As I began to exit the plane I heard a nervous Belle "What do I do, Lyd?" I guess there is a nickname out there for me. I quickly glanced behind my shoulder towards belle.

"Just smile and be yourself. They'll love you." I replied.

"Yeah," Sam agreed, "How could they not!" She continued to wave at the fans flashing them with an award winning smile. The four of us separated from one another to do our own thing.

My smile could not be any wider. There were people holding up pictures of me that they probably found online. People were cheering my name. My fans were my pride and joy and my motivators. This was one of the few times I would actually get to meet some of them in person. I walked over to the area where she saw most of her fans.

There were guards monitoring all the fans and metal fences to prevent any physical contact. I made short conversation with the people that I could and took pictures with them. There was one girl who stood out to me. She looked to be the age of 6. She was being carried by her dad and had a picture of me.

I looked over at Belle and saw her signing autographs. I knew they would love her.

I took off her sunglasses and made my way to the little girl. "Hi there sweetie, what's your name?" I asked.

The little girl looked like she was going to pass out. "M-M-M-My name's Cindy. I watch you on TV every week! I want to be just like you when I grow up." She took a deep breath before she continued with her ramble. "You're so pretty! And brave! How could anyone not want to be you?!"

My heart melted at the little girl's statement. "It's nice to meet you Cindy. I want you to be yourself when you grow, because maybe next time I see you I'm going to be wanting your autograph!" I said as I smiled to take a picture with the little girl.

My conversation was cut short when a loud bang echoed throughout the airport. "GET DOWN!" One of the gaurds yelled.

Without thinking, I grabbed the little girl off of her dad's shoulders so that he could crouch down. I held tightly onto Cindy and crouched down. Looking around I saw everyone else was pressed against the floors.

It sounded like a gun the made the noise. My heart was beating quickly and I could not understand what was going on. one of the guards ran in the direction of the noise. I saw him jump onto someone before someone screamed "Get the girls out of here!"

Guards ran in the directions of the other girls. Two came running towards me. I knew that I should cooperate with what they were saying. They would probably be canned if anything happened to any of the selected. Reluctantly, I let go of the crying child. I watched to make sure she was given to her father before I was being pulled away from everyone else. They reminded me too much of the security guards at home.

The four of us were shoved into the limousine, away from the chaos. When we had settled down we sat quietly. Not another word was said and the car started and took off.

Anna was looking out the window while twirling her bracelets and Belle was downing a bottle of water. I sat in my seat quietly and twirled my thumbs around one another. My breaths were shallow and uneven. This was an eventful first day. Everything seemed so complicated and confusing. I could not help but think if this was just day one, what else would be expected?

"This is stupid! The Whole selection, People trying to kill us! And for what some lousy game for the prince," Batting her eyelashes sarcastically," To Fall In Love" Sam exclaimed.

Anna glanced up from her bracelet, and looked at Sam, "you're totally right... I didn't sign up for this. I didn't even to be here in the first place, let alone be risking my life for this!" her voice was filled with frustration and annoyance.

I was not paying mind to the conversations happening. I was still overwhelmed by everything that happened today. My head whipped in the direction of Sam and Anna. Two sentences that they had just said gained all of my attention. I am sure I heard incorrectly. There was no way neither of them wanted to be in the selection. This had to be a joke.

Although we had just become friends there was a part of me that was still skeptical. I had just met these girls and could not trust them with a lot. Maybe one day I could, but now was not the day. They could be lying about how they felt for the prince so that they could have him to themselves. But then again, as an actress, I knew what bad acting was. There was no way they were acting.

I shook my head at the absurd thoughts. I was probably overthinking. Like usual.

"None of you want to be here?" I questioned. Shock was clearly evident in my face as my eyebrows were also raised.

Belle finished the water bottle, and looked towards me. "I'm only staying so they'll send money home to my family." She whispered in a small voice. I gave Belle a sympathetic look. In our conversation from earlier she mentioned how they were losing jobs. She may be small but this girl was the bravest I know. She was coming out of her comfort zone for her family.

"I couldn't spend another day with my family naggin on me to join." Sam added, "I think this is almost better than being home." Better than being at home? I would love to be home right now in the gym and fooling around with my brother.

Anna shrugged, "my mother begged me to... I guess for a time I thought I wanted to be here, but this just turned me against this whole thing. What a load of..." Anna cut herself off and bit her tongue, stopping the curse word from flying out.

"Wow". I mumbled to myself. None of us wanted to be here. I wanted to laugh at the situation. Who would've thought the people who could care less who be picked?

Belle's face grew red. "I'm sorry, is that bad? I'm sorry." She mumbled, her eyes full of panic.

"No no no no!" I replied sitting up. "It's not bad. It just doesn't make sense. There's so many girls who want to be with the prince and become princesses. But what were the odds that four of the girls picked don't event want to be here?"

"So you're saying you don't want to be here either?" Sam asked, her eyebrows furrowed together in disbelief. "Come to think of it, it is weird we all got put together. I'm almost certain it wasn't a mistake we were." She said sitting up in her seat.

"Originally I didn't want to enter. My manager thought it would be good publicity and raise ratings for my show. We're trying to get renewed for another season. I just don't understand the point of the selection." I said looking down at her lap guilt washed over my. "If we feel like this, imagine how the prince or the other girls feel..."

I now felt bad knowing none of us wanted to be here. We took spots that other girls would die for. I couldn't even imagine how the prince would feel. He should be trying to find love, when a portion of the girls don't even want to be there.

We were all using him. This was how I felt when some people try and befriend me for their own needs. I was just as bad as those people. A part of me did believe I had a chance at falling in love but the biggest part of me just wanted my show to get a renewal. None of this was right.

Anna glanced around at them, a small smile formed on her face, "quite the strange turn of events. It seems none of actually want to be here, or believe in all this stuff about falling in love with some prince..." Anna laughed slightly at the thought.

I count help but think not entirely. I didn't believe it was right, but I did believe there was a very small possibility.

"Personally, I hate any type of cliché, and this is as cliché as things get. A bunch of girls trying to win a prince's heart... So cheesy," she continued, rolling her eyes with a laugh, one of the first laughs she had since being put in The Selection.

"The thing I'm most upset about is being a three after this. That's a four caste move for me. I don't want to away from my mom and sister." Belle fretted, a deep frown painted its way across her face.

"Same." Sighed Sam, "I can't imagine leaving my sister." Sam did not mention her parents which left me with many questions. Why did I have to be so observant?

Anna gave her a sympathetic smile, "hey, it'll be alright. My grandmother jumped quite a few castes too, but she did fine. My grandmother was in The Selection a long time ago, and she was a Six. But when she became a Three she met Grandpa, and then they had my Mom." I smiled at the story. At least I knew happiness was an option after the Selection.

"Will I be able to see them still?" Bell asked. Her eyes were becoming watery and I felt bad for her.

I stayed quiet as I listened to Anna tell her story and to Belle's concerns. I didn't understand what the problem was. I never had to go through anything like this as my family had been a two from before they even removed the castes. The Lockwood family had always lived the "high life". It was the only life my family and I knew.

"If I'm a three, and they're stuck as sevens, I don't think I'd be able to live with myself." Belle whispered quietly.

I continued to listen to their conversation but I did not dare make my input. I couldn't relate and did not want to say the wrong think. The conversation was a calm. Nobody was yelling and they were all taking turns sharing their opinions. That was until Sam decided to make a rude comment.

"It's fine Bella!" Sam snapped, "Stop worrying! Everyone is tired of it! Its not all about you and your family you know the rest of us has one to worry about too!" Quickly Sam stopped speaking as if she had just realized what she had just said.

Belle opened her mouth, looking like she was ready to snap at Sam, but her cheeks grew rosy and she closed her mouth once again.

"We just got out of an almost shooting, and you're going to make an insensitive comment? Do you have a heart?" I snapped.

"I-I'm Sorry!" Whispered Sam, "I really didn't mean it Belle, I just get frustrated and..." Sam says,

"It's fine Sam, I understand." Belle smiled at her shyly, looking at her through her lashes.

The limousine grew to a comfortable silence. Before I had even noticed, the limo grew to a comfortable stop.

"If you'll all look up to your right you'll see we are approaching the palace. When we arrive guards will escort you into the main hall, where you will see your sides and wait for all of the other Selected to arrive." The limousine driver announced, looking back at the selected girl through the rear view mirror.

I looked out the window in awe. All four of us looked out the window with our mouths open gaped. This was not what I had expected at all.

I thought my home was huge, but the palace made it look tiny. Many different thoughts were running inside of my head. When she exited the car I would no longer have any privacy. People already loved to keep tabs on celebrities, but now they would be watching my every single move. These thoughts were the same thoughts that haunted her a couple nights ago, the ones that Damien had to calm me down about. I changed her focus and tried to remember that the royal family probably had to go through every day. So much for thinking my life was hard. Although I had many thoughts running around, I looked at the girls and realized something. I may be making friends out of this competition.

Side by side, we entered the Palace. We were ready for what was yet to come.

Or were they?