Scarlett Selected

TWO

"DAJAVONA. DOWNSTAIRS." My foster mother shouts up to my room. I growl under my breath and drop my paint brush into the cup of water. I wipe my paint covered hands on my jeans and push out my chair, standing.

"COMING-I'm coming." I grumble walking to my door and opening it, leaving orange paint on the silver door knob. I tap down the stairs and look at Silica, who was braiding Rachel's hair for the night. I stare at my foster sister for a moment. Long platnium blonde hair and honey brown eyes with freckles that littered her cheeks. Rachel is beautiful. Theres no doubt in my mind that she already has the Selection in the bag.

Rachel glances at me and rolls her eyes folding her arms across her chest.

"Take a picture Von, it'll last longer."

"Trust me Rachel, the last thing I need of you, is a picture." I retort.

"Quiet, both of you." Silica snaps. She lifts her head and looks at me before nodding to the stack of envelopes on the island counter top. "Dajavona, I need you to take these to the post office. They're those nonsense bills that were sent yesterday."

"Yeah, um okay." I take the bills and glance back at the news where they are talking about a girl from Whites who was beaming like a award winning actor. She was in line to get ready for the selection. I felt my stomach churn before looking at Silica.  "Hey...um Silica...I was wondering if maybe you would let me take some of my money out of your checking."

"And why is that?" Silica asked sharply continuing to curl Rachel's hair.

"I...I...uh..." I lean back on my heels and shuffle one of my feet. "I wanna be in the Selection drawing." I tell her with a small smile and hopeful look. Silica blinked and Rachel choked on a scoff. "Please?"

"Mom, you should totally let her." Rachel snorts. "That way she can understand true disappointment." Silica grumbles under her breath.

"Dajavona-"

"Please Silica, please! I want to do this so freaking badly, please. If I don't get in then I will work ten times harder. Please." I grab onto Silica's arm to grab her attention. Silica examines my face for a moment before letting out an annoyed sigh.

"Okay. Fine. Fine. If it will shut you up for the rest of the week, fine. Take then 20 dollars out of the paper envelope on the counter and go get cleaned up. Or ya know, dont. That works too." Silica says unwinding the curling iron from Rachel's hair. I jump for joy and grab the envelope off the xounter taking the twenty dollars out.

I hesitantly sneak a ten out of it too, before pocketing it. It was my money anyways! Hell, my userID was on it! I hold the bills tightly in my hand before sprinting out the front door. Looking around, I can't help but smile a bit.

After about thirty minutes of riding my bike around the city I finally get back home. Not even bothering the rack my bike, I let it drop in the front yard. I grip the bag in my hand with a newly bought dress in it. I pull the door open and scoop up Toothless from the couch. Looking around, it looks like Silica and Rachel both left already.

I race up the stairs and toss Toothless onto my bed. I open up the plastic bag and pull out the red dress, running my fingers over the new fabric. Turn back to my mirror and examine my face.

A few paint splotches here and there, but nothing a wet cloth and some makeup couldn't fix up. I quickly pull off my jeans and t-shirt, tugging the dress over my head. It was cut to show off my freckled shoulders, and had a simple swoop at the neck and tightened at the waist.

I run to the bathroom grabbing a washcloth, setting to work. Upon finishing, I pushed my hair into a braid. The darker eyeshadow made my green eyes pop a little and thought my brown hair was a bit frizzy in the braid, I still made it work. Clapping my hands, I pull on my brown boots and sprint out the door, grabbing the twenty on the way out.