"It's just like in the book," Clover said.
"She must have done something we never knew about," Lane added
"What did she say again?" Hazel asked.
Amy had been sent home.
During the photo shoot last week Maxon had asked her out on a second date, she hadn't said much about it, but mentioned it to anyone who'd listen. But now she had been sent home, just like in the book. But before leaving she had stopped to talk to Lane who had the whole story.
"She said not to mention anything about the book, and then she just kinda faded, and hurried into her room." Lane said
"What do you mean by "faded"?" I asked
"Well, it was like talking to a ghost, like she was disappearing... Like... Like she was leaving the book," we all went silent. Despite the fact we were away from our families and everything, the book was amazing,and we didn't want to go home... but if there was away out, then...
"And about the book, what do you think she meant?" Reagan said
"Maybe Gregory Illea's Journals or something," Lily added
"Who knows," muttered Thorn
"Or maybe," Alex said her eyes getting wide, "The fact that The Selection is a fictional story, and we are from outside of it. Maxon must have thought she was lying, or teasing him, or something and deemed her untrustworthy, so she got sent home... and earlier when you said Amy "faded" she was leaving the book which means that to leave the book we have to be eliminated." A few nods of approval followed.
"So, the question is," I said "Who wants to go home?"
No one raised there hand
Great we're all smitten by Maxon.
"Alright then we need a plan, obviously all of us are going to be sent home sooner or later so-" I said
"No," Liz said
"What do you mean "No"" I asked
"One of has to stay behind in the book forever, one of us has to be Maxon's queen."
Dead silence filled the whole room.
"Ok, so one of us is going to be trapped here for ever... or we could just let Maxon live on that dream of having 35 cats to rule Illea with?" I said
"No!" Thorn said, "We can't let that happen... but he's meant to be with America, it would be all wrong... the book completely messed up... what we need to do, is introduce him to America, so he'll fall in love, she of course will play hard to get, but maybe in the end..."
"Are you sure that will work? I mean if they meet differently then in the book, it may turn their whole relationship around, and then they won't like each other at all. I mean they met in the gardens, and she said she just wanted to be his friend when she went to apologize for being so mean to him in the gardens the night they met and all. It just wouldn't work." Liz said. I had to admit, she had a point
"Ok so screw that idea," I said "I guess we just need to see how this all ends," the girls nodded and the Lane spoke
"All we can do now I guess is wait,"
Maxon had asked to see me, and I was in my room waiting. I smoothed my dress, this was my second date, I was hoping it wasn't an elimination. I was sitting in my room doing a pencil sketch of an orchid right outside my window when their was a knock on my door. Anne (I had gotten America's maid's and most likely her room) answered the door, and her face flushed red when she saw Maxon, even though I told her to expect him.
"Hello you Majesty," she said shyly
"Hello miss, would you please excuse us but I would like to talk to Lady Jacki," Maxon said She nodded and hurried out of my room, with Mary, and Lucy trailing out behind her.
"Hello Maxon, how are you tonight?"
"Fine, Jacki I have a question," I raised an eyebrow
"What Maxon?"
"Well, I know your a Five and all, and that there are like 7 left, but I was wondering... Ok I know this is a big..."
"Just cut the chase," I said
"Well, what was it like growing up, I mean as a Five?" Truth be told, I didn't know, but for America it hadn't been that well, and I had experienced hard times growing up, like when my dad left my mom, leaving her with my 3 brothers, it had been rough, we went without lunch sometimes, and I never really saw my mom that much either for a few years since she had had 4 jobs. I sucked in my teeth and gave him a combination of my and America's answer.
"Well, imagine this, you've been hungry right? Now imagine, that even though your hungry you can't eat because there's no food, and your family is the same way, and in winter, there's no heat, so your freezing, and all you know is that your family, the people you love are so hungry that they would be better off dea-"
"STOP IT!" I looked up at him startled, "Jacki," he whispered "Is that the way it is," I wasn't sure, bet I had seen eights on the streets, so skinny you could count their ribs through their shirts, so I was pretty sure that's how it was. I nodded, Maxon took a deep breath and brought his hands up behind his head.
"God I'm dumb,"he said, I looked at him and frowned
"No Maxon, I promise you, you are not dumb-"
"No Jacki, you don't understand, I am the future ruler of Illea, and I don't even understand how this country works... I bet when you first met me you though I was some pitiful rich kid, who's naive to the world," he said.
"No, that's not what I thought!" I exclaimed
"Then what did you think!" I thought for a second
"I thought you were to good to be true, I mean you were kind, and interesting, and I liked you, you were really sweet, and everything."
"You like me," he whispered.
I then saw my mistake
"No Maxon, that's not what I mean, it's just I thought you were different, but then you turned out to be amazing, and I love that quality in you, Maxon I know this is about marrying, and loving you, but coming here, I didn't know you, and I didn't know if I would love you or not... It's just I'm 16 getting married should be like a little later in life, I like you, I'm just not prepared to be loved, or love someone equally, Maxon. Give me a little time before I completely make a decision as to how I am going to love you, or not, until then, I just want to be friends," Maxon nodded obviously hurt,
"Come on Maxon," I said "I don't want to hurt you, it's just..."
"Jacki," He said "I understand, this is fast, you need to decide if you love me or not,"
THANK GOD SOMEONE DID!
I did like Maxon. True
I was in love with him. False
It was complicated, but I just needed time.
I sighed.
"Thanks Maxon," I said "It's nice to have someone who understands,
"No" he said "Thank you," and left with a smile on his face.
I was laying in bed that night, alone in the darkness. I traced my finger along the frame of my bed, and thought of a poem I had once heard-
There are words like freedom,
Sweet and wonderful to say.
On my heartstrings freedom sings,
All day everyday.
There are words like liberty,
That almost make me cry.
I you had known what I know,
You would know why,
I fully understood those words now, in Illea no one was free, even Twos could be killed by rebels, or sentenced to a lower caste. To some Freedom is a dangerous thing. It allows a person to have no oppressor. There are rules of course, there are always rules, but in a free world, rules are only for protection. In Illea rules are for oppression. Just thinking of all this, I clenched my fist. Maxon would never be like the King, or would he? I doubted it, but it was still possible. I blinked for a second, I was still awake, and a rush of thoughts hit me so hard, I felt as if it would be impossible to fall asleep. I reached out into the darkness or something, anything to ground me. I felt like I was in a sea of nothing.
But that's how I always felt.
At home I was always overlooked, and I never felt as if I was completely grounded, but here I was a balloon, that could pop any moment.
In other words I was as unpredictable as anything.
I stared out the window, watching the stars, and the glowing moon. I peeled myself out of bed, and walked out onto my balcony. Fire flies like the ones back home floated by slowly, their green lights eliminating the gardens below. A slow melancholy tune filled my mind, and with the last of my awakeness fading, I wrote my own poem-
Roll of thunder hear my cry
Hear my cry light up the night
Let your rain wash away the pain
And save us from our steel bound chains
Strike down my master set me free
And save me from my misery
I have a feeling my talk with Maxon yesterday didn't go to well, but I didn't let that bother me while I got ready for my interview with Gravil. My dress was Red, and went well with my black hair.
Black and Red,
like my high school colors back in Texas. I had played a wide receiver on the football team at school. I sighed languishing in memories. I went light on Makeup, and soon enough, Lucy, Anne, and Mary were shooing me out of the room, and into the hall on my way to interviews. when I arrived, the first thing I realized was the fact that I was the only girl there. I sighed, and waited. I was hidden away in a corner, trying not to bite my perfectly perfect finger nails, when I felt some one tap my shoulder, and when I turned, I saw Maxon.
"Jacki, I need to talk to you," he said,
"I do to," I said, he nodded, and led me behind a plum colored curtain,
"Maxon, I'm sorry about yesterday, it's just I'm a little unsure right now, and I like you, and would do almost anything for you, and I do in a way love you, I didn't mean to hurt you because of what I said... it's just," I didn't know what to say,
"Jacki it's forgotten," He began "And I mean I was a little selfish to think that you were mine no matter what, and feel bad when you said you were just my friend, and now I feel really bad, so will you forgive me." I nodded
"Hugs?" I asked he looked at me strange, and I put a little girl pout on my face, and opened my arms. Maxon smiled, and hugged me. I felt his strong sturdy arms wrap around me, giving me a security I hadn't felt since arriving. He then left me, behind the curtain, soon enough the other girls arrived, and Silvia sent me to my chair. After some chatter among the girls, the lights turned on, and we were on the report for all of Illea to see.
Character by sserv316
Another chapter done!
Ok so I promise 2 chapters a week, unless I have writer's block
another thing, I have received only one interview with Gravil, I will be premiering at least ten, so if you can't write one let me know, and I will do some and have it up next week.
BTY the poem is by Langston Hughes
Thank you lovely people, I love the reviews I have been getting, you guys make me smile.
You Author who is so HAPPY it's scary,
SMServa123