The Selection

06

ARCHIE SITS ME DOWN ON his large bed, covered in silky navy blue sheets. His room is decorated with boy-ish stuff, something I wouldn't expect a prince to have. Boxing stuff in one corner, a desk piled with papers in a mess, music stuff filling a good half of the room. It's nice though. Cozy.

He wraps and arm around my waist and I wrap both around his torso. I know I'm not good enough for him and yet... now I have to tell him that. I lay my head on his chest and cry for a couple minutes.

I feel him lay a couple soft and gentle kisses upon my head, soothing me and helping me calm down. I sit up, our arms still wrapped around each other, and thank him.

"It's no problem," he sweetly says. "If you want to talk- I'm here. You don't have to though."

"When you asked if something was bad about me... I said everything," I say.

His eyebrows squish together making the scar between the become meek visible. Making him way more attractive. Confused Archie is cute.

"What? What do you mean?" he asks.

I swallow. "I mean I'm not good enough for you to like me as much as you say. I'm not good enough to be in your presence for as long as I have. I'm not good enough to be in your arms right now. I'm not good enough to be in the palace, either," I ramble.

"What do you mean?" Archie cuts in and wraps his arms tighter around my petite waist. "I- I don't get it."

"I'm a five. You're a one. Can't you see the difference, there? I'm a five from Carolina who gets paid the amount a seven does. I'm practically a seven with a fives job and life. I come from a family of one child where it might be hard for me to have a baby. I don't know what love is or if I can give it to you... things at home aren't great. My parents are fighting and have never shown affection for each other... love is something I don't think I can do I-" I'm cut off by Archie's lips.

Oh my god! The Archie Andrews, prince of Illeá is kissing me!

I bring one of my hands up into his hair and pull him closer, responding practically immediately to his kiss. I melt into him until we're both breathless and pull away.

"Don't say that," he says and shakes his head. "You're no longer a five. You're a three now and I'm sorry life has been so unfair for you. I know that you deserve to be here though and have an amazing shot at winning this. Better than anyone here. And for the love part, I'm sorry things are rough at home. All I know is that you're capable of love, Veronica."

"Do you really believe that?" I whimper.

"Of course I do," he says and pulls me into another kiss. "I've been watching on the Tv everything that's been happening with you girls and you're the sweetest one here. No doubt you're going to make it very far, if not become my wife."

I sucked in a breath and looked deep into his eyes. "Do you really think I could become your wife?" I ask.

"I have no doubt in that at all."