Wow two updates in one day? How exciting! This chapter is really short but I'm already working on the next chapter so that should be up soon. As always, please review, but be gentle. This is continued literally seconds from the last chapter, if that wasn't obvious. Thanks and enjoy!
But I wanted to.
"Maxon. You know I care about you, and I want you to know that this is not a rejection, I'm just not ready to tell you that. Not just yet. But, it is definitely a possibility."
"That's all I need. I told you, I'm going to give you your time. I'm not ready to give you up, just yet, America."
"Neither am I, your highness." His hand, which was still tangled in mine, came up to my cheek. It was so warm and soft and it made me feel protected.
This was the reason I felt like I was the only person in the world when I was with him.
When I was least expecting it, his lips met mine. His hands moved from my cheek to the back of my head, cupping it. My arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer to me. For me being his first kiss only a couple of months ago, he had certainly improved. I never wanted this to end, ever.
Then Kriss interrupted us.
She cleared her throat and Maxon and I jumped from bench, trying to get as far away from each other in one bound. The shock and betrayal on her face was evident. Being my only friend in the competition left, I felt bad for her, to walk in on us like this. She was so dignified and didn't deserve her heart to be trampled on like this. I just knew, without looking at his face, that Maxon felt even worse than I did. And then something occurred to me. The last time Maxon had been caught in a compromising position, he was with Celeste. Did this mean? Could I be the new Celeste Newsome? I didn't want to think about that. To Kriss, I was just as bad as she was. To Maxon, I couldn't be on the same level as Celeste. Could I?
Kriss, wholesome little Kriss, was furious, not only betrayed. She wouldn't even look at me as the words "you're needed in the dining room" escaped her mouth. I walked behind her, starting to make my way down the hall, and started to tug my ear, but Maxon didn't give me a second look.
My heart fell into my stomach as I heard him apologizing to Kriss. Apologizing for the love that we had been sharing.
"Are you all right, America, dear?"
I said I was sorry for my absence during breakfast, I had just experience some food sickness. The queen was a mother when it came to this and she asked if I needed anything and if I felt all right for the interview later on tonight.
"Of course, Your Highness. I wouldn't miss it for the world." I wouldn't. I couldn't miss it for the world. If I meant anything to Maxon at all, I would respect how much he cared for his mother and attend the interview, even with my upset stomach.
"Where on earth is Kriss? Was she feeling ill, too?" The queen looked at me, head-on as if she knew the answer, she only wanted me to admit it.
So I took this as a challenge, one of the silly ones the report made us do, and I acted my butt off to show that it did not bother me one bit.
"She ran into Maxon in the hallway. She was just saying hi to him, I believe." It was simple, and a complete lie, well, half-lie, but it didn't bother me. I made sure of that. The queen, happy with my answer, nodded her head curtly, pursed her lips, and excused the remaining two Elites.
Celeste, before she walked down her hallway to her room, stopped me and said: "Hope they don't serve eggs for your interview with the queen. Wouldn't want you to have another 'upset stomach,' now, would we?" She continued on to her bedroom, leaving me fuming and confused.
