#selectionoc6

Project title: Here for you

Description:

The problem

Rape, sexual violence and abuse are phenomena that affect women and girls in a general way; one in three has suffered it at some point in their life.

They happen every day around the world and everywhere: from university facilities to armed conflict, sexual assaults against women and girls are so many and so daily that they cannot be ignored or silenced.

It is emphasized that most sexual assaults are not committed by strangers in dark alleys, but rather that the executioner is someone the victim knows, or even a sentimental partner.

Eradicating violence against women involves obtaining consent in all situations, including in the field of marriage and long-term relationships.

Taking this into account, one of the groups that is most affected is low-income women, since rape is usually trivialized or allowed to go unpunished, giving rise to the normalization of sexual violence and the continued undervaluation of women and girls.

with limited resources.

The solution

Violence against women originates from inequality. Our work to promote global gender equality supports our efforts, which aim to bring justice to survivors and victims of sexual violence leaving the main solution in law that should prevent sexual violence and allow survivors access to justice when rape is perpetrated against them. The law and the justice system should protect all complainants in equal measure, no matter their gender, race, class, disability or any other socio-economic status it also remains in a social change, inform people and change their actions through different campaigns, inform victims of low resources of how the government would support them how to denounce and give them equal support through the legal process.

Objective:

The objective of this project is to ensure that women, especially those who do not have a solid economic stability, can be informed about the culture of rape, how to report and be heard, as well as find a way for the government to support them throughout the legal process, reduce impunity in cases of rape in illea and try to create social change through these small actions.

Execution and implementation.

Political context

advocating for strong laws and policies that protect women and girls from sexual violence;

Making sure that the justice system works, with proper investigation, prosecution, and punishment of offenders

promoting legal procedures that support survivors and prevent re-victimization

collaborating with partners to bring specific cases to national, regional and international courts in order to emphasize the universal nature of this abuse of human rights.

Social context

(This is also part of the social campaign)

Create a culture of convinced consent

Report the root causes

Redefine masculinity

Stop blaming the victims

Show zero tolerance

Delve into what the culture of rape means

Take an intersectoral approach

Know the history of the rape culture

Invest in women

Listen to the survivors

Don't laugh at the rape

Involve

End impunity

Be an active witness

Educating the next generation

Start or join the conversation

Timeline and Plan

July 5 to July 19, 2090

The project is presented to the illea government

January 1, 2091

The social project to support victims in the legal and political context against rape begins to be implemented directly with women from castes 5 and 6, while women belonging to castes 7 and 8 are gradually being introduced to a information process and analysis of their situations.

June 1, 2091

Social awareness campaigns begin in the southern provinces

Panama

Dominica

Honduragua

Paloma

Sanage

Zuni

Summer

Midston

Clermont

August 1, 2091

By this date the project continues to be developed in caste women 5 and 6, legal processes must be in the midst of its development.

November 1, 2091

After analyzing the results and statistics of the impact generated by the campaigns in June, the campaigns began in more provinces.

Carolina

Allens

Kent

Jack

Dakota

Belcourt

Likely

Angels

Femnley

January 1, 2092

The results of the legal processes carried out with caste 5 and 6 women are beginning to be seen, and the same legal and social support is being implemented for caste 7 women who join the project. Caste 8 women continue in processes of analysis in order to carry out a more effective process with them.

June 1, 2092

Social campaigns continue, their study continues to define the change and social impact they generate and spread throughout more provinces such as

Labrador

Lakedon

Hudson

Denbeigh

Calgary

Columbia

August 1, 2092

By this date, all the legal processes carried out with the first groups of women of castes 5 and 6 must have ended, a careful analysis of their effectiveness is generated, the support and intervention of the government in this, the process of the victims and their evolution throughout all this time, finally how the verdict affects his mental health, social integrity and how the project impacts all this.

November 1, 2092

social awareness campaigns become national in nature and all provinces have them and the processes with the first groups of caste women 7 are almost finished

February 1, 2093

The legal processes with caste 7 women are finalized, as happened with caste 5 and 6, these will be analyzed and the same information required with castes 5 and 6 will be obtained. Caste 8 women are implemented in the project

July 1, 2093

Emphasis is beginning to be placed on victims not only of low resources but also of minors from low castes who are victims of rape.

October 1, 2093

With the information obtained in the previous investigations, legal processes and government aid to rape victims of limited resources begin to improve.

February 1, 2094

The legal processes that began with the women's tasting groups 8 are terminated, completely including all women since caste 5 spends caste 8 in the project to support and help rape victims of low-income women and the investigation is terminated.

March 1, 2095

In the top 2, was what I was going to wear tomorrow. In the top 1 spot was “are people going to like me around here?”

I could have been lying on the most comfortable bed, with a beautiful view of the ocean and it could be the dead of night in one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever had the opportunity to visit, but I couldn’t stop thinking about how I was going to meet the prince and what exactly I’ve gotten myself into.

For the past two weeks, I’ve been waiting to wake up from all of this, half expecting that this was all some strangely long dream. That /I/, of all the girls from Midston, was picked to meet the prince. Oh gosh what was I doing here?

I suppose the greater question was why was I walking to the kitchens in the dead of night in the palace?

I sigh, wrapping my arms around myself as I continued walking down the hallway I knew where the kitchen was. My maids were kind enough to show me where they placed some of the packed meals I brought with me.

Stressing over meeting a prince really did work up an appetite.

Everything’s fine. Everything’s cool. You’ve already picked out your dress, you’ve taken the time to already practice in the shoes you were going to wear tomorrow. You’ve practiced some of your answers for the interview tomorrow! You’re ready. I mean, come on. You’ve talked to boys before. All this stressing about meeting one boy was definitely going to give me stress lines in the morning. Oh shoot, do I make a right or left by the painting of Danielle Schreave?

Right. I had to make a right then go straight. Huh, the palace was even lovelier in the daytime, and a lot easier to navigate too, but just a few steps more… and I finally find myself at the door Campbell showed me earlier.  

Back in Orleans, I was surrounded by a group of people who liked me—but over here? I had to build up my entire image here from the ground up… and well, I hoped the cupcakes daddy made would help me make friends but… wait, was there someone else in the kitchen?

“What the—” I mutter, seeing someone sitting on top of the counter, munching on… were those the friendship cupcakes I brought with me?

He was… young. My age, I suppose? Familiar looking, but I couldn’t really pinpoint why. He blinks a few times at me, swallowing the bite he just took. 

“Oh, uh… hello” I hear the sound of his phone locking before he sets it on the counter.

I reach up to push some of my unbrushed hair back, trying to make myself look presentable before flashing a smile. Smiling always works, right?

“Hi! I’m Missy! I,” my eyes glance over to what else was in his hands, cupcake… yeap, before my eyes go back to him, “I just got here.”

He hops off the counter and I get a better look at him as he holds out his free hand for a shake, “Jackson. Been here for a while.” He flashes a small lopsided smile.

I maintain my smile, shaking his hand lightly. Jackson. Again… it was familiar. “Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Jackson.”

Jackson shakes my hand firmly before letting go, “And yours, Missy.”

He holds up the cupcake in his other hand, “Would you like one?”

I can’t help but laugh, eyeing the fridge and make my way to it, a little ways past him.

“No thank you, I had something else in mind. Anyway. I’m glad you’re enjoying my daddy’s cupcakes.”

I catch him setting the cupcake down then rubbing the back of his neck from the corner of my eye. “I um, I’m sorry, I thought they were left behind from dinner.” A small frown appears on his face.

“Oh there’s no need for apologies,” I laugh, trying to put him at ease.

I open the fridge, looking for one of the couple glass containers I brought with me in this huge fridge. Grammy really did make sure that I wouldn’t go hungry over here. Ah here they are. I take the container out and close the fridge. Oh right, Jackson was still here. Cupcakes. Right.

“My daddy made me bring a couple of dozen of those with me.” My eyes look over to where the rest of the cupcakes were, smiling at the memory of my dad giving me those dozens of cupcakes with smileys drawn on them. “Have another one, if you’d like.” I offer.

Jackson’s lips press together, a finger tapping on his leg. He eyes the remaining cupcakes.

“They’re very good.” Jackson looks back to me. “Is he a baker?”

“Yesiree, one of the best bakers his side of Orleans.” I nod, trying to scan the room for a microwave, tapping my nails against my glass container. “And they’re not just god, they’re vegan.”

His brows raise, I wonder if they were threaded or just naturally nice. Why are guy brows always naturally nice? 

“Really?” He picks up the cupcake he left behind and takes a large bite, looking like he was taking his good time to chew before swallowing. Huh, he seems pleasantly surprised. “They taste every bit as good as non-vegan cupcakes.”

“That’s exactly what everyone’s been telling me too,” I laugh. “I don’t know how he does it.” I shake my head lightly, thinking back to the long and winded discussions daddy and I would have over dinner, asking me to try his new vegan cupcakes, then thinking back to the glass container in my hands.

“Mind pointing me in the direction of a microwave?” I ask.

“Sure.” Jackson walks towards me, he points to somewhere behind me. “That door slides to the right. You’ll find it in there.” He flashes a small smile. “Odd, I know.”

“Much thanks.” I grin back to him, turning and walking to the cabinet he pointed out. Sliding it. Why wasn’t it opening?

“Oh..” I was sliding it to the left. I laugh to myself then look to my hands. Right hand, yes. I nod to myself and slide the door to the right, revealing the microwave. “Sometimes I forget which side is which.”

Jackson chuckles, sticking his hands in his pockets. “It’s a wonder you made it here safely.”

“I know! I can’t quite believe how I didn’t get lost on the way here.” I giggle, turning back to the microwave to open it and put my container inside. Why did he look so familiar? Where have I heard that name before?

“So Mister Jackson, do you have a last name?”

He averts his eyes for a moment, then looks back to me. My brows raise at that. Was it weird to ask him his last name? ((“Waldia. Jackson Waldia.”))

“Graham. Jackson Graham.”

“It has a nice ring to it.” I reply to him. I press a couple of buttons on the microwave. Cook time. Uh… two and half minutes seems alright. The microwave starts to whirr. Jackson Graham did sound like a nice name.

Graham. Jackson Graham. As in… Jackson Graham…. The brother of Felicity Graham…? Ex-Fianceé to Prince Arin…. Oh. Could that be why he averted his eyes? If I met someone who potentially could be the replacement girlfriend to my sister’s ex-fiancé, I probably would have done the same. I wouldn’t know. I’m an only child. “You’re the prince’s friend, right?”

He nods quickly, “Mostly. More with Safiya though. Well, Princess Safiya.” A small smile appears. “Haven’t called her that in a while.”

“Guess someone’s Mister Popular with the royals…” I tease, turning fully to face him, leaning on the cabinet.

“A byproduct of being the younger Graham.” He tilts his head, his eyes moving to somewhere behind me. “A vegan meal I take it?”

“How’d you guess?” I give a quick glance back to the microwave.

“Luckily.” He meets my gaze again. “Did you follow in his footsteps? With the baking?”

I blink, but quickly shake my head. “As a hobby, yes. Professionally? Not quite.” I laugh. “I followed my mama’s footsteps in that department.”

“Weddings. I plan weddings.” I add, feeling a sense of pride saying it.

Jackson seems intrigued, but considers my reply before giving me a crooked smile.

“I think I’ve finally met someone in a business happier than mine.” He replies.

I grin at that remark. “And what business are you in, Jackson?” I put my hands behind me, what exactly are other happy occupations?

“Aspiring veterinarian. Right now I work at an animal shelter.” His smile grows ever so slightly, but I feel myself instinctively smile wider. I gasp, just at the thought of working with animals. That sounds super adorable.

“That sounds absolutely delightful! You must get to work with the cutest little critters.”

A small laugh comes from him, “Critters is definitely one word for them. You’re right though. I couldn’t love another job more.”

“If you ask me, I think your business is happier than mine.” I chuckle, pushing some of my hair back. “I mean, nothing’s more pure than that.” Comparing it to weddings, working with animals does sound more pure for sure.

His arms fold loosely across his chest. “I could argue love in a marriage is just as pure.”

Love in a marriage. I place a hand on my cheek. Oh, you could only hope for that. That feeling when you’re walking down the aisle to the person you know you want to spend the rest of your life with, that security, that love.

“Weddings are definitely filled with pure joy.” Oh I hope I could find that here. Here. Selection. Palace. Prince. I blink for a couple of seconds, pulling myself from my daydream… nightdream?

“You can only hope for that.” I shake myself out of it. I was hoping to find that here, maybe.

“Is that why you got into the business? To take part in the joy?”

“I’ve always loved weddings, even when I was little. Everything… everything about it so magical. The moment you see a bride on her wedding day and when she walks down the aisle.” I squeal unapologetically, feeling the secondhand butterflies in my stomach just thinking of it. I live for those moments. “It just makes me so happy to see everyone happy.”

Jackson points a finger to me and my fangirling over weddings, “Pure. See?”

I grin. “I guess you could say I’m just a die hard for weddings.” I laugh to myself. Was living on secondhand butterflies from weddings really that bad? Not actually. At least I wasn’t bitter over people’s happiness. Not at all. Okay… maybe slightly jealous but that’s beyond my point.

The microwave beeps as I continue to explain. “But maybe animals can make you just as happy. My mama has always told me that happiness can come in any shape or form.”

He hums at that. “Thankfully, so do animals.” He breathes out a chuckle through his nose.

“Oh definitely!” I open the microwave, talking about animals making me think of my own pet. “Huh, makes me already miss Pancake.” I take my container out, damn it was still hot. I quickly set it on the counter.

“Dog? Cat? Bird?” he asks, opening a drawer and handing me a fork.

“More like… a pet pig.” I laugh, taking the fork and waiting for his reaction. I wonder what an aspiring veterinarian would think of a pet pig…

He gapes for a moment, looking quite intrigued, “Do you really?”

“Now why would I lie about having a pet pig?” I lean my side against the counter, giving him my best amused look. “Pancake the sweetest little thing you’ll find.”

Jackson’s brows furrow, “Why a pig? Do you have other livestock?”

“Not really, we don’t have any other animals other than Pancake.” I shake my head, grinning. “Some people choose to have a dog, I just… got a pig”

Pancake was a gift from a client, and he’s been a part of my family ever since I was 15. Been the cutest little thing in the family since me.

“Uncommon.” He smiles. “I appreciate that.”

“Pancake’s the reason why, I kind of went… vegan.” I smirk, “I mean acon wasn’t the same after I got him.”

He chuckles, “I can imagine. I have a feeling I might go down the same path starting next year.”

I raise my brows. “Well if you need a recipe or two to start adjusting, you’ll know where to find me.” Did that sound… too cocky? Oh god. “Not that I’m implying that I might stay here long, I mean—I HOPE I DO!” I set the fork in my vegan pasta.

There were no guarantees that I was actually staying here. Oh I should stop rubbing my wrists, that’s not cute at all. I breathe out a laugh. Oh wow, even when I laugh it’s awkward.

“You know, it’s okay. To be confident about staying.” A small smile forms on his face. I appreciate people who try to smile to cheer others up. “Not everyone is confident in the good kind of context, but it seems like you have the right idea.”

I look to him after considering his words, trying to relax myself.

“Sorry,” I shake my head. “Tomorrow’s just a big day, and well, I guess you can call this first night jitters.”

I think to myself, why was I so worried? Maybe it’s because you saw your competition today, all 34 of them.

I’ve never felt so small before, and I was 5 foot 9! Still, I felt so small, even when having read the backgrounds on everyone in the magazines. They were beautiful, well-educated, and a lot of their names were scattered more than mine was when we got to the airport.

I press my lips together, trying to dismiss those thoughts. I was well-liked back home, everyone loved me back in Orleans. I was going to be my best self and let everything follow.

I straighten my back.

“Thank you.”

“I’m sure you’ll do plenty fine. I know…” he seems to pause ever so slightly, “the situation is precarious. But Arin is kind. Remember that, despite everything else.” He smiles kindly at me.

For the first time in a long time, I felt so small in the scheme of all things, like I didn’t have much control. Kindness was the only thing that could soothe my mind for now, or the guarantee of the presence of kindness. I hope Arin was as kind as Jackson said.

“Kindness is all that I can really as for here.” I feel my smile tilting, “or anywhere really.” I look down on my glass container and try to pick it up, but it was still too hot. Guess I’ll have to improvise. I grab a part of my dress’ skirt to act as a mitt and it surprisingly worked.

“I’ll be having this in my room.” I feel myself smile a little brighter as I walk to Jackson’s direction, and gesture my head to the direction of the cupcakes on the counter.

“Help yourself to more of the cupcakes. See it as an introduction to veganism 101.” I scrunch my face up, teasing him.

He chuckles a bit, “Thanks. I hope you um, enjoy the meal.” He gestures to what I’m holding.

“Thank you for showing me where the microwave is.” I say before starting to make my way back to the door I came in. “Nice meeting you, Mister Jackson Graham!”

“You too, Missy.” I hear him call back, seeing him offer a small wave from the corner of my eye.

Aside from the stylists and my maids, that was the first full conversation I’ve had here. Huh, who knew my conversation here was gonna be with the brother of the Prince’s ex-fiancee.

“Babe it’s not like I’m asking you to get married. Just go on a few photo-opt dates, then after Ethan’s album has been out for a few months you can quietly call it off.” Carolyn, the publicist being berated, argued. 

“That’s exactly the problem! It’s not like he’s some dude I’m actually interested in long term. I. don’t. Like. lying.” Ava huffed and leaned against the wall crossing her arms and glaring at Carolyn. 

“Don’t think of it as lying just as acting.” She tried to purswade. 

Ava just glared and chewed on the inside of her cheek as she tried to find some way to get out of this. 

“Common Ava, remember what I said to you when you were a kid, ‘sometimes you have to bend a little.’” She pressured. 

“Bend a little! I moved to Angeles! I changed my name! I rewrote Heart Full of Scars! I did your playboy magazine! I’ve done every single thing that you’ve told me too!” She screamed now getting some looks from other agents. One of them would likely let this outburst slip out soon, another ‘snobby two throwing a tantrum’ she could already see the headlines “Has Ava Jones gotten too used to the rich life? Illeans sweetheart has rotted.’ Probably something shorter but that was why Ava was not a journalist.

“You absolutely have not! You turned down the chance to speak with Scooter Burnt on his show! You barely got to the playboy thing and I had to convince you for days before you’d go! You’ve refused modeling opportunities and went against me and released ‘Do You’!” 

“And it fucking slaps! It got us 65.2 million views within 24 hours! Sometimes you’re wrong!” She yelled and turned to leave. 

“Where are you going?” Carolyn asked, running after her. 

“Home.” She huffed and put her hands in her pockets turning to take the stairs out. 

“Angeles or Sumner?” 

“Sumner!” She yelled back as Carolyn started falling behind. 

“For how long?” 

“Till you get me out of this mess!” She yelled back, turning the corner to the front door of her agents studio. Suddenly he bombarded her. 

“Please wait! Ava!” Ethan yelled chasing after her before grabbing her arm. 

She spun on him, “What! You tricked me into thinking we were friends then told the press I slept with you, why do you think I should give you another second of my time?” 

“Don’t you want to?” He asked with a raised eyebrow more than a little to calm for Ava’s anger.

“To what?” She asked, genuinely confused.

“Sleep with me?” 

Suddenly, Ethan wasn’t smiling anymore, in fact he was on the ground, a red slap mark across his face, security moving to stop Ava but hesitating, they wouldn't want to hurt Illea’s darling. 

“You whore!” Ethan yelled and lunged at her, the guards were much less hesitant with him. After all he was a has-been lunging at a will-always-be. Suddenly the door to the building swung open, the guards stopped, Ethan stood quickly and wrapped a hand around Ava’s waist. As much as she wanted to shove him off and make the sides of his face symmetrical she didn’t want to deal with even more bad press.  

He leaned down to her ear, “behave or I will fucking destroy you.” he whispered. 

“Yeah right, like you can.” She grumbled back through gritted teeth as a paparazzi tried to act hidden, wandering around like he was looking for a room as he held a camera close to his body, attempting to keep it under his bag. 

“Calm down, sweetheart. You’re the one escalating this.” He whispered as they shuffled together to the door trying to make their way out to their private parking deck. Ava quickly scanned her ID for the building and they slipped out of sight. 

As soon as the door closed behind them she shoved him off and down to the ground, “Never touch me again. I’m not the one escalating this, you’re the one who told the press I was ‘cute’ in bed, what the hell does that even mean? I am reacting. I am allowed to react to you being the shittiest person alive,” She rushed to her car and pulled away. 

She was never supposed to drive herself, just like she wasn’t supposed to hit other celebrities, or yell in hallways, or put up a fight. But lately she was feeling so tired. 

She pulled into an empty church parking lot and sat there for a moment, the air conditioning on as cold as possible, and she almost let it out. She almost let her lips quiver, she almost felt her tears pouring over, she almost called her Carolyn and pleaded for ‘out’. Out of singing, out of performances, out of autographs, out of stalkers, out of lies, out of men thinking that because she is a she in a position of power they can take it from her. Out of letting them. 

But, she didn't. She held onto her steering wheel, she popped open her glove compartment and took out a small cigarette box. Of course she would never risk hurting her voice. Instead inside was a picture of herself as a young girl with a boy. The two of them were about thirteen, they were having a picnic on a farm, drinking sparkling apple juice out of two champagne flutes, feeling so adult. Inside there was a small swatch of fabric. She held it closed and breathed it in, and the warmth took over and she was okay. 

She picked up her phone and called one of her top numbers, “Hey Ms. Rosado! I’m coming home for a while tonight. Do you mind if I swing by the house?” 

“Of course not! You know you’re welcome any time, baby.” The now elderly woman eased. 

****************************************************************

Sumner was always Ava’s heaven. It’s where she wasn’t Ava Jones at all. She was Avery Jacoby. Her family was from very rural Sumner. There were about 800 people in her town, mostly fours and lower. Her family had been fours for years until she bought their way into the two castes. The Rosado’s were a family of sevens who worked on their poultry farm. Angeles was loud, full of screaming cars, and people. All she had to hear at home was the chickens and cows. She pulled up on the dirt road which led not to her house, but to the Rosados. It had been un-lived in for the last six years. 

Untouched, Ms. Rosado couldn’t be in it anymore so she had moved in with Ava’s family. She couldn’t stand the silence, where her little boy had once run around with Ava, playing monsters vs heroes. Hearing Michael play guitar along with Ava’s singing. It made her think of his body, falling to the ground, the final seizure taking him at fifteen, it lasted for eight minutes before he passed on. 

Ava laid down in his childhood bed. Her best friend, her soul mate's bed. His smell surrounded her as she looked up at the stars painted on his ceiling, “Mike.” She called out softly covering her eyes with her arm. She knew he couldn't see her. She didn’t believe in all that “they’re watching from above shit. Why would he waste his time in heaven on that. 

“I don’t want this anymore.” She breathed out. 

“But I’m not giving up on us. We said it, we were gonna make it one day, you’re the asshole who made me promise I wouldn’t give up no matter what. Well now what? I’ve made it I think, but there always seems to be more to do. When is it enough? I need you to tell me. Why were you so shitty with your deathbed wishes. What does it even mean? Make it to your debut album? Check. Make it to your first sold out concert? Check! Have billions of fans worldwide? Done and done. But now what do you want me to become a triple threat take on acting and modeling? Do you want me to keep performing? I did all this for you after all! Pretty rude of you to leave me hanging here!” 

“Well do you still like singing?” She shot up at the response. Not from some magical ghost but from her younger sister, Katy.

“What are you doing here?” She asked defensively about her sister's eavesdropping. 

“Aitana said you were stopping by. I figured you needed saving before you turned into-” she paused and gestured to her sister, a crying mess in a child’s bed, “-that.” 

She paused for a moment and sat down next to her, “you know, we’d never want for money again. You’ve made enough for us and ms. Rosado to live like kings for the rest of our lives. Probably your kids too and grandkids. You don’t have to keep doing this, that is, if you don’t like it.” 

Ava sighed looking back up to the painted night sky, “I love singing, I’ll always love singing.” She mumbled. 

“But?”

“But, I hate the performing, I hate being watched, I hate being told who to date, who to talk to, what to wear, what I’m permitted to eat, how much to work out, scripted for in interviews.” 

Katy made a dramatic gasp, “Scripted? You? I thought you just really loved Nike shoes all the sudden.” she joked. 

Ava couldn’t help but laugh and lightly hit her arm. “You bitch, I worked hard to deliver those lines.” She grinned ear to ear. Being apart from Katy was one of the worst things about being in Angeles. 

“Seriously though, you look like shit. You don’t seem happy anymore. You know he wouldn’t want this. He didn’t care about fame he just thought it was what you wanted and wanted you to be happy. Clearly, you’re not, so quit.” She sighed before standing up. “It’s simple, just stop working.” She stood up. 

“You didn’t know him like I did.” Ava mumbled looking down at her hands, knowing her sister was right, but also remembering his eyes and how they lit up dreaming about their future together. 

“Whatever, I’m not going to argue with you about that. Mama’s making stew for dinner, we have to get back before she gives it to the pigs.”

*******************************************************************************************

A few weeks passed on missed calls, then a few months of avoided visits. The press panicked for a moment that Ava hadn’t been literally seen in awhile, but Carolyn released a statement that she was taking a vacation, fortunately for them the present is planned in the past so Carolyn had plenty of unreleased photos to put out, and even a few unreleased songs which she had previously called, “garbage” but was turning to in desperation.

Ava felt clean. She felt safe in the hills of Sumner, the sun healed her, her family was close, and the world was quiet. Until the letter came, then Katy was screaming. 

“Our selection letters came!” 

“Our what came?” I asked munching on my bowl of corn flakes. 

“Selection, duh- oh right you’re doing that “off the grid or social media cleanse.’” She said doing air quotes.

“How very Angeles of you.” My mom chimed in. 

“I’m not trying to be hip, I'm just taking a break!” I defended myself. 

“Well- to fill you in, Prince Arin is holding a selection! I thought he never would since he and that chick seemed so close to getting married. They were even engaged three months ago.” She gushed. The cereal fell off my spoon, 

“Months?” 

Katy looked confused for a moment, “Yeah months, not every mourns for years.” 

“Yeah no. No way in hell is he over that. He’s looking for a royal rebound.” I chuckled and went back to my food. 

“So you’re not going to apply?” 

“No I’m not going to apply, and you shouldn’t either. You’ll get your heart broken joining that.” 

“Well maybe I’m not going in it for my heart.” She replied. 

“What? Have I not been giving you enough money?” 

“More like there aren’t enough men in this town. I’m itching to have some fun.” She complained. 

“And I’m out!” Our mom said rushing off as Katy began to complain about how dry her sex life had been lately. 

“Well, I’m taking the drive to the post office this afternoon. Decide if you want to join by then.” 

“I’ve decided, no thanks.” 

A few hours later Ava sat in bed reading one of her old favorite books, she was enjoying some peace until her phone was buzzing over and over again in her drawer. She would shut it off but it was a burner phone that Carolyn had given her. It was an ‘when you want to get off the grid but I still need to reach you for an emergency phone.’ She groaned and pulled it out, 

“You better be dying.” 

“No but I’m going to put you in your grave if you don’t come back here and participate in the selection.” 

“Nope sorry I told you, I’m home until I say so. If that’s all I’ll see you someda-”

“I’ll let you out of your contract with Rainbow Companion Records!” Ava bit her bottom lip. RCR had signed her when she was just fifteen. She didn’t know better so she agreed to a 10 year lease with them. Getting out would really help her quit.

“Why would you do that?” She asked, there would be no advantage for Carolyn. Everyone was playing a game with each other at this level and she needed to know her angle. 

“You’re not going to quit. I’ve known you for years, you’ll take a break but ultimately come back. People like yo- like us are simple, we need the attention. After a while you’ll ask them to take you back. I know you’re too stubborn to accept that that’s what will happen, so you’ll agree to this because you want to ‘quit’ right now. It’s happened to so many of my clients.” She explained being shockingly transparent. 

“You really don’t know me at all.” She mumbled and thought for a moment. She was afraid, afraid that what Carolyn said was true. That she’d miss all that noise. But if it wasn’t she’d finally be free.” 

“What if I don’t get in?” Ava asked, needing to know the details. 

“Sweetheart, if you want it you’re as good as already in. I know people.”

“Okay I’ll do it.” 

“Great! I’ll send someone over in three days to fill out your appli-” She shut the phone. ‘No way in hell someone is doing that for me.’ 

“Katy! Do you have my letter?” She yelled in the hallway. 

*******************************************************

Just like that, Angeles flew in and popped my bubble. "We've hired some good photographers and journalists to wait at the airport. Just smile and say you're excited. I've also got some new sponsors for you, RCR really fucked me over on those negotiations so we need a bit more big billion bucks." Carolyn said as Aileen, my makeup artist, worked on lining my lips. 

Carolyn pulled a paper out of her purse and handed it over to her, mostly it was a list of brands with a few lines they wanted her to say, nothing unusual. She normally put up a fight over promotional work but if it was her ticket to a life without lying and screaming, she’d take it. 

“Now I set up the studio for that song that you sent me. It’s going to be a hit! We’ll release it a few hours before the selected announcements come out so the popularity boost from being announced on national television will bring everyone, even people who aren’t your fans, to your new video.” She explained. 

As soon as Ava’s jet landed in Angeles it was back to her old life. Back to the quick interview, “I was taking a break to be with family but I’m back now better than ever.” with a few ads thrown in there for the money. 

The night of the announcement she laid in the bath. She normally hated how alone she was in her Angeles apartment, but being able to bathe in peace was a nice perk. She pulled up the count down for her own video and waited. She didn’t like to watch them until they were released. In the past she had tried to help with the editing process but she was apparently too much of a backseat driver. She just had to trust that Jack knew her vision and would stick to it. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyFiWkmkexI

She had decided to write this mostly due to her pure rage at Ethan, her director went a little off though making it into a whole scheming theme but overall she was satisfied. Next she switched to the channel with the selected announcement and waited. One named caught her eye ‘Emily Rose White’. She groaned and pulled up her phone, 

“You told her I was joining?”

“No that must have been actual luck, or she just wants to compete.” Carolyn responded. 

Beads of sweat ran down my face and unruly strands of hair positioned themselves on my face while I hit the boxing bag that was in front of me in the middle of that huge gym, each punch that I gave it generated an overwhelming echo that It wrapped around the entire gym.

One punch.

What was I doing in that palace? Was it really worth going through all this to fulfill my goal?

I stopped and took a deep breath.

Yes, it was worth it.

Another punch.

I had already gone through unpleasant experiences throughout my life, I had learned to grow from pain, I had learned to endure horrible things but this was so ... different.

Another punch.

Yes, different. Completely different. It was nothing like any of the things I had experienced but I was sure that among all those girls I was not the only one who should feel that way.

A growl came from my lips when I gave the last punch to that solid and hard punching bag.

I wasn't upset or sad, I wasn't happy or comfortable, but if there was one thing I could be sure of, it was that that indecipherable feeling was slowly taking over me the more time I spent in the palace.

With my teeth I pulled the velcro that was tightening the boxing glove to my right hand, I finished withdrawing the glove so that with my now free hand I removed the glove from the hand that was still inside the heavy and hard boxing glove, which eventually it would end up on the floor with his pair.

From one moment to the next my legs became weak and began to weaken, I destabilized and I had to look for the closest wall to lean on but still my legs felt so weak that I reached the point where I had to see myself sitting on the ground, I started to breathe desperately g because my body was clearly exhausted, I ran my hands through my hair trying to stay calm and realizing that it was not only that my body was exhausted, it was also my mind, my mind was definitely more exhausted than my body and I could undoubtedly attribute my hyperventilation to that, I could also attribute it that increasing pressure on my chest and the knot in my stomach that seemed like it would never go away.

I looked at my hands resigned and tried to control my breathing again, this time achieving a better result, being focused on something as trivial as my hands helped that everything that overwhelmed me came second and my mind even for a few seconds was in peace.

I took some strength and get up to go to my room in which my three maids were waiting for me with a huge smile on their face, the kind of smile that gave them away more than they thought.

"What's going on?" I asked as I entered the room and made my way to the bathroom to take a shower.

"Lady Nemesis, there's a note for you" Selene said while with her thin hands she held out a small piece of white paper on which was written the time and place where I should meet Arin clearly for our date.

Samantha as excited as Selene gave me a huge smile, it almost seemed like one of them was going to have the date with the prince, but Selene and Samantha's smile faded when they realized that I was the one in that room less excited about going on a date with Arin.

"Lady Nemesis you are not happy?" Samantha asked as she tilted her head and looked at me trying to hide her amazement.

"I am not a fan of dating" I said as I entered the bathroom and the door closed with some force, when I left my three maids they did not take long to fix me for the date, by far it was noted that Selene and Samntha were giving their best while I was groomed and that Giselle was simply doing her job.

When they finished I looked at the clock and realized that it wasn't long before my date started so I left the room, I made my little tour to find myself in front of the library doors where I would meet Arin.

I was totally honest when I said that I am not a fan of dating, in my opinion things had to arise spontaneously and flow over time, the fact of having a date forced all the environment to turn into something romantic or in search of it, a date was not the same as meeting someone by chance or hanging out with friends, a date was almost synonymous with a small nightmare.

Even with this in mind, I had to do my best to make that date as bearable as possible, so without hesitation, I opened the doors of the library, my eyes immediately fell on the male figure that was sitting on a sofa in front of a desk full of papers. Arin was so engrossed in reading and taking notes that he didn't even notice when II entered the library.

"Nice date, I'm supposed to read all those papers too?" I said trying to lighten the mood in an attempt of joke, having said that I approache to Arin and inevitably looked askance at the papers that were scattered all over the table, I was once again a direct victim of my great curiosity and instinct to search.

He raised his head to see me and began to try to gather his work and organize it in a somewhat desperate way, it had become more than clear that I interrupted his work "No, they're just for me, Lady Nemesis" said those words he denied with his head.

I was slightly uncomfortable cause he took what I said very seriously but I gnored the feeling and sat next to him without waiting for any kind of signal to do it, even if it became inappropriate I felt completely confident "Just nemesis" I said directly, it was clear that the formalities were over "you're in the middle of a selection and you still working instead of ... I don't know go knowing the next queen of illea" I rolled my eyes, but a smile peeked into my face, although my words were sincere I tried to put a little mockery and fun on the subject.

When Arin finally arranged his papers and put them in a folder he put aside, he responded to my statement with a simple and dry "Yes" nodded and continued "It's my job."

And?...

I have to admit that the abruptness of his words bothered me slightly, but even before entering the library I made a promise to do my best and I wasn't going to break it.

"I know is your job" I said followed by a sigh that could show a little how his words had bothered me "but c'mon there's more out there than those papers" these words came out with more joviality and I looked at the folder in the one where the papers were "at least you like it?" I raised one of my eyebrows and prepared myself to wait for his response, something within me wished that the reason why he was so attached to his work was because he was passionate about it.

He frowned and again dry words came out of his mouth "Well, the papers won't do themselves and it's my job."

And?...

I have to admit that the abruptness of his words bothered me slightly, but even before entering the library I made a promise to do my best and I wasn't going to break it.

"I know is your job" I said followed by a sigh that could show a little how his words had bothered me "but c'mon there's more out there than those papers" these words came out with more joviality and I looked at the folder in the one where the papers were "at least you like it?" I raised one of my eyebrows and waited for his response, something within me wished that the reason why he was so attached to his work was because he was passionate about it.

He frowned and again dry words came out of his mouth "Well, the papers won't do themselves and it's my job."

"You keep saying the obvious" I looked him up and down analyzing his expressions, but basically nothing changed, his face had the same expression "and that doesn't answer my question" I looked him in the eyes, I needed to look him in the eyes because if his face didn't express anything I wanted to think at least his eyes would do it. "at least you like it?" This time I made sure to emphasize the question more, although I had always been curious, definitely in those few minutes this question was taking over my head.

Arin let out a breath, which was a red flag for me since he was basically telling me with his body language that he had been bothered by my question "This isn't something you like or dislike. It's just something you do."

I was silent for a few seconds, sometimes simply not giving an answer was in itself giving an answer and that was what Arin had done, with those words he made things clear to me.

Something of that statement made me feel disappointed, throughout my life I had learned that although people defined my work as something atrocious, cruel, inhuman, wild and a lot of other things, I did it because I was passionate about it because I knew that I had value and because I would never dedicate my life to do something that doesn't give me pleasure.

"So you don't like it that much" I let out a sarcastic laugh because although deep inside I felt a little sorry, I was aware of the situation in which he was "let me tell you it is something you should like, you're supposed to do this a long time "I shrugged" same thoughts about the selection? Is the selection something you just do? " This was a question that had been around my head for a long time, due to the simple fact that rumors fly and I was able to assure that not only in the palace but in all Illea it was believed that Arin was unhappy with the selection.

He narrowed his eyes at me. second sign that I had bothered him "I didn't say I don't like what I do so it's not fair to assume. The same goes for the Selection, which is not my priority when compared to running a country."

I think it was obvious to anyone that there are quite strong priorities in the life of royals and ruling a country had to always be at number one, but the selection was also an important part of his life at that time and it was not fair to belittle it that way.

"I asked, you didn't answer, I assume. It's exactly what everyone would do" I shrugged as if it didn't matter and it was true, I was just following the cognitive process of anyone with common sense "well it's nice running your country is your priority but at least be sure you're doing it well " the last statement came out abruptly, but I felt it was something I had to say, if Arin really did her job I would not be there at the palace  in the middle of the selection, even if he was not aware of it things would be different if he did his job a little differently.

"I told you, there's not an answer to that question." he just huffed "I be doing a whole lot better if I wasn't having strangers criticize my every move"

Okay. From a distance you could see that both Arin and I were in the middle of an uncomfortable situation, we were both upset and although he did not let him see as much as I did, there was no doubt that this had become an argument.

And if there was one thing I had learned, it was never to be hold myself in an argument.

"Of course there's and answer but whatever" I gave him look full of pity "you're the prince, you're in the public eye so there's going to be strangers criticizing every move you do the whole time, take my last statement as a free test also ... you should take criticize in a good way you can learn something about it "I relaxed in the seat and closed my eyes to think carefully about my next words "and if you're referring to the selection let me tell you that nobody make you broke up your engagement "I said in asassy but confident way, I was sure that that had to be a sensitive point.

Silence.

Arin stared at me for a few minutes until fhe inally spoke "You are here as a guest and I would appreciate if you didn't speak about things you know nothing about- especially my engagement."

"Yeah you're right I'm here as a guest and you clearly don't have any idea of ​​how to treat your guests" I smiled in a friendly way but by the context in which we found ourselves it was obvious that that was not the intention of my smile "did I touch a sensitive spot?" i narrowed my eyes "sorry" I said in the most hypocritical way "but if you don't want me to talk about things" I know nothing about "" I did quotation marks with my fingers "tell me what do you want to talk about ? " again my last question was loaded with sarcasm.

At this point I had already been strongly carried away by my feelings and there was no going back.

Arin listened to me and his face began to express annoyance and a hint of anger, at least the boy could express much more than seriousness. He took a moment clearly trying to regain his composure "We're supposed to play a game and I'd like to get to it. We don't need to talk."

Supposed to ...

"We're supposed to ...?" I muttered to myself  and I came out of my thoughts to see him "Wait a minute before doing everything" I was silent wondering if it was really worth asking "are you doing this because you have to? as a duty?" my nose wrinkled slightly

He stiffened at my suggestion. I didn't have to say anything I already knew the answer "Each of the remaining Selected are having dates"

Yes, I knew that, but the fact that he saw this date as an obligation was ... unpleasant?

"I know you're not a big fan of assumptions but that sounds like you're doing this because you have to" giggle and look him in the eye "is it right?"

"Does it matter ?. Are we going to play a game or not? Because is not I have work I can get back to"

That was definitely the drop that spilled the glass.

I don't know if it was the fact that he played down the fact that feeling like I was there out of obligation was bullshit or that he was conditioning myself or that he was minimizing and belittling the date.

"It does matter but I guess that's too hard for your understanding" I wasn't willing to force him to be with me, I didn't want to be a part of just doing his duty "Actually that was exactly what I was going to say" I got up and passed hands on my dress "no, we're not playing any shitty and useless game, you can go back to your boring work right now" I started walking towards the doors that had welcomed me a few minutes ago "I 'm so sorry this date stopped you from doing your labor of leading this country "talk to sarcamso and anger, I needed to let it all out. "I'm not here to make you do things you don't want, like going to dates and talking to people you don't want to" I turned around and gave him a cold look "so I'm here if you genuinely feel like talking but unlike you I don't do things I don't like "from one moment to another something was talking about me and I gave him a sincere smile, I shook my head disappointed, I had no expectations of this date and even so it managed to leave me disappointed "have fun with the papers"

I left the library without looking back, I was not willing to continue on that date, it was not my intention to make him spend time with me out of obligation or duty and if his time could be better used, then so be it.

After that date he was surely kicking me out

The only thing that surrounded me was darkness, the pain in my chest was unbearable, I struggled, screamed and fought desperately trying to get rid of the grip of those hands that pressed on my neck leaving me breathless and ending with any trace of life that was left , I knew that none of my efforts or attempts to get rid of those hands would work, it was clear I just had to ...

wake.

I woke up suddenly, disoriented, airless and scared, in the middle of that huge bed witness of my night torments, I carefully ran my hands down my neck making sure that all that had

Three taps on my door startled me a little even when I already knew what it meant, my door opened and the three beautiful women who worked for the palace entered my room.

"Lady Nemesis are you alright?" Asked the girl with black hair and eyes named Selene, one of my maids.

I looked down at my hands and took a deep breath before I nodded affirmatively at her as a response.

"Lady Nemesis we have to prepare you for today, it's a special occasion" a dreamy sigh came from the lips of Samantha who looked at me with illusion, her eyes radiated joy, I could clearly notice that she was too excited about it, Giselle otherwise just nodded at Samantha's comment.

"It has nothing about special" I said honestly as I got out of bed and walked in the direction of the bathroom to take a shower.

I came out wrapped in a towel and the three girls started working on my makeup, hair and clothes, a whole process that I didn't think was as long or as elaborate, but in the end it was much more complex than I thought, the three of them walked around me applying products on my face, brushing my hair and choosing my wardrobe, but at leats that complicated process gave its results because when I saw myself in the mirror I was undoubtedly surprised.

One of the few things that worried me was that they would try to gradually turn me into a princess, but my maids were right with their decisions, the girl in the reflection was me.

&

I opened the doors of the room wide, I arrived a few minutes after the others selected but it was something that didn't matter, I took me  few seconds to see the room in detail and scan the whole place with my eyes, without a doubt I was beautifully decorated tall windows to let in the bright sunlight, carefully crafted pictures, huge chandeliers, and a whole host of other things that made the dining room look like something out of a movie but the truth is that how the palace looked was my least concern, there were several tables arranged in the room, so I walked with a sure step to the seat that had surely been assigned to me. It didn't cost me much to find it. It was in the middle of the filmmaker girl and the nature girl, little did I knew about the selecteds and little did I wanted to know since I didn't need them to do my job.

The murmur of the voices of the selecteds was silenced at the moment the princess safiya entered the room denoting a certain air of elegance and security, she offered a smile in a polite way while standing in the middle of the room with a clipboard in front with both hands "Good morning. I'm sure you're all ... eager to start seeing as you're meeting my brother shortly, so I'll try to keep this brief." An ironic smile formed on my face when I listened to Safiya, she could not be wrong if she was talking about the other girls, but I was sure that meeting the prince didnt make me eager in any way, assuming how we felt was a big mistake . Safiya continued, lifted the clipboard to scan what was on there "Normally, someone else would be leading these lessons, but I was asked to be a replacement. Let's begin."

I sighed lightly exasperated, aware of what was coming.

Let's start with this little nightmare called etiquette lessons.

Safiya began to read the script she was holding "I hope you all had a restful first night in the palace because now our work begins. Today I will ..."

Bla bla bla I stop paying attention to Safiya's words a few seconds after she had started, everything was so boring and irrelevant, royalty was definitely ridiculous in a undescriptible sense and nobody could deny it, so I would rather concentrate on reading the body language of the selected that surrounded me, although that it was not a very funny action I can assure that it was better than listening to the stupidities of how to behave around people who in the end turned out to be the same as anyone, but the presence of someone new in the room distracted my attention of analyzing work.

Felicity was there with all of us in the room, in front of me was the protagonist of  Arin's "drama", the face that is and was the cover of numerous magazines, that of which whispers were still heard in the hallway, in front of us and looking at us with her brown eyes was the prince's ex-fiancée.

Safiya was probably just as surprised as everyone but began to exchange whispers with Felicity, not giving much importance to the presence of 35 girls around her.

"My sister sent someone to replace her. Lucky for us" she said muttered before looking at her clipboard to continue with the boring lesson.

The only thing that crossed my mind in the middle of the whole lesson was how irrelevant this really was, how it was possible that sitting or eating at the table was much more important than teaching the selecteds something they really needed, the etiquette lessons were the perfect definition of wasting time.

I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I didn't pay attention to absolutely anything again, the last thing I heard and that for me was the sign that the lessons were already over was the hypocritical "and don't forget I'm here to help you" of felicity, unfortunately it didn't sound very sincere to me or to anyone who had the slightest use of reason.

&

It didn't take long for me to be guided to a nearby room, a beautiful room but in which I could only look at the enormous number of cameras willing to judge and analyze all kinds of interaction between Arin and me, at the end of the day the country had to get a little distracted and what better way to do it than by showing them closely the selection process that was basically a reality show.

After seeing the cameras I out my eyes in the prince, the one I had seen countless times.  When I got close the first thing Arin did was direct his eyes to the name tag that I was wearing and he started to greet me "Good morning, Lady Nemesis, please have a seat" with his right hand he gestured towards the sofa.  

Without hesitation, I sat down and directed my gaze at the guy in front of me "Good morning ... Arin? Prince arin? Your highness?" I answered his greeting politely, but the other words came out of my mouth with a large dose of sarcasm "How do you want me to call you?" I gave him a fake little smile with this last question.

He sat next to me and shifted his body to face me "Whatever makes you most comfortable is fine with me." In that case Arin would be. He pulled at his cuffs which to me was a desperate way of showing that he was relaxed when he was clearly tense "How has your morning been?"

I frowned at his question "My morning ?, Do you really want to know or this is just a protocol you have to follow with all the girls?" I spoke without holding what I thought, his question sounded forced and prepared as if it were predetermined, many people could take it as something common and an act of good education but I noticed instantly that it was not just that. I stopped for a moment and looked him in the eyes filled with an insatiable curiosity "but most interesting how is your morning going?" I rested my head on my right hand waiting for his answer, I was sure that interviewing 35 girls among whom your future wife was probably, was something that should make your morning different and interesting.

Arin looked at me and blinked slightly surprised but a smile formed on her lips, a smile that seemed genuine "My morning is going well, thank you. Did you sleep well?"

A little chill ran through my entire body as I remembered the nightmare I had "No, despite the big room and the amazing beed this place is not as comfortable as it seems" I was partially honest it wasn't just about being uncomfortable in the palace, It was about those nightmares that had been making my nights difficult for a long time. I ran my hands over my dress and looked at it.

"I'm sorry to hear that" no you don't. Arin frowned and looked at the cameras (which I had forgotten about for a moment) before looking at me again "Which province are you from?"

I thought about it for a few seconds, it was almost as if I had been left blank by that easy question "Columbia ..." I replied skeptically.

He simply nodded and continued, "How are you liking Angeles in comparison?".

What kind of questions were those, boring, monotonous and above all, empty, I had noticed at first but now it almost seemed really like Arin had prepared a script. I sighed and a small smile formed at the corner of my lips "Arin ... do you really want to know all this crap?" I looked him in the eyes clearly surprised "are you supposed to meet your wife this way?" I pointed to the cameras that were recording each of our movements, making reference to the fact that it was the emptiest way of meeting what was supposed to be his future wife, I lowered my hand and settled it on my lap, but now it was my eyes that talked and said that I was outraged "believe I'm enjoying this as much as you do"

He shifted uncomfortably "I'm sorry, Lady Nemesis. What do you prefer to talk about?"

I probably just bothered Arin  but I wasn't going to keep quiet about something I didn't feel was right or made me feel even a little uncomfortable, yet he didn't have to bear the blame for it completely "Don't be sorry about anything " I looked at the ceiling as if somehow magically this would help me find the words I was looking for" I want to know about you, I like believe there's something else in there ... a human being "and although the last thing I said sounded a bit rude , I really meant it. I relaxed on the sofa couch, I spread my legs a little and decided to forget about everything they told me in the etiquette lessons they gave us about an hour ago "what makes you you?"

He was really puzzled by my question and frowned more in confusion "You already know the most important things about me. I know hardly anything about you."

He had not understood.

"No, I don't" I wrinkled my nose, now I was the one who was surprised. I was little interested in what the magazines or television said, I knew that everything was exaggerated or lacking of truthfulness but he was not willing to show me much beyond that ... not now. "the same things you know about me are the same things I know about, but I get it I went too deep to be the first time i know you" What was on that sheet of paper in which I applied to the selection said exactly the same real information that I knew about Arin, even less, so in the end he could knew more about me than I did about him. I Looked at my nails as an instinct for evasion and muttered "it's a bad habit" used all my life to find information about people, to read them, to know them was something I had gotten used to.

Arin paused, clearly thinking of what to say "Well, the best way to get to know me is with question ..." yes and no ... he paused again and blurted out the next question "What do you do in your province? "

I put my index fingers in the middle of my hesitating lips, that was the kind of generic question that for many people would be easy to answer, but for me it was the kind of question I preferred to avoid, so I chose to be partially honest again. "mmm just some dirty work" run my hand through my hair carefully so as not to ruin my maids work "what do you do here in angeles?"

He sat up a bit more straight, you could still see from far that he was tense and that the scene of the interview made him feel everything except comfortable "I mostly attend meeting. I don't have time for much else."

"I think this selection came in the perfect moment to spicy your life a bit" flicked my tongue and look around "I'm sure it's time to break that comfort zone a bit" ... and it was true, things happen in a perfect way and at a perfect time and this selection was what Arin without being very aware of it needed in his life, Arin needed a change of this measure in his life.

He nodded at my words "Maybe it did come at a good time." He looked at his watch and then he looked at me, which for me was the clearest sign that the little time we had at our disposal had ended "It's been a pleasure, Lady Nemesis" He stood "I hope you enjoy your stay in the palace. "

I got up from the sofa and went to the door of the room but before I left I turned around and saw Arin standing there with an expression difficult to read "Good luck with ..." I looked around and a big smile formed on my lips "whatever this is".

I turned around and felt his gaze on me, until the door closed behind me and welcomed me back to the wonderful dining room where those finely decorated tables were positioned, with flowers, silverware and full of selecteds that exchanged words between them and filled the room with a soft murmur from which I couldn't escape.

As breakfast was a buffet, I prepared to take the food I wanted, a little bread, fruit, coffee and anything that looked delicious was on my plate, took the seat assigned to me and prepared myself to eat until that something slightly distracted my attention, on my right side filmmaker girl sat where it belonged and when I tried to continue with my breakfast a word came from her lips.

"hi!" She greeted with great enthusiasm a broad smile directed at me.

I turned my head and looked at her curiously because I didn't consider such a sudden approach normal "hi ...?" I took deep breath as a way to relax a little bit as I felt slightly tense "mmmm you are the filmmaker girl, right?"

My words seemed to annoyed or overwhelmed her as her smile narrowed a bit and she looked taken back "Yeah, that's me. You're ... Nemesis ... right?".

"Yeah that's me" I held out my hand to her politely introducing myself "filmmaker girl is not such a nice way to call you, your name is ...?" I looked her straight in the eyes waiting for her answer.

She took my hand without hesitating, not even a second. "I'm Indiana, but you can call me Indie. It's nice to meet you too." Her gaze fell on the other four tables in the room "This is pretty wild, right?".

If i was being able to have the freedom to call her by her  nick name, she also deserved the possibility of calling me by mine "If that's the case you can call me Mess" my gaze followed hers and I took the trouble to see all the girls in the room again "it doesn't impress me, just a bunch of girls desperate to fit in the royalty"  I looked at my nails for a few seconds and then I looked at indie "I guess that doesn't sounds nice, tell me indie what do you want in here? " the curiosity of knowing why  she was there in the palace and in the middle of a selection was something that gave me some curiosity and I wasn't going to deny myself the opportunity to find it out.

A small spark of amusment could be saw in her eyes combining with intrigue for what I said earlier "Well, I guess I came to look for ... love."She shooked her head and her words began to slair faster "I don't know, that probably sounds cheesy. But, really, I want to make a change in this world, for the better. And the way to do that is by being here. I don't ... I've never really had a family or anyone really close to me. So, if love happens along the way ... " I listened carefully to every word that came out of her mouth . Indie shrugged with a laugh that seemed almost like she was trying to soften her words "That would be nice." she squinted her nose and her smile took a playfully touch "And how about you? You aren't impressed by the girls here, so what sets you apart?"

She definitely sounded cheesy, but with her words were honest and I really aprecciate that.

"I have to admit that sounds cheesy" At that time I was the one with the playful smile "but it's a good reason" The following was said in a lower and calm voice "oh ... indie don't take me wrong, is not that I'm not impressed by the girls even though is true, is just that this situation as unusual as it is, it doesn't really impressed me " I fixed my hair and put it on my shoulders with great care" I ' m not different to any of these girls, at the end nothing sets apart of them "I giggled because it was ironically true" look at me, I'm here with a dress trying to fit into the royalty "And finally I cringed resigned shoulders.

"I suppose we are all trying to fit in, huh? It is pretty ... intimidating."

"Mmmm I would not say intimidating, I think is more ... fascinating, is watching the human being adapt itself, we were made for this" I started to play with the fork almost unconsciously and let the little emetal utensil slide through my hand "but if it doesn't bother you let's stop talking about this whole situation tell me more about you" keep talking about the selection the only thing that would cause would be something inside me to shake. I put my head aside and gave way to my next question "what filmmaking provides you that makes you love it that much?"

She widenned her eyes again by the directness of my statement, but still smiling, also she looked slightly impressed by my forwardness "Um, it's not a problem. "Filmmaking ... filmmaking is everything to me. I mean without it, I certainly wouldn't be sitting here right now."

"Let me tell you that that is a really strong statement, I guess it provides you more than what you can express"

Indie nodded when she listened to my statemente and I realized I hit the right spot.

That feeling, that passion that indie felt for filmaking was something that I fully understood but on my scale. For a few seconds I was aware of my actions and stopped my tinkering with the fork, if safiya saw me I would definitely be report and ... some nonsense that would make me uncomfortable and angry in the end would happen "is just the start of this ... thing and I 'm already making mistakes " the stress was noticeable in my voice "please tell me I'm not the only one hating this manners things "

"Trust me, you aren't the only one. The only reason I have any idea about what I'm doing right now is because when I got sponsored to a three, my sponsors forced me to take etiquette lessons. Not nearly as intense as these, but still ... " Indie rolled her eyes, a funny expression but that graphically couldn't describe better how I felt about the manners "they are a pain to learn. And to do. "

when I got sponsored ... were words that stuck in my memory.

"I'm not sorry for what I'm going to say but etiquette lessons are useless, they're just made to please others" I sighed annoyed remembering this morning's lesson, but the fact that I could speak it and say it out loud to someone was as if a weight was taken from me, it was something I needed to say before explote at a bad time "the crown should have more important thing to focuse on it, so I agree they are absolutely a pain to learn and to do "

I flicked my tongue and blurted out another question, I wasn't to be left with the doubt "you were a four?

"Well ... actually I was a six. And then I got sponsored to a three. Now I'm a two."

oh ... wait ... a six?.

"Well ... that's a pretty big change" It didn't bother me showing that I was impressed and I was sure that adjusting to such a change shouldn't be easy for absolutely anyone, including her "I guess it has been a good one, surely you have a good perspective of life ".

She nodded a little "It sure has been an interesting life." The curiosity was more than clear in her voice and in her face "Anyways, how about you? What do you do?".

The question.

Again.

I gave indie a smile full of confidence and it was that my next words were not a lie, what I was going to say was a honest and right "what do I do?" I sighed "I'm sure that's something you don't want to know ... or anyone and if you need some piece of advice is better if you stops asking" my smile took a friendly air at the end.

What I do was not only difficult to explain, it's also private and saying it could get me in trouble at the palace.

She squinted playfully, It wasn't the reaction I expected, I expected ... something different, but I liked her reaction "Oh, now I'm definitely intrigued. After all, a character that doesn't reveal their backstory at first, always has the best one. "

That was definetly a very good way to see it.

"You may be right but at the end we would never know" I raised an eyebrow and what came out was not exactly a question  "first impression about him"

"Well, he seems a little ... hesitant. But, very kind. He was for me, anyway. What about you?"

"Mmmm I don't know, it was interesting ... you know?" I looked at indie because in my head there were a million thoughts and ideas fluttering ithat I needed to organize before continuing to speak "it's like he's trying to hide himself" I took a sip of juice and shrugged "or maybe I I'm overthinking it and is just how he is "

"I kind of got the same vibe. He seemed nervous, I guess. Polite and everything, but it'll be nice to get to know him better. It's hard to know someone after one short conversation."

"He presented himself as how he is for the public, for the cameras, and everyone knows that's just a mask, you're right when you say is hard to know someone after one short conversation but is enough to get a good taste of who is going to be around you" Arin had shown himself to me as he was on TV or in a magazine and deep down I knew there was much more than that. I bit a strawberry and gave myself a chance to enjoy its flavor. "I guess I'm talking too much"

"No! Don't say that! It has been fun talking to you. And anyways, this conversation has been somewhat short, and I already think we should be friends." She smiled but... did she say we should be friends?

"Wow" I looked at her and showed her that her proposal had been impressive for me. I wasn't used to being offered a friendship in such a short time and much less in the middle of what was a competition "friends?". I cleared my throat and looked at her making sure she was serious "Don't get me wrong but you are conscious of what you are saying?"

Her gaze dropped to her hands and she was slightly confused but dispite the confusion and negative impact my words could create she smiled "I mean ... we don't have to be ... if you don't want to. You seem nice though, and you are very intriguing to me." She squitend playfully "Why? Is there a reason we shouldn't? After all, you wouldn't even tell me what you do for a living."

Plus that, having a friendship was having to eventually open with her, let her know a little more about me and if things went well in the end she would end up finding out about my work, something that I supposed a person like her would not like it much.

"I'm not saying that we shouldn't be friends" I said giving her a questioning look "I'm just impressed, nice is not a word with people usually describe me" I raised one of my eyebrows and smirked "there's a lot of reasons but that's up to you "In my consciousness it was clear that I had made the necessary warnings.

"Well then, we should be friends." She nodded reassuringly.

It was clear that she didn't take a minute to think about her answer, but it was better that way, it was better if she let herself go.

"Feeling risky today?" I reached out my hand again but this time representing that we were closing some kind of  deal "I like that".

Indie shaked my hand with a chuckle. She had accepted "I'll admit that you are slightly terrifying, but I don't think you give yourself enough credit. It's refreshing, and you are nice."

For a place that was twenty times the size of my own home back in Orleans, I was running out of things I could do in the palace. I was so desperate, I was actually in the library of all places.

Sure, there were the regular Women’s Room lessons for the day but we usually ended whatever was the day’s lessons early. Against the usual urge to scroll through my phone, learning a Tiktok dance in a gown wasn’t exactly the easiest. Doing the renegade was going to wait for a more casual day in the palace.

So I was in the library, browsing the bookcases and jeopardizing my poor immune system to some allergic rhinitis around these books.

There were a few books with interesting titles: The Creativity Crisis, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Business Process Re-engineering in Illéa to name a few.

The title that catches my attention though had a green spine, lined with gold. Embroidery Patterns from America. Huh, you don’t hear that name everyday. I could check it out and show it to my maids. Maybe try it out and do them myself on a dress I have.

I reach up for the book, extending my arms above me. I lean against the case for some support as I reach for it. It seemed stuck on the shelf though, not seeming to fully budge out of its place.

I try to pull it again, suddenly feeling the case slide open. Huh?

The next thing I know, I’m on the ground of a dark hallway and hearing the case slide close behind me, and the light leave the entire space. Oh no.

Where was I?

Why was it so dark? Oh Gosh, the floor felt like it hasn’t seen a vacuum cleaner in a decade.

I couldn’t make out where I was exactly, but it was dusty and smelled like one of those old historical houses in Orleans tourists would visit all the time

I try to look around and feel for the way I came through.

“Hello!” my voice seems to echo in the space. Maybe if I kept on yelling someone could get me outta here. “Help!”

“Can anyone help me?!” I yell again, hoping someone passing by the case would hear me. I try banging against the wall, sounding almost hollow. It sounded like wood.

“Hello!” I call out again. Please someone GET ME OUT OF HERE.

I keep on trying to yell to get anyone to realize I was trapped here. Was this… a dungeon? Did the palace keep prisoners here? Oh Gosh, I was going to get stuck here. Questions later. I needed to get outta here.

A knock.

I’m saved! I could kiss whoever was going to get me out of here. Or not, cause that sounded like treason.

“Hello! Is someone else there?!” Please get me out of here ASAP, I’m pretty sure there are spiders here.

“This isn’t funny. I don’t care if Ayesha put you up to it, knock it off.”  

Are you flipping kidding me? Who the hell was Ayesha?

“Uh… I can’t quite knock it off!” I feel something crawl along my feet and like any normal person… I scream. “I REALLY DON’T LIKE IT IN HERE! PLEASE I JUST FELL THROUGH THE WALL!”

“Really the jig is up.” I hear shuffling from the other side. Did they really just???

“This ain’t no dance sweetheart! PLEASE JUST HELP ME GET OUTTA HERE! I THINK THERE ARE SpidE-ERS!” I feel something crawl across my feet and I pound my fist against the wall again, “THIS ISN’T A JOKE! HELP!”

Silence.

It was quiet from the other side. Did…. They…. Just…. Leave me here?

I bang my fists against the wall again. “Hello?! HELLO???? HELLOOOOOOO!!!”

Footsteps sound like they’re fading away. Oh no, I was going to be trapped here forever. I didn’t even write a will yet. Oh Gosh, I haven’t even gotten married yet. I was gonna get trapped in this weird dark hallway for the rest of my life.

No. If no one was going to get me out of here, I was going to get myself out of here. The way my voice echoed meant that I was in a huge space. Maybe if I just… walked down?

And get even more lost?

Maybe if I—

I jump at the sudden motion of the wall. The wall in front of me suddenly gives way and opens, LIGHT. I see light…

“Hello…?”

“Oh thank sweet baby Jesus,” I say walking towards the opening, towards the light…

… and Arin Schreave.

I pick up my jaw from the floor before I quickly try to push some of my hair behind my ears. Oh of all times, Arin Schreave had to see me covered in dust bunnies? Not cute… AT ALL.

“ah… hello!”

Oh wow. This looked more like a hallway with a little more light shined on it… still very dusty.

The prince takes another step into this hallway, until I see the door starting to close behind him. I feel myself jump at the sound of the door shutting. Once again, the room was blanketed in darkness.

“Shit.”

“Nonononono!” I run back to where the door was, looking for something, anything, to get us out of here. Come on. All the escape room games have some kind of button to press. Maybe the prince knew something.

“Do these not open from this side…” MANNERS. “… your highness?”

“Uh…” I hear a sigh come from my right. “There’s a button somewhere around here but I don’t quite remember where.” So he did know something.

I hear a couple of steps grow louder from the direction of his voice, until I feel myself stumble backward. Did he just run into me? I reach for the wall to keep myself from toppling over. Oh. There was a hand on my waist.

“Oof, uh, sorry.” I try to move closer to the wall to avoid bumping into him. Why did it suddenly get so hot? Must be my allergies.

“No, that was my fault.” I could start making out his silhouette, moving close to the wall too. The hand around my waist was gone too.

I clear my throat, and push some of my hair back. Oh of all people to have heard me, it had to be Arin Schreave.

“I suppose you were the one on the other side of the wall I was talking to?”

“Uh, yes… I was… sorry I didn’t believe you.”

I wring my hands. I wouldn’t have believed this happened if it didn’t happen to me. “Well… whatever Ayesha may have pulled on you before… it must have been pretty bad for you to be this skeptical…”

A sigh. “I’m used to it.”

Thank God I was an only child.

Prince Arin goes silent for a moment before he says, “Just give me a minute to think?”

“Alrighty.” I suck in a breath and nod, going a little further down the wall. He said that there was a button around here. Maybe I could find it here. I try to run my hand through the wall, looking for an imperfection, a bump that could trigger the door to open.

“I think there’s a button on one of the wall, down by the floor.” I hear the prince speak up. I guess I was sort of right.

“Why would you put a switch down by the floor?” I ask. Well, there was nothing else I could do but crouch down and start feeling for it close to the floor. Ugh, all I could feel was the material of my dress pool to the ground. I try to push it away to try and keep on searching the wall.

“Not the way I thought I’d be spending this afternoon.” I laugh to myself. This was ridiculous.

“Trust me, I definitely didn’t plan for this.” I hear a sigh, “It’s near the floor so it doesn’t accidentally get pushed. It’ll feel like a small hole…”

I shake my head, hands still gliding through the wall, “Reasonable, but this is already a secret passageway. Not many people would press a button accidentally.”

I sneeze, “Oh wait.”

A small laugh from my left. “It’s uh… from when the country had rebels and the last thing you’d want to do is open one of these on accident if you were trapped inside.”

“Were rebels that much of a problem for you to have constructed these?” It had to be around here close to the door. “If I were a button… where would I be…”

“According to the history books I’ve read, yes. They were. But as a kid we used these tunnels during games of hide and seek.”

“I can tell from the dust, ” I sneeze on my elbow, “bunnies, that it’s probably been a long time since you played games here.” ACHOO! “And it’s been a while since rebels have attacked too, I guess.”

“Over 50 years… but I wouldn’t trust the dust bunnies. They could be harboring anti-monarchy sentiments.”

“Ah yes, rebellious dust bunnies. Practically planning anarchy through allergies and sticking onto your clothes unnecessarily.” I shake my head. I can’t believe this was my first conversation with the prince after meeting him… in a DARK, dusty, old, probably abandoned secret tunnel. ROMANTIC.

“They’re sneaky little buggers that make terrible pets.” I hear some shuffling from his side until I feel something bump into me.

“OOF!” I sneeze again into my elbow, before shuffling away from him. Come on Prince Arin, let’s practice some spatial awareness. “I just wanted to see some embroidery patterns. Who rigs a book of embroidery patterns to trigger a weird door?”

I sneeze, sitting up on the heels of my feet. I hate having allergies.

“Someone who doesn’t think embroidery is interesting I’m guessing.”

I lift a shoulder up, “Fair.”

I shake my head before going back to the wall and try feeling it for the button again. “It’s still fun though. Embroidery, I mean.”

“I don’t know much about it honestly.” I hear a grunt come from Arin.

ACHOO. “Just a needle and a thread honestly. That’s what my mama used to tell me.” I fumble through the wall, still looking for the button. “She used to be a seamtress before she married my dad.”

“Aha”

I hear a click before the door seems to slide open. Light. FRESH AIR.

“Oh thank God.” I breathe out a sigh of relief. I immediately stand up, albeit a bit wobbly, before I offer my hand to Arin.

He doesn’t take my hand, instead standing on his own and brushing off the dust from his pants. I tuck my hand in my other, dusting myself too.

His eyes then set on me. Oh I must look horrible. Of all times, it had to be a time where I didn’t look cute.

“Oh um… you have a little something right here.” He gestures to his head.

UGHHHHHH

“Oh,” I pat my head for whatever was there. “You also have um… what is… that…” I peer closer. It didn’t look like a speck of dust, it looked like it was moving. It had… legs?

“It’S A SPIDER.”

“oh!” I watch him quickly brush the spider off, but I watch as he swats it and gets accidentally flung at me.

I do what a normal would do in this situation.

I shriek, but I quickly swat it off my dress to the ground and running the HELL away from it. I then hear a small clinking sound. “Oh no…”

I look down to my right hand. My ring. It was gone.

Arin’s eyes follow the noise, he himself following after it to investigate.

Now this was awkward. I follow after where the sound stopped, where Arin bends down to look for the source.

“Um… I got it.” He seems to have found it, picking it up and straightens.

I step up to him and hold my palm open, “T-thank you. I can take this now.”

Oh great Melissa. Sure, a ring wasn’t going to give him any war flashbacks at all… or worse… make him start asking questions about it.

Arin clears his throat as he hands the ring to me. “Well, that’s not something you’d want to lose.”

“Nope,” I take the ring and slip it back on my right index finger. Why did I get it resized? That was a stupid decision, now it was way too big for any of my fingers. “It’s my Grammy’s ring.” I laugh slightly before looking back to him.

He nods. “Ah well… Maybe you should have it resized so you don’t lose it. Rings like that tend to be sentimental.”

It was sentimental, and trust me, it already has been resized.

I clench my right hand, making sure it wouldn’t slip off again.

“It doesn’t normally fall off, at least not all the time.” I tilt my head. “And yes, this one is really sentimental to me.”

I couldn’t bear to part with this piece.

“I can see that. It reminds me of my mom’s old wedding ring.” Arin says, and I notice him swallow nervously. “I just mean it’s pretty.”

I take a moment to blink at the wedding ring remark.

“Actually,” I laugh slightly. “this was my Grammy’s wedding ring.”

Grandpa said he saved for an entire year to buy her this ring. Back then, things weren’t so easy for them or his orchard.

I lift a shoulder, continuing. “It was my mom’s, and then it was passed down to me.” It was a thin gold band surrounded with little diamonds. No big jewel or anything. Just tiny little diamonds. Grandpa had some taste. I scrunch up my nose and breathe out a laugh. “Thank you… for calling it pretty.”

“Of course.” He nods a bit awkwardly before glancing to the door. “Did you want to get our of here?”

Oh right, I almost forgot.

“Yes, please.” I lift my skirt to move quicker to the door before it closed in on us again. I wasn’t gonna stuck in that room again. “Thank you again for helping me.”

ACHOO!

“Sorry for not believing you…”

Arin seems to follow behind me. As we both get out of the room, he shuts the door behind us. Good. I never wanted to see that tunnel again. Ever.

I lift a shoulder, “Easy mistake, I probably would have freaked out if I heard a voice from the other side of the wall and not believe that there was a secret hallway over there.” I gesture my head to the bookcase.

“Just try not to do it again.” A small smile appears on his face. He should smile more. “The dust bunnies might not be as friendly next time.”

“I’m more worried about the spiders.” ACHOO! “Might wanna ask a couple of maids to maybe spruce it up a bit, maybe add some nice lighting, maybe an exit sign inside.”

I end up sneezing again, can’t helping but laugh at the situation.

“There’re actually lights in there…”

“That could have been useful a couple of minutes ago.” I chuckle before ACHOO! “Well, that… was an adventure, but I think I need a hot shower to wash that hallway off.” Or a bubble bath, a bubble bath seemed nice.

I give Arin a quick curtsy with a smile, “Thank you again for getting me outta there, your highness.”

In turn, he gives me a smile and a nod. “Of course.” He gives me a bow. That’s.. a first. “I hope the rest of your day is better.”

To be honest, this… was actually fun. It was nice to get to interact with Arin.

“Have a nice day!” I nod once with a smile and spin on my heel,  d lifting my skirt and heading straight to my room.

Sure, Barbie had Julian, (The superior Ken from a Barbie movie if you asked me), but today, we had a real life princess give us a crash course on… royal life amongst us. It was like Barbie: Princess and the Popstar more than the Princess and the Pauper really. She walked in, and well, it felt like the chatter in the room quieted down once she came in. Princess Safiya.

She seemed nice when she came in, clipboard an all—ah well doesn’t that sight remind me of days I’d be instructing relatives around a rehearsal dinner. She begins to read from a script attached to the clipboard.

“I hope you all had a restful first night in the palace because now our work begins. Today I will begin to instruct you on conduct and protocol, a process that will continue for the duration of your stay. Please know that I will be reporting any missteps on your part to the royal family.” An amused expression ghosts her features before she continues. “I know it sounds harsh, but this isn’t a game to be taken lightly. Someone in this room will be the next princess of Illéa. It is no small task. You must endeavor to elevate yourselves, no matter your previous station. You will become ladies from the ground up. And this very morning, you will receive your first lesson.”

Hm… fair. I nod from my spot in the room, ready as ever to learn. I mean, how hard could it be? The sound of the door opening catches my attention, was another girl late?

Oh… OH.

Well I’ll be damned, that was Felicity Graham.

I thought she was taller.

I focus my attention back to what the princess was saying, only seeing Felicity move through the corner of my eyes until she came right back into my line of sight when she walks over to where Safiya stood, the two seemingly having a hushed conversation the no one probably an ear away could hear. I lift a shoulder up, busying myself and turning my attention to around the room. Guess they needed their privacy.

The set up was simple around here, simple at a glance but most probably high quality and very expensive. The room was mostly decorated like it was straight out of a home décor issue on an old money family. The elongated room was complemented with high-rise curtains tied with golden chords, tables were laid with cloths that were definitely a multi-count. There were centerpiece bouquets at the center of every table: dahlias and veronicas, if I wasn’t mistaken, the accent cloths were pinned to the sides with a lighter tulle? No, more of a sheath with gold weaved into it.

A few months, I decorated a wedding in a location similar to this, a sort of hall in an old building back in Orleans for the governor’s daughter. Except, maybe this has twice the budget…. Or maybe five times the budget. I wonder what was happening with the princess right now?

Oh they’re still talking. Why does the princess give Felicity a look? You know, one of those scary looking faces you shoot at a girl when you both see the same dress on sale and it’s the last one in-stock.

I try to wrack my brain up for anything I knew about them, figuring out why Felicity would be here. Those two were best friends, I know, but I wouldn’t be caught dead in the same room with the girl(s) my ex was replacing me with. Well, ya know, that’s just me. I just needed a refresher on which glass was for water and which one for juice.

“My sister sent someone to replace her. Lucky for us.”

The princess doesn’t seem too happy. Sometimes I wonder what it’s like for your best friend to be your brother’s ex-fiancée. That whole… situation was a big question for the entire country. My circles of other wedding planners whispered reasons why it was called off. Interesting allegations really. Oh their poor wedding planners, they better had a cancellation clause.

“Table manners are very important, and before you can eat in front of the royal family, you must be aware of certain etiquette. The faster we get through this little lesson, the sooner you get to have your breakfasts, so faces forward, please.”

The princess continues onto basic table manners, easy things that my Grammy used to grill me for back when I was little girl. Then again, there was a time when she used to be a Debutante ‘round Midston and her habits never left her.

“If you follow this one, I’ll be disappointed.” Oh so I guess we were allowed to speak with our inside voices. That’s… convenient. I nod along, hearing a snort from Felicity. The princess makes a face before continuing.

“She wanted me to make a final addition about how to address me and the rest of my family.” I should be paying attention to this one. The whole addressing royalty was definitely a new thing to me. The princess proceeds to explain who we call what, all the formalities and whatnot before we’re asked to stand and start with a crash course on curtsies.

“Now, I suppose you’ll be practicing your curtsies. I’ll be walking around if you have any questions. Or to critique.”

A good piece advice my mama gave me rings in my head, Imagine that a string is attached to the top of your head and pulling ya up. Maybe it’ll help me right now. It was something she always told brides during wedding rehearsals so they looked like they just glided down the aisle. I straighten up, imagining a string on the top of my head.

“and don’t forget I’m here to help you.” I hear Felicity say.

Wow, was she really?  

let’s just insert a timeskip here

It took a bit of a while before it was my turn to meet the prince. Not too long, but I suppose the buffet breakfast was a nice consolation. It was lovely that there were some vegan options. I was careful not to eat anything that could have stained the lovely lilac dress that took me literally forever to pick last night.

I was led outside of the room right after I finished some sliced fruits, careful that my lipstick wasn’t ruined from the meal. Someone opened the door for me as I was led into the room.

Alrighty, here we go, Missy. It’s just like meeting a new client. Winning smile, spring in your step, genuine interest. You practiced a couple of questions with yourself last night. It’s just a boy. It’s just a boy. You could do this. Just, try to impress him. No pressure.

There was a sofa, and beside it stood the prince. Oh, he seemed shorter in pictures. I walk towards him, reminding myself to keep my smile on and recall that I needed to dip down in a quick curtsey.

“Hello Lady Melissa. Please have a seat.” The prince greets before motioning to the sofa.

“Good morning, Prince Arin.” I glance over to the sofa before taking a seat, keeping my smile. “Thank you.”

He sits beside me. Up close, the first thing I notice was that his hair looked nice. Was that shallow? I mean… hair care and personal grooming was a good sign, right?

“How is your morning going?”

Compared to last night, I was in a much better mood, but of course I still felt tense. The cameras around wasn’t helping.

“Nothing short of spectacular.” I reply, recalling the answer I practiced in my head. Sometimes, it helps to practice answers. Oh wow, I really was nervous about this, wasn’t I? Shoot. “Woke up, never though I’d see such a great view of the ocean from my room, but there it was,” without knowing it my hands go up, “the sky was orange and glowing.”

I look to him, the memory of the sunrise bringing a genuine smile to my face. “How about you? How has your morning been going?”

“My morning has been fine, thank you.” He smiles at me. “Which province are you from?”

“Proud to be representing Midston. I bet you kind of had a hunch from the accent, but Orleans to be more specific, home to Mardi Gras and the best looking French Quarter in Illéa.”

The prince shakes his head, “Sorry, I honestly hadn’t noticed. But how do you like Angeles so far? It must be different from Midston.” His eyes trail elsewhere. Maybe towards the cameras?

“Well one thing I noticed was that… the buildings here are pretty tall.” I lift a shoulder up. “Don’t see that often where I’m from.” I chuckle before I look to where he looked, and realize that it indeed was a camera he glanced at a couple of seconds ago.

Don’t fix your hair, don’t fix your hair. My hand reaches up to tuck literally nothing back into place. Shoot. Don’t fix yourself around cameras, much less the prince, MISSY.

“It’s just as hot here though,” I add while fanning myself with my hand, “but I don’t know if that’s the weather or I’m just really nervous.”

“Nervous about which part?” the prince seems to watch me, still trying to maintain his smile.

I try to stop fidgeting, letting out a deep breath. “Not might be the same for you but I think meeting a prince for the first time would make you feel the slightest bit of jitters.” An unintentional laugh escapes me, and I try to smile. “Sorry, is it a little too much?”

The prince seems to shake his head, “No, uh… I’m mostly used to it.” He seems to pause for a moment before speaking up. “What do you do in Orleans?”

Without thinking, “Weddings.” I instantly say, “I mean, I plan weddings and debuts.” I start to ramble, “Catering, decorations, invitation, whatever a client wants for their special day, I can make it happen.”

He blows out a breath and nods, “Ah, I see. And how is…” he seems to hesitate at the next word, “wedding planning?”

Someone please, slap me.

Oh dear, it must still be a sensitive topic for him.

I try to give him a comforting smile, “It’s quite lovely, I don’t think I’ve experienced something as magical as someone’s wedding day. I’m just happy to help make the magic happen.” I’m reminded of my conversation with Jackson in the kitchen last night. The happiest business… he called it.

I blink, ah yes… way to rub some salt into a wound. QUICK. Find a way to salvage this. “Debuts are just as fun too. Just as much cake and magic.”

“I’ll take your word for it.” He seems to shift slightly, “So you enjoy it?”

“Very much.” I reply. He still seems weirded out by it. QUICK. Change the topic. “Are you… a party person, your highness? Or a little more of a party of one kind of person?”

Prince Arin tilts his head, “I’ve enjoyed parties and sometimes I like to be alone. But honestly I don’t mind the chaos.” He then frowns. Why would he be frowning? Is he… one of those extra-introvert types? What did they call those people again? Eh, the only thing I really knew about those kinds of people was that they had a social battery or something like that.

“I think there’s always something to celebrate,” I bobble my head, “but we’ve all got a battery that can only take up so much uh… chaos. Nothing too different.”

He seems to blink in surprise, “That’s a different way of looking at things. It seems like you have a pretty high tolerance.”

Well, that’s one way to put it. I’ve always just been a really social type.

“I believe it’s all about perspective.” I smile, recalling another piece of advice my Grammy always told me. “Just gotta choose how you wanna perceive things instead of accepting them the way you first saw it. I mean, that’s what my Grammy’s always reminded me.”

“So move on with your life?” The prince looks at me curiously.

If only moving on was easy as saying that you were moving on.

“You make moving on sound bad.” I chuckle, recalling how… bad it really could be. “See it more of moving forward. Someone used to tell me , ‘Forward to a tomorrow, completely different from yesterday’. ” I glance to the prince. “I’m still figuring out that last piece of advice out though.”

I don’t know why I still quoted that. Quoted him of all people, but good advice… was good advice.

“And who was that?” Prince Arin asks, I catch him tilting his head to the side, “That sounds like something my mother would say.”

The answer seems to be stuck in my throat, I pause before saying, “That’s a story for another day, your highness.” I try to change the topic. “Your mother sounds very wise though. Are you two very close?”

“We are,” he nods before glancing at his watch. “But I can tell you more about that another day.” Touché, a chuckle escapes me.

Prince Arin stands, “It’s been a pleasure speaking with you this morning, Lady Melissa. I hope you enjoy the rest of your stay.”

“Missy, you can call me Missy.” I follow and stand up, dipping into another curtsy. “Have a nice day ahead of you, your Highness.” I give him one last smile, seeing him nod and take it as my cue to turn and leave.

I really love plants, most especially flowers.

Plants always brightened up a room whenever you placed them by a windowsill.

All they ask is a little tender love and care, some water, and some sunlight.

Plants also didn’t typically weren’t around secret passageways in full blown dark mode.

It was safe to say that after getting trapped in that one secret hallway in the palace, I was going to avoid the library for a little while to make sure I didn’t end up in another precarious situation, only this time with no one to really help me.

That’s probably why I liked the palace’s greenhouse among all the places here, more than the palace gardens themselves.

It was bright, but not too hot. The surrounding greenery kept the greenhouse cool enough to lounge around in. It reminded me of my own garden back in Orleans, except it was probably twenty times larger. My favorite part about it was that no one else frequented it. I guess people preferred the palace air conditioning.

It was nice to walk around the greenhouse and be one with the greens, maybe soak in the sunlight just for a while and feel it warm my skin. Vegans have to photosynthesize somehow.

As usual the main entrance was open. The light hum of some watering system the palace filling the room. The west side of the greenhouse was full of vegetables and easy to grow fruits: tomatoes, eggplants, raspberries…

Sometimes I was tempted to pick some from their stems and sneak some of the flowering citrus plants here. Angeles was hot enough to grow those kinds of fruits, just like Orleans really.

The east side was mostly flowering plants aside from a bit of extra aesthetic weeds. I had a feeling that the gardeners here grew some of the flowers here before moving them to other spots in the main garden. There were occasionally patches of flowers that would be empty the next day, probably relocated to somewhere else on the grounds.

My eyes scan through the kinds of flowers. They kept a lot of flowers I was familiar with, actually. Floral arrangements were a regular aspect of my job back home, if not something I loved to do.

I got secondhand butterflies every time a bride asked me to help piece together her bouquet, or whenever I would go to my flower supplier and see the fields and varieties of flowers they have got. The options were always lovely, no matter the season.

A lot of flowers grew around these parts. Roses, veronicas, lavender, dahlias, daisies, hydrangeas. I wonder if the palace kept sunflowers.

Oh, a chunk of the gardenias were gone. I wonder where they were moved.

I could barely make it out, but there was some movement close to the dahlias.

Maybe it was a gardener who could help me figure out where the gardenias had moved.

I walk towards the dahlia section to investigate, stopping right in my tracks when I get a better view.

“Oh, well good afternoon.” I say before I feel my foot go behind mine in a quick dip.

The other person pops up from where they were half hidden by a couple of taller plants.

Dark hair, nice eyebrows, and a warm smile.

Jackson Graham…. with a couple of flowers in his gloved hand.

“Good afternoon, Missy.”

“Hello, Jackson.” I smile at him, still eyeing the flowers in his hand.

Dahlias. Lisianthus, and Roses. Boy’s got some good taste.

I gesture to the bunch.

“Pretty bunch of flowers you’ve got over there.” I lift an eyebrow. “Special Occasion? A date?”

A short laugh comes from Jackson.

“No. No, not a date.” He holds up the flowers in his gloved hands, “My mom’s birthday.”

Wow. You don’t typically see a boy making a bouquet from scratch. I feel a smile creeping on my lips.  

“Oh, that’s so sweet.” I look over the flowers in his hands, curling my lips in. They were all focal flowers. I hope he wasn’t going to pick another huge flower to add to it, that would be a shame. He needed some greenery, some lines, some verticals to fill in the gaps.

“If that’s the case, mind if I make a suggestion?” I ask, impulsively wanting to help piece a bouquet together. It was one of those little things I missed about my job back at home.

“Um,” he looks down at the flowers for a second before looking up. “Sure. Why not?”

GREAT. I saw some line flowers close to the lavenders. I put my hands behind my back, looking for some nice line flowers.

I couldn’t help it, a part of me was itching to do something I used to do back home; and well, it looked like planning a wedding wasn’t exactly on the list. Floral arrangements, well—that was something close enough.

“I’m not being too intrusive, am I?”  

He shakes his head. I really hope he didn’t mind me wanting to help.

“Not at all. I think if anyone knows about bouquets, it’s you.” A smile seems to grow on his face.

I laugh lightly, shaking my own head.

“Actually, most of the time, I don’t pick the bouquets.” I lift a shoulder up. “I just make… friendly suggestions.”

Friendly suggestions. Mama taught me to use that word when brides were two steps away from making some tacky choice. Thankfully, the clients I had usually asked me what I thought looked great or what was in style for the season. Friendly suggestions.

“Right, friendly suggestions.” Jackson chuckles softly before raising a brow, “I’m guessing they always take them.”

I consider it for a bit, bobbling my head still determined to find the perfect line flower.

“They do, but you’ll be surprised by the number of brides that still want their perfect Pinterest board weddings.” I muse before laughing ever so slightly at a few memories of how great a wedding they wanted on a specific budget.

“Happiest day of their lives is almost a paradox.” He says, and I catch him smiling to himself before he looks away.

“It’s my job to make them feel like they’re not stressed out,” I lift a shoulder, looking around the greenhouse before I catch the perfect addition by my feet.

“Aha! Found you.” I crouch down, making sure not to topple over in my platforms, inspecting the patch if they were fully grown. “Astilbe.”

False goat’s beard. Not the prettiest alternative name, but the flower was perfect to compliment the dahlias in Jackson’s hand. It also helped give some fullness to the bouquet.

I feel Jackson peek over my shoulder, “Looks nice.”

“They’re just filler flowers.” I look to him, holding a hand out for the scissors he was holding in his other hand. “You’ve picked out some real nice focal flowers though, just needs a little…” I wave a hand in the air, “jzhusing up to really make it pop.”

“Jzhushing?” I see the corner of his mouth tilt up as he offers me the scissors.

“Yes. Jzhushing. The difference of something that’s good and something that’s great.” I explain, giving him the explanation my Grammy used on me when I was a kid. That little something you add to make it extra special.

I snip at the stems, making sure not to destroy them, then standing up to hand it to Jackson to add to the bunch. “Jzhushing up.”

Jackson’s smile suddenly widens as I give him the stems. I hope he thought they were a good addition and smiling for the sake of just being nice.

“Any more suggestions on how to give my mom the best for her birthday?”

Well, he sounded genuine….

I place a hand on my chin, tapping it lightly. How else could I make this look even better?

“Dahlia, lisianthus, and roses are the focal, astilbe for the filler,” I blink, trying to figure the kind of flowers I could still help add. “You just need a line flower and some greenery, and you’re good to go.”

Jackson’s head turns slightly, giving me a half squinting side glance.

“Line flower.” He looks a bit amused. “You lost me.”

My smile tilts, right… it sounds kind of crazy without the explanations. “A tall flower, it’s meant to dictate the shape and height of the arrangement… or something like that.” My hand rises up slightly to make a gesture of height.

He seems to understand the term now. “The more extravagant for my mom, the better.” The amused look on his face doesn’t leave as he starts to arrange the Astilbes I gave him into the bunch.

“I’ll make sure that your mom’s bouquet turns out great.” I assure him, looking around the greenhouse for any line flowers and making my way around. I was determined to give him something pretty for his mom. I still thought that this was a sweet gesture. “Jumping off the effort you’re putting into this, I suppose you two are close?”

I hear his footsteps from behind me as he answers, “More or less. I still like to give her what I can regardless of that. What about you?”

“Me and my mother?” I bobble my head, my eyes still scanning the greenhouse. The answer way too easy. “She’s like my best friend.” I laugh. “It’s kind of weird for most people, but,” a giggle escapes me. “That’s what happens when you see her at work almost every single day.”

In all honesty, my mother didn’t feel like my mother. She had me when she was 17, and being pretty young… well… it felt like the two of us grew up around the same ages. At least Grammy was the mother figure we both needed.

“Family business.” There’s a half smile on his face. “Did it start with your mother?”

I shake my head at that. Knowing the humble beginnings of Duthé Debuts and Weddings. “Grandmother, actually. Grammy started it when my mom and dad got married.”  

Grammy loved the idea of planning my parent’s wedding, young as they were. “First wedding she ever planned was in her very own backyard.”

My parent’s wedding.

“Quite the origin.” His focus shifts to one of the flower stems, picking at a small dead leaf. “Did you always want to follow in their footsteps?”

The answer to this was easy.

“For as long as I could remember.” I laugh. “I mean it’s all I’ve ever really know, ya know? Baking’s fun and all but it’s more of my dad’s thing, and well—someone needed to take over the business eventually.”

Oh wow, that sounded like I didn’t have a choice into this. In all honesty, Grammy and Mama wouldn’t have minded if I didn’t join the family business. It just so happened that I loved it anyway. Who couldn’t say no to planning weddings without having to actually getting married?

“No complaints though, I love my job.” I glance back to him, clarifying how happy my job actually made me.

He looks back up to me, giving me a curious look. “What’s your favorite part of the job?”

Another easy question.

“When the groom sees the bride for the first time in her wedding dress, hands down, no question.” I raise both of my hands to make a point. There was no arguing about that one single moment. “That part makes me cry inside a little every time.” I laugh at the memories of me holding one of my fellow coordinator’s hands whenever that moment happens, again: secondhand butterflies.

“What about you?” I ask, blinking for a second. Oh gosh, I think I forgot what exactly Jackson did. “Uh, I’m sorry… I… forgot your job.” I think I just wanted to dive into a bunch of plants from the embarrassment, but I settled for covering part of my face instead. I know we talked about this before in the kitchen. I know it was happy… it had something to do with animals.

He chuckles, shaking his head. Okay he didn’t look offended, thank God.

“It’s alright.” He clears his throat. “I work at an animal shelter. I start veterinary school in the fall.”

“Oh right, the just as happy job choice!” I chuckle to myself, “Saving little critters and treating them. I’m sorry, it’s hard remembering everything about everyone I’ve met here so far.” Sometimes I felt overwhelmed by it all, but that was a welcomed problem. To be surrounded by so many interesting people.

I blink once, bringing myself back to my conversation with Jackson. “So are you taking up any specializations in vet school?”

“You know, I’m still undecided actually.” He hums for a bit. “You’re the first person who’s asked me that in a while.” A breathy chuckle escapes him before he looks down at the flowers again.

“Well, it’s something to always keep in mind.” I bobble my head. “You still have a lot of time to decide, no rush amirite?”

“Not at all.” Jackson looks back up at me. “How’s the first couple weeks been?”

My eyes still try to search the greenhouse for the right line flowers, when he asks that.

“I don’t really have the right words to describe it.” I turn to look to him. “Exciting but also nerve-wracking? Informative but also a bit of an overload?” I feel myself curl my lips in. “Comfortable but also not?”

To be honest, living in the palace as Selected… was a paradox. I did quite like being called Lady Melissa Duthé, had a nice ring to it.

But oh boy, the whole living in the public eye, just waiting for Prince Arin to take me out on a date… that didn’t feel… nice.

Only adds to the amount of people I needed to keep on impressing.

“I think you’ve perfectly encapsulated what it’s like to be a royal.” I laugh at that. He smiles briefly before taking a seat on a nearby ledge. “Not that I would know completely. Mostly observed.”

“Have you and Arin really been friends since you were kids?” I ask, multitasking as a particular patch of greens catch my eye, making myself crouch down to get a better look.

“Pretty much. Though it’s Safiya who I was always a bit closer to when she could be torn away from my sister.” He seems to speak fondly about them, before he blinks and stands up straighter than he was a while ago.

“Your sister and the princess seem… close too.” I reach up and tuck some of my hair behind my ear. The princess and Felicity seemed close indeed based on our etiquette lesson from day 1 here in the palace.

My eyes catch a patch of Veronicas and I shuffle over to the nearby patch, and look up to Jackson. “Do you think these would do? These are Veronicas if I’m not mistaken.”

He looks over to the patch and nods quickly. “Yes. They look nice.” He reaches up to rub his nape before glancing away.

Why… was he… acting like that? Was it because of Felicity?

“I can imagine it might be odd. What with… Felicity.” Jackson then adds quietly.

I shrug, “Oh please, engagements are broken all the time.”

I take the pair of scissors and start snipping at the Veronicas, my hand then moving over to a nearby patch of silver dollars.

Engagements are broken all the time? Great observation, Melissa.

“Better to break it off earlier than,” I continue with a snip of veronicas and silver dollars, “after you’ve married someone. Now that’s messy.” I snip again at the flowers. Divorce. That indeed was the messier circumstance.

“I suppose that line of thinking is… efficient.”

“Well, being in the wedding industry makes you realize certain things.” I lift a shoulder, thinking about it. “If I had a bride or groom express doubts about marriage, typical action is to make sure that they’re still committed.”

God forbid that I have to see another bride walk down the aisle and watch a groom leave her standing alone at the altar. Never again.

I stand and hand over the new bunch of greens and flowers to Jackson.

Jackson’s eyebrows raise, taking the flowers. “Does that happen often?”

“Not too often,” I meet his eyes, “it just happens and I’d rather help make sure that there isn’t much long term damage.”  If I were interested in the long term damage, I would have studied to become a Divorce lawyer. Now that would be ironic.

I click my tongue, the conversation topic digging a pit in my stomach. I didn’t want to talk about this anymore, or think about it.

“Most of the time, people reach the altar on my watch.” I point to the bouquet. “Does this look good enough for your mom?”

It just needed to be arranged a little more. Maybe I could convince him to let me just.. make… some adjustments.

Jackson lifts the bunch up, and higher to his nose to smell them. He flashes me one of those sincere smiles. “They’re beautiful. Thank you, it’s greatly appreciated.”

He glances around for a few moments, and walking over to a nearby bush of flowers, ones I didn’t quick recognize. I watch him as he bends to gently pluck one and walk back and hold it out to me.

“I know you gave me flowers, so here’s one for you. As a thanks.”

For a moment, I just stand there and look at the flower. It was definitely different from the ones he gave me. It was pretty.

I smile, taking the flower. “That’s mighty gentlemanly of you.” I laugh. “I just gave you a bunch of glorified decorative weeds.”

He laughs deeply, his eyes closing for a moment. “What my mother doesn’t know won’t hurt her.”

It was quite the adorable look on his face.

“Well,” I tilt my head and look away, not sure why I did before looking back to him and use the flower in my hand to point at the bouquet in his hand, I’ve outdone myself with this one. “at least it’s pretty. I hope she likes it.”

Jackson smiles before saying, “I’ll send you a thank you note if she does. If not, well, maybe you’ll get a weed.”

I shake my head at that, “No need to send me a thank you note, ooooor,” I lift a brow, “a weed.”

I look at it for a quick second before adding, “This was more your work than mine really. You might wanna wrap the bouquet in some paper and ribbon. Might help with the final presentation.” I give him a bright smile.

He nods his head once before starting to tug off his gloves and setting them on a table filled with other things. He then turns to me with knit brows.

“I think I forgot to ask why you came here.”

“I come here whenever I can.” I explain, my eyes scanning through the greenhouse. “I used to garden a lot back in Orleans and well, this greenhouse definitely is a lot better than what I had before back home. It’s a nice place to breathe and get out of that Women’s Room they usually ask us to stay in.”

“Do you actually garden here? Or is it more of sit and observe activity?” He asks, as I watch him take some string to tie all the stems together.

A part of me wishes I could garden in a place like this.

“Sit and observe, mostly. Can’t quite get my hands dirty over here, or well dresses like this.” I gesture to my dress, a light yellow number for today, before continuing. “Sometimes I’d find flowers that have fallen and press them into some old books. It’s a nice little routine.”

I don’t think I’ve told anyone that before.

“If you haven’t seen it already, I recommended a bench near the east corner.” Jackson gestures to the east side of the greenhouse. “Near the hydrangeas. Pretty secluded view of the gardens, especially near the sunset. I think you’ll enjoy it.” A small smile appears on his face, shifting to hold the bouquet with both of his hands.

“Thank you.” I look over to the east corner of the greenhouse, feeling myself smile while my hands fiddled with the flower Jackson gave me. I think I knew the spot he meant.

“I’ll take your word on that.” I add before my eyes fall back on Jackson and the bouquet, one of the pieces was sticking out and hanging dangerously. My hand reaches out to help fix it for him.

Jackson doesn’t look down immediately, looking slightly confused before a sheepish look ghosts his features. “I guess I should be more careful.”

“Wouldn’t want that to fall.” I can’t help but laugh before pulling my hand away. “It’d be a shame if it fell off while you were moving.” I put my hands behind my back, still fiddling with the flower Jackson gave me. I look around, the daylight having already started to fade.

It must be close to dinner time. I needed to retouch my make up, I needed to maybe change my dress. I must have gotten a bit of it slightly dirty.

“I guess it’s time for me to take my leave. I have to fix myself up for dinner.” I say before lifting up the flower, “Thank you again for this.”

“Sure.” A crooked smile forms on his face. “I um, I should be leaving for home. I have a delivery, thanks to you.”

“Be safe going home. It was nice talking to you again.” I remark, giving him a small wave with my free hand. I then take my leave towards the exit of the greenhouse, adding while I leave, “Give your mom my regards!”

“I will.” I hear Jackson say, catching him wave, a smile on his face from the corner of my eye.

As I walk back to my room, my eyes look down on the flower Jackson gave me.

I raise it up to my nose and smile.