Chapter 0455


    Not long after I parted with Julian and returned to my room to change, I was alerted that the candidates


    were to report to the foyer to receive the results of the theater event. I had expected the results toe


    quickly, but this seemed extra fast.


    Though with Bridget the professional actress among the group, maybe the royal family and the


    producers didn’t need all that much time to determine who deserved the highest ranking.


    Running on zero sleep, I was tired as I changed into fresh clothes and moved a little slower than usual


    as I headed down to the foyer.


    Mark must have told Susie about the fight between Nichs and Julian because no sooner had I


    entered the room, then she came rushing up to me.


    She looped her arm through one of mine and asked, “What happened?”


    “I don’t know what to say,” I said. “Nichs saw Julian and meing out of the woods and attacked


    Julian right away. He barely said anything, and he didn’t listen to reason.‘


    “He must have been furious,” Susie said.


    >>


    “He was,” I agreed. “But if he would have just listened to me, I could have told him that nothing


    happened between Julian and me…”


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Susie blinked, startled, like she hadn’t been expecting that. “Nothing happened?”


    Now I was startled and looked at her in shock. “You thought something had?”


    Susie looked a little sheepish, like she was embarrassed by what she had thought. “That’s what all the


    rumors are saying?”


    “Rumors?” I gasped. Who the hell was going around talking about this? Julian wouldn’t have said a


    word, and I doubted Nichs would have.


    “I didn’t believe them at first,” Susie said, “But after Mark told me about the fight this morning, I wasn’t


    so sure they were false anymore. Nichs isn’t the type to fight over nothing, no matter how on edge


    Mark says he is.”


    I hummed. Mark had said something simr to me this morning, that Nichs had been pushed too far


    and was starting to crack under the pressure. It wasn’t any of my business anymore, Bridget had made


    that clear. Though I did still worry about him. Fighting was so out of character for him.


    “Did Mark tell you about the rumors?” I asked.


    “No, I heard it just from people talking. Everyone was saying it,” Susie said. “I have no idea who started


    it.”


    I still wasn’t sure of the timeline, but the only other person who knew I had been out with Julian all night


    was Bridget. I slid my gaze to her now, and found her looking back at me.


    She had an air of innocence, and when our eyes met, she smiled kindly, as if greeting a friend. She


    even waved.


    It was so surreal, especially after her words this morning. I didn’t know what else to do but


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    raise one of my free hands and wave back.


    “You don’t think…” Susie whispered. “Bridget started the rumor?”


    “I don’t know,” I said.


    Nathan appeared and took to the stage. He had cameras with him this time, even though Nichs and


    Julian were noticeably absent.


    Susie and I walked closer to the stage, where we met with Veronica, who was standing with Tiffany and


    Jessica, who seemed to have bonded over their shared stage experience. I wasn’t opposed to having


    more friends, so I greeted Jessica kindly. She said hello to me too.


    Nathan stepped up to the microphone, then tapped on it to get our attention. We all quieted down to


    listen to his words.


    “I have here in my hands the results of the event.” He held up a sheet of paper, while discreetly keeping


    the written side hidden from both us and the cameras. “There have been some shifts in the current


    rankings of our candidates. And of course, the addition of Bridget has added fresh excitement.”


    Nathan began pping, then indicated that the rest of us should join him. Some did, politely. I did, a


    little. As did Susie, Tiffany, and Jessica. Veronica abstained, as well as Olivia and Lilliana. Bridget


    smiled brightly.


    “Thank you, everyone,” she said, likely pretending she didn’t notice those not pping.


    Nathan continued, “Bridget’s performance, of course, stole the show. Absolutely wonderful, Bridget.


    You are a truly talented artisan, and a gift to the kingdom.”


    “Thank you, Nathan,” Bridget said. The camera zoomed in on her face. She blew it a kiss.


    “You are very wee.” Nathan cleared his throat as he consulted his paper. “This, of course, brings


    Bridget straight to the top of the rankings, and bumps down Olivia from the lead, as well as dropping


    everyone else down one point. Now, for the other changes.”


    One by one, he named a candidate and then gave a brief critique of their performance during the event


    and how it now effected their cement in the rankings.


    Susie received credit for her one line and her ability to appear nervous as the scene dictated. But since


    her scene was so brief, she received a medium amount of points. This, fortunately, moved her up


    closer to center in the rankings.


    Tiffany, who never could seem to manage her voice on the stage, dropped down to the bottom. She


    seemed visibly upset. Jessica, who did much better, patted her shoulder in


    When it came to be my turn, Nathan sighed.


    “Piper, yourmitment to the role was unreliable. Your character on stage seemed more


    like


    you than the actual character you were supposed to have yed. It seemed as if you were constantly


    distracted. The royal family feels that you did not put your all into this event.”


    ))


    My heart dropped down to the ground. How could that be? I did the best I could! And I had such arge


    role, that surely they would give more leniency?


    But no


    it seemed not. And I didn’t know how I could ever argue with the royal family.


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    +15 BONUS


    As I stood there confused, the meeting ended. The others began to fan out, which was when Nathan


    stepped down from the stage and approached me. I expected that he might give me further insight into


    why the royal family would think so poorly about my performance.


    For not being a professional actress, for having no experience at all, I thought I did quite well. Even


    Bridget had onceplimented me, especially during the breakup scene between Nichs’s character


    and mine.


    “Piper,” Nathan said. His face had fallen since the cameras had turned off. He looked so serious now. I


    braced myself. Maybe this wasn’t an exnation after all. Maybe he wanted to summon me in front of


    the King again.


    My heartbeat sped up. I really didn’t want to face the King and Queen alone again anytime soon. That


    almost always ended in disaster for me. And if Nichs wouldn’t be there to save


    me…


    I really didn’t want to think about it.


    “I have a message from the King and Queen for you,” he said.


    I swallowed hard. “Yes?”


    “They do not care what you and Julian get up to in secret,” he said. He sneered a little in obvious


    disgust. “But you must have more discretion.”


    “It’s not like –”


    “I did not ask for an exnation,” Nathan snapped.


    I shut my mouth.


    “And onest message, from the Luna herself,” he continued.


    I nodded, wordlessly telling him I was ready to hear the message.


    “She said to ask you, ‘Have you no sense of self–respect?‘ She does not expect an answer.”


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