Chandler got asked out almost a week after the Selection was announced. I thought that maybe the poor guy might have been confused, that Chandler was a crush or something that he didn't want to loose to the Selection. She, of course, insisted that it was for all of the reasons that Blanca got engaged: people were attracted to the best, and that was that. I think she also made a snide remark about how that was why I hadn't been asked out since I was her age. Honestly, I can't bring myself to care. Even though the last time I was asked out was when I was already older than her, so she's wrong.

Weeks could not press by soon enough. It's been only seven days since the Selection had been announced, three since I handed in my application, and about fifteen seconds since I had last looked at the clock, daring the small hand to fall on twelve so that the Report could start.

I look up from my book. Still four fifty-two. Damn.

I've been sitting here since I got home from work at four. It was a miserable not-even hour.

Persephone's gone, as well. The Service Office would close an hour early today, in lieu of each Report segment being mandatory. My parents encouraged her to leave a few hours ago, and she's still not back yet. I'm still a bit queasy from her decision to enter. At the very least it set me on edge.

Four fifty-three.

I count twenty-six seconds before Persephone burst back through the door. She's wearing a white crop top with pink and blue flowers, and her favorite jean shorts. Her hair is twisted up and she's wearing makeup. I can't help but gulp, now aware that she wants this. My sister, who's just as pretty, has a better job, and has the more contagious personality. Who had her first kiss before any of the rest of us in relation to age. I'm doomed.

I try to read, but cant concentrate. Every tick of the clock seems obscenely magnified, and all other noise becomes mum in the background. Eventually, my right ear starts to ring and my breathing pace –along with my heart rate- begins to quickly increase. All I can think about is the notion of Persephone and Prince Cameron. And I think it's driving me mad.

My racing mind is distilled by the sound of the TV flipping on automatically. I glance up at the clock again to find that it's already five oh one. They're a minute late.

This time, I manage to concentrate.

"Good evening everyone and welcome to this week's Illéa Capital Report!" There's a polite spatter of applause and I'm suddenly aware that my family (besides Declan and Blanca, who are watching from their own homes tonight) has positioned themselves around the Family Room. When did they get there..? "Tonight, before our regularly scheduled announcements, we'd like to welcome our Crown Prince Cameron Havillard to the stage for an exclusive interview!" There. I'm perked up immediately.

Prince Cameron's grimace isn't something that I ignore. But instead of it taking up my concentration, I allow myself to listen to the way he acknowledges Brenan, and how his voice sounds like sneakers shuffling on gravel. The way his nose looks like it's made of bone, and his sharp jaw line is clean-shaven. You can't tell the color of his eyes with the lighting, as his thick, dark eyebrows overshadow them, but I know that they're the color of sage leaves and amethyst. I notice strong arms from under his suit, as he shakes hands with his interviewer. And something on my insides melts just a little, knowing that if he could only smile –if I could only make him smile- he'd have officially been the most attractive person I'd ever met. And in less than a month, I have even the slightest chance to make him a physical part of my life, not just the figment I imagined him.

It's not a secret that the Selection isn't a game of mere chance. You won't get chosen by luck, you'd be chosen because of your form and application picture. And that's the only thing that gives me hope. I know that I'm pretty, and it would be stupid to fake naïveness and say that I'm not. In my mind, there's no logical reason that knowing your own worth is considered undesirable, and yet my mom always told me to be modest and taught me to politely refuse compliments. Like I'm not supposed to know that I'm attractive. Which is really stupid, if you think about it. But if the likelihood of me getting in is anything like what rumors told me, I had at least a semi-decent chance.

"Prince Cameron, what are your feelings about your upcoming Selection?" Brenan demanded, the two of them sitting in the white bubble chairs laid out for interviewing, a mic for each.

Prince Cameron takes a breath, like a pause so that he could choose his words carefully. "Probably mostly anxious." He retorts.

"Anxious-dreading or anxious-excited?"

Another thinking breath. "Probably a little bit of both." Prince Cameron confesses. "See, I have no doubt that this will be a very good thing for me and for the country. But at the same time, the prospect of having to share a piece of myself with thirty five completely new women is enough to make anyone a little nervous."

Brenan laughs, as if Prince Cameron just told a very funny joke. Which I find a bit insensitive, because he has every right to be nervous. "I'm sure it will all work itself out in good time."

"I agree."

"So tell us, how are preparations coming for welcoming the thirty five currently undetermined guests?" Brenan inquires. "I know that we've got plenty of applicants already, but make sure you send in your forms by next week!" I belatedly realize that that last bit was directed at the audience.

"Well, everything's been a bit chaotic." Prince Cameron brings us back to the point. "We've already had each of the thirty-five rooms already refurbished, and at this point, the main concern is getting the paint to dry so we can start taking the covers off of the furniture and polishing everything else up. The girls, of course, will have the opportunity to make any revisions to their rooms, but everything looks pretty nice so far. There's a lot of food tasting and maid-checking and it's been a bit irrelevant, really, but we're getting through it."

"And how do you think the prospect of becoming engaged in the war will affect the Selection?"

"I think that, at this point, it will have no affect. We're remaining neutral for the time being, as I'm sure that my father will tell you again later, and so for now we're safe. However, we're adding extra precautions that I'm afraid that I'm not at the liberty of disclosing to the public. I think that everyone will remain safe, and that the Selection should be able to run its course naturally."

"Thank god for us all!" Brenan laughs in relief. But there's not so much as a grin from Prince Cameron. "Well, it was really nice to get to talk with you, Prince Cameron. I wish you all of the best in the next coming weeks."

Prince Cameron shakes Brenan's hand again and retreats back to his seat next to his younger brother. Prince Mason whispers something to his brother without breaking his view of the back of Brenan's head, and Prince Cameron nods at whatever it is.

Brenan takes back the controls on the Report, and I assume that everything will be a bit quicker, now that it's already five twenty-one. At this point, I tune back out. I don't particularly care for war talks. No need to be scared if there's nothing wrong, as Prince Cameron seemed to think.

And if Prince Cameron thought that everything would be alright, then everything would be alright.

Alright. Well, Brenan Gavin lied because we really haven't got plenty of applicants already. In fact, I currently only have three. Thank you to Happygreenbirdy, 4Love4Love4, and jenhen48 for being our current only submitters. I know that there are a few people who have reserved provinces or have promised me forms, but the point is that I don't have them. Guys, I'm a little nervous. Because I don't have almost any reviews either. I would also like to clarify that it wasn't me who reviewed on my own chapter. My friend *cough* 4Love4Love4 *cough* was logged into my account so that she could read a form, and forgot to log out… So that was not me.

Guys, please please review. I'd really REALLY like some feedback, and it hurts a little that most of you don't care enough to take two minutes and say something about what I'm writing. It makes me feel like that I'm speaking to an empty room. At this point, I have no idea whether I'm spinning pure trash or this is actually something that I should invest time into.

Speaking of which, THANK YOU to UltimateMaxmericaShipper for such a long review! You have no idea how much it really meant to me, so thanks!

In other news, I've decided to give some introductions to the few other Apps that I've gotten. Also, tell me if you guys would be interested in hearing from the royals!

So, yeah. That's all I have to say. Review and submit and all that stuff, bye!

xx. Scarlett