America's Second Chance

Disclaimer: Dude, you know how this goes. I didn't write The Selection.

Au Note: So this actually started as a oneshot. But then everyone was just like, "Whoa, dude. You need to make that a story." I've never been one to disappoint, although I know that was like a month ago, or more. Better late than never, right?

After Maxon picked Kriss it took a long time for me to get back to being myself. I went back to Carolina and laid around my house until I realized I was using up money that my family couldn't afford to lose. I applied to schools for teaching and was accepted into the best university in Angeles. Although I wasn't thrilled with its location, being so close to the palace, it was comforting to find that no one cared who I was here. Celebrities came here all the time and they didn't bother them. It was a fact of life that you could wake up and see a movie star walking down the street. It was common knowledge that you left them alone. No one mentioned my past because no one cared.

"America!"

I snapped back to reality to see my friend and co-worker looking at me, "You did it again."

"Sorry Liss. What did you say?"

Liss sat on my desk and crossed her legs much like Celeste did whenever she came to town, "I asked you if you were going to be okay. I mean, I know Patty already asked, but this little girl could have been your daughter."

"I'm fine. I got my closure. I know where I stand with Maxon. I'm just surprised he asked for me to teach her."

Liss smiled at me, "I guess he trusts you not to corrupt his daughter. Good start I guess."

Liss was one of the only people that knew why I was eliminated. Only Celeste and Liss were the only people that knew outside of my family. The warning bell rang, letting the high schoolers know that it was time to go to class and telling elementary teachers it was time to get their kiddos.

"Let's go get 'em. Or him." Liss said waggling her eyebrows at me.

"He's married."

"Oh my goodness, what a rebel you are then."

"Go get your kids, Mrs. Wagger." I said following her out the door.

In a close nit community in the east end of Angeles everyone knew everyone, so the kids parents easily pointed them in the direction of their teachers. All I had to do was stand there and wait.

Pretty soon, I had twenty-four kids in front of me. All I needed was one more.

When the limo pulled up no one paid any mind. They just gave it a wide berth. But when I saw the royal emblem I asked Liss to watch my kids. She winked at me before telling my kids to join hers. I walked to the long car as a couple and a four-year old got out. The woman's hair was covered up by a floppy hat, contrasting with the long dress she had on. The man looked sharp and handsome as ever.

The little girl though was the one I was interested in. She had her mother's hair and her daddy's eyes making her look strangely exotic. She looked around at the building, with its low roof and long hallway. The playground on the elementary end and the large covered gazebo on the high school. She took in the many elementary school students. Then, her gaze landed on me. More specifically, my dress pants.

"Why are you wearing pants?" she asked..

Kriss tried to scold her, "Amara!"

But I answered her evenly, "Because they're comfy."

"Are you a man?" the little girl asked.

Kriss looked at me apologetically, "No, I'm a girl. Girls can wear pants too"

"I've never seen a girl wear pants."

"Well then this is a new thing for you."

The little girl turned around and grabbed onto her mother's dress, "Mom, can I wear pants?"

She was so formal around Kriss, but I knew that was just because of the many etiquette classes she probably had to take as a young girl. After a little while of being around the other kids she would calm down. She would realize that around here she could just be her, not what the tutors had drilled her into being.

"No dear, you can't." Kriss said simply before turning to me, "Thank you so much for doing this for us. We were so worried about her being in a regular school, but I wanted to show everyone that I had faith in our school system, and that all of the hard work wasn't in vain."

It was in vain. Her systems had done nothing except cause teachers to have to jump through loops and rush through things, "I understand."
"You look amazing by the way," Kriss said, handing her daughter her backpack, "I somehow lost track of you. Are you married? I didn't hear anything."

Usually, she would have been safe if she had asked one of the Selected if they were married. Usually.

"No, I'm not."

She stared at me for a second, then smiled, "Well, I'm sure he's out there somewhere."

"I hope not. I'm perfectly fine on my own with these kiddos. And, you know, slamming the door in any man's face that came to the door with a boquet of flowers."

Maxon finally spoke up in the voice I've been dying to hear since he told me to get lost, "I kept thinking I would hear a wedding announcement within the guards."

"Well, you should have. Aspen married Lucy, and Ben married Susen, and Greg married Andra, and Mardon married What's-Her-Face."

Maxon and Kriss looked at each other, "Wow, you sure know what's been going on at the palace."

"Lucy was one of my maids, I can't help it if she blabbers on about it." I must have said 'blabbers' in a weird way because Amara laughed.

I smiled at her as the starting bell rang and everyone started filing into the school, "You ready, honey?"

"Yes," she said unsteadily.

"Kiss your mom and dad bye, they've got a busy day ahead of them."

She gave them a big hug then left them. As we walked across the lawn, she snuck her hand into mine.

Suddenly, we were in this together.