A Previous Selection

Chapter Thirty-Four

"Do I really have to leave?" Logynn asks as I take a sip of my tea. "Can't I just stay with you until the Selection is over?" 

"Unfortunately, no. You have to go back home." 

She pouts. 

"But I don't wanna. I love it here." 

"I know you do, but you have to go back home." I reach out to rub her back when I see just how sad she is about leaving. "But hey, you're not leaving yet. You still have the rest of the day and tonight to soak it all up before you leave tomorrow." 

She perks up a little bit. 

"You're right! We have to make today the best day ever!" she exclaims, and I can't help but smile at her. 

"Can we finish our tea first?" I ask, and she smiles back at me. 

"Of course. I'm not letting this go to waste." 

Addison walks up to us with a bright smile. 

"Hello, ladies," she says as she sits down next to me. 

"Hey, Addi." 

"So Logynn, how have you enjoyed your stay at the palace?" Addison asks, and Logynn's smile beams brighter. 

"I. HAVE. ABSOLUTELY. LOVED. IT. It is soooo amazing here, and I don't want to leave because this place and these dresses are my DREAM." 

"Well, I'm sure this won't be your last time here considering. . ." she says while looking at me, and I send her a look. 

"Addi." 

"What? We all know it's true." 

"Yeah, Wren," Logynn chimes in. "It's only a matter of time before that gorgeous prince of yours pops the question, and then MY SISTER will be marrying the handsomest man alive and will become Queen, and then I'll get to live my dream FOREVER." 

"Logynn, will you please keep it down? I don't want these girls to hate me anymore than they already do." 

"Oh, please. They're just jealous because they know that Cameron will never look at them the way he looks at you. Trust me, they already know that you two are going to end up together. They just don't want to admit it." 

"Really?" I ask. 

"Really," Addison says. "When you two are around each other, it's so obvious you guys are in love. And these girls would have to be very blind to not see it." 

"Well, that's just great." 

"But there's nothing to worry about, Wren. They're not going to do anything to you or to him. And if they do, you and I both know that Cameron will shut it down in the blink of an eye." 

"I know," I sigh. "I just thought that we were doing pretty good at hiding just how close we are. I just didn't want all of the girls knowing the specifics of our relationship." 

"Well, technically, they don't. They don't know what all you two have done together. They don't know the conversations you've had, the deep connections you've made with each other. They just know that you two are serious about each other. Way more serious than he is with any of the rest of us," she explains. "But seriously, don't worry about it." 

Airabella walks up to us at a faster pace than she normally would, and she has a wide smile on her face. 

"Look out the window!" she immediately says, and I give her a confused look. 

"What? Why?" 

"Just do it!" 

"Okay, okay." 

Logynn, Addison, and I all turn around to look out the window that's right behind us, and what I see causes me to let out a little gasp.