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.

no,” the second girl relented. “It just shows off a side of him people don’t get to see. I’m not sure why he’s trying

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

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

I knew I’d be gone soon as well as anyone, but it still hurt to

Are those guards

True enough, a pair of guards was weaving their way through

you think

go by, but instead they

“Miss Piper one asked

like they’re here for you,” whispered one of the girls into my

that’s me.” I told

must

didn’t like me. I wondered what happened to the ones who had

Follow me

to walk away. The other waited for me to follow