The glowing sun heated the cobblestone path to City Hall, hundreds of girls waited impatiently with their willing parents, and forms filled with probable lies. My father stood my side, his briefcase sat on the hot stone, he was going to work after my form was turned in.
Sara was back at the house, The Selection brings back bad memories for her.
My white dress that I only ever wore to one conference with the school, which ended up being pointless, blew around in the soft breeze. Soft brown curls rested on my shoulders, unlike many other girls, I was dressed fairly simple. At least two girls had sweeping ball gowns and faces guarded by pounds of makeup. The only makeup that we can afford is very cheap, and simple. I only had a thin layer of mascara and pink blush.
I almost feel embarrassed to be here, what if one of my students sees me here? This isn't something I would normally ever do, I'd rather stick to teaching and going to the greenhouse on Snapdragon street to study the new plants there. But I can't always get what I want.
"Next." A dull voice says from the grand French doors. The voice belongs to a woman, who looked bored out of her mind. Her blonde hair was pinned up in a bun, wrinkles shrouded her once young face, and the blue eyes that reminded me of the sky, were withered down with stress. "Down the main hall, turn to the second door on the left."
I wave goodbye to my father, then follow her instructions. Guards in blue and white uniforms stand against the walls, all of them were armed with polished bayonets, the five men didn't make any noise. The only sound was that of my shoes hitting the white marble floor.
I turn on the second door, as I was told, and I am greeted by a man with a small ponytail. He clearly works for the royal family, no one in Bankston wear their hair like that, or dresses in a velvet blue suit with a purple tie.
The marble floors continued into the room, the white walls stopped however, and were replaced by a dark grey color. A wooden desk was accompanied by a matching chair, that faced many cameras. Two photographers were fiddling with them, and didn't seem to notice I was in the room.
"Hello! I am Percy, I'm just going to be reviewing your forms, then we're going to take a quick picture any we'll be on our way. 'Kay?" He says in a sweet forms, every time he pronounces his 's'', he whistles a little. I nod my head in response and he cracks a toothy grin.
"Okay first thing-"
Many unnecessary questions later, he finally got up from his chair that faced mine. He told something to the photographers, then asked me to stand up. I followed his instructions and walked over the camera.
I quickly brush my hair in front of my shoulders, so it framed my heart shaped face.
"Okay! Big smiles!" Percy coaches me. I try to put on a natural smile, something that doesn't look forced. Before I could think about it Percy was counting down from three, and I plastered in the most genuine smile I could manage.
"Beautiful!" Percy announces, he picks up my forms and hands them to the photographer, they staple my picture to it, I try to sneak a glance but Percy grabs my shoulder and begins to talk.
"That's about it! You're going continue walking down the main hall, until you get to another set of French doors. Make sure to watch the Iléan Report so you can see if you're going to be one of the lucky ladies going to the castle. Good luck!" I am ushered out of the room, and I find myself back in the spacious hall. The white walls were a contrast from the grey ones, the pillars that reached all the way to the top of the ceiling were like a breath of fresh air compared to the plain walls of the previous room. Glowing light from the sun spills in from the other end of the hall spills onto the floor, I follow the path the sun has created, until I'm outside.
