First Love ♛ The Selection

9 ⭑ Lying With Talent

AURORA

"We finished our conversation, and I really thought it was fine. But then he asked me to stay behind."

Taya shrugged one shoulder, clearly anxious with the attention Evangeline, Hazel, and I gave her. The welcoming ball was in full swing, an eight-piece orchestra playing similar-sounding music, the polite laughter and quiet conversation drifting about. Even though there were only twenty-seven of us left, it was something to see. Every girl brought their best with their outfits, and the palace had done the same with the decorations; long white curtains draped over the windows, the sparkling city lights peeking out behind them, and several chandeliers hung from the high ceilings, glittering with the reflection of a dozen jewel-encrusted gowns.

My maids helped me choose an indigo gown with a delicate jeweled torso and a long, flared skirt, and it was silly, but dressing in my favorite color made the big event all the more enjoyable. And by the time I returned to my room, the remodeling would be all done, and my walls would be indigo just like my room at home. I wanted to stay long enough to get comfortable—even if the prince was making it harder and harder for me to want to stay.

The four of us stood in a crescent formation on the outer edge of the dance floor, pretending to enjoy watching a few Selected dance with guards while most girls, like us, chatted amongst each other. (A few even spoke to Queen Samara, though never for long.) Evangeline, Hazel, and I clung to Taya's every word about Bethany, and about all eight of the girls who were sent home. It was only a matter of time before the subject turned that way. Taya was the only one who knew what happened, and she completely avoided the Women's Room yesterday while the other remaining twenty-six of us piled in to gossip the afternoon away.

"And then?" Evangeline prompted.

"He said, um..." Taya glanced away from all of us, towards the floor. "He just said it was time for us to go, and that someone would see us out. Bug was the only one with questions, like, she asked how he could know she wasn't right if he didn't know her, but he said she could figure it out herself. You should have seen him, I mean... he had no remorse, he just..."

She trailed off, a small crease between her eyebrows. She exhaled shortly. "He told us to leave and left, and then when I was leaving, he said I should stay and send Bethany. And to tell her myself. It was humiliating."

Hazel made a small tsk sound. "Taya, I'm so sorry."

"No, it's okay. I'm still here, I just thought it was weird. And I thought Bethany would be so angry, but she just hugged me and cried. It felt awful."

She sniffed suddenly, and brought a manicured finger up to make sure her tears didn't get to her makeup. "It's a good thing you're still here," I tried.

She smiled at me, and I smiled back. I wanted to be more sour—the words were on the edge of my tongue, all the details about how rude he had been to me and what he said, how this whole Bethany situation wasn't really too surprising considering he was already 'over' his own Selection. But I held off. Taya was too sweet to believe me, anyway. I'd let her figure it out herself.

"I just feel bad for Bethany," Taya continued.

"She'll get over it," Evangeline said.

Hazel nodded. "We were just saying—about the girls that left already? Rachel Walton says they'll get picked up immediately."

Rachel Walton was a journalist, the sort of gossip-hungry media personality that had an opinion piece in every magazine and rained spittle down on her microphone. "Rachel Walton will say anything," I said, but they ignored me.