Truly Elected (Book Two of The Next Selection Series)

Chapter 14

"No, no, no, no, NO! Those flowers do not work for this event!" Darling snapped at the picture Phoebe was holding up to her. She ripped the image of orange pomegranate flowers out of Phoebe's grasp and tore it to shreds. Elsie and I exchanged weary, knowing glances as Phoebe wailed, watching her work tumble to the ground in cream and orange snow flakes. 

"What are you doing? That's my work Darling!" Her voice cracked as she knelt down and scooped the bits of paper into her hand. 

Darling stamped her foot, her hands balling into fists as she screamed loud enough to awake the heavens. "You're correct! I assigned you one simple task, and you couldn't even perform it! How can you expect to be a princess, let alone royalty?"

"I did what you said!" Phoebe fired back, her fists crinkling the paper bits. "You told me we needed flowers for our ball and I found some! Pomegranate flowers grow in Spain, what's wrong with them? And this has nothing to do with becoming royalty!"

"It kind of does," Elsie quietly interjected. I stepped to my right as both Darling and Phoebe snapped their heads in her direction, eyes sharp enough to cut through any diamond.

"I didn't ask you." Phoebe hissed, turing her deadly glare back to Darling. I grabbed Elsie's hand in reassurance; I agreed with her and she knew. "I got your damn flowers Darling!"

"Watch you mouth!" Darling snarled, her lips curling up and baring her teeth like an animal. "That is no way for a proper lady to speak."

Phoebe rolled her eyes. "Yes Silvia." She smirked in satisfaction when she saw Darling's upper lip twitch. Though her intentions were surly golden, being compared to Silvia was the worst insult a girl here could say to another girl. 

"Well, Phoebe," Darling started, her words slow and lingering in the air. "Had you actually read up on Spain like the rest of us had, you would know that the national flower of Spain is the red carnation; and it is the beautiful red carnation that we should be having at our project to go along with the theme." Ice ran down my spine at her chilling words. Someone who spoke calmly and collected was more scary than someone who yelled when angry. It meant that they were calculated. 

"Pft, who cares about this dumb project anyway," Phoebe turned away, dumping her 'hard work' in the trash. "I mean, the three of us can get away with our good looks," she nods her head to Elsie and I. "But I guess I can see why you need this project to be successful to stay here."

Darling gawked at her; Elsie and I exchanged worried glances again. "Is that your best attempt at insulting me? Because it was very weak. Looks aren't everything Phoebe."

"And neither is smarts!" She cried, picking up her skirt layers and marching out of the room. Darling rolled her eyes as the library door shut.

"I can't believe her," she muttered quietly, as if she didn't want Elsie and I to hear her but secretly hoped we did. "I mean even Sol did her share."

"Hey!" Elsie elbowed me in the ribs, trying to shush me, but it was too late for that. 

"What?" Darling asked defensively. "I'll admit that you are a pretty girl Sol. I was just saying that even you did your share of the work when you skipped out on us."

"That was weeks ago Darling." Elsie came to my defense. "She pulled her weight, end of story. Phoebe did too, she got her flowers; you just didn't like them. So, you know what, change them, it doesn't matter to me and I'm sure it doesn't matter to Sol either." She glanced at me, weighting for a nod of approval. I gave it to her willingly. "Honestly, this project is just about finished. Do whatever you want Darling, we're done." Elsie then grabbed my hand, pulling me toward the exit with her.