Gwen's POV

I pushed the heavy wheelbarrow full of horse, pig and cow manure to the waste heap. After I dumped it I took a moment to relax my muscles and wiped the sweat off my brow. My day of work was almost done but it hadn't been easy. I was in charge of the animals on the farm for the day while Jack had been working with the crops. I had fixed numerous horse paddocks, brought loads of hay out to the animals, and then to top it off I had to pick all the areas for all of the animals. Yes, because every seventeen year old loves being on poop duty.

I rolled the wheelbarrow back to the barn along the dusty trail. I smelled awful and was practically gagging the whole way back. Needless to say, I could not wait to get changed. As soon as I had everything finished up I signed out on a paper that logged all employees hours and practically ran to my little tool shed.

The tool shed was on the other side of the farm from the animals closer to the crops and to the house. Which was most definitely a good thing because I don't want to have to wake up to the smell of cows every morning. Once I got to the shed I went to the rusted metal door, leaned against it, and heaved with all my strength to slide it open. The room was skillfully organized to include one bed, one table and then a bunch of tools. On the bed, my favorite little six year old sat writing in a flimsy notebook. I rescued him from the streets a few years back and treat him like family. He glanced up and when he saw me his smile missing his front left tooth lit up his face. "Gwen, you're back!" he shouted happily with his adorable accent.

"Yup, what were you working on?" I asked him as I took my filthy sneakers and socks off. "I was writing story!" he told me proudly thrusting the notebook in my direction. I grabbed the book and opened it up. He had drawn a stick figure picture of him and me and then wrote about us using some new words about birthdays I had taught him in English. "This is great, Xavier! Your English has really improved." Xavier was practically beaming with pride and I tousled his short black hair.

"Now, what is it that I'm forgetting about today?" I asked him teasingly. He giggled and jumped up saying "It's my birthday, silly!" I laughed, "Of course! How could I have forgotten? You ready to go to Gina's diner once I get cleaned up?" He nodded eagerly and I set to changing. I slid my box of clothes out from under the bed and took out a pair of old ripped jeans, a plain cotton shirt, and my very worn deep red hoodie. I changed, put my shoulder length blonde hair up in a ponytail, and then was ready to go. Before I was even able to tell Xavier I'm ready I heard the sound of someone leaning up against the door.

I helped push the door open from the inside and in walked my friend Jack. Jack's the son of the owner of the farm so I've known him ever since his family took me in from the streets when I was eight. They didn't treat me like family but they gave me the tool shed as a room, fed me, and paid me for my labor. My situation wasn't great, but I couldn't ask for much better after what happened when I was younger. When I was eight, I caught my dad cheating on my mom and so his way to save his own sorry bottom was to send his eight year old daughter out to the streets of Hansport to die. Got to love dear old dad. If Jack's mom hadn't taken even the slightest bit of pity on me I would probably be an eight or dead so I am thankful for what I've got. Besides, Jack's family are sixes so it's not like they've got much to spare. It's rare that sixes own a farm but they inherited it and it's what they live off of.

"What are you doing here, Jack? I'm going out to the diner tonight so I don't need any food." I said to him. "Gosh, can't a friend just visit now and then?" Jack replied. He's a lot like me: witty and sarcastic. That's probably why we get along so well. "Umm, yeah sure, but you never do." I responded and he stuck his tongue out at me. Real mature Jack. "You've got some mail." he informed me and I tilted my head confused. I never get mail; it just doesn't happen. "From who?" He thrust the letter at me, "Take a look."

My eyes were drawn right to the bright red royal seal closing the envelope. My eyebrows knit together and I ripped into the letter ignoring how luxuriously thick the paper feels. I pulled the letter out and quickly read what it said. Everything suddenly made sense once I finished reading it as slowly as I did. "The prince is having his Selection." I said to Jack. "Well it's about time don't you think. He's what, twenty? Didn't the king have it when he was nineteen?" I snorted, "Yeah, like one year is such a big difference." "Whatever. Are you entering?"

I shrugged, "I dunno. Maybe." He laughed, "You sound so certain of yourself." I shoved him, "I only just got the letter! Leave me alone." He just shook his head and then looked over at Xavier who was trying to understand everything that had just occurred. With his first language being Spanish, when things got complicated he couldn't process fast enough.

"Hey, little man. Happy birthday!" he greeted him and Xavier shyly waved back. "When are you guys headed to Gina's?" Jack questioned. I snatched up the little money I had put aside for tonight and answered, "Right now. You ready Xavier?" Xavier hopped over to my side as a response. "Mind if I tag along? I'll pay for my own food." I nodded, "Sure."

When we got to the diner, Xavier practically bolted in. Gina saw us walk in from the counter and came to greet us. "Happy birthday, Xavier!" Gina exclaimed giving the little man a hug. She passed him a little gift and Xavier lit up. "Gracias," he said. "How are you?" Gina asked us giving me a hug now. "Good enough."

She brought us to a table and didn't bother to give us menus because we already knew what we wanted. "So what do you want?" she asked. Jake and I both just ordered a cheeseburger and then Xavier ordered. "Can I have some pasta and grilled, umm, some grilled, uh, pollo?" he said turning a bit red when he couldn't think of the word. "The word starts with a c," I whispered to him. After thinking for a moment he remembered, "Grilled chicken!" Gina chuckled and nodded her brown frizzy hair bouncing, "That'll be right out."

She quickly brought us our food and we all inhaled it. The food as simple as it was was delicious and way more flavorful than what we were used to. After we paid our discounted price Gina sat down with us to talk. She passed Xavier a cupcake free of charge to eat while we chatted. "What's going on?" Gina began. Gina being 21 wouldn't have received the letter for the Selection so I filled her in on that. "Wow, so are you going to enter?"

"I haven't decided. Do you think I should?" Gina looked at me as if the answer was obvious. "Yes! Even if you're completely not interested in the prince, nothing is worse than the situation you're already in. Plus you'll be earning money just by being there." I considered her advice, "Yeah, you're right. I guess I'll just fill it out. Besides, odds are I won't be picked." "That's the spirit," Jack piped up and we all laughed.

"I'll fill the form out tonight." I confirmed and didn't go back on my word.

Gemma's POV

I finished watering the flowers in front of a family of threes' house and then wound up the hose. I brushed the dirt off of my worn jeans and then went to knock on the front door. A middle-aged man opened the door and I cut right to the chase. "I'm finished with your garden, so if you would please pay me," I told him. He pulled out twenty dollars and I just stared up at him, "I was gardening for three hours, you really ought to give me thirty." The man pulled out five more dollars and handed it over to me, "You're not getting any more than that."

This man wasn't worth a fight so I just took a deep breath and left. I'm not one to let people stomp all over me but this man just wasn't worth my time. I walked back to my apartment my sneakers leaving a trail of dirt behind me. Before I entered the building I slid off my sneakers and held them in my hands so that I wouldn't get the lobby filthy(not that the building is the cleanest).

I went down the stairs to the basement where my apartment resides. It's the only apartment in the basement and it's also the most rundown. It was the most I could afford and at least I have a roof over my head. I took out my keys and unlocked the door. I walked right into the tiny kitchen which only consisted of a small fridge, a barely working oven, a sink, an old TV, and a small foldable plastic table with a chair. Off of the kitchen there were two doors. One led to my minuscule bedroom, and the other to the only bathroom. It was dull and musty, but it was home.

After throwing the keys on the table, I went to the fridge. I grabbed a bruised apple and a little bit of cheese and then took some stale bread from on the counter. I brought it over to my table and with the remote flicked my television on. I had one of my favorite old movies playing that I've probably seen a million times but its one of the few I own.

I was taking a bite of the apple when there was a knock on the door. Yeah, that pretty much never happened. I opened the door and standing there was the owner of the apartment building. "Hello Maura. What do you need?" I asked her. "First of all, your rent is due next week-" I had to stop myself from groaning. I could barely afford rent so I would have to take all the jobs I could get to be able to pay rent and eat next week. "Also, this came in the post for you." Maura handed me a letter and I took it from her quickly.

Opening it I found it was the form for the Selection. I looked up to see Maura was still there, "Thank you." She nodded, "You're signing up, correct?" "Yeah, I might as well." Maura just nodded again then left.

I brought the form back to the table and sat down to fill it out. All the topics were straightforward enough but I wasn't sure what to fill out for family. My parents were very strict and believed in punishment which was sometimes abusive. I have the scars to prove it. There is one small thin scar under my left eye from my mother slapping me with a ring on. When I was fourteen, I got in a big fight with my parents and they threw me out. I've made a life for myself now, but I don't want to give credit to them as being my family. With nothing else to put though, I just put them down.

I finished filling the form out and left it on the table. It was getting late so I started getting ready to hop into bed. I went into the bathroom and brushed out my hair. It's red but I cut it in a very odd fashion. It's very angular and choppy because I cut it not for style but to keep it out of my face. I stared into my emerald green eyes and just thought about the Selection for a moment. If I was chosen I would get to be a three, which would make my life a bit better. I've also always had a bit of a crush on Prince Noah, not that I ever thought I'd get a chance to even meet him. Maybe the Selection would make some of my dreams come true. That is, if I even got chosen. There's a whole lot of girls in Dakota to be chosen from.

I tried to use different voices for the characters...I don't really known how that worked. Both these characters are witty so I'm trying at the very least. Thanks for the entries! I still need quite a few more so please send some girls in! The girls I've got are great so far and I can't wait to see who else I will get. Anyways, thanks for reading!