"See you soon!" I said at the end of the last update –– the world's irony knows no bounds.

Well, hello. I know it's been quite a while since the last chapter, and to be completely honest I have no intention of picking up HIAB again. However, this little update isn't intended as a simple goodbye––I want to give you lovely people something to properly end this thing.

This is all very spontaneous, but about ten minutes before beginning to type up this post I decided that I wanted to share my complete outline for the story. This is something I drafted around the time I started the SYOC, and I believe final edits were made around early 2021. I haven't thought about Happiness is a Butterfly in a long time, so I can't really say if any specific points would have changed from the planning phases to the final chapter; I'm just handing over the entire thing in it's original and raw form. And, just to add some spice, I'll throw in author comments {will be in parentheses like this!} when I think it's needed, lol. Think of this as an extended director's cut!

If you want to skip all the plot-y stuff and find out specifics on your boy, then scroll down to the bottom to read some brief descriptions on what my plan for them was, and how I wanted to integrate them into the story!

I'm sorry I wasn't able to complete HIAB as intended, but I hope this will be able to provide some insight and satiate any questions about the plot and where your boys would have ended up. A big big thank you to everyone who submitted and reviewed throughout HIAB's short lifespan, you guys always made my day!

Much love,
GG x


*Before we get into it, I just want to note that each LDR song mentioned directly correlates with that part of the story, and I highly recommend giving them all a listen! I spent a ridiculous amount of time on playlist curation lol

**Second note: FanFiction absolutely obliterates the formatting I had within GoogleDocs, so bare with the structural issues


Happiness is A Butterfly — The Outline

MID-JULY

1. Norman fucking Rockwell — Lana Del Rey {CH 1 - CH 3}
- Opening, prologue/Bella's PoV

- Somber-ish tone carries through first three chaps, which incl. Clara's lowkey sadness about the Selection

2. Doin' Time — Lana Del Rey {CH 4 - CH 9}
- Clara switches to being rather excited, Ch.4 & meeting the boys

- Gardening with Divya and Kaltrina {Kaltrina was Clara's aunt - her father's maternal cousin}

- Runs into August; unofficial first date

- "How was that first date?" "... It hasn't… Happened… *sees tabloid* Oh fuc—" {This was intended as a conversation between Kaltrina and Clara, I believe}

- "First" date with Rafael: dinner, candle fire! (ch. 6) {The poor boy knocks over a candle and lights the table cloth on fire lol}

- Cooking group date (ch. 7) {There were a LOT of boys who could cook! I can't recall them all off the top of my head, but I believe those included in this group, to name a few, were Duncan, Adrian, and Finn Masters}

- First report (ch. 8)

- Date w/ Mal: drive to the beach (ch. 9) {Can I just say I adored Mal and his memory palaces –– thank you Rysa for the wonderful submission}


AUGUST

3. How to disappear — Lana Del Rey {CH 10 - CH 12}

- Bella gossip in the magazines {I think the tabloids were going to say something about a supposed Bella appearance?}

- Clara goes through the letter Bella left {I never got around to writing the letter in full, but a big focus was definitely how Bella wanted to go someplace she could be "free" - for all these years, Clara has been trying to figure out a list of places Bella might have gone}

- Tries to figure out how to find her, enlists help {And I believe the "help" was Asher}

- First elimination in Ch. 12 (cuts off 4 guys, which is 3 throwaways + one real selected) {I think the real selected was Garnet - sorry bud!}

{NOTE: at some point (I was thinking Ch. 10) I wanted to do a flashback to a conversation between Clara and Alexander. Essentially, they drive to the Singer Estate (the house Maxon buys America at the end of The One) which has been kept in the family as a sort of home-away-from-home. They go inside, and at a coffee table seventeen-year-old Clara receives some life-changing advice.

Alexander brings out a deck of cards, and explains that the royal family only has a choice amount of risks they can make––as many as there are cards in a deck. He swipes half the deck off the table, citing that to his grandmother Eadlyn's reign. Then, another worrying handful is removed for Kerttu's brother and his divorce. There's a couple cards left, and Alexander dismisses all but one: he played a lot of cards when he courted and married Divya (this is referenced in the one-shot, When Divya Met Alexander!) and the others were used up by Bella when she left. He flips over the one card left at the center of the table, and it's none other than an ace of hearts––he slides this to Clara, and says she has only one card, one big risk, she can play. She has to be careful what she plays it on, especially when it comes to matters of the heart.

Now, was this completely and utterly melodramatic? Yes. Did I still love this idea more than anything? Absolutely.}


MID-AUGUST

4. Born to Die — Lana Del Rey {CH 13 - CH 15}

- People think she's moving too slow, eliminations and dates but no first kiss {The public + media are menaces}

- Someone who was eliminated calls her out for being stingy maybe? Causes that spiral {I think it would have been some throwaway of mine that called her out}

- Has talk with Kaltrina; info dump on her history + step-sisters {Ok so! Mini-dump!
First, family tree time: Eadlyn and Erik have two children, Kerttu (canon) and Jaakko (not canon). Kerttu has Alexander, who goes on to marry Divya, etc. etc.. Jaako marries a noble woman named Venera, and they have Kaltrina. However, they divorce (the first in Illéan royal history) and Jaakko remarries a common women with two pre-existing daughters. They're all quaint and happy, but Kaltrina always feels a disconnect to them, and carries a particular shame from her parents divorce. The media absolutely does not help.
Now, was any of this important to the story? Not really. But it was important for me that you know this.}

- First kiss in the pouring rain! {With darling Mal}

- Clarity moment for Clara {AKA: Clara discovers she is the divine feminine}


EARLY SEPTEMBER

5. Off to the Races — Lana Del Rey {CH 16 - CH 21}

- Getting risqué! Becomes much more physical with the boys

- Swimming pool makeout/shower scene {You guys don't even know how excited I was to write this omg. Was going to be a total fade-to-black M moment. Not necessarily going all-the-way, but at the very least a hookup. I believe this was going to be a scene with Taylor} {This is also one of the first explicit song references! The lyrics I was inspired by are: "Swimmin' pool glimmerin', darling / White bikini off with my red nail polish / Watch me in the swimmin' pool, bright blue ripples" I mean...}

- End of summer celebration: garden party with Divya's family {Divya's family is so fun! Just a really colorful array of cousins Clara adored}

- Moment of humbleness: Kerttu visits, has clear memory issues {The backstory here: Kerttu mistakes Clara for Bella, and she doesn't remember Bella has abdicated and ran away. Clara has always adored her grandmother, and she's quite upset that Kerttu's deteriorating health has been kept secret from her (Alexander and Kaltrina face her wraith)}

- At the party wears red dress + red nails + red lips, tries to seduce someone {Another clear references to an LDR song! Red is often referenced throughout "Off to the Races", ie the aforementioned lyric "White bikini off with my red nail polish"}

- First explicit sex/sleep together moment {Shoutout Quentin}

- Bad bitch Clara™ {What we've all been waiting for}


EARLY OCTOBER

6. Diet Mountain Dew — Lana Del Rey {CH 22 - CH 23}

- Roughly 17 boys left at this point {Fabian and Alvaro were eliminated behind-the-scenes}

- Clara and Asher have to go to Miami, Clermont for World Medical Conference (WMC)

- Big issue is German federation committing war crimes, becoming dictatorship {Is it really a SYOC if there isn't at least one (1) political threat?}

- Flashback to their relationship + the present on the plane mixed {Ok so this was something else I was really excited for! Essentially the chapter was going to be half flashback to their relationship and then half them on the plane going to Miami. Clara was going to have a line in the flashback that would have been reference to a "Diet Mountain Dew" lyric: "Do you think we'll be in love forever?" Also, general theme of this section is highlighted with the following lyrics: "Baby you're no good for me / But baby I want you" and "I'm not gonna listen to what the past says / I've been waiting up all night" I mean, is that not Clara and Asher to a T?!}

- Early sunrise conversation in hotel w Asher {In the Ch.5 it's mentioned that Bella and Clara used to wake up early to watch the sunrise, so this is a little reference to that I suppose. In this scene, most likely taking place as they're settling into their hotel, Clara and Asher literally just sit on the balcony and don't say a word to each other, just watch the sky.}

7. Honeymoon — Lana Del Rey {CH 24 - CH 25}

- Partying with Asher, going to clubs and going out, trying to stay incognito {Just to clarify, they absolutely are fulfilling their duties at the WMC, but they're also out on the town every night. They're in their 20's and at the hub of it all, what else is bound to happen?}

- Clara takes off her gold "heir" ring, has sex with Asher and ignores her responsibilities and loyalties {Now THIS was going to be a world-changing chapter ending! It seems abrupt just in the outline, but there would have been looots of tension built up through the previous three or so chapters. It only made sense it ends up here! And Clara taking off her ring is a very Big Deal –– she hasn't done that since she put it on more than five years ago.}

{NOTE: I had some very specific lyrics in mind from "Honeymoon" for this section! "Say you want me too / Dark blue" –– pretty self-explanatory, and I wanted Clara wearing dark blue whenever she went out (1: it's not too attention grabbing in the dark of the night, and 2: perfect song reference). Also, the bridge: "There are violets in your eyes / There are guns that blaze around you / There are roses in between my thighs / And a fire that surrounds you" I MEAN!? These two were next level.}

- Acts very chaotically and slightly selfishly {She gets a bit lost in the moment, starts letting really loose because she's had to be so precise and careful all these years. But, she is directly going against the oath she swore and promises she made to herself, her family, and the country.}

- Quite upset that can't end up with Asher; gets drunk and says she resents the Selection to some people at a club (will come back to bite her) {So obviously Clara was never over Asher, but really, she was down BAD. Also, for clarity, the public doesn't know she's out on the town partying it up every night, but in this very drunk state of hers she confesses to a few random people who seem truthworthy 1) her true identity, and 2) all these deep-repressed thoughts.
And I don't think I ever mentioned it, but Asher and Clara mutually split about 6 months before the start of the story as a "mutual agreement" when he was sent to Paloma for doctor-related business.}


MID-OCTOBER/APPROACHING HALLOWEEN

8. West Coast — Lana Del Rey {CH 26 - CH 28}

- Nighttime rendezvouses {I'm sorry this is so vague LOL but I think it was meant to allude to Clara visiting boys during the night? Or like having conversations with them etc. I actually have a text exchange that would have happened between Clara and Darrin at some point:

Clara: are you awake?

Darrin: indeed

Darrin: tonight's self-lesson is about the banana extinction of the 1950s

Clara: sounds enlightening

{Time passes blah blah}

Clara: do you mind coming to my office? i need to talk to someone in person or i may go insane

Darrin: who's the "absolute fool" now?

Clara: still you for researching fruit history at 3 in the morning

Clara: will you come?

Darrin: yes. be there in 5

Clara: thank you so much

Darrin: k

via my notes app}

- Fully into October, darker nights and rainy days' seasonal sadness, coming close to Bella's bday {Bella is SUCH a Scorpio}

- Sad Divya. Exploring more of her and Alexander's past {The media, and world at large, was not kind to them: the public wanted Alexander to have a Selection (he was the first of the royals to forgo one) and they expected him to marry an Illéan girl, at the very least. No matter, the couple persisted.}

- Planning Halloween party. Cut down to 15 boys for sure at this point, if not lower. {As you can see, the literal Selection was kind of the least of my priorities. My bad}

{NOTE: No specific lyric references that I had planned, but I just adore this song and I think it complimented the kind of moody vibe that was going on! The opening lyrics might hold some significance, if I really want to dig into it: "Down on the West Coast they got a sayin' / If you're not drinkin' then you're not playin' / But you've got the music, you've got the music" and also the chorus: "I can see my baby swinging / His Parliament's on fire and his hands are up / On the balcony and I'm singing / Ooh, baby, ooh baby, I'm in love" Definitely reminds me of Rafael.}


HALLOWEEN/EARLY NOVEMBER

9. Cinnamon Girl — Lana Del Rey {CH 29 - CH 36}

- Halloween party! {Can I just say: THIS was the point of the story I was waiting for.} {Also, full honesty, I don't think I had any costume ideas planned. Clara probably would have been a butterfly, or Clara from The Nutcracker.}

- Confession from Asher ("never stopped loving you" "there's things i wanna say to you / but i'll just let you live") {AHH! Ok so here we have some "Cinnamon Girl" lyrics (world-ending song btw) as well as some pretty big claims! So yes, Asher is still in love with Clara, and vice versa tbh, and then he says some pretty foreboding things. All I can say right now is that some serious shit is about to go down, and he is intimately involved. Hint: Paloma.}

- November 1st. The big trial, A LOT comes to light. First plot twist of the story

- The news breaks: rebels in South (Paloma) claim to have rightful heir to the throne: Bella's daughter. A legitimate heir bc Bella was pregnant before she abdicated and therefore abdicated for herself, not her child. {Now, I don't think this is at all legally correct, but such is life. And just now I'm wondering how this could be a valid claim because wouldn't the child be a bastard? But anyways, I thought I was tough shit for coming up with this}

- Revelation that Asher is also a spy and was using his trip in Paloma as a way to get to the child and get DNA sample {Be real, did this trip you up? I like to think it was/would have been properly foreshadowed, and that it fell right into the sweet spot of a plot twist that makes sense, but wasn't predictable.
Side note: a doctor and a spy, what can't this man do?}

- Rafael also exposed to be a spy; backslap to Clara

{NOTE: I would like to take this opportunity to give a MASSIVE shout out to Llama for creating arguably one of the most essential characters for this story! There was no planning between us or anything, she just submitted Raf and angels sang and I realized how perfectly he slid into place and completed the plot.

So the lore here: Rafael is actually a spy with Illéa's government. He rose the ranks very quickly and was quite respected. But, there's a tragic backstory, of course: his father was murdered by a serial killer when he was younger, and the case remained cold. Fast forward many years into his career, and his most recent mission was to track down the very killer and bring him in alive –– however, when Raf had him cornered, the killer taunted him and Rafael snapped and murdered him. He was put on leave and sent back home to Paloma, and took up work on his family's bee farm. So, his listed occupation isn't entirely a lie.

The Paloma connection was also a complete coincidence –– I just chose a random Southern province for Asher to have gone to, with no intent of this Rebel side-plot. When I got Raf's form, it felt like fate.}

- Mallory exposed to be REBEL spy. {So, if it isn't shit enough for one of your Selected to not be who you thought they were, your life-long maid actually being on your opponent's side is going to be the backslap to seal the deal. Mallory had no violent intentions, but she was one of the people who thought Bella and her bloodline were the rightful continuing heirs. Dumb bitch.}

- M: "What are you doing?!" C: "I'm not going to listen to your bullshit advice. *cuts bangs* Fuck you." {This is a callback to Ch. 2, when Clara cuts her own hair. She jokingly mentions cutting bangs, and Mallory immediately shut that down. Well, she's not joking anymore.}

- Introduction of Sasha (Asher's cousin) who is a lawyer fighting for the royals {Defense, I guess?}

{NOTE: Illéa family lore - I didn't think too much of it tbh, but the gist was Marid had three kids (Colleen, Christopher, and Carrie (yes I completely half-assed the names)) and Asher is the only child of Christopher. Sasha is the youngest child of Colleen. She does not carry the Illéa surname.}

- Kaltrina was giving her info "from the North"/also works as a federal agent. Lesbians! {A side-plot but we deserve sapphics. But on the more serious note, this is yet another betrayal for Clara, as Kaltrina ends up being the 4th person in her life who isn't entirely who they say they are. A lot of relationships and a lot of trust is broken in the span of 2-3 chapters.}

- The big trial, tests Clara's loyalty and patience in a big way {Somewhat self-explanatory given the above revealed information, but Clara has quite the temper and she finds it difficult to keep it tampered when she feels as though everything is falling apart around her.}

- Must wear violet, blue, green, red {"Cinnamon Girl" reference! "Violet, blue, green, red to keep me out / I win"}

- Bella returns in person, maybe? {This obviously would have been a MASSIVE deal, but I don't think Clara would have gotten to speak to her properly. Essentially Bella is shuffled in, testifies that no she does not have a child and here's all the DNA to prove it, and then books it out of there. Crazy crazy emotional whirlwind for Clara.}


MID-NOVEMBER

10. Bartender — Lana Del Rey {CH 37 - CH 41}

- Clara has become distant/a shell; magazines are overly critical of her absence

- Lost trust with Asher. Avoids him; Genesis ends up being a mediator. Says it's clear they're (Asher and Clara) very very close friends and they should rekindle their friendship {I don't know if I mentioned this, but Genesis and Asher attempt to go on a few dates early on and then both decide they're better as friends. So when the events of Miamigate happen, it's long after Asher and Genesis have split ways, per say.}

- Parents are concerned. Clara very snappy {Moody teen era but make it a moody twenty-one year old whose entire life got publicly flipped upside-down.}

- Gets phone call from (drum roll) Bella {Likely would have been a cliffhanger at the end of Chapter 39 I think.}

- Chapter-long phone conversation. Advice, catching up, lots of tears {Obviously Clara starts out mad, but she can't stay that way for long. I think this would have been really sweet to write out, since it's the closest we would get to a homecoming.}

- Learns more of Bella's backstory - ran away with a bartender, Cerise and they first went to South America, and then Europe. Travelled through Mediterranean, and finally settled on a Greek island. Completely anonymous and loving it. {Cerise owns and operates a cafe, and Bella helps her + writes whenever time allows it. It's important to note Bella did not leave because of Cerise, but rather it worked out that they both wanted out of Illéa, and they were simultaneously absolutely smitten with each other. They met when Cerise worked at Divya and Alexander's anniversary ball.}

- Bella says she's proud of how far Clara's come. Encourages her to get the fuck out of her slump; suggests cutting to Elite (goes from 12/11 to 6)

- After the enlightening phone call properly makes up/reaches an understanding with Asher {The trust between them is absolutely wrecked, to say the least}

- Announces elite (6 boys) {Darrin (Doctor Kay Strange), Mal (rysarium), Duncan (sevenzeroseven), Adrian (Altomi), Kaj (morethanjustastory), Quentin (Ruby Casablanca)}

{NOTE: After Bella's court appearance I think the chapter titles would have started at 0 days (referencing how many days since Clara saw her last) which would have been really fun from the chaos perspective lol.}


MID-DECEMBER/APPROACHING CHRISTMAS

11. Radio — Lana Del Rey {CH 42 - CH 46}

- Clara gets her groove back; everything going smoothly with the boys

- Less tension with her parents, Asher, Kaltrina

- Getting excited for Christmas & visiting cousins in France

- Talks to Bella day of leaving for France. Tries to convince her to meet them in France for the holidays, but Bella firmly declines. A little bit of tension, but Clara isn't too concerned

- Christmas with her family and Selected is a pleasant time {AKA: calm before the storm}

{NOTE: Some lyric references we would have seen: "Not even they can stop me now / Boy, I'll be flying overhead / Their heavy words can't bring me down / Boy I've been raised from the dead" and "Now my life is sweet like cinnamon / Like a fucking dream I'm living in"}


NEW YEARS EVE

12. Art Deco - Lana Del Rey {CH 47}

- In France for New Year's Eve, very excited and having a good time; getting geared up for a good night

- However, August {former Selected} informs her that there's something urgent she needs to see: a tabloid has exposed Mal's drug running past. Angry, Clara confronts Mal and has to deal with the consequences as people find out {Again, pretty abrupt, but I think Clara and Mal would have had a really lovely relationship through the story. At one point I very much considered (and wanted) him to be the One, just because the chemistry was absolutely phenomenal. But the drug running thing is unfortunately quite the blip, so I couldn't find a way to realistically pull it off. Sorry, Rysa!}

- After this convo, while she's cooling down, parents approach her, very upset––specifically Divya. Clara assumes they know about Mal, tells them "I know it's bad, I'll deal with it properly when we get home"

- Divya seethes, shows her a reputable news source (think NYT): photos of her and Asher making out, quotes from the person at the club whom she confessed "I wish I was with him instead" {I did say it'd come back to bite her!}

- Goes through the rest of the New Year feeling like a traitor, assumes all eyes on her, judging

{NOTE: I think "Art Deco" encapsulated the vibes in general, and there weren't any specific lyrics I planned on highlighting. From the chorus, "You're so Art Deco, out on the floor / Shining like gun metal, cold and unsure" could fairly describe her during NYE. Also, the song mentions a "club queen/young thing" on the "downtown scene" which could be a nice recall to the Miami chapters.}


EARLY TO MID JANUARY

{NOTE: In terms of Miamigate, Clara has to have an uncomfortable but honest talk with her father. They're able to coverup the story by citing it as drunk ramblings and therefore with no proper standing, but he does ask her if she really loves Asher. She says yes. He asks if she wants to "play her card" (which would essentially mean ending the Selection and choosing Asher) but she says she doesn't want to do that. She has and always will love Asher, but so much has happened and so much trust has been broken that they're too far gone. She keeps her ace of hearts close to her chest, hoping she'll be able to pass it onto her children.

For Mal: his exposé doesn't actually make it to press, as August's early interception allows for the palace to quickly intervene and have the matter settled privately. However, her parents inform her they will not allow her to pick Mal as her husband, so she has to let him go.}

13. Happiness is a butterfly — Lana Del Rey {CH 48 - CH 49}

- Back in Illéa, lots of crying and attempts of comfort from Gia that does very little to help

- Has to have a long, heartbreaking conversation with Mal; happens at 2am on roof {lyric: "it's 2am, it feels like summer"}

- "I can't say what I want to." "What's the worst that you could do to a girl that's already hurt?"

{NOTE: SO. MANY. REFERENCES. And this is just the tip of the iceberg! It's no mistake that this is the titular song. I'm just going to dump a bunch of the lyrics, because honestly the whole thing applies.

"Do you want me or do you not? / I heard one thing, now I'm hearing another"
"Every day is a lullaby / I hum it on the phone like every night" –– somewhat of a reference to her phone conversations with Bella
"Happiness is a butterfly / Try to catch it like every night"
"If he's a serial killer, then what's the worst / That could happen to a girl who's already hurt?" –– referenced with above^^ quote
"Looking into his eyes, I think he's already hurt" - Would have mentioned "His eyes were hurt too" or something akin to that during their conversation
"Don't be a jerk—I don't want your sweatshirt!" –– starts raining, Mal offers her his sweatshirt. Reference to the lyrics "Don't be a jerk, don't call me a taxi / Sitting in your sweatshirt, crying in the backseat"
"Dance with me. One last time" –– lyric: "I just wanna dance with you"

Obviously, I planned for Mal and Clara to have a really deep relationship. I think they confided in each a lot, and understood familial pressure in their unique way. Their "thing" would have been late night trip onto the roof, which quickly would have devolved into dance lessons, hence those references repeated above. I'm sure if their final conversation had been written in full it would have been an absolute critical hit.}

- After her convo with Mal, decides to cut down to final 3 {Darrin, Adrian, and Quentin}

14. Video Games — Lana Del Rey {CH 50 - CH 51}

- Kaltrina: "I can already hear the church bells!" {Song reference: you can hear churchbells ringing throughout the song, specifically towards the end!}

- Getting ready, flurry of activity—Gia, Genesis, Divya, Kaltrina involved

- Goes to the One {Adrian!}, uses a cheesy line: "They say the world was built for two, and I think it's me and you" {Also, explicit lyrics reference lol}

- They get engaged! Announcement follows and all that

{NOTE: Bella calls her and attempts to comfort her during the whole Miami/Mal stuff. Later provides some love advice when Clara says she's going to pick the One.

Bella also explains why she doesn't want to come back: Angeles holds a lot of bad memories of darker times, and the only thing she misses about it is her family. She's much happier in Greece, or anywhere else really, and has no plans of moving back. She says she'll come for the wedding and important events, but that she'd also love if Clara visited her (incognito, of course). They reach a mutual agreement, and finally Clara understands and has closure with Bella's departure.}


FIVE AND A HALF YEARS LATER

15. Bel Air — Lana Del Rey {CH 52}

- Clara and Adrian walking around the gardens, end of Summer party {callback to earlier in the story} + releasing thousands of butterflies

- Has two daughters: Mariposa Emma & Vanessa Bella {Both of their first names mean butterfly; middle names for the couple's sisters, respectively}

"—watched as a thousand butterflies flew up, up, up, towards the clear blue sky." {Had this line in mind from the beginning, and I'm too sentimental to want to change it. Butterflies were always going to be a very central symbol in the story, so it only makes sense for it to end by having butterflies released into the sky.}

THE END.


And that's the end of the outline! Obviously it was very plot-centric and didn't really include the boys, so I'm going to add a little bit about them and how I think they would have slotted into the story!

Skye Hawthorne from Allens: A former ballet student dubbed prodigy, who later performed with the Angeles Ballet Company. He abruptly resigned when he was 22, much to his mother's resentment. I think these two would have 1) watched a ballet for old time's sake and, 2) on a deeper level, really connected over their shared dance journeys. Ironically, Skye almost had what Clara wanted: a spot in the professional dance world. I think the gradual realization that what she wanted he did not is what jumpstarts them into deciding they're better as friends. He would have left after Halloween, in the big cut that resulted in the Elite.

Adrian Khalil from Angeles: Adrian has a fascinating backstory and personality. As the creator Altomi described in their form: "Most of those that have met Adrian Khalil would describe the young man as 'a real asshole.'" Perhaps rude, but never excessively cruel. His mother (a police officer) died when he was young, and so he was raised by his father and elder sister. Unfortunately that sister, Emma, would have an untimely demise of her own: she was a royal guard who died defending the princesses. Adrian, who later becomes a Nurse, carries a lot of fury, guilt, and resentment, and I think it manifests beautifully through his story with Clara. It's the classic enemies to lovers, and though Adrian is never rude towards Clara, he is certainly cold. Overtime, through Clara's stubborn persistence to crack at his surface, he thaws out and they find their common ground: sisters. He also provides stability to her chaos, and a certain realist view; furthermore, Adrian finds closure in his relationship with Clara. They both go through incredible amount of character development, and I think they are able to find their peace in each other. (And so many little things match up between them: early risers to watch the sunset, lovers of dark blue, and empaths to their core.)

Wesleyan Silva from Atlin: They would have had a date involving painting and drawing, and while it would have been pleasant, he and Clara and different in all the ways that matter. They say their goodbyes sometime before Halloween, with the promise that her first tattoo would be from him.

Malcolm Zou from Belcourt: Oh, Malcom, Malcom, Malcom; you crazy bastard. This boy snuck up on me (and Clara) and while it is devastating they couldn't end up together, I do think it's for the best. They connected because they're so alike, and because chaos is apart of them even if they never explicitly seek it out. If they shared a room, I think they'd both become fully nocturnal (for completely non-sexual reasons!). They're soulmates, absolutely, but sometimes soulmates don't end up together, and that's for the better. Some more backstory about this boy: he has prodigal memory, specifically exemplary spatial memory, and participated in national memory championships. He competed internationally at 17 and came 7th, but was okay with that: what he really wanted to do was become an Architect. The issue? He developed a gambling addiction. In order to pay it off, he became a drug runner for his boss at the coffee shop he barista'd at. After he and Clara split ways, I think she links him up with Sasha (Asher's lawyer cousin) to quietly get him off the charges, as well as get his debts paid. Right now, he's designing an engineer's worst nightmare in Illéa's premier architect program.

Kelsey Begum from Bonita: Kelsey was involved in a horrific car crash that sadly killed his girlfriend at-the-time. He hasn't been in a car since. When he signed up for the Selection, he brought a list of goals that he wanted to see complete: at the top was "sit in a car without having a panic attack." Clara doesn't know about his past, so when she mistakenly suggests driving to the beach for a date, she's surprised at his intense reaction. She soon learns the truth and is able to enrol him in counseling with the palace psychiatrist. He and Clara spend some time together in the garages, just walking around the cars and slowly attempting to get him inside. When he leaves the palace, he's the one driving the car.

Quentin Truntich from Carolina: Quentin was Clara's first fuck of the Selection, and I think that's important to note. Aside from that, he's a tailor, as well as a professional historical reenactment character during his summers. However, his real claim to fame is the historical costumes he makes by hand which resulted in his portfolio going viral online. He keeps this sewing alter-ego anonymous, though. At 19, Quentin was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), which results in sporadic and agonizing flare ups in which his muscles spasm. He uses a self-carved cane for walking assistance. He and Clara had an undeniable chemistry, but what fulfills them physically they lack emotionally. Q is a sweet, simple man, and that's not who Clara was looking for in a partner. Their relationship ended with lots of mutual respect and good times had by all.

Duncan Saetang from Clermont: I won't lie, Duncan was a very close contender for Clara's heart! He has a very open, go-with-the-flow personality that really suits Clara and her wilder sider. However, while they definitely are a good pair when it comes to adventurous food choices, they both agree they enable each other just a bit too much. They split as friends, and Duncan occasionally caters palace events.

Darrin Altsohn-Lai from Columbia: Darrin was a favorite from the beginning, for me! He's awful at being emotionally vulnerable, prone to severe lateness, and doesn't have a particularly healthy sleep schedule (read: he does not sleep). His text conversation with Clara is a perfect example of their relationship: Clara accepts him quirks and all, because in a way, she's no different. Yes, she wears her heart on her sleeve, and yes, she is at least half an hour early to everything, but they still connect on a deeply intellectual level. I would say they practically chatted the Selection away, always seeking one-another out for ridiculous conversations late into the evening. They're definitely platonic soulmates and stay in touch for the rest of their days (even though Darrin responds to texts once a fortnight). (Fun fact: they kissed once just to see what it would be like, and Darrin nearly passed out. He is not one for physical affection.)

Alvaro Bautista from Dominica: Extraverted and dubbed "class clown", Alvaro was always a bit too much for Clara's introverted tendencies. They recognized they weren't a match early into the Selection.

Kaj Askelson from Fennley: A DJ and musician originally from Baffin, Kaj's mother died in a car accident due to icy road conditions. Due to that, he hates the snow and anything to do with winter, making Angeles the perfect potential-forever home. He and Clara do click, and what they have emotionally they have physically, but they both have their different types of grief they needed to work through. Kaj made it to the Elite, but they realized fairly quickly they were better off as friends and ended the relationship with no hard feelings.

Garnet Mason from Hansport: An empathetic optimist, Garnet was unfortunately diagnosed with leukaemia soon after graduating high school. His family had no means to pay for treatment, and so he accepted his fate with a smile on his face. By the time he arrived at the palace he was well past the point of return, and despite Clara's insistence of providing him proper care, he declined all offers. He was one of the first Selected to leave, mostly by request. Some months later he passed in his home with his mother and sister by his side.

Taylor Jones from Kent: Standing at over 6ft with a bit of a temper, Taylor is not one to cross. Competitive to boot, it's no surprise he was one of Clara's first dates. They share an intimate moment in the pool––and later in the shower––but while it was plenty physical, there was little connection. He left before Halloween.

Enju Fujikawa from Labrador: A cool, collected businessman with a bit of an ego, Enju carries an unspeakable guilt. Born the younger of a pair of twins, but the healthiest: his umbilical cord was wrapped around his brother's neck, resulting in brain damage. Enju protected his brother as much as he could from their overbearing, expectational parents. Unfortunately, his brother laid in a coma, and En took full responsibility of his care––you don't give up on family. Enju has a frosty exterior that Clara finds impenetrable, and she only learns the true side of him when he receives the call his brother has woken from his coma. Clara gives him her blessing to leave, as well as the finances to cover future medical costs.

Finn Masters from Midston: Born in London (yes, he has an accent), Finn is a natural charmer. However, his difficulty in letting people in is what causes a rift between him and Clara: for all his smooth talking, he couldn't seem to give her an honest, deep answer. He's passionate and overall a good person, but not entirely ready for the vulnerability that comes with a relationship. There's no question he would have aced the political side of being Prince-Consort.

Rafael Marquez from Paloma: We know him, we love him. He renounces himself from the Selection before he testifies in the trial, but has a face-to-face conversation with Clara after the events have settled. Though Clara is emotionally vulnerable and volatile during this time, they part ways with no animosity.

Ismael Fregoso from Sonage: A rising senior at the University of Southern Angeles and aspiring cinematographer, Isra often finds himself flying too close to the sun. He is an ambitious, bubbly, and restless personality, and fairly quickly he realized palace life wasn't for him. He left the Selection in time to return to school without being too behind on his studies.

August Mayfield from Waverly: August, or Auggie, attends university on a football scholarship. His real passion, though, is journalism. He and Clara definitely connect more as friends than lovers, and after an amicable exit post-Halloween he keeps in touch about any news that may concern her. This is how he manages to warn her about the Mal scandal before it hits the press. With the advance warning, she's able to keep the story out of the press altogether, and she's forever grateful to August for giving her the head's up. He get the exclusive to cover her and Adrian's wedding, and he's always the first in the media to print other royal news.

Everett Thorne from Whites: Though threatening with his appearance as a brooding lumberjack, Everett is a soft-spoken man, both humble and shy. A true family man, he was always better at home in the snowy banks of Whites than sunny Angeles. He was glad to be reunited with his family, who are also proud and dedicated labourers.

Finn Katzen aka "FUCK" from Yukon: This man was here to create chaos, and create he did. He especially enjoyed asserting his dominance over Finn Masters, and ominously standing in corners of the room. Clara kept him around for personal entertainment purposes, just to see what would happen, but he took his own exit after the trials.

Fabian Boulcott from Zuni: Friendly and extravagant best describe this philanthropic pet hotel owner. He entered the Selection with no desire or expectation to win, and was dismissed fairly early on. The feathers and glitter from his outfits plague the Men's Room to this day.


And that's a wrap! I know it's not the same as a written and finished story, but I hope this provided some satisfaction and closure for any readers.

Feel free to PM me if you have any follow-up questions, or just want to chat! You can find me in the Discord server, as well.

xx