Princess of Illéa

Chapter 7 - Telling the truth to Leah and Aria

When I hear guards enter the basement I quickly turn away from her.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the rebels have been subdued." one of the guards says. "We ask everyone to return to their rooms via the back stairs. There is a lot of mess and several wounded guards. It's best to avoid the halls and corridors until everything is cleaned up. The Selected should go to their rooms and stay there until further notice. I have already spoken to the cooks and someone will serve them something in an hour. I need all the members of the medical team to accompany me to the hospital wing."

Celeste and the other Selected all leave together to go to their rooms. When I get to my room, Leah and Aria are already there, tidying up the things the rebels have messed up. My dresses are scattered all over the floor and the bed is in disarray. I also notice that the rebels have gone through my jewelry. I help them tidy up my room and as soon as we've finished I let them go back to their beds so we can all rest.

I dream that night about Celeste's kiss.

My God. I KISSED CELESTE!

I wake up still shocked by the kiss. I need to tell someone, I can't hide it from everyone, I can't hide it from everyone. I need to talk to someone I can trust. Maxon? No, he doesn't even know I'm into a Selected, let alone that I'm a lesbian. My mother? Maybe, but I want someone who is like a friend to me. And then I think about telling Aria and Leah, I trust them with my life.

As soon as I get out of bed the two of them come in my room.

"Good morning, Kat." they both say.

"Three Selected girls dropped out soon after the attack." Aria tells me.

My heart races, what if Celeste is one of them?

"Who are they?" I ask, my voice showing some of my nervousness.

"Miss Amy, Miss Fiona and Miss Tallulah." Leah says.

I sigh with relief. Both of them notice my reaction.

"Is there a problem, Katherine?" Aria ask.

I look from one to the other, still unsure whether or not to tell. I know they are both trustworthy people, but that doesn't stop me from being afraid to tell them.

"Before I say what I have to say, I want you both to promise me that you will not tell anything to anyone."

"We promise." both say without hesitation.

"And promise me that you will not judge me."

"We promise."

I take a deep breath before thinking about what I am going to say.

"I like one of the Selected." I say.

I close my eyes because I don't want to see their reaction to what I just said.

"You like like her?" Aria says, emphasizing what she means.

I nod my head.

"You like her romantically?" Leah asks.

Again I nod, still with my eyes closed.

A tear starts to fall from my eye as I hear nothing else, only silence.

Leah is the first to speak up. "Kat, we're glad you had the courage to tell us this." she hugs me.

"We won't judge you, no matter what it is. I guess we were just a little surprised, because we never thought you liked girls." Aria says, soon after she also comes to hug me.

I hug them back. It's so good to share this secret of mine with other people, and so good to know that these people accept me for who I am. Leah and Aria are almost like sisters to me, sisters I've never had and always wanted to have.