Part One: Getting Back
Chapter One
His arm slung around my waist. I loved the gardens they reminded me somewhat of home. My focus came back to reality, Maxons soft fingers ran against my forehead tucking a stray strand of thick red curl out of my face behind my ear. "What do you even think about in that head of yours?" He kissed my nose. "You just zone out," he pressed his forehead to mine.
"I think about just about nothing and everything." I played leaning into him.
"I think I love you way more than I should," His voice fell eyes going from bright and happy to melancholy.
"Maxon Schreave I think I can love you. I think I always have. I know if you were to send me home I don't think i would be able to deal with it. I don't know why it took me so long to figure it out but Maxon Schreave you are the man i love. "I opened my eyes meeting his again. They were full of hope. Of love. He leaned in. His lips meeting mine. Snow started to tumble onto our hair. I pulled away surrounding us with laughter.
"Do you get snow in Carolina?" He looked at me curiosity filling his eyes
I laughed "Yeah we get snow," I let my palm hang in the air; Fluffy white snowflakes fell and dissolved in seconds. "But it's not like this, it's usually a lot wetter and comes down slower and sticks really fast," The wind blew a chill down my spine. With that Maxon shrugged of his jacket settling it on my shoulders "and it doesn't get powdery, it's more like thick white rain."
He laughed shaking his head. "Sometimes I don't realize how smart you are." He smiled draping an arm around my side. His finger slid into the loop of my jeans. "C'mon lets go get some tea, or hot chocolate," His strong arms lead me towards the front of the gardens. White dusted leaves crunched beneath our feet. My head eased onto his shoulder. I knew I'd made the right decision, to tell him I loved him. Even if I don't think I could be a queen or princess. I knew he deserved to know how I felt.
"When's you're birthday," his question seemed kind of out of the blue, extremely random at best. The guards were opening the doors when he asked the question.
The big doors opened. The shiny granite tile floors sparkled. "February 26th why?" I asked slightly skeptical. I didn't like birthday celebrations. They were just pointless to me.
He shrugged, "I just want to know more about you, You like to keep secrets" he teased.
"Okay my favorite color is blue. My favorite food is... well food." He laughed at the last part.
"I meant things like, what was your family like, what were you like when you were little. Stuff like that."
"Hmmm, well when I was little I dunno I was a short skinny girl with crazy untamable curls. My family well Gerard my youngest sibling he loves soccer, bugs, the outdoors. Hates anything to do with art. Kota and Kenna, they were always dragging me places when I was little." Pausing he raised an eyebrow. "We'll it was usually when my Mom was working and Dad was in the studio. Kota and Kenna hated having me around. We'll Kota more so then Kenna."
Maxon was lying on his side on the floor of his room. My back was flat against the wall. Knees tucked up to my chest. "Okay so you're saying that your sister was the one absolutely obsessed with me when the selection started and not you?" He snort-laughed while saying that.
"Yes, I only entered because Mom wanted me to, well technically at first I was totally opposed to enter. Then um, the boy that hurt me, he made me promise I would enter. Also the next morning my mom said that if I entered I could keep my own job earnings. And that's how I ended up here." Maxon smiled.
"Okay so, it didn't even appeal to you to enter at first?" His eyes met mine. I shook my head straightening out my legs. I hated when they fell asleep. His gaze was on my legs. "Why'd you ask for pants during the bet." Curiosity shone brightly in his eyes.
"I guess I just never really wore dressed at home unless I was working. I guess they just remind me of home." His eyes were studying me.
"What was your job? Wait no forget that I wanna guess." I loved how I could reveal this side of Maxon. "Um okay so your cast is a five so your arts. You were in a pianist?"
I snorted in response. "What would give you that idea, no I sang" he raised an eyebrow.
"You sang, like microphone in front of a room full of people." I shrugged. "Now why haven't you sung for me yet?" He was in a sitting position now. He was intrigued by this.
"You never asked." I said. My voice was teasing