The Selection: Third Generation

Ch. 27: Happiness

After dinner, the queen invites us all to join them in the kitchens to make Christmas cookies, so we stomp down the stairs after the royals to do so. It is just our royal family and the elite, as she wants it to be intimate and personal. Excitement bubbles in my stomach and I place myself by Diana at the stations.

"We should do snowman sugar cookies!" I say, shoving the box of store-bought mix to her.

"Yes! That would be so cute!" We each open a box and start trying to find what we need to make them. Annalise is at a table with the queen and Carlisle to our left, and Isabella is with the king in front of us. Carlisle has followed through on the plan and sent Annabelle home already. She came to tell me and Annalise goodbye this afternoon and it was very emotional. I send a smile to Annalise and she returns the gesture, getting out their own ingredients. 

"Hey, does that tv work?" I ask Diana, pointing out the giant tv on the far wall.

"I think so, why?"

"Well, I was thinking it would be fun to have a Christmas movie on in the background!"

So, she asks her father, who goes put a movie in, leaving Isabella to her own devices for a moment. She practically has a temper tantrum trying to figure out getting the oven on and Carlisle has to go over to help her.

Otherwise, we have lots of fun. All of the cookies turn out great, too. Well, they taste great, anyway...Carlisle's and King Ethan's are my favorite. They both did gingerbread cookies but are terrible decorators! We sing Christmas songs while we bake, the queen quotes every other line from the movies playing in the back, and the chef even pops in to give us some tips and tricks! It is definitely a night I will never forget.

Isabella, Annalise, and I walk back together, singing Deck the Halls as we go and laughing at how terrible we sound. Annalise gets to her room first and Isabella and I are quiet getting to ours. She stops me before mine and I cannot help but be nervous, wondering what she will say. She backs me into a corner by where her room is on the side hall and gets in my face.

"You are playing with fire, Arabella. This is yet to be over. Carlisle is mine. When it is just us, he is wrapped around my finger. I will not be leaving anytime soon, no matter what you say. So if I were you, I would sleep with one eye open." She stands back and laughs evilly before walking away. Knowing her, she means it literally. My palms start to sweat as I clench my fists. I can't lie, I am scared. But, I am angry, too. How dare she?

I walk into my room cautiously, looking for anything suspicious. I do not see anything out of the ordinary, but I call for my maids regardless. Leah comes in, still in her uniform and looking quite tired.

"Hey, Leah, I am sorry to bother you so late, but would you mind if when you are going to go to bed, coming back up and staying the night with me? Isabella has me freaked out right now. She basically threatened me. I do not want to bother Ly with it since she is being sent home soon anyways, but I am nervous about being alone..." I rush out, my hands gesturing like crazy.

"Of course, miss. I was working on your dress for the ball, but I am at a good stopping point for now. I will go get changed and get a cot and be right back, okay?"

"Okay, thank you, Leah." She scurries out, a worried look on her face. Hopefully, with Leah in here, Isabella would not mess with me. Suddenly remembering Diana's story about the girl's hair, I go empty out all of my hair products into the shower, washing them down the drain. I am in the middle of destroying a face powder when Leah returns.

"Miss? What are you doing?" She rushes over to me, taking the powder from my hand.

"Well, what if she messed with my makeup? I already dumped my hair stuff out. I-"