Selection - But he has a Sister

Szene 2 - Anna

It's now been two days since Dahlia and I have sent off our applications for this year's election.

Which means it has been two days of Dahlia walking around like she already is the fucking Queen or something.

She actually tries to command everyone around her. Yesterday she tried to get me to literally wash her feet.

I don't think I have enough words to even describe how annoying she is. She hasn't even been elected yet, let alone Selected.

It's like she believes this is her destiny, and everyone else is just here to serve her. Meanwhile, I'm just trying to keep my head down and avoid her wrath.

Due to Dahlia – well, being Dahlia – I spend most of the past two days hiding – from her, because even I can't annoy her in the state she is in - and doing research about the system of the Selection.

Even though many countries nowadays and for probably the past 50 years follow the system of the election, it still seems like a weird thing to happen.

If I imagine I would have to fall in love – or at least act like I am – not only in front of my parents but the entire country, I get chills, and it somehow makes me want to hide under my blanket.

Though I definitely find some - let's say interesting - information.

For example, the reason the system is – at least in our country – established is because too many of the princes complained about their arranged marriages and their wives not being pretty enough.

I am not sure if I should laugh about how well it shows men's stupidity and ignorance or throw the entire book against the wall.

Burning it would probably also be satisfying.

Sadly, the book does not belong to me, it is from the big library in Adeline's house – which is more like a small palace itself. Meaning I can not burn it.

In this world, nothing belongs to me.

At least nothing physically.

Not yet.

As a Six I am to be invisible, which most of the time is not a problem for me, but I still have goals, I still have dreams, and I will get to the point of fulfilling them.

Not because I sit around like my sister and complain but because I have already worked for them my entire life.

The past few years I have taken every opportunity I could reach to escape the life I am born into, but now I am at a stop.

I am too young to sign up for the university's program I want to be – need to be – in.

The fact that I have to wait, almost 6 months, probably is why I am so open to the idea of getting elected for the casting - it would be the perfect distraction.

It makes me feel a bit nervous that one of the two light letters I have in my hands holds the answer to whether I get that distraction.

I got the letters only a few minutes ago from Julius, the private postman for the neighborhood Adeline's house is in.

He is a really sweet guy in his thirties, but the dogs don't like him, so I always go to the gate to get the post from him.

He gave me about ten letters, which I have already delivered to the right people, so now the only two left are for Dahlia and me.

As I open the door to my family's small apartment, within the higher levels of the Morris estate, I see Dahlia and my mom sitting at the dining table and turning their heads as I walk in.

"Ahhhhhhh," Dahlia's voice is so high it is a wonder the glasses don't break. "They're here. They're here. Everybody come here, right now." She snatches the letters out of my hands before I can even close the door behind me.

She hands me one back, which I assume must be mine.

"I will be a Princess. I will be a Princess." Dahlia sings and dances through the small dining and living area until she sits down at the dining table again.

I do the same – not the dancing part - and as the rest of our family:

-    My Dad
-    My 16-year-old sister Eleyna
-    My 13-year-old brother Alex
-    And my two youngest sisters Linnea (10 years) and Sofie (7 years)

also sit down, the room is filled with overlapping voices.

Until my mother whistles very loudly on two fingers and everyone freezes. "Girls, open the letters. Do not tell us directly, read them quietly first and then."

For the next few minutes, the entire apartment is quiet, and it gives me goosebumps.

However, this could also be linked to what is written in the last line of the letter.

I am not sure whether I should scream, laugh, or cry. Being quiet seems like the safest option though.

Then the quiet is broken. "What? No. No. This cannot be. This is a mistake. Someone made a mistake." My sister sounds as if she is about to cry.

I wish she wouldn't, when she cries, I cannot mock her with it – even I know that's not fair.

"Oh, it's fine, honey. You don't need to cry. There were so many applications, the chance of it being either one of you was so small anyway." Says my mother in a comforting tone as she takes my sister's hands in hers. "We knew about the chances, and it is completely fine neither one of you got in."

Wait a minute.

I haven't even spoken yet.

Why does she assume I didn't get in?

Suddenly everyone is quiet again.

Shit, I must have said that out loud.

"You just sat there quiet so I assumed..." my mom tries to explain but is cut short by Alex. "You got in?"

"I ... Yes. I got in. I got elected." Why does my voice sound so – I don't know unsure.

I lay the letter down in front of me and show my family the last sentence, where it only says:

Congratulations, you Annabelle Nordlis have been elected to be part of this year's Selection surrounding Prince Lukan Leonardo Daltos.

After that, the quiet is definitely gone.

Dahlia is screaming how this is all so unfair, Alex is laughing because Dahlia is upset and screaming, Eleyna is screaming something about wanting me to steal her a dress, Linnea and Sofie are excitedly jumping and screaming around, my father is telling Alex to stop laughing and my mother is trying to calm down Dahlia.

It is pure chaos and when the dogs from outside also start barking I just can't help but also start laughing and crying at the same time.

I will definitely be happy to leave all of them for a while. Even if I do love them – Dahlia in a way too, I guess – I need a break and a distraction.

In the letter, it says that I will be picked up in three days and that I will also get my first check-up and first check – money check I would like to point out – that day.

I think I can survive another three days like this.