dusk until dawn (the selection)

task one

Macy and Kaia sat on opposite sides of the table during breakfast. Kaia with bandage on her nose, Macy refusing to eat. The selected were now definitely divided into camps. Some thought Macy should've been sent home, others (Isa) patted her on the back and were thankful for her service. Because a lot of the lower caste girls sided with Macy, the war against Dawn over her caste comment was also back on, alive and well. There was clearly a divide.

Girls like Lina, Evangeline and Pigtails, who were honestly just trying to survive through this dramatic mess, were awkwardly sat in the middle.

Dawn noticed a few girls still tried to get the prince's attention by flipping their hair excessively or laughing a little too loud. For once, Dawn thought it was fair they were unsatisfied. The prince hadn't paid the girls much attention since those little speed dates.

That was about to change though. Not too long after breakfast, silky, beautiful, heart-shaped envelopes were shoved under the selected bedroom doors. Cameras were on the girls noses, more painfully present than ever before. Word got around fast and soon everybody was unpacking their little letters. Cameras captured their reactions.

The girls were ordered to gather in a gymnasium sized room of the palace and were told to stand in a line. More cameras were set up. Directors walked in. No one knew what was happening. Except Dawn and Macy, who had now gotten seperated during the lining up.

This must be the event, Dawn thought. She had intentionally worn a pretty dress today. She wanted to look good on television. Even if Illéa didn't like her now. This was the event and she was nervous about it because she didn't know what this meant. Eliminations, she guessed.

Some girls around the brunette had started whispering as the cameras were being set up.

"Do you think it's a photoshoot?" asked the girl next to Dawn.

She turned her head. She didn't know this girl. She was tiny. The answer to her question was no.

"It's not." she said.

The short lady was almost offended. "What, like you know the answers?"

Dawn looked down at her. Silently. A bit perplexed by this little girl's attitude. Yeah, she did know. What about it?

"Whatever." the girl turned her gaze back to the front. "Not sure why I expected a Six to have a functioning brain."

Ouch. What was that good for. People really were mad at Dawn.

The girl on the other side of the short girl suddenly looked at her and before Dawn could retaliate, without hesitation she stomped on the short girl's left foot harshly. Directors were too focused on their setups to notice.

Shortie stumbled into Dawn, trying not to make too much sound but she let out a little yelp. She hid it well, almost as if she knew getting attention over a Caste discrimination comment was bad news. Dawn pushed her off and looked at the attacker.

"Stupid little Genava," hissed the attacker, "Did you forget you had Sixes on both sides?"

Genava the short girl grimaced. "You lower Caste scum are so violent." she pouted. She was biting back tears.

"You don't know the half of it, bitch." whispered the other girl. "If Macy Gewins the Two can break that bimbo's nose just imagine what I'll do to you if you don't apologise to my sister over there."

Genava looked up at Dawn. She held her left foot up from the ground a bit like a wounded dog. "Break my nose then." she mumbled through gritted teeth.

The other girl raised her eyebrows and looked like she wanted to say something but (luckily) she was interrupted. Helios walked in with his parents.