The Luna Choosing Game

“9?” someone gasped.

I agreed, that seemed like so many people to be eliminated all at once!

“9,” Nathan confirmed. “When you are eliminated, you are to pack your bags and immediately vacate the premises. There will be cars waiting to escort you home. There will be no arguments or reconsiderations.”

A rising mumble roused again, as the girls whispered to one another.

Many of them turned to look at me.

“The first one to go…”

||

I tried to ignore them.

Soon, they stopped paying attention to me, and instead cast their dagger eyes at each other.

After Nathan’s announcement, many ‘accidents‘ seemed to consistently happen amongst the

candidates.

Spilled drinks. “How clumsy of me.”

Tripping. “You should really watch your step.”

Torn dresses. “Didn’t you notice that nail sticking out there?”

It seemed that with the quickly approaching elimination, the girls had begun to turn on one another.

Olivia and Linda were the most vicious, though neither seemed to take any action themselves. Rather, they relied on their alliances to defend them and carry out acts of subterfuge. Yet it was clear who the

masterminds were.

Fortunately for me, no one took me seriously, and they didn’t even bother hiding it.

One girl had been ready to ruin my dress with an opened lipstick case, until she realized it was me.

Sorry, Piper.”

“It’s fine.” I was happy to be considered unimportant enough to be left alone.

The next night, a banquet was held. Yet before we had even sat down, the fighting between Olivia and Linda had reached a boiling point. Though they never raised their voices, their sniping at each other had

turned lethal.

“Is that a new dress, Linda? I’m sure I saw it on sale last season.

“Oh, Olivia, you must have trouble telling the decades apart, which would explain your hairstyle.”

Olivia and Linda smiled tightly at each other.

Then, Olivia ‘tripped‘ and spilled her red wine all down the front of Linda’s mauve gown.

“Oops. How terribly clumsy of me.” Olivia held out a tissue. “This might help.

Linda’s face turned red. “Why, you!” She moved to slap Olivia, but Olivia ducked out of the way just in

time.

been standing just behind her. That slap was now

Nicholas caught Linda’s wrist, stilling her. Her eyes

all the way to

was absolutely not

embarrassing yourself,” he said, and threw her

to form coherent words. Instead, she just

out of the room.

girls made soft noises of excitement, and

she was, losing her temper enough to

herteme

prince. With this poor showing, she might drop

to thank him for stopping that slap. It

But he spoke

aware of your

Did he just imply being almost slapped was

advice,” I said, snidely, making it clear I was

his eyes

cut in, stepping between us. “Piper, will you sit

looked at Julian like

1. uh. The sudden question made my head spin. I already sat across from Julian. Why would he ask

me to move closer?

then he motioned to the chair I would be moving to.

sight of the Luna

buffer. And one of those chairs would be filled by Julian himself,

have a problem with that, do

his

don’t know.”

“9?” someone gasped.

like so many people to

vacate the premises. There will be cars waiting to escort you home. There will be no

mumble roused again, as the girls whispered to

them turned to look at

first one

||

to

to me, and

announcement, many ‘accidents‘ seemed to

candidates.

drinks. “How clumsy of

really watch

you notice that nail

the girls

take any action themselves. Rather, they relied on their alliances to defend them and carry out acts of subterfuge. Yet it was clear

masterminds were.

me seriously, and they didn’t even bother

to ruin my dress with an opened

Sorry, Piper.”

be considered unimportant enough to be left

down, the fighting between Olivia and Linda had reached a boiling point. Though they never raised their voices, their sniping at each other

turned lethal.

a new dress, Linda? I’m sure I saw it on

the decades