The Chosen [COMPLETED]

Chapter 8

I paced around my room, thinking about the few conversations Officer Wood and I have had. 

"Do you like me?" I asked. I made sure Officer Wood was able to see the concern on my face.

"How could you tell?" He asked, with a small smile on his face.

"You have been flirting with me this whole time, and I was too caught up in my own damn head to realize it until now!" I yelled. I took a quick breath and tried to calm down. The smile on Officer Wood's face faded away.

"You know why I am here, you have no chance with me." 

"The Prince can't focus on you alone. He has-"

"I am leaving as soon as I can. I don't even know your name." I interrupted. 

"August," he commented. I shook my head, I wanted to slap him. I just learned his name.

"Get out," I said. August got up to leave without hesitating. He turned around before leaving. I could tell he wanted to say something, but he decided not to. He looked like he had been hurt, but right now I didn't care. 

I started pacing around my room, thinking about August. He should know that he had no chance with me to start. I was here because I was chosen for the Queesntrail, and I didn't even get a choice to be here. 

My mind was racing. I didn't know what to do, or if I should tell someone about how August had used me. 

"Miss, do you need anything?" Justine asked from behind me. I turned around and saw all three of my maids standing there. I forgot they were here. They must have heard everything. 

"I don't know," I said. I collapsed on my bed. I felt hopeless. 

"I'll prepare a bath," Amy said, quietly. She left and Justine and Tracy followed, not knowing how else to help me. I sat there, thinking about how I had not realized it earlier. 

A few minutes later, Amy came to tell me that my bath was ready. She said she had put a few scents in, which should help me calm down a little bit. 

I was glad I could be alone for a while. I could tell the scents in the bath helped calm me down. I knew that I should apologize to August the next time I saw him, even though I had meant everything I said. 

I was able to calm down during my bath. I decided to write a letter to Breklyn. I found a sheet of paper and a pen and started writing. I tried to tell her everything I could remember. I told her that I had been on a date with Easton. I told her about the food and my room. It felt nice to be able to write to her. It was a way we could still communicate with each other. 

When I was done, I asked Tracy to make sure it got delivered. I did not feel like going to the lounge for the rest of the day. I wanted to stay in my room and make sure August was not going to have to escort me anywhere. 

I changed into my nightgown early and started to read the diary that Easton had given me. I started with the first entry. The former king explained that he was writing the diary, hoping that future generations would continue to rule the country the way it should. He went on about making sure people are limited on their freedoms, and keeping citizens in order. 

I wondered what had happened to make him want to take away people's freedom and create the ranks. It seemed like life had been much better before the ranks were put into place. I only read the first few entries, but I was already questioning how Christopher ruled. 

I hid the diary under my bed when I was done reading for the night. I was hoping that tomorrow,  I would be able to go to leave my room without having to worry about seeing August. 

For a while, I could not sleep. My brain kept me awake, thinking about when Breklyn would get my letter. I wondered what my mother would say to me if I decided to leave the Queenstrial on my own. I did not want to be the first girl to go home, and I knew that as long as I was here, my family was getting a few extra dollars.

After August used me, I almost felt unsafe. And I didn't feel much of a connection when I was on my date with Easton. I doubted that Easton would even notice anything was different if I left. It was going to be a hard decision to make. 

The next morning my maids woke me up by opening the curtains and letting in the sunlight. I moaned as I slowly got out of bed, and had my maids get me dressed. I knew I was going to have to leave my room for meals, and Harper had a project for us to do in the lounge after Breakfast. She had not told anyone what it was, but I knew that the first elimination was going to be based on this project. 

I got dressed and had to go to breakfast with the other chosen girls. I left my room and August was ready to escort me to breakfast. We walked down in silence, and never even made eye contact. He opened the doors and I went in to have breakfast. Katrina could tell I was quieter than usual, but I told her that I was tired. I didn't want to tell her the truth. 

After another quiet breakfast, everyone went to the lounge where Harper was waiting for us. 

"Ladies, I hope breakfast went well." She started. We sat around her, and she continued to make her announcement. 

"Normally. Our ally from the Eastern Islands come once a year to discuss trade with King Clarkson. They have decided to come during the Queenstrial and meet all of you since one of you will be the next queen." Harper explained. 

"I will be splitting you up into two groups and each group will be serving dinner one night." I knew that the Eastern Islands had a princess. I had seen pictures of her, and she looked a lot like the Queen. 

Harper started walking around giving each girl a number. When she got to my table, she counted Farley and me ones, and Katrina was a two. She was unhappy that she was in a separate group. 

"Ones go to this corner and twos go to that corner please," Harper said. Farley and I went over to our corner and watched as other girls came over. I knew some of the girls' names when they came over, but I needed some of them to introduce themselves. I was talking with a girl named Claire when I heard Chloe's screechy voice. 

"Alright ladies, I have a great idea!" Chloe announced to the group. We haven't even started and she already took over the whole project.