Truly Elected (Book Two of The Next Selection Series)

Chapter 17

Have you ever felt the feeling where your adrenaline is racing due to an upcoming excitement that keeps you up through the night in anticipation? I've only felt that way a few times in my life: the night after Fabian asked me to be his girlfriend and then again the night prior to leaving for the Selection, though that time was more out of fear than anything else. But, last night I felt that feeling again. I didn't sleep a wink, the anticipation of today's events drawing out the blanket of stars. When my maids came in earlier this morning, they had been surprised to see me wide awake, sitting outside on my balcony and watching the darkness roll into light.

"Did you just wake up Lady Sol?" Juliana had asked, placing her hand on my shoulder. When I turned around and they caught wind of the purple bags under my eyes, my three maids gasped. Cassia marched toward me, shoving Juliana lightly aside as she grabbed both of my shoulders in her sweating hands. 

"You were up all night?" she exclaimed hysterically, her face contorted with a mix of anger, disappointment, and shock. "This is the  single most important day of the Selection thus far, and you chose not to sleep the night before. What were you thinking?"

"I wasn't." I had replied simply, yawning as an afterthought. "Now I'm just running on pure adrenaline."

Cassia rolled her eyes. "That's what you said yesterday when we caught you sneaking back into your room early in the morning and needed us to help bathe you. Seriously, this isn't healthy." Cassia's head whirled around, meeting Starlet's eye. "Can you please get this girl some coffee--"

"Not black."

"Add some sweetener or cream or milk or whatever you need to," Cassia said, shooting my a nasty gaze. I smiled innocently. I was never much of a coffee drinker like Cassia was; she preferred black coffee because she liked it strong. I on the other hand preferred less. "And dump in three espressos! We don't know if there will really be any time for her to sleep throughout the day. 

Starlet ran out of the room, her uniform clinging to her legs. Juliana went to the door to close it so I could begin preparing as Cassia took me toward the bathroom. They were right that I needed to sleep last night, and I feel bad that I didn't, but I simply couldn't. I couldn't get thoughts of today out of my mind; today was the day the Pre-Elite would host foreign dignities. 

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"I'm pooped." Elsie said softly as I zipped up the back of her red gown. It had a thin strap looping her top together in a small front keyhole halter. Swaroviski crystals and ruby beadwork danced across the light bodice and stopped at her waist, leading into a plain red skirt not flowy nor tight. I heard Phoebe giggle from the opposite side of the room, placing a red flower with a ruby center into her curled bun.

"Same here, but at least we look hot." she said, turning to inspect her face. Darling, who was sitting in a corner in a plain red ball gown, rolled her eyes.

"Hot isn't a term of endearment to use in a situation such as this," Darling chided, flipping through the folder of notes on our event. "Maybe more classy or elegant perhaps?"

Phoebe pursed her lips. "Always have to get a word in, don't you Darling?"

Darling smirked teasingly. "Well, my high intellect, which most definitely triumphs over yours, allows me to do so, wouldn't you agree?"

"Would you two shut it?" I remarked, turning to face them as Elsie and I traded places. She began zipping up the back of my red and cream gown. The top was a sweetheart neckline in a cream color, glitzed to the max with silver rhinestones and crystals. The crystals began to scatter off in small clumps as the red tulle of the gown fast approached, set at my hips. My hair as fastened back into a chignon and red earrings dangled from my ears. "Seriously, you two have been arguing like little children since day one. Please, swallow your prides for just a few hours and you will never have to associate yourselves with one another again. Honestly, I am exhausted, literally running on coffee and no sleep, and you two bickering is not helping."