Royal (A Selection Fan Fiction) (Book One in my Selection Series)

Chapter 47

We all got ready for the ball that night. It started at nine and lasted till as late as twelve. The maids have worked as hard as possible to get all of our dresses made and they were all beautiful. Mine was a two piece, unlike the ones I've worn recently and the top was covered in a shiny blue lace that had sleeves that met my wrists.

Nearly two inches of my skin was shown at my stomach and then the shiny blue skirt flowed outward.

My hair was curled in loose waves and a waterfall braid held half my hair up.

Paisley had a cute, one shoulder, purple, Metallic dress that fit her perfect. Tayloe wore an elegant, strapless, gold dress that decorated her in jewels and Payton kept to the style she had during her time in the Selection. A mermaid dress covered in a thin lace that caressed her curves down to her knees then built itself outward beautifully. Louis had on an elegant grey dress that made her look classic.

When we met with my dad, Henry, and Jason, I noticed Jason has a matching purple tie to match Payton's gown.

"Lets go on in." I tell them. This was a different ballroom, one I'd never been in so when I walked in, even I blinked in surprise. But maybe it's for another reason. I stare at the paintings that I vaguely recognize the costumes from the early Jamestown days, but they weren't exactly paintings I saw. They were painted amongst the walls. And we're painted in bronze and other browns like they were meant to just blend into the walls.

"Look at the chandelier." Jason whispers. And I did, because I hadn't even noticed it until now. And yeah, he was right, look at the chandelier. The single chandelier that had golden vines crawl around the ceiling holding little candles on the tips, making the entire room glow.

"This is beautiful." I whisper.

"Beautiful is an understatement." Paisley mutters and starts walking forward. Most of the families were already here and helping themselves to the wine cups and finger foods. Catastrophe wasn't here to ruin everything today. So I found myself amongst the people picking up the glass goblets of red wine. But it smelt completely awful. I scrunch up my nose but turn to carry it away so I'm not rude.

"Smells bad doesn't it?" I turn and see a familiar face in mine.

"Like someone tried to cover the smell of death with rotting cranberries." I nod in agreement. I take a sip of it and shake my head. "Taste like it too."

"Here." Alex says taking the glass and putting it on a tray from one of the maids. "They don't have music playing yet, so I don't know exactly what they're trying to do."

"Maybe they're trying to get everyone drunk before hand." I shrug. Alex leans his head back and laughs.

"Is it okay if we talk to Payton and your brother? I haven't talked to her since she asked me to send her home." Alex says starting for the table they sat at.

"She asked for you to send her home?" I ask him.

He nods before saying, "She said she trusted I wouldn't turn her in for treason and told me about Jason. No specific details just a boy she loved. Her family didn't know about him and she didn't want them coming if she was an elite."

"Would you have kept her?" I wonder aloud.

"Yes. She would've been a good queen one day, but I wouldn't have kept her for any other reason as a 'just in case' route." He tells me. I nod and he puts one arm around my waist and leads me through the small crowd forming around the table and to the golden table to sit with Jason and Payton.

"Are you enjoying the party?" I ask Payton, who i sit beside.

"Better than the last one." Payton smiles, but Alex looks confused.

"Why?" He asks.

Payton looks at me and I realize what she means. Catastrophe isn't here to cling to Alex's arm and make everyone uncomfortable. We share a laugh that Jason and Alex can't join in.

"You wouldn't understand." She shrugs and returns back to her wine.

"Payton?" I ask her. She turns her attention towards me. "What Caste were you originally from?"

"Five." She answers. "Grew up with singing, piano, violin everything. Never loved any of it. I didn't belong in that caste." She shrugs.

I nod and look back at the people with their families.

"Do you want to dance?" Alex asks me suddenly. I think about it for a second. I couldn't dance, but I would at least try.

"Sure." I smile and let him lead me to the other side of the room. "I can barely dance." I tell him.

"Take your shoes off then and put your feet on my shoes. Then you won't have to know how to dance." Alex laughs. I laugh at the idea but take my shoes off and put them against the wall anyway. I gently place my bare feet on his black shoes still laughing at the silliness of the situation.

Doing this, though, causes us to be impossible close. Also, besides the point, it scares me have to death like I might fall, so I wraps my arms around his neck and try and keep my head far enough back so I don't accidentally hit him in the head with my nose or anything.

"You're so impossibly innocent." He laughs a little before he says to me.

"What makes you say that?" I ask curiously.

"Most of the other girls were in love before they met me. They weren't in love with me though. They were in love with the castle and the crown." Alex pauses. "You weren't."

"Is that your way of saying you think I'm in love with you." I laugh. He looks at me like he's thinking hard but ends up breaking out in a laugh.

"It's whatever you call it." He tells me.

What do I call it?