I decided to post my first chapter of this book to see what everyone thinks. Eventually I will post four more, but I still need to write them. This is just an experiment.

I wake up on the morning of my 16th birthday to the smell of bacon and eggs coming from the kitchen. I check my clock to see it is 8:00. As an adventurer I usually get up around 8:00 every day because that is what my body has gotten used to. I get out of bed and go to my bathroom to get ready for the day. I look at myself in the mirror as I put my long black hair in a braid down my back. I look at my face. My eyes are green like my mom's, but my hair is black like my dad's. I sigh and get ready for the day. I put on black biker shorts with a white crop top and I put on my adventurer symbol. The adventurer symbol is a necklace that has a compass on it. I take out my makeup bag, so I can do my makeup. I put on a little bit of foundation, I use a pretty blue for my eye shadow, and I use a little bit of lip gloss.

"Morning, mom." I walk into the kitchen and sit on the counter.

"Good morning Everleigh. Happy 16th birthday!"

"I am so excited to find out what rank I get because I know I will stay an adventurer, and I can't wait to start training."

"You will find out after dinner tonight."

I grab a plate and pile food onto it. I sit on the counter and start eating.

"Everleigh, darling, what have I told you about sitting on the kitchen counter to eat?"

"Sorry Mom."

I slide off the counter and go to the table to finish breakfast.

After I finish eating, I go back to my room to get my shoes and my schedule.

Every person gets a tablet with their schedule on it, and the schedule changes every day.

I lace up my combat boots, and I check my schedule.

Today my schedule is:

10:00-11:30 Online classes

11:30-12:30 Lunch

12:30-2:00 Workout

2:00-4:00 Hike

4:00-5:00 Online classes

5:00-7:00 Dinner & Family time

7:00-7:30 Ranking

7:30-10:00 Aletta news

10:00 Bedtime

I see that I get my ranking letter at 7:00 tonight. The ranking process is simple: you get a letter the night of your 16th birthday then the Friday morning of the week you turn 16 people come to get you ready for your new life, or they will get you ready to train for real in the rank you are already in.

I have an hour before online classes start so I decide to go outside and explore a little bit.

I walk outside, and I start to climb down the latter of my house.

You see, many adventurers live in tree houses because of our love of the outdoors. The treehouses are just like a regular house, but they are in a tree.

When I reach the ground I step out from under the tree. The morning sunlight makes the dew in the grass shine like little crystals. I hear all the birds singing from the trees. Everything is bright and beautiful in the mornings. I feel bad for anyone who does not get to see this every morning.

I spend some time in the sun, letting the light shine down on me. I check my watch to see it is 9:50, and I know I should get ready for online classes.

I get inside and turn on my holoprojector. My first class is on the history of Aletta. I remember learning this two years ago, but I only learned the basics.

I start reading the screen.

Aletta is a small country in south Ravrea that was formed after war broke out between our two border countries, Oshela and Zespen. A part of Zespen broke off and formed Aletta after the war. After Aletta was formed, the government needed a way to improve the country and keep it from chaos in order for it to stay a country and for it to expand. They developed the ranking to keep the country strong. There are five ranks that keep the country in balance. There are the researchers who make cures for sickness, the defenders who defend the border, the musicians to keep people entertained, the adventurers to explore the territory, and the royalty who rule under the government. At the age of 16 a person is put into one of these five ranks, and they are expected to stay there or they will be sent to become an outcast.

I finish reading and taking notes on the section. I scan the notes with my tablet and send them into the officials that read all of the work sent in by kids all around the country.

I check my watch to see I finished about five minutes early so I decide to go to my room.

I walk to my room and sit on my bed. I take a picture off my wall and look at it. It is a picture of me and my best friend who had passed away last year after she had gotten the sickness with no cure. I think about her every day. She was amazing. She had beautiful long blonde hair and green eyes that had a mischievous sparkle to them. Her funeral was closed casket because they said the disease was still alive even though she was dead. It was also raining during the funeral. It was like the clouds knew that an amazing person had just left this world and passed onto the afterlife. Her name was Serena. She and I were always seen together. We never went anywhere without each other. My mom said we were two peas in a pod. We would always cause trouble. We never were apart. Then, I remember her getting diagnosed. She wasn't feeling well, and everyone thought it was just a common cold. Her parents took her to the doctor after her fever reached 105, and they diagnosed her with the disease. I would always visit her. I was there when she passed. I watched on the other side of the safety glass as she passed. Doctors had to drag me away so they could prepare her body for the funeral, and that was the last time I ever saw her.

I remember the sadness that hit me after she passed. It was like a blanket of sorrow that wrapped around me and snuffed out all the happiness.

I am so deep in my thoughts, I don't notice my mom coming up behind me. She taps me on the shoulder and I jump.

"Sweetheart, lunch is ready."

"Okay Mom."

I get up and head to the dining room. I sit down across from my little sister. My sister, Lily, is the opposite of me in almost every way. She has Mom's light blonde hair and Dad's dark brown eyes. She does love to adventure, but she loves her books more. I would not be surprised if she gets put into research on her 16th birthday.

I eat in silence, ignoring my family's chatter around me because I am not in the mood for talking right now. I am thinking about Serena again, and how our birthdays were the exact same day. I wish she was here to celebrate with me. When we were little, we always talked about how we would open our ranking letters together. Now the thought of spending today without her is finally hitting me. I don't think I can make it through today.

"Baby girl, are you thinking about Serena again?" My dad must have noticed the tears in my eyes.

"Yeah, I just always imagined I would spend today with her, and that we would open our letters together like we said all those years ago."

I can't hold back the tears anymore, and they start streaming down my face. I nod slightly. My dad comes over to me and hugs me from behind. I let myself relax into his embrace. He rocks me gently and whispers reassuring words in my ear.

After ten minutes, the tears stopped. I got up and hugged my dad back. I know he will always have my back. I sit back down and continue eating my lunch.

After lunch, I start my workout. My workout consists of abs work, cardio, and flexibility. I finish my hour and a half workout, and I get ready for my hike.

I know what everyone is thinking. "Why would you hike if you just did a workout?"

My answer to you guys is: adventurers need to be able to do a lot, so we need multiple activities in our day to help us.

I climb down the ladder, and I start off towards the mountains. I always hike in the same spot because it was the spot I hiked in with Serena. We had picked this spot because of the scenery along the trail.

I hike up the trail while listening to the birds chirping, creating a symphony of nature.

It takes me a half hour to get to the top of the hill. I lay at the top of the hill looking at the sky. I think of all the times Serena and I layed on the ground and watched the clouds float by. We would always find the weirdest shapes in the clouds. I remember when we talked about how there could be a whole kingdom in the clouds. I miss the times spent with Serena. I had taken advantage of the times we spent together. I wish it never ended. I wish she was still with me. I want her to be here with me lying on the ground and finding weirdly shaped clouds.

I lay on the ground for a half hour before I start making my way home. The walk takes about half an hour to get home.

After I get home, I go to my bathroom and take a shower. I let the steaming water wash over my shoulders. My long, curly hair is even longer without the curl. I take my shampoo and conditioner and I run them through my long hair. Stepping out of the shower I dry my hair the best I can with a towel. I pull my hair up into a messy bun, and I go to my room. I put on an emerald green t-shirt and a pair of white shorts. Then, I put on black socks with my black combat boots.

By the time I am done with my shower and putting on clean clothes, it is 3:55.

I go back to the kitchen and get on my holoprojector. I look through my class work to see what is due today. I have some math work that still needs to be done so I work on that.

Math has always been hard for me, so it takes me a while to get through the assignment. I eventually give up, and I decide to stare at the clock until 5.

At 5 I turn off my holoprojector, and I get ready for dinner.

I go to my room, and I put on a knee length dress that is teal. I have always been told that teal is my color, so that is the color I usually wear.

I walk out to the dining room, and I sit down at the table.

"Happy birthday Evie." Evie is my dad's nickname for me. He's called me that since I was little.

"Thank you Dad."

"Are you excited to get your letter?" My sister questions.

"I am so ready," I reply.

After that, everyone starts eating.

We are done, and sitting on the family sofa by 6.

We sit around our small coffee table, and we talk about the ranking.

At 7 there is a knock at the door.

I run over to the door. There are two officials in blue uniforms standing at the door. The one on the left has my ranking letter in his hand while the one on the right stands stiffly next to the other official.

He reaches out to hand me the letter. I take the letter, and I politely nod my head in gratitude.

"Thank you."

"No problem ma'am. Happy Birthday, and good luck on your ranking," the official on the left tells me.

They leave and I close the door behind them.

I watch the officials climb down the ladder of our house. I slowly walk back over to my family once the officials are out of sight.

"Well Ly, what does it say?" My sister, impatient as always, demands.

I open the golden envelope, take out the letter, that is written on fancy gold paper, and read it aloud.

"Dear Miss Williams,

Happy 16th birthday. We have looked at all of your work, and we have taken what you are good at into account for your ranking. We are glad to inform you that you are now an official part of the royal family. You are the first ever royal family member that is not of royal blood. Two of the best royal defenders will come to get you ready on Friday for your new life in the palace. Congratulations on your ranking.

Sincerely,
Government of Aletta," I finish reading the letter.

"Wait so I'm not an Adventurer anymore?" It finally hits me.

"You are so lucky. I want to be a royal," my little sister exclaims.

I ignore her trying to fight off the disappointment that washes over me like a tidal wave.

"I thought I would be an Adventurer. I was supposed to be an Adventurer."

Tears come to my eyes as I think about the promise I made to Serena before she passed. I promised her I would be the best Adventurer in the history of Aletta. I promised her I would live both of our lives since she could not live out her life due to the disease.

"The test is never wrong, Evie," My dad says as he comes over and hugs me.

"Why couldn't I have stayed an Adventurer? I love to hike and be outside. The royal family stays in the palace. They are so stuck up. I don't want to be a royal. I want to be an Adventurer."

"Why don't you change that. Go outside while you are at the palace. Find more hiking places for Adventurers. You can benefit your former rank while being in your new rank. You don't have to just sit in the palace all day. You can get out."

"You're right, Dad. I will do all that I can to help the Adventurers while being a royal. I will be the best I can be at being a royal."

The Aletta News comes on at 7:30, and we all sit in silence and watch until 10. At 10 I head up to my room and get in bed hoping tomorrow will be better. I have two days until the royal defenders come and pick me up to get me ready for my new life.
Here is the first chapter of Mistaken. I hope you all like it.

Sincerely,
Asya Esenia Romanova-Barnes