I gave myself a last glance over at the new me my mom created for this occasions. My hair was pulled back in a simple black French braid, my makeup was simple and giving me a subtle bare face, my mom had me dressed in a sleeveless green Victorian floor length dress with pretty fake diamond embellishments around my chest area, and a top layer that was crunched together on top of a more lace layer. It was indeed stunning, but it also cost my parents a good amount of our savings but just like any other family they were willing to sacrifice it all for a chance to move into a higher class. 

The ride to our city stadium was fairly quick but my thoughts were filled a possible future; my possible future. It wasn't like my family were poor, I mean we aren't living comfortable but we aren't poor, or Maybe I'm just happy in life with nothing. Once entering everything was exactly as it were the previous time I came when my sister was up as a potential; she didn't get picked, she also didn't come to see if I would. There were families prepping their daughters on how to talk, laugh, walk, pronounce words (how now brown cow). Some families were having their own questions rounds to test their daughters. Luckily I wouldn't be one of them; my mother already tested me at home. I quickly took a seat and waited. 

The announcer quickly walked up to the podium as everyone rushed to their seats. He tapped the microphone to get the audiences attention and the anxious chatter among the potential new mrs. grew to hush as the attention focused on the announcer. The announcer was a tallish asian man with with a toupee' ; his voice was loud and dominating. 

"We welcome all potentials today. I have hope in all of you that one day you will be married off into a wealthy status to very lucky man, as you all are so beautiful. Remember if you aren't picked today don't  worry there is always an heir or bachelor waiting to be yours. We know that most of you parents need to get back to the factories, so we will go ahead and start the selection process, we will start with number 1.....uhh Violet Rose. " A  bombshell Brazilian girl walked up, she looked to be about 16 years. The process of a potential was simple, walk onstage so that the overseers can judge your looks, answer a few stupid questions and from their your whisked off into another room for a health evaluation. It's almost like a pageant except for the health evaluation and the fact that the chosen winner will be married off to some man. The next few hours went by painstaking and the more I waited the more anxious I became until finally my number was called, number 482.

I quickly reached center stage, my dress flowing back and forth, and I stood nervous and annoyed under the watchful eyes of loathing parents and their exhausted potentials. I restate my name, Beatrice Alexander , answered the questions that were stated toward me, took my health evaluation and waited patiently in the  waiting room for this "pageant" to be over, another two hours and it was. 

The noise level in the room rose highly as all the potential new wives talked amongst one another. They were all talking amongst one another laughing to hide the obvious nervousness they were feeling.  A pale girl with fiery red hair, green eyes and freckles under her eyes leaned into me, smiling as she went on about how she was sure we both were gonna be picked. I smiled but I knew she wouldn't be picked, she looked way too young and would be impossible to show off at parties without seeming creepy, I bet her parents thought her unique beauty would be an exception.Luckily this process doesn't usually take long as the judges know what they want when they want it. As the girls chatted, we were interrupted by a man with a clipboard who walked into the room as the room got quiet. Every one hopes, dream, and ambitions were all dependent on being called. Moving their family into a higher status and enriching their families bloodline, turning their backs on poverty. Every girls family is depending on their child being chosen. The guy called out three numbers.

"230, 4, and 482"  and just like that he was gone and woman replaced him to us away. A short brunette with light brown thick wavy hair, a slightly curvy face and a adorable round face. A tall skinny asian with big eyes and bright blue hair with purple tips cut into a shoulder length bob, it was no surprise why they were picked; they were of a decent age and beautiful. and then theres me, medium height, regular straight black hair, a normal face and a normal body I didn't get it. We were escorted away from the cries of anguish and crushed dreams behind us. I rose slowly, still numb to the fact that my name was called. All of this was too much and too fast I need to at least digest this all. I turned back and gave a last glance at the red head, she kept a straight face but I could see the tears coming to the surface. I ran and gave her a quick hug that kind of surprised her, i told her she was so beautiful that it wouldn't be long before she is picked, and I quickly ran back to the group of my future sister wives. It hurt me to hear those girls behind us world fall apart; that they would have to face their families with disappointment, and it made me hate this world way more than I already did. It made me hate this future husband of mine and these parents who send their innocent children to fend for an entire family; mine included.