The Luna Choosing Game

No, that was a foolish notion. He was kind to Elva because he was a kind person. At the end of the day, Elva and I were going to be eliminated from the competition.

We’d leave the palace, return to our little apartment with Anna, and never hear from Nicholas again, We’d probably see him on television sometimes, with updates on his new family.

It might hurt to see, but that was life.

Dreams were dreams. Reality was reality.

I couldn’t have both.

“It’s so nice of Prince Nicholas to spend so much time with you and your daughter,” said one of the other girls to me

“Looks good for the cameras, too,” said another girl, pointing as a cameraman came close to Elva.

Odd, I hadn’t really noticed them before.

Neither, apparently, had Nicholas. Because the moment he spotted the camera following Elva, he swung her the other way, out of the camera’s line of sight.

“You don’t think he’s doing it just for show?” said the first girl.

him people don’t get to see. I’m

I were only here as a publicity stunt. But even so, Nicholas was not the type of person to take advantage of that. He danced with Elva because he didn’t

see while it lasts,” another girl said. “Hope you are enjoying yourself too, Piper. We all know you’ll be the first one

a polite smile but didn’t say anything. I knew I’d be gone soon as

those guards headed this

girls were staring. True enough, a pair of guards was weaving their way through the crowd, coming right

you think they want?”

came closer. I waited for them to go by, but instead they stopped night in front

“Miss Piper one asked

for you,” whispered one of the girls into my

I

must have

who had initially been kind to me.

Follow me

began to walk away. The other waited for me to