𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙺𝚎𝚢𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚢 𝙷𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝 (𝙰 𝚂𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚂𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢)

𝚆𝚎𝚕𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙿𝚊𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚎, 𝙻𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚎𝚜

One week later, I'm getting dressed in the Selected uniform. White shirt, black skirt with silver embroidery, and my province flower - bird of paradise - in my caramel brown hair. 

I get to pick my own shoes, sky blue, to match the blue of my flower. I honestly don't know why they have the name 'bird of paradise.' Its a weird name. For a flower. 

I walk down the stairs slowly, closing my eyes as I lean on the banister. 

"Iris?" Mom calls. "Are you ready?" 

"Yeah." I open my eyes and walk down the remaining stairs. Moms holding my bag of things and gives it to me. I try to put my brave face on, but instead, my face crumples and I fall into Mom's arms. 

"I'm scared." I whisper. "Oh baby, your going to do great. Don't worry." She whispers back, smoothing my hair. "How do you know?" I ask. "Mothers intuition." 

"Oh." I let go of her and swing my bag over one shoulder. I walk outside, followed by Mom. Lily, Dad, and Oliver are waiting outside, along with camera men, and tons of people, holding banners with my name on it. 

I smile, and hug Lily. 

"I'm going to miss you." She hugs me tighter. "Lily, you're going to be great. Think of this as," I falter, not knowing what to say. "As practice being an older sister." 

She nods and lets me go. I walk in front of Oliver, who looks at his shoes. "I don't get a hug?" I joke. "I just don't want you to go." He mumbles. 

"Hey, you'll see me on TV. I'm doing this for you, kay?" He nods, and reaches out and hugs me. I hug him back and ruffle his hair. 

He lets me go and steps beside Lily and Mom. 

"Oh, baby girl, why did you grow up so fast?" He asks. "Cause I did Dad." I answer, and he envelopes me in his 'Dad hug.' 

"I'm going to miss you." I tell him. "I know, but the four us, we're going to be cheering for you, sweetheart." 

"Thanks Dad." I step away from him and walk to the car as the camera's film me. "Bye!" Lily shouts. "Don't come back unless you've married Prince Liam!" 

I blush and wave at my family once before I get into the car and it drives me to the square, where I get a 'send off,' even though the palace is a 30 minute drive from where I live. 

The square is packed. Packed. I have never seen this many people. Camera people film the cars arrival, and me getting out of the car, and me walking onto the raised platform. 

Everybody's cheering for me. Me. 

I was always 'Rose Campbell's daughter.' But now I've upgraded, to 'Lady Iris Aria Campbell, the Selected from Angeles.' 

Melania Turner and her family, Two's, were staring daggers at me. I mean, really? We were a caste apart.  

And then there's Poppy Caster and her family, who are in my caste, cheering me on. There are all my friends smiling.