The Selection

The Tuxedo Man

      The whole realization of Ingrid actually winning the first part of The Selection didn't set in until the man with the clean black tuxedo came knocking at their door.

      Ingrid was lying in bed, eyes bloodshot from not sleeping at all. She had been too busy trying to realize fully that she was going to be living in a palace with nineteen other snooty girls with a snooty prince for weeks, months... Even years!!!

      Ingrid couldn't handle that type of stress. She was used to being free and going outside. She knew that was gonna be a no no. Ingrid might as well be a caged animal.

     Just then, Iris, Ingrid's youngest sister (age:13), ran into the room with Isabel (age:15).

    "Ingrid! There's a man downstairs in a fancy suit!" Iris exclaimed.

    "So? Can't you see I'm currently wallowing in my own pool of shame?" Ingrid asked miserably.

    "Save your crabbiness for someone who cares! Anyways, he's here from the palace," Isabel answered.

    "Are you lying?" Ingrid asked, sitting straight up.

    "Why would I lie about something so serious?!? Go before he doesn't let you go in the castle anymore and I go back to being a loser!!" Isabel ordered.

    "You don't boss me around! I am two years older than you," Ingrid replied.

    "Just go!" Iris and Isabel shouted at the same time.

    Ingrid pushed past the two and slowly trudged down the steps. From there, she could see that her parents were on one side of the couch while the tuxedo man was on the other side.

    He had a black hat on top of his dark brunette hair with a clean cut tuxedo on him that seemed to fit him perfectly and shiny black loafers.

   The man turned to see Ingrid and smiled.

   "Ah! You must be the Ingrid Snow," the tuxedo man said, standing up to shake hands with Ingrid.

    Ingrid simply smiled as she shook the tuxedo man's hand. But she was confused. Why had he said the Ingrid Snow? Was she famous or something?

    "Sit, please. There is some business that we need to discuss," the tuxedo man said.

    Ingrid nodded, to be polite, and followed him to the couch. Her parents smiled at her as she sat down.

    "Now, Ms.Snow, I must have you know the requirements before sending you to the palace. Your actions may or may not be televised so I suggest you to act your best at all times. Also, if the Prince wants to spend quality time with you or...have intercourse, then he shall. You have no say," the tuxedo man began.

    Ingrid felt the air escape her lungs. She had to do whatever the Prince wanted? Even have his possible offspring? Ingrid needed some air.

    "Excuse me," Ingrid said suddenly, standing up.

    Before she could be stopped, Ingrid ran out of the room and stormed onto the front yard. From there, she gulped big amounts of air until she was level headed again.

    When she arrived back in, everyone in the room looked at her with concern.

    "I needed to get some air. Some of the requirements were quite...shocking," Ingrid explained.

    The tuxedo man nodded and passed the paper and pen to Ingrid.

    "If you want, I shall not read anymore. They are on the top. You can read them because I can't leave without you knowing them. Also, sign on the bottom afterwards," the tuxedo man said.

    Ingrid read the rest of the requirements slowly and carefully. Some were normal like the curfew time- 12:00 a.m. But others were more outrageous like having to do private interviews with the cameras and being required to wear nothing but formal wear.

    Ingrid definitely knew that she wasn't going to survive.

    After reading the requirements, Ingrid signed the paper in her best signature handwriting that she could. She was signing her soul away. To Prince Kane.