I know this has the longest it has been since I last updated. To be honest with you guys I was just stuck on this story and had lost interest. What sparked it again was reading a bunch of tumblr posts about "The Heir," and I fell in love with America's story all over again. I apologize for the wait, but as always happy reading!

"Get out. Get out of my room!," I yell at her. For a second a look of panic actually manages to cross her face before it returns to her usual smirk. She carefully picks up her skirt and exits my room softly closing the door behind her. The minute she leaves I jump onto my bed and scream into my pillows. Why couldn't life just be easy? Why was nothing like it seemed?

I lay on my bed for what feels like hours, but in actuality couldn't be more than ten minutes. A soft knock sounds on my door and I slowly get up to go answer it. I open it up to find Elise standing on the other side. "What are you doing here?" I ask, opening the door up wider.

"I heard yelling coming from your room and I wanted to make sure that everything was okay," she says, peering into my room.

"Everything is fine," I reply, trying to paste a false smile onto my face. She clearly doesn't believe me and forces her way into my room. I sigh and close the door behind her.

"Okay, now tell me what is really going on," Elise says, plopping down onto my bed.

"Kris is just bothering me again," I reply shaking my head.

"What is she up to now," Elise asks, patting the spot next to her for me to sit down. I had never really realized before how good of a listener Elise was, and how much she had become a good friend.

"She told me that James was the one who came up the idea to lie to me about Kris and Maxon being engaged," I manage to get out, before bursting into tears. I really hated crying in front of people and I try to cover my sobs up the best I can.

"Oh America," Elise says, patting my back, which only causes my sobs to worsen. "If you really want to know the truth I suggest talking to James yourself. You know how Kris lies."

"I know, and I will. I just can't be crying when I do it," I let out the last of my sobs and grab a tissue to wipe my blotchy mascara streaked face. Elise nods at me and leaves me room with one final tentative smile. As soon as she leaves I go over to my mirror and fix up my makeup as best I can. I had to confront James or I would never get this out of my mind. I stride out of my room down the hall towards the dining room, where I knew James would be with everyone else.

I promised myself that I would be calm when I confronted him, but that seemed to go out the window as I strode closer and closer to the dining room. When I reached the doors I was absolutely livid. I threw them open, drawing everyone's attention towards me. James, seeing me standing in the doorway, stands up. "There you are, I looked in the music room for you, but you weren't there," he says, walking towards me. He had this smile on his face that I wanted to smack off. When he reaches for my arm I yank it away and fix him with one of my most withering stares. A confused look crosses his face before his arm drops to his side.

At this point I know that everyone is staring at us, but at this point I can't bring myself to care. "How could you!" I scream at James, throwing my arms into the air. "I trusted you. I was actually falling in love with you. I was going to marry you for god sakes!"

James tries to grab my arm to pull me out of the room. I snatch it away from him, "Don't you dare touch me right now!"

"What is this about?" he says under his breath.

"What is this about? Maybe it's about how you teamed up with Lady Kris over there to take me away from Maxon! Does that ring a bell to you?" I exclaim.

"I didn't..." he starts to say, but I cut him off. "I know you are lying to me right now, its written all across your face. Did you think that I wouldn't find out? Did you think that I would be okay with it when I did find out? I am not just some puppet that people can manipulate. I am god darn human being with feelings!" I continue to shout at him.

From the table I hear a chuckle and King Clarkson say, "I told you she was a handful."

That was the final straw. I turn away from James and stride over to Clarkson. "And you, you can suck a fat one, you abusive piece of shit," I growl out at him. The anger towards Clarkson had always been inside of me, but I guess it took my anger towards James to really bring it out.

"Excuse me," Clarkson says, rising up out of his seat. "You heard me," I reply, not willing to back down to him this time. "You are the reason I am even in this mess right now. You try to put on this facade, but everyone knows that you a truly horrible person." What happens next I never would have expected. Clarkson reaches up and slaps me across the cheek. "You insolent little girl, you have no idea what I could to you," he snarls at me.

"Oh I don't? Explain this then." I pull down the zipper on my dress half way down my back, exposing the scars left on it by Clarkson's whip, the same he uses on his own son. I can hear the gasps coming from behind me before I yank the zipper up covering the scars I was once so ashamed of. Now those scars just represented my strength, the strength I never even knew I had. With that final show I turn on my heels and strode out of the room. I can hear someone running after me, but I turn down the hall before they can catch up to me. I find the first open door and shut myself inside of it. I can hear footsteps walking past the door and a voice calling me name. The next five minutes pass in total silence and I decide that it is safe for me to come out now.

The only thing I knew then was that I had to get outside, I couldn't stand being in that place for one more minute. I easily find the door that James once took me out of. The cold evening air hits me in the face and I inhale deeply. The breeze ruffles my hair and the setting sun graces me with its beautiful orange color. I remember reading a book once and one of the main character's favorite colors was orange, but not just plain old orange, the orange that colors the sky when the sun sets. At the time that I read the book I couldn't understand what he was talking about, but looking at the sky now I could.

Suddenly I feel a callused hand cover my mouth. "Don't scream," the voice I know recognize as a man, whispers into my ear. The voice sounds so familiar and when he releases me I turn around to find someone I never thought I would see again. Aspen stands looking back at me, looking almost the exact same way as when I had last laid my eyes on him, but now he sported a small amount of scruff.

"Aspen, what are you doing here?" I gasp, not really able to believe my own eyes.

"I had to see. I knew you weren't safe," he says, running his long fingers through his hair.

"You came back for me? You came back even though I am engaged to another man, not to mention you are responsible for my kidnapping," I stutter out, still in shock.

"Please Mer, you have to believe that I never meant you to get hurt," he pleads. Looking at him I see the Aspen that I grew up with, the Aspen that I fell in love with.

"I can't forgive you for what you did Aspen, but I can try to move past it," I sigh, fidgeting with the waist of my dress.

A smile break across his face, "That's all I can ask for. So why are you out here? And why is your face so red, it only looks like that when you are truly furious."

"Let's just say that everyone I thought I knew I really didn't," I tell him, staring down at the ground.

"Mer, this is going to sound crazy, but come with me. I told you that you don't belong in this kind of life. You are far too kind and far too caring," he says, lifting my chin up to meet his gaze.

"I don't know if I can just run away Aspen," I reply.

"What kind of life are you living here Mer? One that is filled with lies and deception. You can't want that to be the rest of your life," he says, shaking his head.

"You're right," I tell him.

A look of shock crosses his face, "I'm what?"

"You're right," I say, nodding my head.

"What does that mean then?" he asks with a touch of hope in his voice.

"It means, let's go."

Okay, wait what? Now America is running away with Aspen? This girl has way too many guys in her life. If you noticed I referenced another book in here and if you can guess it in the review section I will let you be a character in the story. I think that would be cool to do for you guys. Thanks for being so awesome! I promise to do shout outs next time, this chapter was all about getting in the groove of writing again.