A Previous Selection

Chapter Twenty-Five

"How are you feeling?" Cameron asks as he walks up to me. 

"Besides the regular nerves that I get every time we do the Report, I'm doing pretty good. Why? Is there a reason why I should be worried?" I ask with a playful smile, and he shakes his head with a chuckle. 

"No. Of course not. Because absolutely no part of me is okay with letting you go." 

"Good. Because I'm not letting go either." 

He smiles and goes to grab my hand but stops himself when he remembers that all of the girls are right behind us, most definitely watching this entire interaction. Luckily, they're too far away to hear anything we're saying. 

"How are the other girls doing?" 

"Besides probably seething with jealousy because we're talking right now, they're feeling fine. But that's because they have no idea what's about to happen." 

"I feel so bad about having to do it this way," he says with a sigh. "I wanted to be able to make the announcement this morning with just you girls, so that way they'd know what to expect tonight, but my advisors would not give in. They're dead set on wanting to get the real reactions on camera." 

"I mean, I get it. It'll help the publicity, but I know how hard this is for you." 

"I just don't want to hurt anyone. But I have a feeling these three that I'm sending home are going to take it really hard." 

"They probably will. But please don't worry yourself to death about it." 

"I'll try not to." He looks over my shoulder at the girls and frowns. "Is Addison okay? Because for once, she looks like she's going to throw up instead of you." 

I glance over at her to see her sitting in her seat in the back row with her head in her hands. 

"I think she's just nervous about the announcement," I tell him. "She really isn't ready to go home yet, and if I'm being honest, I don't want her to leave either." 

"I know. Look, Addison's not only your friend; she's mine too. And I can tell you, she has nothing to worry about. I promised you that I would keep her here until I literally couldn't, and I am a man of my word." 

I smile up at him. 

"You are just perfect, aren't you?" 

He smiles back at me before glancing over at the producers. 

"We're about to start, so we better get to our seats." 

"Right. Good luck, Cam." 

"Thanks. I'm going to need it." 

I hurry over to the others and take my seat next to Addison on the back row. I rub my hand over her back, and she lifts her head to look at me. 

"I just talked to Cameron, and you have nothing to worry about tonight, Addi. You're staying," I whisper in her ear, and she gives me a smile as she lets out a sigh of relief. 

"Thank the Lord. I've been stressing myself out all day." 

"Well, no more stress. Just sit here and act like you don't know what's going on." 

The producers call for silence, and after the countdown, the cameras start rolling. Gale opens the Report up by talking about the Selection and some of the events that have been recorded recently. Then he turns it over to a couple of the advisors who give updates on some of the things they've been working on. 

When Cameron is called up to the front, I can't help but feel a little nervous for what's about to happen. I know that I'm safe and that Cameron likes me, but what can I say? I just tend to be a nervous person. Before he starts talking, he looks over at all of us girls, and when I catch his eye, I send him a smile before mouthing the words 'You've got this.'