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"Sarah, I order you to come back here immediately!"

I shake my head, fists clenched, head up, determined not to give in. She won't tell me what to do, period. I will never participate in this stupid test and she has no right to force me to. I only see bad sides to it anyway. Why the hell would I obey him? Besides, it's out of the question for me to leave my village just to please him!

To explain briefly, I am currently on my way home, but a crazed mother is running after me, her arms shaking wildly in all directions. Her face is red with anger and I fear she will catch me. If she had a sandal, I'd cut my hand that she'd hit me with. Luckily for me, she doesn't.

"Sarah Crawford!"

The street is rather quiet on this Sunday morning. The few passers-by present there watch me, some shocked at my behavior, others accustomed to witnessing this spectacle. It must be said that we are known throughout the village for our incessant quarrels. People consider me insolent and disrespectful when I know how to be perfectly pleasant.

I raise my head. Mothers pull their children away from me with murderous eyes. I let out a weary sigh and rolled my eyes. I would like to tell them that I have no intention of eating their children for the moment, but they do not seem determined to believe me.

It is true that here, I am known to have a sacred character, and to show all the colors to my mother. But hey, I don't care what they think of me, I'll never sign up for this damn test for the so-called chance to be selected. It's sure that living in a palace and basking in the pill all day long, it's worth trying your luck!

"Sarah, please come back!"

My mother is on the verge of tears, I can hear it in her broken voice. People stare at me, outraged at the situation. I glare menacingly at them, secretly praying that my eyes will send darts at them.

I turn around and discover my mother out of breath, her arms loose, her back hunched. Her tunic is crumpled and with a nervous gesture, she puts back in place a lock of hair.

My mom getting angry is one thing. But my mother, who is close to crying, is another.

"What, mom?"

She lets out a small sigh, looking relieved. She motions for me to follow her, leading me aside into a small, narrow alley. I do not look back on the incessant whispers of passers-by. They don't know anything about me, they don't know anything about the story and I don't really care what they think of me.

“Look, you have to take this test, you know?

- No. I don't understand. I do not understand. And besides, I don't want to understand. So don't use your saliva unnecessarily because I won't listen to you.

And it's true, I don't intend to listen to it. Just an hour ago, everything was fine. I was in Aiden's arms, happy with my life and my little routine. If I had known that I would be stuffed in my head with this idea of ​​Selection, I would have run!

A little later, my mother arrived with a letter in her hand which she read to me attentively, her face shining with happiness as if she were going to tell me that she had found the man of her life. Or that she was pregnant. No, I don't think she would be happy to have a second Sarah at home. Although, it could be fun. Twice as much nonsense!

She was happy to finally have the chance to give me and my sister a better life. That, I understood very well. But I pretend to be ignorant, looking at all costs for an excuse not to participate in this event. A race where I have everything to lose.

If I participate, I have a chance to qualify. A small chance, of course. But there is one anyway and I don't want to take any chances. I much prefer to play it safe!

- Sarah, if you qualify, you can finally eat your fill, you know that? You will no longer have to work, you will finally be able to be happy and fulfilled. You would never miss anything again, I could never offer you this chance...

"But I'm already happy!" I have Aiden, you and Solenn, what more could you ask for?

- Do you like getting up every morning at five o'clock to go to work until six o'clock? Sarah, you've gotten so skinny over the past few weeks and I don't know what to do. This test is an opportunity to make your life better and even Solenn participates! So why not you? Why is it so hard to give a chance at a better life?

"Because I already have everything!" I don't want to leave Aiden! I exploded.

"Aiden is just one boy among many!" she shouts.

She tries to be right, like any common-sense mother. But I refuse to listen to him, I prefer to turn a deaf ear.

- I love him and you have no say in my feelings.

"And the prince?" Did you at least see it? He's very beautiful.

She will try by all means to convince me to participate in the test but my decision is made: I will not do it. I have seen this prince before. He is anything but handsome. He is despicable!

Liar, you've never seen him.

"No, he's ugly. And he seems a little too pretentious and sure of himself to me.

“You don't know him, Sarah. Don't judge people on stupid appearances and stop lying, he is a beauty to melt more than one.

“Mom, I will not participate. Never. You understand ? Now take care of Solenn who will be happy to perform this test and leave me alone. I'm in love with Aiden and I won't quit my life to live in a palace of the wealthy for five months.

I turn away from her. It's a dialogue of the deaf between her and me, but it's my life, not hers. She has no right to decide for me concerning my personal choices.

Now I have to find Aiden. I need him more than anyone on earth.