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

Chapter 43

The meal was nice and calm with all of the families discussing at once, which could get kind of hectic.

"You've never had a pet?" One of the girls exclaims to Alex. He shakes his head.

"The palace isn't exactly the most desirable place for pets." He says with a small chuckle.

"I absolutely love my dog. He's just so adorable!" Catastrophe giggles.

"What type is it?" Payton asks bending around the table.

"Pomeranian." Catastrophe says.

"Those dogs are barely even real dogs." Payton snorts.

"What do you know about dogs?" Catastrophe asks. "Have you ever even left your town?"

"Do you really even have to leave your town to know something?" I ask. My dad looks at me warningingly. "I'm just saying."

"I've had six dogs in my entire life. Four are still alive." Payton tells her. "I lived on a farm, if you were wondering."

There weren't a lot of farms in Illéa anymore. I looked at Payton as she talked to Catastrophe.

"Why are you even here? I thought you got sent home weeks ago?"

"I got engaged." Payton leans over the table and holds her hand out. She had a small ring of gold around her finger. It wasn't much but it's all we could afford even with the money from the Selection.

"Wait Charlie's brother?" Catastrophe says looking at how she was sitting with my family. She probably didn't even know the difference between Henry and Jason. "You seriously went from the Selection to a Six?"

My breath gets stuck in my throat. If the queen and king or any of the other members of the royal family were here, but Alex, I wouldn't have done it.

I sat there in the awful silence for a minute then spoke up. Not to Catastrophe, not to any of my family, but I turned to Alex.

"Why is she even still here?" I say with rage and just flat out disappointment in my voice.

Everyone was shocked. My own family was shocked. Payton was shocked. Every single other person there was shocked.

I wait. Just for a minute to see if Alex was going to say anything, but he never did. I push my seat back without even caring where it went, unlike I ever had at the palace and storm away. I go into the palace. And run into my room where nobody waits for me.

It's different when Catastrophe offends others, but this was directed at me. At my family. I was mad at her and her stupid family. Most of all I was mad at Alex for letting her do it.

I didn't cry, but I stood there in my own misery while I waited for just someone, anyone to walk into my room. In a way, I hoped it was Alex. So I could yell at him, but instead a familiar, more friendlier face bursts into the door.

He didn't say anything at first, he just stood against the door. I walk over to him and hug his neck.

"You love him don't you?" Jason whispers in my ear as he puts his arms around me. I close my eyes and bury my face in his shoulder.

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't." I mutter. I would put up with all these stupid girls who didn't know anything.

"It'll be over soon." Jason whispers. "One way or the other."

"I don't want you to leave." I say, my voice muffled in his shirt.

"I don't want to ever leave ever either. But I'm always going to be here." He says.

"Come sit on the bed." I tell him. By the time we sat on the bed Payton walked in.

"God, why does she have to be like that? She's spoiled is what she is and she's never been told no." She says sitting beside Jason on the bed. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have fought with her, I know how stupid she is."

"It isn't your fault." Jason tells her and puts his other arm around her. "It's okay. Both of you."

Payton was stronger than me. She didn't need Jason to hug her right now, but I did.

"Did you see what Alex did about it?" I ask both of them.

"He dismissed everyone. Immediately." Payton tells me.

"Nothing is going to happen. Just like last night I fought with her. He didn't do anything." I say. "I don't even know why I'm still here. Well, I sort of did, but I would admit it.

A minute later a familiar knock came at my door. Very familiar. Too familiar. The door breaks open and my breath gets stuck in my throat.

"Why are you here! Go!" I scream and sit up from Jason's shoulder.

"I wanted to apologize." Alex was trying. He was. And I was about to make him look like a fool in front of two of my family members. "Catastrophe is just stressed with her family and–"

"I cannot believe you are still taking up for her!" I say sitting up onto my knees on the bed.

"Char please let me talk–"

I cut him off again.

"It's me or her, Alex. It's me or her." I say it loud and firm and it shocks him. "Now get out of my room!"