Royal (A Selection Fan Fiction) (Book One in my Selection Series)

Chapter 25

When I looked around inside the castle it wasn't loud or full of moving people, everyone stayed huddled near the door.

"He's alive!" One of the girls gasps. But i was the complete opposite.

"Go tell the queen he is alright." A guard says to another.

Alex hadn't said anything yet even with all the girls crowding him. He hadn't let go of my wrist either. I jerked away from him but couldn't bring myself to leave.

Through the uneven crowd of girls, all reaching toward Alex, two arms reached out for me.

"Charlie!" It was Addy. The only one who was here reaching for me. I squat down in front of her and hug her. "I thought you were dead." She whispers.

"It hit Rae." I whisper. She pulls back, her eyes wet and her cheeks puffy.

"No." Then she breaks like I wanted to. I looked around and Alex was staring at us over Catastrophes shoulder as he hugged her. Too soon she jerked his shirt collar and kissed him.

I couldn't care now.

"Everyone get to a safe room until we are sure the palace walls are secure!" A voice rises above ours.

We didn't have time to go to our usual ones so we were led through the kitchen and into a big room with a row of beds in the back and a few doors.

"Everyone just sit down somewhere and we can wait." Alex says. Addy was holding my hand as we walked.

"Adeline darling." The Queen says to her. Addy grips my hand but I knew she couldn't do this.

"It's okay. Go see what she needs okay?" I whisper. Addy looks at me for a minute then nods walking slowly to her mother.

I sit on a bed leaning against the wall. It was in the corner with only two feet from between it and the wall. I turned to the wall and felt the tears hint at my eyelids. I would've wanted Jason here now.

I looked around the room and saw Alex walking toward me. I didn't want to talk to him.

"Do you know where a phone is?" I suck in a breath to try and keep from crying.

"Come here." He held out his hand but I stepped away. He closes his eyes for a moment but then just motions for me to follow him. He leads me to the opposite wall of the wide room and pulls the phone off the wall.

I barely remember the phone number but I thank him any way. He doesn't leave but instead watches me.

I close my eyes and remember the number 598-677-0583 i hit the green button and pull the phone to my ear. I spiral cord connects it to the wall and it seemed stretchy enough so I sit down in the floor with the phone still against my ear.

"Who is this?" A worried voice says over the phone.

"Jason." I cry smearing my eyeliner as I wipe under my eyes.

"Charlie? Are you okay? What happened?" I could hear the panic in his voice. "We were just watching TV and everything stopped."

"Rae is dead. She got shot. I want to be home." I close my eyes and imagine his face. I could go back now.

"Shhh... It's okay. Do you need me to do something?" He asks me.

"Just talk to me." I don't know how he understood me. I realized Alex had left but he was sitting on a bed nearby watching me.

"Everything's fine here. Lewis and dad are married and Tayloe and Henry are doing great. Tayloe is already getting jobs everywhere. Paisleys been sad your gone, but it's okay. We are all here for you, Char. I love you okay? If your too scared there and you can't stay then come home. You can share a room with Paisley.  We've already got you guys a big bed but right now Paisleys got it all to herself." Jason laughs.

I laugh a little and bite my lip. "I love you guys too. I don't think I can leave though. Not yet anyway. I got to go. Thanks for talking to me. I'll try and write soon maybe?"

"Okay that works." Jason says. "You'll be okay I promise."

"I love you Jason." I whisper.

"Love you Char." He tells me.

"Bye." I whisper. I stand up slowly and hit the red button. I walk back over to my bed and pull my dress around me.

"Charlie." Someone says behind me. I don't have to turn around to know its Alex.

"Leave me alone." I mutter.

"I just want to make sure you're okay." He says. I can feel the mattress shift under his weight as he sits.

"Would you be okay if it was your best friend?" I ask without looking at him.

"That's why I'm asking." He says. "Just let me talk to you."

"I don't need to talk to someone." I tell him.

"Turn around." He says putting a hand on mine. I don't know why I did it but I turned around and welcomed his arms that wrapped around me.

It wasn't hard either. But I blamed him. In a way I just blamed him. He pushed for it but did he also blame himself?

Did he realize the bullet should've hit him? Did he realize the bullet was aimed for him?

"Have they brought her in yet?" I whisper.

"I don't know. I'll tell you when I figure out." Alex says.

"Thank you." He replies with some sort of "mhmm." And I just sit there.

"Do you want something to eat?" Alex whispers. I couldn't stand but be okay with the way he held me up to his chest in a way I didn't even have to look at his face.

I shake my head.

"Don't the other girls need comforting." I mutter. It isn't like I wanted him to leave but I knew I'd get accused of something later on.

"Their fine. Like you said it wasn't their best friend." Alex tells me.

"What am I supposed to do." I didn't mean to but I cried. It hurt to keep it back, so I didn't. He pulls me up closer to him and fully supports me so I didn't have to.

"Just let me hold you."