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"One word. Two letters. N-O."
My 12 year old sister, Lily, jumps up and shouts, "Stop being selfish! Its not like signing up is going to kill you, is it? You're probably not even going to get chosen! Girls like you don't get chosen."
I stare at her in shock. She pales and her hands cover her mouth. "Are you freaking kidding me Lily? 'Girls like me don't get chosen?' Its my life, not yours. I control what I do, and I don't want to sign up for a chance at getting married to some spoiled prince!" I snap.
"Honestly girls! Both of you. You should be ashamed. I am. Lily, don't make Iris feel bad about this, she makes her own choices, Iris, don't talk about the prince like that. You don't know him. Besides, Iris, if you sign up, if you actually make it into the Selection, think about the benefits. More money, I could publish the book I'm writing and we can move Gran and Gramps to a new place." Mom states.
"Any more mashed potatoes anyone?" Dad asks. "Me!" My 10 year old brother, Oliver, says, and spoons way to much onto his plate.
Without a word, I scoop some of his mashed potatoes onto his plate and start to eat.
Lily shoots me her death-glare, and Mom steers the conversation about the letter that I got today to the things Lily's learning in school.
I snap back to reality when Lily states, "I think that I'm in love."
I groan and roll my eyes. She shots me another death-glare. "Lily, you don't know immediately that your in love. It takes time. The first time I had a conversation with your father I thought he was a brainless twit." Mom says calmly.
"I don't know what your moms talking about. When I saw her, I knew that she was the one and that I would marry her. No matter what. That reminds me of a story." Dad looks up at the ceiling, and Mom smiles.
"Once upon a time there was a beautiful girl. Now, this boy, his name is going to be John, saw her across the room and he knew that she was the on, no matter what. But the girl made it apparent that she would never ever marry me because she was trying to win over another boy's heart. John did whatever he could to make sure that he crossed paths with the girl that he loved, and then at a ball on a crisp evening, John told her that he loved her and wanted to marry her. She said yes, and told him that she was in love with him. John and the girl asked the boy that the girl had wanted to marry to get permission to get married and the boy said yes and helped host the wedding and then set up a business for John and John's new wife became a writer and then they had a baby, and then another, and then another."
Mom looks wistful, and Dad takes her hand. "Yeah great story." I stand and take my plate to the kitchen and rinse it before putting it in the sink.
I walk to my room and stare out the window and debate whether or not I should sign up for the Selection. Do I want to take a chance and do this? I've been wanting to do something new, and I bet that Lily is going to remember that tomorrow and use it against me.
Do I want to leave my family and live in an entirely new place? But I could see my family on the weekends if I made it, right? The royal palace is in Angeles, and my family and I live in Angeles. I could totally not do that.
Mom knocks on the door and pokes her head in.
"Iris?" She asks. "Yeah?" I ask, not turning away from the window.
"I know that you don't want to try out for the Selection, but I'm asking you please, to do this for me and the family. You have asked me for so many things, and I want to ask for this. Please baby." She says.
I turn to face her.
Mom's sitting on the edge of my bed, staring at me. I swear that I can feel her inside my brain. "If not for you, do it for Lily."
That's what gets me, the mention about Lily.
If she was my age she would be the first in line to sign up.
