"I want to be apart of it" Paris demanded the next morning in Mom and dad's office while crossing her arms over navy blue silk dress, her hairs slicked back and she's supporting a Smokey eye and red lips. Always ready for a close up.
"Absolutely not" I say before dad can say what he wants to say. He's called all of us in here for a family meeting about the Selection. And Paris is already going on about how she wants to be involved in it. I love Paris and all but I can see her stirring up so much drama. "The only one who I'd let help me would be Vee" Vee gives a warm smile at that.
"Screw you" Laurel fires at me for not adding her name in that sentence. I would let Laurel help me too but Vee I would want the most.
"What would you want to do, Paris?" Mom asks gently. I open my mouth to object but she silences me with her finger.
"I don't know, something! I could train them to be princesses. I would know. Or something cool like that." She slumps back in her seat, she's annoyed that I'm not giving in and giving her what she wants.
"What about all your shows" I ask her. I know how important modeling is to her. She wouldn't give it up for anything, not even my Selection. That I can be sure of.
She sucks on her teeth. I've hit her weak spot. I can see her eyes moving trying to find a solution. I give her a winning look and before I can lean back and let out a sigh of relief she says "I'll got on break."
"What?"
"I can take vacation time. I've deserved it and I think they would listen to me, Princess Paris, and understand." She's so proud of herself for thinking that up so quickly.
"Well, my Selection could go on for a while." I say evenly, but also in a way that indicates that this won't be a one month ordeal. Truth be told, I don't know how long I want my Selection to go. Probably not three years like King Louis but probably not a month like others.
"I'll be around" she locks her eyes with me as of saying I will be apart of this. I lean back
"We already have Calla doing training them" mom says making focus back onto the matter. Yes! Thank you mom!
"Not Calla! I've experienced her and I vowed to never make anyone suffer like I did!" Laurel pipes up "I could teach them. I've learned it all from her. And I would be a much better teacher." I remember Calla, she was our homeschool teacher. She was really strict and so old fashioned.
Mom raises her eyebrows and looks today who nods in agreement "that would be great Laurel." Laurel smiles at her new position. I'm not too worried about that because I think she would be a good teacher, she would keep it fun but would also help them learn. Besides, I would never want to burden the Selected with dealing with Calla.
"I'll be the event coordinator!" Paris exclaims "I throw the best parties. And I could also help with all the fashion, you know I'm foot at that."
"I could be their non official teacher. Y'know help them with adjusting to the fame and the royal life and be their friend." Vee speaks up. That sounds really good, I'm sure the Selected are going to be a range of different emotions and it's going to be a change for them as much as it is for me. And Vee would be perfect to help them settle in and be their friend.
"That does sound good" father speaks up. He's got his knuckles pressed against his chin- something he does when he's thinking.
"Vee and Laurel would be good." I know this will get a rise out of Paris.
"Excuse me asshole!" Paris yells and I crack up.
"Paris! Language!" Father exclaims as I keep laughing "Chase knock it off you are only making it worse."
"Sorry" I get out while trying to hold in my laughter. Something about my sisters getting mad makes me laugh every single time. I look over and Paris is sucking on her her teeth trying not to explode again. Laurel is giving me a look like you deserved that.
"I think it's a good idea" mom brings the attention back onto the matter "Laurel would do very well teaching the girls. She has a very high IQ. And let's admit it, Paris does throw the best parties and has a great sense of fashion, she could help the girls with events as well as plan some. And Vee would be a great friend and help the girls adjust. I think it's perfect. Especially all of them working together. But ultimately Chase this is up to you. It's your Selection."
I want the girls to be comfortable and I feel like this is the best way to do it. But I also just want this Selection to be for me and not have to involve my sisters. But my sisters are going to apart of my life always. And I want it that way. I can't imagine a life without them. "Okay. I want them involved."
"Yes!" Paris jumps up and runs over to me with Laurel and Vee behind her. They all hug me and give me kisses leaving lipstick marks all over my face. I hear the click of the camera and know that dad took a picture.
"Ew! You guys are getting lipstick all over me!" I laugh. As they are jumping up and down while still hugging me. I try wipe the lipstick off my face but I feel like I'm just smudging it more.
"Your gonna have to get used to it Chasey!" Laurel yells using my childhood nickname. She knows I hate being called Chasey. Paris laughs at this because for once it's not her annoying me. Although I'm never really annoyed with her, I just act like it.
"You guys are horrible! Let go!" I try to sound stern but I'm still laughing. They only cling onto me tighter. I really do love my sisters.
I can't sleep and it's around midnight. I get up out of my bed and put on a shirt and walk to Vee's room, she's not in there. She's on the roof. She always is. I go upstairs to the roof and climb up. Sure enough she's up here, with her elbows on the ledge and looking up at the sky. The door makes a creaking noise and she turns around.
"Hi" she says softly before turning back around. She's in her pajamas, light grey pajama bottoms with a matching spaghetti strap. It looks super soft.
I walk over to her and mimic her body language with my elbows on the ledge. You can see the whole city of Angeles from up here. It's so pretty lit up at night.
"Couldn't sleep?" She asks and I nod "I know you wouldn't be able to." She says softly and turns to me.
"Yeah" I note and look up at the starry sky. I can see why Vee is so obsessed with it.
"Where's Venus?" I ask her. Something I used to always do to her. She'd look it up in her astronomy book and point to it and at the same time I would point at her and say 'here'. Now it's something I ask her every time. She doesn't need her astronomy book anymore. It's become something of a tradition between us.
"There and here" she points to a part of the sky, I have to really look to find it. I finally see the yellow one, it's slightly different from the other stars. You definitely have to pay attention to detail. She also points to herself which I smile at.
She's getting so big, even though I'm only four years older than her she'll always be little Vee to me. She might not need her big brother anymore. She's sixteen now. She's so mature, but she has been for so long. She's the first person I come to when I need advice.
"Are you scared?" She asks "for the Selection?"
"No" I lie. "What's to be scared of?"
"Change" she notes "and I know you, you are scared. Scared of having to grow up and become King." She's right, I'm not scared of the Selection, I'm scared that I'm gonna have to grow up and rule a country.
"I'm not ready. I always figured that by the time I was nineteen I would be ready to be king but now I'm twenty and I'm still not ready." I admit. There's no point in trying to hide my thoughts and fears to Vee, she already knows them.
"I think your more ready than you give yourself credit for. But I also think that this is why a Selection is a good idea. You can talk to different girls from around the country and get an inside scoop on what's good and what can improve. And maybe find someone who makes this all worth while" she nudges me and smirks.
"You've been watching too much romance movies. I have you guys and you make this all worthwhile. I can't imagine any girl, besides you, Laurel and Paris, being anything that makes it worthwhile. I mean, I'm attracted to girls. But I've never really felt a connection to any girl or have ever wanted to be in a relationship with them. Does that make sense?" I feel myself rambling on. I look over to Vee who is listening intently while looking up at the sky.
"It makes sense" she says and pauses "but around twenty is when boys start maturing" I look at her and see that she's fighting a grin.
"I am mature!" I protest.
"Sure you are" she says back sarcastically. Okay, maybe I'm not the most mature boy there's ever been but I'm the worst!
"Well you keep that in mind. No boys your age are mature!" I poke her and give her a serious face. If she ever dated a boy like me I would kill him. The idea of that makes me want to change how I use girls so I can give her an example of what a guy should treat her like. I've never talked to her about girls, that's the one thing I'll never talk to her about, but she's not dumb. She knows about the reputation I have. The playboy prince.
"Oh I am well aware of that. I do not plan on dating any boys until they are mature." I wish Paris and Laurel followed that motto. I'm proud of Vee for realizing that. I can't help thinking that I'm the reason she feels that way is because she knows of how I dispose of girls.
"Good because if you do, I might have to kick their ass." She laughs and rolls her eyes. I laugh with her and hug her.
The door makes a screeching sound and Vee and I both jump and turn around. Paris pokes her head from behind the door and I can see Laurels blonde hair behind her. "I knew you would come up here" Paris says grandly and opens the door more and her and Laurel come and join us. Paris is still wearing her red silk nightgown, there is a slight breeze up here but Laurel being the smart one brought two blankets.
Her and Vee share the pink one and Paris and I share the grey one. "Where's Venus?" Paris asks Vee. Vee points to the same place in the sky and this time I can immediately spot it.
"And here" Laurel tickles Vee. Everyone in the family knows that line by now and joins in on it.
"What's going on over there?" Laurel asks and points to a place that has grand lights that are visible from here.
"It's the Angeles theatre. It's opening night for Phantom of the Opera." Paris explains, she would know. The Angeles theatre is very popular, we've been to a couple shows and the theatre is beautiful. The actors and singers are really good too.
"I could would be a great actress" Paris says dramatically and unwraps herself from the blanket and puts the back of her hand on her forehead and sighs.
"You already are one" Laurel says, Paris smiles and lightly hits her. And goes back to dramatically posing.
"If I wasn't a Princess I think I would want to be a advisor. Or maybe a representative of some sort." Laurel notes while still watching Paris as she twirls around.
"You could be one of my advisors, you certainly deserve it" If Laurel can't be a Queen then she should definitely be an advisor. I trust her and she's so smart. I'm terrible with economics and math, but that's what she's best at. And she would have my back against the power hungry nobles. She's perfect for the job.
"Thanks. But I'll probably get married off. That's what every princess before us had to do." She says bitterly. Paris stops prancing around at this change in mood and Vee looks down uncomfortably.
"I don't think Mom and Dad will marry you to someone who you don't want." I say confidently, more for Vee so she doesn't worry about being married off for an alliance. Although she probably already knows about this and has talked to her sisters about it.
"It's not them. It's the other monarchs I'm worried about. France, England and Scotland all have princes who need wife's. It's only a matter of time before one of them offers their hand in marriage. And they can't force me to accept but if I decline I would be sending us into war." I can't imagine Laurel being married off. Or forced, no one forces Laurel Schreave to do anything that she doesn't want to do. But she loves us and our country, she wouldn't want to jeopardize that. She is the types of girl to put her country before herself.
"I don't even want to think about getting married right now." Vee says, sadly sixteen is an acceptable to get married. All it would take is for one of those princes to offer his hand to her and she would have to be wed.
"We won't let that happen" Laurel says it before I can.
"That Prince Gabriel from France has the biggest crush on me. Doesn't he know I'm heartless?" Paris says while curling up in the blanket again.
"Gee, I wonder why Paris?" Laurel sarcastically replies "it's not like you made out with him during the Christmas party last year." Paris sticks out her tongue at Laurel. Gabriel sent her a couple letters after the Christmas party but Paris never opened them, just threw them right in the trash.
"This is the last time we'll ever truly be kids" Vee suddenly says so quietly we almost miss it. She's staring at the sky and has a far away look on her face. It send chills through me.
"What do you mean by that?" Paris asks lightly.
"The Selection. If we're gonna be married off. Someday soon this will all change. And we will never have it back." Her chin wobbles and we all get in a group hug. She's right, these last few days before my Selection is the last time it will be just us in the palace and possibly the last time we all live together.
"Well if this is gonna be our last time being kids we are doing it right!" Paris exclaims. I can tell it made her sad, but she would never let anyone see her cry and if she didn't change the momentum she probably would have cried. She pulls out her phone and calls someone. She puts it on speaker and we all huddle around her phone. It's Gertrude! She's our favorite maid, an old lady probably in her mid sixties. She's like our cool grandma, she lets us get away with stuff as long as it's not too bad, but is not afraid to discipline us and lecture us. I can't tell you how many three am lectures I've gotten from Gertrude. She is the first person we would call in a time like this.
"Hello!" She chirps. I don't know how she can be so peppy at midnight, it's probably one by now though.
"Hello" we chorus back, "we need two chocolate milkshakes, one Oreo milkshake and one cherry vanilla milkshake. A candy and snacks table. And a s'mores table. Oh, and some water."
"And what might I ask is this for?" Gertrude asks uncertainty.
"The four of us, of course!" Paris chirps.
"Where am I taking this too?" She asks while giggling.
"The roof."
"The roof! Do you really think that I can get two tables to the roof? You, Miss Thing, are getting them up there." Gertrude fires at Paris. Laurel and I laugh at Gertrude calling her "Miss Thing."
"Can you put them in a basket? And then I can run down and get them." Paris decides after a while.
"Okay, it'll be ready in fifteen minutes."
"Perfect! Thanks Gertrude!" And she hangs up. "Guys! This is gonna be so much fun!" She starts jumping up and down.
Fifteen minutes later Paris and Vee return with two baskets and a tray full of our milkshakes. I take the chocolate one and Laurel takes the other chocolate one. Vee has he Oreo one and Paris has cherry vanilla. "Chug!" I yell and start slurping down my milkshake as fast as possible.
"I win!" Vee yells "brain freeze!" Ah, I got one too. I press my tongue to the roof of my mouth something that Gertrude taught me years ago that gets rid of brain freezes. It works.
We set out glasses back on the tray. An look at the baskets and open them. Gertrude knows all of our favorite candies and sweets. Macaroons or Paris, chocolate covered strawberries for Laurel. Raspberry tarts for Vee and chocolate chip cookies for me. Laurel and I both share a love of chocolate.
"Do you remember that one Christmas party when mom and dad said Paris couldn't have any more candy, and she tried to sneak some. And ended up tripping and spilling candy everywhere?" We all start laughing and Paris's cheeks heat up. That was really fun, especially at the time. The whole room went quiet and stared at her. Laurel, Vee and I were in the corner laughing hysterically.
"Remember when Chase threw up on the Report?" Paris brings up one of my most embarrassing stories. I was seven and one day I wasn't feeling good. I kept on asking my parents if I could skip the report to stay in bed, but they thought I was just trying to get out of it. And halfway through, I threw up right on the table. It still makes me cringe.
"What about when Laurel accidentally locked herself in the safe room and the entire palace had a lockdown because no one could find her" we laugh. It's not nearly as embarrassing as mine but I remember Laurel emerging from the safe room bright red. And having to explain that she was exploring hidden passageways and she accidentally locked herself in one.
Vee cringes because she knows that she's next on the list. We share a look. "Just say it" she squeals in nervousness.
"Nothing your perfect" I tell her.
"Our perfect little Vee." Laurel chimes in.
"So perfect she used to run around the castle naked as a two year old" we burst out laughing. Paris laughs into my shoulder and I have to bend over from laughing so hard. Every time before her bath Vee would always escape from the maids and run around the palace naked while the maids had to chase her.
"At least I was two, you all were at least seven and up." Vee defends while smiling.
"All of us were inseparable when we were younger" Paris laughs while biting into a macaroon.
"All we had was each other" Laurel smiles sadly.
"We still do" I tell them fiercely "I need you guys during this Selection. Even you Paris." I nudge her, she already has a big smile and gives me a fierce hug. Her way of telling me how much she needs me.
"I'm excited for it" Paris says as she's letting go of me "it's gonna be one hell of a story." That's for sure.
"True. Hopefully not too much drama" Vee chimes in, they way she says it though implicates that she knows there is no way that is gonna be true.
"I get to be the boss!" Laurel pumps her fists.
"You already were" I tell her.
She punches my shoulder, which is how I know she loves me.
In this moment, everything feels right. Sitting under the stars at two in the morning with my favorite people in the whole world. Vee's golden hair that I can notice through the darkness. Paris's red silk nightgown that is also noticeable. And Laurels green eyes piercing into the night sky. I hope I never forget the sound of Vee's laughter or the smell Paris's favorite scent or even how when Laurel smiles everything seems to stop for a split second.
"Wait, I have another brilliant idea!" Paris announces breaking me out of my daydream.
"Meet back up here in ten minutes with blankets pillows, furniture that we can get up here. And I got the rest." I love it when Paris's lovey side comes out, and she surprises us with sweet things to show us how much she cares. Despite Paris being a drama queen and a little mean, she really is caring. If she decides to let you see that side of her.
I get down last from the roof and quietly sneak back to my room and grab all my spare pillows and blankets. I also grab a blow up couch, that you have to spread apart and run with them quickly tie it together so the air doesn't come out but you get a couch. I also decide to grab some more pillows. And head back to the roof quietly.
Laurel and I both get up there at the same time, both with arms full of pillows and blankets. We open the door to the roof, which was a struggle, and see that Paris has set a up an old fashioned movie theater. With a white sheet, projector and fairy lights around it to look pretty. She also has another white sheet on the ground so we know where to drop the pillows.
"Ta-da!" She exclaims and does jazz hands.
"Paris, this really is beautiful" Laurel tells her. Which I know that Laurels opinion means a lot to her. As much as she pretends she doesn't care about what people think about her, she values her family's opinion.
"Thanks Paris" she gives me another tight hug. Vee comes up and gasps. "Paris! You've outdone yourself!" She drops her pillows and runs over to Paris.
We set up the blow up couch and put a bunch of pillows on the floor around us and the couch. And cover a blanket on top of us.
"What are we watching?" Vee asks.
"You'll see!" She says.
"Please don't be a chick flick" I groan and she laughs.
"It's not, don't worry."
And it isn't. It's about a woman whose job is at risk so she pretends to be engaged to this man. The problem is that they hate each other. It's really funny.
Paris has her head on my shoulder and Vee on the other with Laurel lying across me. Halfway through the movie they are all asleep.
And I find my eyes getting heavy too. But
the last thing that I think before I fall asleep is that I will always protect my sisters.
Thank you so much to those who have submitted a girl! I love all the girls I've gotten so far! I'm really excited about this story. I actually wrote this chapter in a day because of all the inspiration I got from everyone who sent in a girl or reviewed. So thank you so much. I'm going to try to update on either Thursday's or Friday's but we will see how that hold up lol. But I promise I won't abandon this story!