The Elite ✓

sixteen | without further ado

"Let every action, while it is finished in strict accordance with etiquette, be, at the same time, easy, as if dictated solely by the heart." 

illéan royal etiquette booklet

*

"It was a joke." was the first thing Will muttered when I had approached Niklas' post. We hadn't talked since the day of the 'incident' and it wasn't a coincidence either. As he breezed past me, I tried my best to keep my composure for the sake of images. 

That was right. It was as if the cameras hadn't taken a hint the last time they were here. Today, a Friday, there were about ten times the amount of media covering the release of the Each Selected's date footage then there was recording the footage. And, if that wasn't enough, they had their setups all throughout the entire palace, the outskirts, gardens, corridors. Every single inch of the palace was being filmed beside personal rooms.

The Report was just about to start.

"Open up, Open up!" I called through Emmett's door. Yesterday, the five of us held an emergency meeting, eventually deciding that the only thing worse than being trapped altogether in one room was being watched for the entire day, and thus, we five came up with the most ingenious plan that left the harassing cameras with nothing. We were all hiding together; Mainly for three purposes.

One, if we didn't want someone on our backs the entire day, not only would they be filming us but disturbing as well, then the only place we'd be able to stay was in our rooms.

Two, no one in their sane minds would casually place themselves in a sentence of solitary confinement. So, if anything, we'd have to stay together. All for one, and one for all, as they say.

And Three, Emmett's room was literally directly above the Great Hall, which meant if we kept silent and pressed our ears to the ground, then there'd be a chance we'd hear snippets of the conversation's happening below.

Slowly, the door opened to reveal a portion of Emmett's face. Quickly she pulled me inside with no hesitation and slammed the door shut. We might've been in the same room, but we were scattered all around.

Sarah had wasted no time pushing herself to the ground to eavesdrop. You might've thought that a Two like her would be just as proper behind closed doors, but it turns out that we were all just the same, ranks aside. Genevieve found herself nearing the windows, looking out past the palace walls. Mia was curled up on a seat buried in a novel, in her own world. And I pushed past towards the corner of Emmett's room and faced the ceiling. 

"No ones gonna admit it," I tell them randomly. Though I know I've gotten their attention, I still peer behind me anyway just to make sure I don't look delusional talking to myself. Sure enough, they are all looking at me. "But we all hate each other one level less than yesterday."

Emmett let out a small sigh, "Too bad one of us is leaving."

"Wait," Sarah hushed us instantly, "They're saying something important; Come on. Hurry. Get over here bitches. We're going to find out what's going to happen."

And fifteen minutes later, the tattered piece of paper with an excessive amount of scribblings and sub-notes represented all we could understand; Which really, wasn't much. Whoever was speaking, and yes, we couldn't tell who, had an advanced degree in hieroglyphics.

"What have we got so far." Mia traced her freshly manicured thumb over the unkempt sheet that could barely hold itself together. The blue ink beginning to merge with the other colors on the page.

"Well we've got that the royal family hasn't had a lot of opportunities to converse with us, but lots of obstacles coming soon," Sarah squinted, deciphering as much as she could on the page, "Then there's the fact that they've got tons of surprises, which can equate to 'bring-backs', possibly an 'extra-selection'. Oh, and a special guest."

"Are they insane?" I demanded. "They picked thirty-five, and now they're going to make it, what? thirty-six? thirty-seven? decide already, damn it!"

"Mhmm. Prince Will suggested it, and it was calmly opposed by both the King and Queen. Prince Lucas shut it down instantly."  Genevieve noted, "Anyway. What else have we got? There's got to be a clue somewhere."

"Uh, we haven't gotten much, that's really just about it." Sarah shakes her head, "I wish there were more."

Mia stuck her hand out and sucked in a breath, "Wait. It's a pattern, isn't it? They always seem to mention social events and surprises. I doubt there are that many."

"But if we think about it," I say, "Our next social event is... Halloween."

"You think that they'd sneak in a girl under a mask just for the day?" is the next question.

"I'm not following."

I shake my head, "There are five girls. And they only want four to stay. One is getting eliminated, that's out of the question, but what if they're planning to do a trade for the fourth spot. That's why they wanted us out of the room for the announcement."

"A trade." Genevieve whispers, "But who chooses."

"I have a feeling it's which smartass girl made some devilish connections with the King and Queen. After all, Sylvia's been mighty crazy about impressions." Mia guffaws. "I despise this system."

"Don't we all." Emmett smiled softly. Slowly, she slipped open a drawer from her cupboard and pulled a box out. It was filled to the brim with leaflets and magazine clippings. She rifled through the pages before pulling a magazine out, to which she threw on the ground. It read "The Selection Rankings" in big, capital letters. It was a magazine dated back to right before the girls were narrowed down to the Elite, and it had all the computations and predictions for girls they thought would make it on the next round. We all winced as reflex. Memories like these often meant trouble. "Now, are we taking any bets?"