dusk until dawn (the selection)

what a weird way to interview someone

"So what do you think of him?" Asked Helena Burkes, a slim looking high caste lady (a Two, to be exact.) with shiny black hair and glossy red lips. She had brought a writer along with her, the girl couldn't be older than Dawn as she saw her scribbling down her words next to Helena.

It was three in the afternoon and Dawn had fitted her first dresses, learned what a brunch was and was now giving an interview from her cramped home. It had never seemed all that small before, but when seven extra people force their way in, bits of space tend to get less comfortable. The whole day had felt weird. As the days went on Dawn felt less and less sure about what was going to happen to her after friday.

Dawn was trying to read what the young girl was writing down. She couldn't make out much since she was writing it upside down for her, but certain words stuck out. Phrases like a very emotional demeanor and maniacal smile were clearly visible, when Dawn's face had remained neutral all throughout the interview. She was lying on paper.

"He is handsome." Dawn answered. She assumed Helena had meant prince Helios in her question. In reality she could barely remember what he looked like when she saw him on the news just a few days ago, but saying that would not be an option

"And?" Helena pressed on, "I heard he's very sexy, and mysterious too. Do things like that turn you on?" she leaned over the table, eager to get something scandalous out of her. Problem was, Dawn was nothing of the sort.

"What?" Dawn blinked and looked over at her mother quickly. Was she going to allow inappropriate questions like these? But mother simply nodded and darted her eyes over at Helena sharply to let her know she should answer. What kind of reaction was that? Who told Helena it was okay to ask stuff like this?

Dawn looked at the writer, who seemed to be writing quicker than ever, and managed to decipher a few words, "Excuse me I did not giggle or blush—"

"Oh let her write. I'll cut it out later." Helena waved her hand, and so that was how it went. Dawn could imagine this article turning out pretty horribly under the supervision of Helena. She was glad when Helena and her little writer left the apartment.

She was even more glad when the royal servants left, too. Today she had learned they were called Regulus, Amy and Gerald. She could not care less about them, but it was nice she could adress them with their names instead of the "hey you" or "hey" she'd used before. The girl, Amy, was less mean to her than she had been the day before. She told Dawn she wasn't going to let her embarrass herself on her first day at the palace.

It was strangely comforting and insulting at the same time.

Dawn watched Lisander walk towards her building from her window that night. She wondered if he'd blown up any jewelry stores lately to let the king know how cool and present his rebel gang was.

He was wearing different clothes than the day before, they looked very ordinary in Dawn's opinion. They were probably supposed to.

He looked up at her window and gestured her down, so she did. She wondered what would be for dinner tonight. Maybe she could bring home some for Ami. Maybe even for her mother, although she would probably get suspicious of where the good food would come from.

The evening went by pretty much the same as the night before, except tonight a new girl joined Elise and Dawn for dinner.

Her name was Julia. Her hair was blonde and her eyes were huge in amazement as she looked at Dawn, "So you really got selected, huh?" asked Julia. So many new people lately, Dawn couldn't keep track of them all.

She nodded.

"And she's going to convince Helios to drop the caste system!" Elise threw finger guns at Julia.