The Selection

Chapter 7

This story/plot belongs to Kiera Cass

𒊹︎︎︎ᴥ︎︎︎𒊹︎︎︎

The  nex morning, I dressed myself in the uniform of the Selected: black pants, white shirt, and my province flower—a lily—in my hair.

My shoes I got to pick. I chose worn-out  shoes. I figured I should make it clear from the start that I wasn’t princess material.

  We were set to leave for the square shortly. Each of the Selected was getting a send-off in her home province today, and I wasn’t looking forward to mine. All those people staring while I did nothing more than stand there. The whole thing already felt ridiculous, as I had to be driven the two short miles for security reasons.

  The day began uncomfortably. Kenna came with James to send me off, which was kind of her, considering she was pregnant and tired. Kota came by, too, though his presence added more tension than ease. As we walked from our house to the car we’d been provided, Kota was by far the slowest, letting the few photographers and well-wishers who were there get a good look at him. Dad just shook his head.

  May was my only solace. She held my hand and tried to inject some of her enthusiasm into me. We were still linked when I stepped into the crowded square. It seemed like everyone in the province of Busan came out to see me off. Or just see what the big deal was.

 Standing on the raised stage, I could see the boundaries between the castes. Margareta Stines was a Three, and she and her parents were staring daggers at me. Tenile Digger was a Seven, and she was blowing kisses. The upper castes looked at me like I’d stolen something that was theirs. The Fours on down were cheering for me—an average girl who’d been elevated. I became aware of what I meant to everyone here, as if I represented something for all of them.

  I tried to focus in on those faces, holding my head high. I was determined to do this well. I would be the best of us, the Highest of the Lows. It gave me a sense of purpose. Y/n : the champion of the lower castes.

  The mayor spoke with a flourish.

  “And Busan will be cheering on the beautiful daughter of Magda and Shalom , the new Lady Y/n !”

  The crowd clapped and cheered. Some threw flowers.

  I took in the sound for a moment, smiling and waving, and then went back to surveying the crowd, but this time for a different purpose.

  I wanted to see his face one more time if I could. I didn’t know if he would come. He told me I looked beautiful yesterday but was even more distant and guarded than he had been in the tree house. It was over, and I knew that. But you don’t love someone for almost two years and then turn it off overnight.

  It took a few passes of the crowd before I found him. I immediately wished I hadn’t. Taehyung  was standing there with Brenna Butler in front of him, casually holding her around the waist and smiling.