The Selection (1x1 with AnnaCat17)

[EchoOfShatteredIce]

Eleanor scowled, watching him leave before getting out of her room and exiting the house through the back door. She wanted to be anywhere but there right now.

Elliott nodded, but was disappointed. "I understand," she muttered. She followed him to the door and into the car, staying silent during the ride back, avoiding looking at him.

Jakob looked over at him, shaking his head. "Just need to rest," he murmured, closing his eyes again. "Why were you drunk?" he asked before he could think about it.

[AnnaCat17]

Romeo stayed silent the entire drive back to the castle but once he parked he felt the need to try to fix things and keep Elliott from feeling embarrassed. He pulled out his wallet and handed her a couple hundred dollars. "Here. You and that Dacey girl should go do something fun this weekend. You deserve the time off especially after how my family is treating you. Im sorry for Eleanor and my's behavior. You deserve better." He sighed and put his wallet away again. "There were a few guys that when you were in the selection they were planning on proposing to you if you got sent home. They are still single and have been focusing on running their companies the last several years. If you wanted I could set something up for you with one of them. They are all really good guys that would be able to give you whatever you want."

Matteo shrugged and rested his head against the bed. "I wanted to be. I was hoping it would make me feel better but it didn't."

[EchoOfShatteredIce]

Elliott shook her head, setting the money down onto the dashboard. "I can't take your money. I don't want it." She shook her head, getting out of the car. "No thanks," she muttered, closing the car door and escaping into the castle.

Eleanor made it to the palace much later. She went inside and made her way up to the Selected's rooms. She snuck into Vice's room, lightly knocking on his bedroom door before letting herself in.

"Feel better from what?" Jakob asked, though he probably shouldn't have. He ran his fingers through Matteo's hair.

[AnnaCat17]

Romeo watched her go sadly. he felt completely alone as he watched ehr practically run away from him. He squeezed the steering wheel tightly for a moment before driving home.

Vice sat on his couch reading a letter from home but when she walked in her looked at her confused. "Did you get lost or something?"

Matteo shrugged again and changed the subject. "if this was your selection, who would you pick>"

[EchoOfShatteredIce]

"No." Eleanor went over to him, gripping his shirt and pulling him down with her so they were lying on the couch. She kissed him, tangling a hand into his hair. She wanted a distraction and someone to spend the night with.

"Lysander is to easy to manipulate," Jakob said. "Karter seems okay, and so does Vice. Gabel's too timid for me. The others, I don't really like. One of them, I guess, but I'm not interested in any of them, and Karter's too much in love with you to be interested in anyone else."

[AnnaCat17]

Vice fell back onto the couch with her but as soon as she kissed him his eyes widened and he pulled away from her causing him to fall off the couch and onto the ground. He looked around panicked for a moment, worried this was some sort of a trap, before looking back at her. "What did you go and do that for?"

"Hes not in love with me." Matteo muttered and fidgeted with the bed frame. "He is in love with the attention I give him. You all were ready to lynch me over that prank and I don't even want to see what all of you are like now after that interrogation." He sighed and looked up at Jakob. "Maybe it would be easier if I just ended it. You all made some cash and i could just keep everyone around for another two weeks to make sure no one is upset about the amount they got and then send you all home before another person snaps and tries to kill me."

[EchoOfShatteredIce]

Eleanor scowled, her cheeks warming up. "Forget it," she snapped, getting up and brushing her clothes off. "It doesn't matter." She stormed from his room, angry at everything at this point.

Jakob shook his head, but didn't respond for a while. "If that's what you want. I mean, it's your decision. But I don't think that will solve anything."

[AnnaCat17]

Vice got up quickly and reached around her so when she tried to open the door her shut it with his hand and was trapping her against it. "Ok hang on. Lets talk about this rather than just you running off to go make out with another selected and get yourself in even more trouble. What has you so worked up?"

"How?" Matteo asked, his voice calm. "I mean you said it yourself, this is all just a game. No one here is going to fall in love with me as long as things stay this complicated and everyone stays so caught up on the fact Im a prince that they can't just be themselves. You all are getting the money you want and will have an easier time finding someone to marry once you are gone. The only loser in this situation is me but frankly I can't find a situation where I win."

[EchoOfShatteredIce]

"Hey!" Eleanor hissed, irritated. "It's none of your business," she snapped, shoving her hands against his chest. But unhappiness welled up inside of her and tears pricked her eyes and she ended up gripping his shirt tightly in her fists.

Jakob closed his eyes, tired but wanting to figure this out. "The Selection is an opportunity to show that you can handle responsibility and shows your ability to make a decision. Ending the Selection without picking someone won't look too good on you. It'll show that you can't make a decision. Best case scenario is that you pick someone who's willing to look good beside you on camera and letting you run your life how you want to off screen."

[AnnaCat17]

"It is my business if it is making you shove your tongue down my throat and trying to get me executed." He shot back at her but when she started to cry he caved. he pulled her into a tight hug and gently rubbed her back. "Im a good listener and i don't gossip like some of the other guys. You can talk to me."

"Ya well no one really cares about my decision making capabilities. That more applied to Pavel. All I need to do is prove I can entertain people and maintain strong relations with other countries which I have already shown the 12 times I've gone overseas. Now move over." he said before sliding into the bed beside Jakob, forcing their bodies to press close as he settled down with his head next to Jakob's on the pillow. "if you push me out of the bed I swear I will bite you."