Fifth day of the Selection

I lost.

The fact dawns on me as I wake up to a white pristine ceiling and a distinct antiseptic smell. I must have passed out during the match and ended up in the medical examination room.

I lost.

I lost the Selection, the match I have been working my entire life towards winning. I lost to Morgan, yet again.

I should be devastated, but I can't seem to find that feeling in me. Instead, I feel... neutral? No, more than neutral. I am... at peace. Even happy, if I dare admit it.

Morgan deserves to win and ascend to NovaTopia. They are the better fighter—they've always been—and they worked hard for this. I'm happy that they won.

And I still made it to the finals anyway. I'll still get to ascend even if I don't go to NovaTopia. Space Shuttle 3 and 4 were built after NovaTopia and are known to be great places to live in. I've even heard that Space Shuttle 4 is the best residential space station apart from NovaTopia. USA-Hernandez Shuttle is the oldest shuttle, so while the facilities are outdated, it would still be an exciting experience to live in the first-ever residential space station.

As for the UN Shuttle and the New Research Shuttle... Well, they're the least popular space stations because they are heavily research-focused. But maybe I'll get to learn about cool science?

And if I don't like the place I end up in, I can return to the Tower, right? Like how Ryan did? Or was he only able to return because he was kicked out? But that would mean whatever he did to be kicked out, I could do too.

"You're awake."

Morgan's voice jolts me from my thoughts. Relief washes over me.

"Hey," I say as they drag a chair next to my bed. "I visited you last time, and now it's your turn, huh?"

"And your room is so much nicer than mine." Morgan positions the chair in the opposite direction, such that the back of the chair is in front of them and they can lean on it. "Must be nice to have a general as a brother who can pay for your lifestyle."

I glance around the room. It is a lot bigger than the one Morgan was in. In the corner, there's a medical bot parked and on standby.

"He cared enough to pay for me?"

"He was worried for you."

"Then where is he?"

"The generals are all talking to the Board of Directors now. The winners will be announced soon. You woke up just in time."

Oh, right. The winner of the Selection has not yet been officially announced, even though we all know who won. My smile widens. "Congratulations, Morgan. I knew you'd win."

They beam at me. I've never seen such genuine joy in their eyes. "You made me fight so hard for it, Lara."

"You told me to not go easy on you."

"I did, but I didn't expect you to overheat and pass out like that."

Was that what happened? I shake my head and chuckle. "I guess I'm too weak to win."

Morgan's smile fades. "What are you talking about? You are incredibly strong, Lara. You had to endure so much pain to use that Gift."

I look down at my palms. They're smooth and pale, without a single burn mark. No longer "gross", as Joaquin Romero put it. "It was painful," I admit. "At least it was pretty cool while it lasted."

"You mean hot."

I raise my brows. "Are you calling me hot again?"

Morgan blinks. For a moment, I wonder if they've forgotten about calling me hot a few days ago and my joke is going to fall flat, but then their cheeks blush. They stand up so fast that the chair almost crashes to the floor. "Let's go. It's time for the closing ceremony."

They spin around and stomp away.

I hop out of the bed. "Morgan, wait up!"

***

The stadium is back to its glamor and grandeur of the opening ceremony. The familiar cheers of the crowd erupt as all the cadets make their way across the field. Multiple large screens float above us, each playing a different clip of the Selection. I see a lot of clips of my matches with Kim and Morgan.

Instead of their viewing booths, the directors are now seated in the center of the stadium, with the generals standing behind them. General Caelum is in the middle behind Director Evangeline. I don't dare to look at her. I must have let her down.

Meanwhile, Ryan stands at the far end, his uniform disheveled. He waves at me as I walk by and I stick out my tongue at him.

The cadets gather in front of the directors and generals. Director Evangeline is the one giving the closing speech. The entire stadium hushes the moment she steps up to the microphone. As she talks about the Selection and how it showcases the ever-improving physical limits of humankind, her voice is so smooth and captivating. Everyone—every director, every general, every person in the audience—has their gaze fixed upon her, as if charmed by her speech. I wonder if this is a talent of hers or a Gift.

Well, she charms everyone except for Ryan. Even while standing, he is nodding off to sleep.

When the speech is over, Director Lin takes over the microphone amid applause. I draw in a breath. It's time.

"After the wonderful performances by our cadet class, each space station will now choose a cadet to grant its shuttle residency to," Director Lin says. "First, we have the USA-Hernandez Shuttle. It is the first space station that was built for both residential and research purposes. Early residents of the USA-Hernandez Shuttle were pioneers of the Shuttle Residency Programs. Without them, the five other space stations would not have been developed. The cadet ascending to the USA-Hernandez Shuttle will be able to live in a space station with significant historical and cultural influences.

"And the cadet the representatives of USA-Hernandez Shuttle have chosen to grant its residency to is" —Director Lin pauses for a beat— "Brandon Oakley! Congratulations!"

Cheers roar from both the crowd and the cadets, as Brandon's grinning face appears on the screens. A director stands and steps forward to meet Brandon in the middle and shake his hand. Then, he presents Brandon with a key—the key that will activate the spaceship to transport him to his new home in the sky.

I join in the applause half-heartedly while chanting 'Space Shuttle 4' in my mind.

"Next, we have the United Nations Shuttle," Director Lin continues. "As the second space station, it was initially built for space research. Gradually, residential facilities were incorporated for scientists and their families to live in, and now, thousands of residents live in the UN Shuttle. The cadet ascending to this space station will be able to witness and even participate in the cutting-edge research programs in the UN Shuttle.

"And the cadet the representatives of the UN Shuttle has chosen to grant its residency to is... Min-Ju Kim! Congratulations!"

Oh, Kim! I clap with a lot more vigor and join in the cheering as well. The crowd is louder too; they must have liked her a lot. Kim beams widely as she shakes the hand of another director and accepts the key to her new home.

"The third space station is none other than..." Director Lin begins, purposely dragging out the sentence. A blanket of silence falls over the stadium, as though everyone is holding their breath in anticipation of this next announcement. The most important and most eagerly awaited announcement.

"NovaTopia!" Director Lin finishes. The stadium roars with anticipation.

I turn to glance at Morgan—as does everyone else in the cadet class. Some of them even reach their hands out to give Morgan a slap on the back. They smile, but their eyes remain fixed ahead, their back straight, and their head held high.

"Built by the generous Joseph Zobes, NovaTopia was designed to be more than a residential space station. Its mission is to become a newer and better Earth. The cadet ascending to this space station will gain the opportunity to experience a true paradise. And the cadet the representatives of NovaTopia has chosen to grant its residency to is..."

I hold my hands out, ready to clap when Morgan's name is announced.

"Lara Lorensky!"

The world freezes around me.

Did she say... Lara Lorensky?

Me?

I stare at Director Lin, waiting for her to retract her statement. Instead, she smiles and gestures for me to come forward. Her mouth is moving, but I don't hear anything. Is everyone silent, or is the ringing in my ears drowning out their voices?

I turn to my classmates next to me, and I am met with bewilderment and confusion that mirror mine. Morgan is still staring straight ahead, but I can still see the shock on their face. My stomach twists. This must be a mistake. This has to be.

There's a tap on my shoulder. Someone is urging me to move. Slowly, my feet shuffle forward towards the director waiting for me in the middle of the arena. It's Director Evangeline. The most powerful director is waiting for me, a key in her hand.

Behind her, I see General Caelum. The anger on her face has vanished, replaced by pride and happiness.

Pride and happiness that I can't find in me.

I raise my hand, and Director Evangeline grabs it. Her handshake is firm and warm.

"Congratulations, Lara."

Her voice pierces through the muffled ringing in my ears. The noise of the crowd comes rushing back at me. The cheers are so loud. So deafeningly loud.

I don't deserve these cheers.

Director Evangeline lets go of my hand and hands me a golden key. Cold to the touch, it shimmers under the bright stadium light. This is the key to NovaTopia. The key to the place I've been dreaming of getting into.

"Why me, Director?" I croak. "I- I didn't win."

The director nods, as if she anticipated the question. "Our residents are selected based on their overall performances throughout the Selection. Typically, that meant the overall winner, but that is not the case every time."

Has that always been the unspoken rule? Even if it is, it still doesn't make sense. Morgan has to have given the best overall performance. I mean, they Earthing won every match.

Director Evangeline congratulates me again before walking back to her seat. As I step back to the cadet line, the ringing sound returns and the stadium fades into a blur. The key's sharp edges dig into my clenched fist.

The rest of the ceremony proceeds, but my gaze fixes on the ground. It's white and pristine, with no trace of the matches from the past few days.

Then, I finally hear Morgan's name.

They are chosen to ascend to the New Research Shuttle.