?" Sam nodded. "Nothing, really. Worry 'bout Mike, worry 'bout Emmy, worry 'bout life?"
"Sounds like a good plan."
Rihanna stretched herself. The evening air in the garden of the palace was pleasant, but it was weirdly quiet. She was a people's person – being alone wasn't her thing.
"You… you never mentioned it." Rihanna remarked slowly, quiet. She wasn't sure whenever Sam wanted to talk about it, and today was really not the best day to force anyone into any conversation, she felt.
"What?" Sam asked oblivious.
"That you've got that disorder. When we went through the files, you never said that you have it too."
"You didn't read the medical information," Sam reminded her.
"Of course I didn't. I don't know what half of them mean."
Sam laughed quietly. "I didn't mention it because there never was a chance to."
"How long do we know each other?"
"Four years or so?"
"Exactly. That could have come up at some point."
"In what kind of conversation though?"
Sam stepped onto the grass of the garden. Yeah, at what point? Going by what he had said, Michael knew about it – Michael generally seemed to know much more about Sam than Rihanna and Emilia did combined. He was there, always quietly by Mike's side, and Rihanna didn't even know where the heck he had grown up. It had never come up, and now, after four years of friendship, randomly asking him sounded as 'right' as asking him whenever he was of Chinese, Japanese or what-ever-descent. Another thing, Rihanna didn't know. "Samuel Jones" was an Illéan name, but Sam clearly didn't look white. Maybe Chinese, because of Mayli?
"Point given." Rihanna joined him. "Hey, Sam?"
"Hm?"
"Do you speak Chinese?"
"… What?"
"Do you speak Chinese?" Rihanna repeated.
"That's random."
"I know." Rihanna shrugged. "I just thought of it. Mayli did, didn't she?"
"Just because Mayli's my ex-girlfriend doesn't mean that I speak Chinese…?"
"Yes, but,"
"Rihanna, if you want to know where my mother was from, ask."
Rihanna cringed. He had caught her. Both of them knew how the monarch felt about foreigners and immigrants – Silvestre and Sam both probably had it much more difficult at work than others. If it wasn't for their close friendships to Charlotte and Michael, there'd be no way, he'd employ them.
"China." Sam nodded. "But I don't really speak Chinese. Anymore, it is. I probably could get into it, if I tried, but I definitely can't read it, or anything."
"You never talk about your family," Rihanna remarked.
"Nor do you."
"I don't know who my parents are though, and you all know mum."
Sam sighed. "I… It's nothing I like to talk about."
"Huh?"
"It's a very long story." Sam shook his head. "Let's change the topic."
Rihanna looked at Sam. He was staring into the distance, his face looking empty. He definitely didn't look like he liked to talk about them. What did she know? That his mother was Chinese, which in return implied that his father probably wasn't. She knew that Sam didn't go to the same school as Michael, but that they met when they were sixteen. Probably at parties or anything, she thought. She knew that Sam didn't drink any alcohol and always was the 'driver' friend – despite not having a driver's licence.
Weird…
Weird to think that Sam had been among her best friends for so long and that she knew so little about him.
"Why are you really here, Rihanna?" Sam asked.
"What? In the garden? Because I don't want to talk to the other Selected."
"No." He shook his head. "Why in general? In the Selection? You don't like Mike romantically, and you're Emilia's best friend – no need to do it for the attention."
"Uh…" Rihanna giggled nervously. "That's… a long story, I guess."
"We do have some time."
"Well…"
This was weird. Especially to Sam. Sam was, out of pretty much everyone, the closest to Michael. Whatever she told him would definitely find its way to Michael, and also probably Emilia.
"I'm not so sure myself," Rihanna admitted, "I mean, I do like to be the centre of attention now, and it's fun – plus it's a good thing to do while I'm figuring out my life."
"That's not everything, isn't it?"
"What do you mean?"
"You've been overemphasizing that you're just a friend to Mike."
"… Are you implying I have a crush on him?"
"Maybe."
"Well, I don't." Rihanna sighed. If Sam only knew… "I…" She groaned. "It's… it's really difficult to explain."
"Feel free to take your time." Sam encouraged her.
"… I… I've been a lot in Emmy's shadows and all, and I really wanted to get out for once. And then, we didn't know if she'd actually wake up and all… I guess it was a 'in the moment' decision to just do it." She turned to Sam. "And… If…"
"If what?" Sam rose an eyebrow.
"Do not – I repeat – do not tell anyone of this. Including my mother, Mike, Emmy – kind of – and their father, or anyone."
"Of you being jealous of Emmy?"
"I'm not jealous! I just…" Rihanna groaned. "I… We're dating."
Sam hesitated. "… You and Mike are dating? What?"
"Nonononono!" Rihanna sighed. "Emmy and I are."
"Emmy as in Emilia? Emilia Schreave?"
"Yes." Rihanna nodded. "Do not tell anyone. You get that if-"
"Richard's homophobic as, I know." Sam interrupted her. "But why are you in the Selection then?"
"I… I guess it's to have a reason to be around in case Emmy woke up, and…" She hesitated. "I mean, it's not like I don't like the spotlight… I don't want Mike, I just want to have fun, you know? Mike can do what he wants – I don't care."
"And what does Mike think about that?"
"Nothing – he doesn't know. How do you tell your best friend that – especially when it comes to Emmy?"
"Well… Okay?"
Sam didn't look like he agreed – he dodged Rihanna's glance and looked back into the distance. He was thinking, Rihanna realised. About what? Whenever Mike would go along with the plan? Would he? Even if the press liked to show it otherwise, Michael genuinely cared for Emilia, so… They did have a shot, didn't they?
"What about you?"
"I'm not in the Selection."
"No," Rihanna laughed, "Why are you hanging around? You could be finishing your Bachelor's degree this year, rather than dealing with mum – she clearly doesn't like you as much as Mike does."
"I… I'm worried about him."
"Mike?"
"Yeah." Sam nodded. "This all is taking a toll on him, and Richard doesn't acknowledge it. He needs someone to rely on, and, I'm sorry, you're not the person for that job. Nor is Emilia, even now that she's a bit healthier."
"But it's not your job to pretty much give up your life for Michael." Rihanna reminded him.
"I'm not." Sam stopped walking, "but… Uh…"
"What?"
"Nothing, really. It's nothing." Sam took a deep breath. "I... See you later, Rihanna." Wordless, he turned around and started walking off.
"… What?" Rihanna turned around to see her friend walking. What nerve had she hit? Michael? The reason why Sam was working with Silvestre rather than finishing his degree? If he needed the money, why not tell her? Sam and Rihanna often enough complained about how expensive university was. From what Rihanna had caught on, Sam wasn't a bad student either – it couldn't be that he was struggling academically or anything. Was it the fact that Silvestre had something against him?
"I don't even know what…" Rihanna thought aloud. "Mum's always been like 'Yeah, invite Emilia and Michael, and when I added Sam, she always seemed… she has something against him. Did he ever do anything? What? Sam's… definitely better than I am. Or Mike. She can't prefer Mike just because he's Charlotte's son; even if, that doesn't give her a reason to dislike him."
Another thing that she didn't understand about her friend.
"Damn it," She cursed, "I really don't know a thing 'bout him."
Rihanna closed her eyes, pulling her mind away from Sam. He couldn't know – not yet. He would tell Mike, and she hadn't even told Emilia about the true reasons why she was in the Selection… Michael was straight. He hated the idea of the Selection, and he, in Rihanna's opinion, wasn't going to find the love of his life in here. If he was to marry her, he could date whoever he wanted in secret, and she had a valid reason to always be by Emilia's side.
* . * . *
"Father?" Emilia patiently waited for the footman to push her on the wheelchair inside. "Good day."
Richard smiled when recognising his daughter. "What can I do for you, darling? Are you feeling well?"
"Angeles Palace is very wheelchair friendly, father," Emilia reminded him, "and yes, I am feeling fairly fine."
"Why are you here then?" The King asked curious.
"Does a daughter need a reason to see her father?"
Richard chuckled. "Probably not."
"Good." Emilia folded her hands on the blanket she had placed on her legs. "We need to talk."
"So you have come for a reason."
Emilia ignored his words. "Why did you agree? Why did you let Greene force Michael into this?"
"Because Greene is the prime minister."
"You're the King."
"Darling, we aren't-"
"Michael is right, you know. The Selection is questionable in terms of human rights."
"I know, but-"
"He's your son, father!"
Richard sighed. Emilia had always been the calmer sibling of the two – the one to see both sides of a coin – while Michael came to the first conclusion he found and stayed with it. Clearly, the Illéan princess had made her choice either way.
"I know, Emilia, but-"
"He is twenty years old! You didn't marry mother until you were twenty-five!"
"This… this is a good chance for Michael to settle down. He's been playing around for far too long – he needs to grow up."
"You cannot believe that." Emilia begged. "You cannot believe gossip magazines over your own son."
"Emilia, Michael… He's a twenty years old boy – that's what always happens. You… You've always been grown up, yes, but Michael? He needs to stop sleeping around with every female he meets."
"That is false," Emilia insisted.
"How come there are so many women claiming the opposite then?"
"For their five minutes of fame, father." Emilia leaned forward. The princess wanted to stand up, slam her fist on the table and remind her father that he was meant to be parenting. From the visits that her brother had been able to make within the time, she had been awake, his constant tension was clear. Emilia knew that he wasn't handling life – be it the press or people wanting him to be the Crown Prince – well, but either her memories had been altered or the Selection was making it worse.
Even if her brother found love – he absolutely deserved it – how could he know if it was forever? Emilia loved Rihanna – ever since coming to terms with herself on that last year on their world trip, she couldn't have been happier – but she didn't know whenever she wanted to spend the rest of her life with her.
"Emilia, it's not that easy."
"It is."
"There have been-"
"People have accused Michael of raping them." Emilia interrupted him. "I know. I have people to catch me up, father." Please, please, please. Listen, she hoped. Listen and help to change this. Help to at least allow Michael to find a way out. To stop forcing him keeping Greene's list in the Selection. Be the father he was meant to be. Fill in the late queen's place. "They're liars. I know that."
"Emilia, you don't."
"I do."
"How?"
"How do you?"
Richard sighed. "The fact that you need to answer my question with a question answers that."
"Father, please, do something!" Emilia begged.
"He's gotten along with some girls, you know."
"With Sam's abusive ex-girlfriend who manipulated him, and also leaked that I was almost dying."
"Samuel Jones isn't the company I would wish for him."
"Nor was Mayli Yi, in your opinion." Emilia sighed. "I get that, and you've got the right to have an opinion, but would mother want this? Would she want Michael to be happy!"
"I believe that she would agree with me that he is."
"How can you believe that?"
Emilia turned herself around – she didn't need the answer to that question. She was shocked. How could her father believe that? How could he sincerely stand behind the idea of the Selection? How could he support it? It didn't make sense to her – forcing Michael into that sounded like the worst idea that ever existed.
"I can't believe it." She muttered as she wheeled herself through the hallways of the palace. It was awkward enough that she couldn't walk as always – the princess didn't like to depend on others. At least now she knew first hand how the people felt for whom she had advertised to be helped.
The princess only stopped the wheelchair when she recognised a very familiar face. Silvestre was discussing something with Sam – wasn't it late enough for him to be past his work hours? Curious, she clumsily steered towards the two.
"That is all." Silvestre nodded absent minded.
"Good evening, you two," the princess greeted them.
"Hello Emmy." Silvestre smiled. Sam nodded to her. Just like Rihanna, Emilia never understood the tensions between her godmother and Michael's best friend, but unlike Rihanna, she had acknowledged them and wasn't questioning them.
"What were you talking about?"
"The whole situation," Silvestre answered, "around Michael and Isadora."
"Of course." Her smile dropped. "Do you know if there's anything new?"
"Not yet, but the police expect money demands at this point. That is the most logical answer at least. It is presumed that it was a 'in the moment' crime because they didn't have security with them."
"I understand."
"Michael will be glad to have you back," Sam assured her.
"I surely hope so, despite my belief that you and Rihanna are good enough aides." She watched Silvestre's expression curiously. Nothing changed.
"Why don't you two come to my office? There are a few things I would like to ask you about, before we drop work in favour of the holidays."
"I would love to. Sam?"
"I don't have a best friend holding me back, so yeah, sure."
Sam pushed her wheelchair – Emilia gladly took the opportunity to relax for a while. Once they arrived, Emilia didn't immediately allow the two to engage another conversation – she had to look around. Not that she had never been to Silvestre's office, but she hadn't been here in over seven months. Of course, she was curious – Silvestre's office was always changing. New notes. New photos. New articles. New notes. A new photo, the princess noted. Rihanna dressed in one of her older red dresses and Silvestre as pirate – the Halloween ball. Too bad that she missed it – it would have been fun to dress up with Rihanna. Surely, there would be another chance, she assured herself.
"What did you want to discuss?" Emilia asked, "Oh, and Sam, do stay please." The young man had been heading towards the exit quietly. Now, he looked to Silvestre, expecting her approval. The woman gave him a kind nod.
"Sit down." She added while taking her own seat. "I am interested in his opinion too."
"Opinion?"
"I know, you've only had a few minutes with the girls, but you've read the files and reports, I assume."
"Yes." Emilia nodded. Probably more concentrated than her brother. "You would like my opinion on them?"
"Yes. Mere curiosity though – I doubt that there is anything I can influence. That is up to you two and Rihanna." She chuckled.
Emilia joined. "I prefer not to judge early, but I do have some ideas. After that, you must promise me to answer a question too though."
"Of course, honey." Silvestre smiled warmly.
Emilia began going through the girls' names and identified the girls that she remembered, explained her opinion and how she had come to that. With each name, she asked for Sam's opinion afterwards as well as Silvestre's.
"Then, Cecilia." Emilia paused. "I know her, and she can be a nice woman, I assume, but from what Rihanna has told me, she doesn't seem to be that."
"No, she isn't." Silvestre shook her head.
"Sam?"
"I… I am not favouring her either." Sam's response was less enthusiastic as before. "What about Rho?"
"Rhosyn Reynolds?" Cecilia repeated. "A nice person, I presume. Hopefully better than her parents."
"She is." Silvestre believed. "Sam, I presume you agree?"
"Yes. She's a good friend." He didn't mention the deal of which he knew.
"Katherine?" Silvestre pulled open the next file. "I like her."
"I haven't met her yet, but she appears to be a person I'd like."
"She isn't anything like Mike though," Sam reminded them, "Far too academically focused."
"Good point. Probably the same with Rhosyn. Did you know that-"
"She visited me with Michael, I know. Her father mentioned." Emilia nodded. "What about Tilly? She appears to be intelligent too. She was very lovable and got along perfectly fine with Flora."
"Everyone gets along with Flora." Silvestre chuckled. "She and Rock love people."
"She's got a dog." Sam reminded them. "Mike loves dog people."
Emilia chuckled. "Oh, yes, he does. Tatiana? She made a good impression to Scarlet, I heard?"
"I like her." Sam immediately insisted. Emilia made the connections.
"She isn't on the 'Michael, please eliminate them' at the moment." Silvestre answered. "I'm neutral. Africa?"
"Too famous for Michael." The princess leaned back. "Although, her experience with the press probably could help. I think she never got into any scandal, didn't she?"
"No, not at all. She's good at keeping quiet." Sam nodded. "What about Isadora?"
"I haven't had the pleasure yet, but from what I've been told, they're quite similar. Are these all?"
Silvestre nodded. "Yes, thank you. That was a nice conversation. But, now, what did you want from me, Emilia?"
"I'd like to know what you think about the Selection, and Michael being forced into it." Her expression cooled down a bit. Less than with her father but still visible.
"… I am fairly sure I agree with you completely. The main positive aspect I see is that Reddit has, comparatively, died down."
"Except for that one incident?"
"Except for that one incident. Yes."
Author's Note
The little detail about the surname thing I decided to add because I just read Green's The Selection and The Spy and realised that I might want to explain my version of why the surname is still Schreave here.
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