Emily In The Selection (book 1)

Chapter 3

My mom mailed the form the next morning and I spent the last few days worrying about it. I could just picture my family gathered around the television screen waiting to hear my name announced but having a look of disappointment when it isn't.

But today is the day that they will announce the selected, and I have so many mixed emotions.

"Hey cupcake," my dad poked his head Into the doorway of my room. He always has these cheesy nicknames for me; he's called me these things for as long as I could remember. "The selected will be announced in an hour... You ready?"

"I don't know, dad." I looked down.

A sickening feeling was in the pit of my stomach at just the mention of the selected.

"It's okay, bunny rabbit. Whatever happens, happens."

My dad always has something comforting to say. I'm going to miss him so much if I go to the palace. But at this moment, I have reservations about getting selected. I'm flooded
with doubts.

He walked out of the doorway and shortly after, Robbie walked in.

"Hey Em," he said closing the door behind him.

"Hey Robbie," I welcomed him to sit on the edge of my bed with me.

"Do you think you're going to be selected?" He asks me.

"I don't think so, kiddo. Only ten people are getting selected and I heard that over 10,000 girls applied."

"But won't you be disappointed?"

"I feel like I'll be disappointed no matter what happens. If I go, or if I stay will you guys, I'll end up losing something either way." I say openly.
After a moment of silence he said, "I think Prince Ryan would love you."

"Thanks, Robbie," I say, "but I don't think I'm princess material."

A faint voice comes from outside the door. It's my mom calling Robbie to do the dishes.

"COMING, MOM!" he shouts back to her.

I'd probably miss Robbie and his ridiculous humor most of all. His curly hair and obnoxiously loud voice. Just when I thought too much about Uncle Tim, I was thinking to much about leaving my family and I was done with it. To distract myself for the next half hour until the selected would be announced, I changed into my pajamas and grabbed a paper and a pencil and began drawing.

I sketched a small circle toward the upper right hand corner. I then added another circle a little bit below that one and another one below that and another one below that. After a while of drawing circles I added squiggly lines to the bottom of them. The whole paper was filled with small helpless balloons. I drew a girl hanging off one of the balloon strings. It was just a stick figure in a triangle dress, but she looked happy. Like I was... Until I get myself go.

I added a little bit of color to it: just blue and red into the circular balloons, and purple to the triangular dress my stick figure was wearing.

I sighed and looked up from my drawing.

"Emily! It's about to start!" My mom shouted from the living room.

"Coming!" I loudly stated back.

I walked out of my room and into the living room.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the live casting from inside the palace where soon we will reveal the selected with Prince Ryan himself!" A reporter on the television spoke.

"It's starting! It's starting!" Robbie piped.

I sat down on the couch, separating myself form the rest of my family who was on the floor, except for my dad who was in his rocking chair.

My mom looked up to me and smiled. She mouthed the words "It's okay" to me and then focused back to Robbie who was getting situated on the floor.