✩｡:*•. ~ The Selection - A Roleplay ~ .•*:｡✩ discussion

(view spoiler)[Name~ Hazel Luna Morris


Age~ 17


Birthday~ 12th March


Gender~ Female


Sexuality~ Bisexual


Height~ 5’4”


Face Claim~ Elizabeth Olsen


Voice Claim~ Elizabeth Olsen


Mother~ Avery Morris


Father~ Tyler Morris


Siblings~ Percival Leo Morris (brother)


Appearance~ She has a fair to light skin tone with a natural, slightly rosy complexion. Her face shape is oval with well-defined cheekbones. Her lips are full and well-defined, with a slightly pronounced cupid's bow on the upper lip. She has dark brown, wavy hair which reaches just below her shoulder. [image error]


Personality~ She is an INFP with enneagram type 4w5. Hazel has a strong desire to leave a unique mark on the world by utilizing her talents and often displays remarkable creativity, though not always in a traditional artistic sense.
Constantly on a journey of self-discovery and understanding her essence, Hazel may sometimes appear self-absorbed and egocentric. This tendency, along with her occasional overreactions, can make her seem demanding in her friendships and relationships.
However, Hazel is much more flexible and tolerant than she appears. Her empathy and care for others are genuine, though not always obvious, as she sometimes struggles with interpersonal skills. Engaging in small talk feels like a punishment to her.
Despite being highly emotional and sensitive, Hazel doesn’t base her entire life on her feelings. She can be logical and, in certain aspects of her life, she primarily relies on logic.
Hyper Intellectualization and overthinking are typical habits for Hazel. She often gets lost in her thoughts, trying to observe phenomena from every possible angle.
Hazel finds great joy in discussing ideas and theories with others. She has the ability to gain insights based on her emotions and then continue the discussion using logic. Because of this, she is usually a very interesting conversationalist.

History~ Growing up in a strict household with narrow-minded parents, Hazel was usually misunderstood and forced to mask her true desires and needs from her parents. Her parents are university professors who want their children to take up academic professions as well. But when her brother decided to be a musician instead, they tried to stop him from following his dreams on multiple occasions.

Hazel was close with her brother Percival (Percy) - who was 3 years older than her, so she was heartbroken yet relieved when he finally ran away to another province when he turned 18. Though she loves her family, she resents her parents who unintentionally try to steal their children’s independence.

After her brother left, she became more introverted than ever, only going out with her best friend Emerald (Emmy) Walace. Soon, they both discovered their feelings for each other, and in turn, their sexuality - Hazel liked both girls and boys but Emmy liked only girls. Since both their parents were homophobic, they kept their relationship a secret for almost 2 years until Emmy’s mother walked in on them when they were making out. Furious and disgusted with their daughters, both sets of parents decided not to allow them to meet hereafter and forced them to focus only on studies. Hazel tried to explain that this was who she was and had an outburst where she screamed at her parents for driving Percy away. Her parents did not tolerate it and punished her for it.

When the selection rolled around, her mother decided it would do Hazel good if she was selected and that she would forget all about Emmy. Knowing her daughter would disagree, she submitted the application without Hazel’s knowledge.

Hazel was totally shocked when her name was announced among the selected. Her parents were very happy for this chance, but Hazel’s resentment towards them only grew. But she saw this as an opportunity to get away from her overbearing parents and understand herself much better without their supervision.

Though she is not exactly interested in winning the selection, she is determined to stay for at least more than a month so that she can figure out her future and try to reconnect with her brother.


Hobbies~ Singing, Reading Novels, Art and Craft, playing guitar, writing poems, daydreaming, and being in nature.


Likes~ animals, birds, music, books, pretty things, psychology and parapsychology.


Dislikes~ homophobic people, people with no empathy towards the less fortunates, small talk, rudeness, and inflexibility.


Fears~ Failing her life purpose, Being ordinary and insignificant.


Desires~ to help the needy (people, animals, and birds), to pursue a career in psychology, to reunite with her brother and her girlfriend. (hide spoiler)]

  
    ~ 2 MONTHS BEFORE THE SELECTION ANNOUNCEMENT ~
  

Hazel walked hand in hand with Emmy. School had just let out, and they had decided to go to Emmy’s house for a “science project.” Hazel smiled at the white lie she had fed her parents earlier that day. Hazel’s parents knew that Emerald Wallace was a top student in her class, so they always agreed when she asked if they could work together on a project or a homework assignment.

But what they didn’t know was that Emmy was not just her best friend, but her girlfriend too. They had been dating in secret for a year and ten months now, and Hazel could not be happier. She had been in a constant state of depression ever since her brother ran away when she was 15, but Emmy always brightened her day. They soon discovered their feelings for one another and acted upon them.

Lately, they had been discussing how to break the news to their family and friends. Since there were no openly gay couples in their town, they were afraid of how this would be perceived by their loved ones.

Hazel was fine with the present situation. She could have Emmy all to herself, at least for now, without the prying eyes and whispers that would follow should they be together publicly. However, Emmy felt differently. She wanted them to be like the other straight couples who didn’t fear holding hands and kissing whenever they wanted, uncaring of onlookers.

But they could never agree on a good time to tell their parents. Hazel’s parents were university professors, usually swamped with preparing lectures or correcting assignments. Emmy’s father was a mechanic and her mother owned a fashion boutique, both working odd hours, usually late.

Hazel and Emmy reached the independent yellow house with its front porch shining in the sun. Emmy took her keys from her bag and unlocked the house. They freshened up and went to the kitchen to prepare lunch.

Hazel wasn’t a talented cook; she could make herself some essentials, but it was never her forte. However, she loved spending time with Emmy, watching her cook the perfect dish with the right amount of ingredients and a delicious taste. Hazel always teased her that she should apply for those popular cooking shows.

“What’s wrong?” Hazel asked, blinking away the dazed look in her eyes. She did that a lot—getting lost in her mind and losing track of what was happening around her.

Hazel saw determination flare in Emmy's eyes, making her a little nervous. Emmy was the stubborn kind, always getting her way. Hazel had gotten into trouble doing mischievous things Emmy had convinced her to do in primary school. Now, instead of mischievous, they did risky things—like kissing in the dark corner of the public library, or teasing each other in whispers of what they’d do when they were alone.

“We have to tell our parents today, Haze,” Emmy tucked Hazel’s hair behind her ear. “How much longer should we stay in the dark? I want everyone to know that we belong to each other.”

Hazel’s love for Emmy swelled when she saw the emotions behind her blue eyes. She’d do anything to make her happy.

Hazel leaned on her toes and placed a soft kiss on Emmy’s lips. “Okay.”

Emmy smiled at her like a Cheshire cat, but Hazel could see the anxiousness she tried to hide. Both of them knew what was at stake. Their parents could either be supportive and understanding or disgusted and outraged. Hazel wasn’t sure if a middle ground existed.

It wasn’t illegal to be part of the LGBTQ community in Illea—many people from various professions publicly announced and brought awareness to different sexualities. But there was no representation in Bonita. That made them nervous—not knowing how their parents and community would react to this development.

However, both of them chose not to address the elephant in the room and enjoy their last moments of being together without any eyes or judgment.

After lunch, they entered Emmy’s room, quietly, basking in the anticipation. As soon as they reached, their lips locked. They teased each other with seductive kisses and roaming hands. Before they could take it any further, Emmy stopped abruptly.

Emmy grinned widely, pushing Hazel onto the bed.

“Emmy!” Hazel shrieked in laughter. “Wha—”

Before she could get another word out, Emmy kissed her hard. Soon, they were moaning and pawing at each other.

“Hey girls, what are you—OH MY GOD! WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?” Emmy’s mother, Kaylee Wallace, gaped at them in utter disgust.

They hadn’t heard her enter the house. She wasn’t supposed to be home this early.

Fear gripped Hazel’s throat. This wasn’t how their parents were supposed to find out. Emmy looked surprised, but not afraid. Both of them straightened while Kaylee glared at them.

“Mom,” Emmy stood confidently. “We were going to tell you today. Hazel and I love each other. We have been dating for a while now—”

“Dating?” Kaylee scoffed. “Are you out of your mind?”

“No, I’m not.” Emmy met her mother’s stare. “I am a lesbian. I only like girls. Hazel in particular. And we have been dating for almost two years now.”

Kaylee was speechless for a moment, but it soon turned to anger. "No!"

"What do you mean by no?" Emmy demanded. "Just because you refuse to believe it doesn’t make it any less true."

"I won't let my only daughter disgrace our family!" Kaylee fumed. "This foolishness has to stop right now, or I swear to God I will kick you out of the house. Maybe then you will become grateful enough not to act out this way."

"I'm not acting out!" Furious tears filled Emmy's eyes. Hazel reached forward to calm her, but she strode toward her mother. "What has to stop is you acting like a homophobic bigot!"

Kaylee slapped her daughter. Hazel gasped, moving forward to comfort Emmy, but Kaylee pulled her toward the door. Emmy was still reeling from the fact that her mother had slapped her.

“Emmy—” Hazel started, but Kaylee pushed her out of Emmy’s room and locked it from outside. “What are you doing?”

“Teaching you both a lesson,” Kaylee replied in a chilly, calm tone.

Emmy banged on the door, pleading with her mother to let her out, but she was ignored.

Kaylee tugged Hazel out of the house. “Get into the car.”

“But I—”

“Get into the car, Hazel!” Kaylee shouted.

Holding back the tears threatening to fall, Hazel sat in the passenger seat.

Kaylee started the car, simultaneously calling someone on her phone.

“Avery, it’s Kaylee. Can you meet me at your house in ten minutes, preferably with your husband?” Hazel gave Kaylee a frightened look when she understood what was going on. Kaylee was going to tell her parents. “It’s an emergency, Avery. It’s about our daughters. They’re fine. I’ll explain when I get there. Yes, in ten minutes.”

“Please. Don’t do this. I want to tell them myself. I—”

“Shut up, you foolish girl!” If looks could kill, Hazel would have been burned alive with the way Kaylee was glaring.

Hazel quieted, trying to fight off a panic attack. When she finally could breathe without feeling like her insides burned, the car stopped. Fear engulfed her and she tried to stop shaking.

Kaylee got out and Hazel quickly followed. Her parents were home. She could see their vehicles parked in the garage.

The door opened before Kaylee could ring the bell. Avery looked worried. And a little annoyed.

“What’s going on, Kaylee?”

“Let’s not do this outside,” Kaylee replied, inviting herself in. Avery shut the door after Hazel entered.

“Your daughter has been corrupting mine!” Kaylee burst out when they were in the living room.

“What the hell do you mean?” Tyler Morris looked confused at the accusation against his daughter.

“I thought she wouldn’t be as bad as her brother, but she’s even worse! She’s made my daughter think she’s gay!”

Her parents gasped in shock. But the only thing Hazel could focus on was what Kaylee said about her brother. How dare she bad-mouth her lovely, passionate brother?

“I did not turn her gay. She already was.” Hazel said, anger replacing her fear. “Mom, Dad, I am bisexual. And I’m in love with Emerald Wallace. She loves me back too. We have been dating for almost two years now, but we were afraid how you all would react, so we kept it quiet. We were going to tell you all about it today, but…” Hazel gave Kaylee a furious look. “She wouldn’t listen to us.”

Avery reached for a chair to sit down, while Tyler looked at Hazel like she was a stranger.

“Mom, Dad?” Hazel took an unsure step toward them. “This—this doesn’t change anything. You know that, right? I’m still the same Hazel, but now I am aware of my sexuality. That’s it.”

“There’s still hope for her,” Avery turned slowly to Tyler, as if trying to convince him. “Bisexual. That means she’s not fully gay. We could get her enrolled in one of those conversion therapy programs.”

“Mom!” Hazel’s voice broke. “It’s not a disease or a mental health condition. Putting me in therapy won’t change my sexuality. I can’t believe this! Dad, please tell me you’re not homophobic too.”

Hazel’s hope dashed when she saw the disgust on her father’s face. “I don’t know what we did wrong with you kids. We were good parents to both of you. But this is what we get in return. One runs away to be homeless and the other…” He shook his head, unwilling to even say the word.

“Glad you both are of the same opinion,” Kaylee said a little smugly. “I don’t want her anywhere near my daughter. I’ll change schools if I have to.”

“There’ll be no need for that.” Avery got up from the chair. “We’ll have her homeschooled from now on.”

“That’s a good idea. Maybe I should do that too, so Emerald won’t be tempted by anyone else. Also, provide me with the details of the conversion therapy. My daughter needs it the most.”

Hazel felt the ground beneath her slipping. She couldn’t hear the rest of their discussion about how she and Emmy were to be treated from now on. This couldn’t be happening. How could she be without Emmy? How could her parents be so malicious? Is this how her brother felt when they tried to crush his dreams? Could she run away too? And take Emmy with her? But where would they go? What would they do?

Hazel felt her long-suppressed fear take over when her parents started to scold her right after Kaylee left. Numbness took over her body and mind, and her tears dried up.

The days that followed were a blur. Hazel’s parents made good on their threats, pulling her out of school and hiring tutors to homeschool her. They kept her on a strict schedule, with no room for anything beyond studying. When they were home, they ignored her, their silence louder than any words.

Hazel fell deeper into depression. Her once vibrant spirit dulled, replaced by a hollow shell of the girl she used to be. She missed Emmy desperately, but their parents had made sure they couldn’t communicate. She spent her days isolated, her only company being her tutors and the oppressive silence of her house.

Her passion for learning, once a source of joy, became a source of pain. Books reminded her of the future she and Emmy had dreamed of together, now seemingly out of reach. Each day felt like a battle to keep herself from drowning in despair.

Hazel clung to the hope that one day things might change, that one day she and Emmy could be together again. But as the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months, that hope grew dimmer. She learned to hide her pain behind a mask of compliance, knowing that any sign of rebellion would only bring more punishment.

In the quiet moments, when she was alone in her room, Hazel allowed herself to dream of escape. She imagined a world where she and Emmy could be free, where they could love each other openly and without fear. It was these dreams that kept her going, even as reality tried to crush her spirit.

But for now, she was trapped in a life that felt more like a prison, held captive by the very people who were supposed to love and protect her. And so, Hazel endured, holding on to the fragile thread of hope that one day, she would find a way to be with the girl she loved.

 ~ THE DAY OF ANNOUNCEMENT ~ 

Trigger Warning~ Contains mention of self harm

Two months had passed, and the suffocating routine of Hazel’s new life had settled in like an unwelcome guest. Every day blurred into the next, filled with the monotony of lessons and the silence of her parents’ disapproval. Hazel’s heart felt like it was encased in ice, each day chipping away a little more at her spirit. They had confiscated her phone and confined her to her room. Her mother cooked enough food to last until afternoon for her, but other than that, she was ignored in her own house.

Her tutors came and went, their faces changing but their purpose remaining the same: to educate her in isolation. They were polite, professional, and distant, treating Hazel like a task to be completed rather than a person to be understood. None of them knew the real reason she was being homeschooled, and Hazel wasn’t about to enlighten them. She had learned to keep her thoughts and feelings hidden, buried deep where no one could reach them. She wore her numbness like a second skin, to repel any emotion that tried to take over her.

She avoided thinking about Emmy as much as possible, but she invaded Hazel’s dreams a lot. Her mind relentlessly replayed every memory of them when she tried to go back to sleep after a nightmare. The dark of the night was only when she hoped. That was the only time she let herself feel and wonder what was going on with Emmy.

Were Emmy’s parents treating her the same way hers did? Were they homeschooling her? Did they enroll her in conversion therapy like her parents suggested? Did Kaylee still hit her daughter when she got angry? Maybe they could come up with a plan to run away, like her brother did. They could go to a province where there is less discrimination toward the queer community.

She tortured herself with those questions and hopes, and cried herself to sleep most nights. Sometimes, she thought about her brother, Percival. Does he think about her? Or does he hate her too because of their parents? If she could ever reach out to him, would he help her run away? Maybe he’d let her live with him until she and Emmy found a way to be together.

Hazel was on the brink of a deep sleep at her study table when a loud bang startled her out of her chair.

"Hazel!" Avery Morris walked into her room with an excited smile. "Join us for dinner in the living room."

Hazel was surprised. Her parents barely spared her a word since that awful day two months ago. The only time she saw her mother was when she brought her dinner to her room. Avery did not wait for Hazel’s reply and walked out of her room. Confused as to what was happening, Hazel followed.

Her father sat on the red sofa in front of the television, ignoring her presence. It hurt that her own father wanted nothing to do with her. Just because of a thing beyond her control.

She sat at the far corner of the sofa while her mother brought them their plates. She zoned out as her parents conversed and watched TV. They had no intention of talking with her. Then why did her mom insist she have dinner with them?

“Oh, look! They're doing Bonita now!” Avery’s cheerful chatter pulled Hazel out of her thoughts.

She was perplexed when she saw what was happening on TV. The Selection! She had been so unaware of the real world that she didn’t realize today was the most exciting day in Illea.

Though she was a romantic, her heart wasn’t in the show because she had found her true love.

Crown Prince of Illéa, Felis Schreave, picked out an envelope from hundreds of others in the box named Bonita.

“Hazel Luna Morris.” He read from the paper in the envelope and her picture from her recent outing with her parents filled the screen. Hazel froze, feeling cold all over—her parents’ joyous screams sounded distorted.

Emmy was her only thought. What would this mean to their relationship? Now there would be no chances of them running away because everyone would recognize her as one of the Selected. Anger overpowered her senses as she realized what had happened. Her parents had put in her application without her consent in hopes of driving her away from Emmy.

“Oh, Hazel! I’m so proud of you, my dear!” Avery hugged her tightly, fueling Hazel’s outrage.

“Why?” She pushed out of her mother’s embrace. “You are proud of me because a random guy pulled out my name in front of the whole Illea? How can you both be so selfish and ignorant? You try your hardest to make our lives hell! You were the reason Percy ran away to god knows where. You are the reason Emmy and I are now separated. If you hadn’t been such homophobic fools, you could have stopped Kaylee from mistreating her daughter. And now, you want to ruin my life just like you planned to do with Percy. Taking away all my choices, my freedom, my dreams! All you care about is your perfect shiny reputation. Well, guess what? I don’t care! I hate you! I HATE YOU BOTH SO MUCH!”

Hazel stormed to her room and shut her door with a bang. The urge to do something violent seized her and she swiped her textbooks off her table with an angry roar. She paused when she saw a pair of scissors sitting on the table, and she itched to hurt herself with it. But she remembered the promise she made to Emmy two years ago when she had confided with her about her thoughts of self-harm.

“Look at me, Haze,” Emmy had tipped Hazel’s chin up to look into her eyes. Hazel felt the shame burning through her at the admission she had made. She couldn’t stop the tears flowing down her cheeks.

“It’s fine not to feel okay,” Emmy said gently. “It’s okay to feel bad, you shouldn’t be ashamed of expressing your feelings. You just need to find a healthy outlet for those negative emotions. Hurting yourself will only push you deeper into depression. It is not the right way to go about it. Promise me you will talk to me whenever you feel like hurting yourself again.”

Hazel nodded, blinking away her tears. Her throat hurt from holding back her sobs, but she replied, “Okay.”

“You can call me anytime. I don’t care if it is 2 a.m. If you feel like you are spiraling, you will take out your phone and dial my number, deal?” Emmy bopped her nose. The action was so silly that it made Hazel chuckle through her tears.

“Deal.”

Hazel fell onto her bed and sobbed, curling into a fetal position. She wanted to hear Emmy’s voice, telling her random facts and jokes to distract her from her thoughts. She wanted to tell Emmy how much she missed her and how her parents were treating her. She wanted to ask Emmy if she was doing alright. Were her parents worse than Hazel’s? She’d have given anything to talk with her at that moment.

When she ran out of tears, numbness took over.
Maybe this won’t be so bad, she thought finally. She could spend a few days—if she was lucky, a few months—away from her parents. She could reconnect with her brother. Discover new opportunities for herself that might help her be financially independent. Carve out new possibilities for herself and Emmy.

With that thought, she wiped her tears and got up to pack her bags.