Chapter 2
6 months later
"Oh, for god's sake, get up," an irritated voice says before I'm hurtled off my bed and onto the floor. I squeal and grasp for anything that can keep me from falling but it's no use, I'm already on the floor.
I open my eyes, squinting at the light that filters through my windows. Celeste stands above me with her hands on her hips, her lips pursed in annoyance and her eyebrows furrowed over her blue eyes. She's already done her makeup.
"Good morning," I greet, knowing she's probably frustrated at me for something I did, or more likely, didn't do.
After the Selection ended, it wasn't a hard decision to move in with Celeste. My family moved into the house Maxon had purchased but I'd never settled in completely. I couldn't live in a house that was never intended for me to live in. When Celeste suggested finding an apartment together, it was easy to say yes. Celeste would never look at me with pity like my family does. She looked at me like a normal human being.
Celeste transforms her face into a smile, no doubt finding some amusement in my current appearance as I lay helplessly on the floor. "Your mom called, something about Kenna and Astra, I wasn't really listening," she explains. "You should probably call her." I nod, still half asleep. Kenna went back to working but that meant she couldn't always look after Astra on weekends when her babysitter was off which meant babysitting Astra became my weekend routine.
"I have a meeting with some guy about some shoot they want me to do," Celeste continues, picking at her fingernails. "I should be back by tonight but if I'm not, don't wait up." Celeste wagged her eyebrows. Leaving the Selection had been a big plus for Celeste who now had every weekend free to go out and meet new guys.
I stand up, wanting to get right back in bed. I'd been marking until early this morning. Being a Three now, I had to find work in some business field. Teaching seemed like the easiest option at the time but now that I'd started, it had taken over my whole life. It seemed like I was constantly surrounded by papers and colorful stickers.
I begin to shuffle around my room, searching for clothes as Celeste walks out the door, leaving the apartment complex to attend this meeting. I quickly get dressed and go out to the kitchen to call my mom back. She speaks a thousand words a minute about how James is waiting for me at their place and to get over there as fast as possible. I sigh and scoop up my keys, swinging my bag over my shoulder and making my way down to where my car is lazily parked somewhat next to the curb.
After my family moved into the house Maxon had purchased, they sold the family home to buy Kenna a house closer. It was easier to have the whole family close by though no one had really spoken to Kota since the funeral.
Traffic passed through quickly which made the drive to Kenna's house faster than usual. Kenna gave me a key when I started babysitting so I didn't have to wait at the door for one of them to realize I was knocking.
James sat on the floor while Astra crawled around, giggling and gurgling in excitement. She was an easily pleased baby which made everyone's job easier. She rarely cries while I'm babysitting which made her my favorite niece even though she was also my only niece.
"Thanks for helping out, Ames," James says, reaching for his bag as I place my things on the coatrack. James had started using the nickname my family affectionately called me. I'd never really spoken to him before Astra was born so it still freaked me out to hear the nickname from his deep baritone voice.
"What's family for if not to babysit your critters when you're busy?" I reply, trying to hide my obvious tiredness.
A baby sound comes from Astra which I take as laughter at my obviously thrilling joke. James chuckles as he makes his way out the door.
I turn to Astra who smiles up at me, showing her gums and babbling on in her own language. I roll my eyes and move towards her to scoop her up in my arms. She was lucky she was so cute, or I don't know if I would have left the warmth of my bed.
Kenna came home hours later, relieving me of my babysitter duties. We don't talk for very long, just casually catch up about work. She works in a factory which sounds boresome but for some reason she doesn't hate. It's unfathomable to me that someone could like working in a factory but both Kenna and James do it so it mustn't be too unbearable.
I consider stopping by the house but go straight home instead. I'd love to see my mom and May and Gerard but after a long day with Astra, going home and sleeping until Monday seems much more ideal.
The lights are on as I walk through the doors. From the door, our apartment has an unnecessarily long hallway which means it's impossible to see the kitchen or the living room from the door. A
"Celeste," I call, throwing my keys into the key holder. The television is on which is a sure sign Celeste didn't go home with a guy tonight.
Sure enough, Celeste is walking around the kitchen, preparing popcorn or something while a guy sits on the couch. I furrow my brows, looking at Celeste questionably.
"America!" she greets. I can already tell she's had some wine tonight from the tone of her voice. I roll my eyes at her mood and gesture toward the guy who is studying me with great care.
"Ahhhhh," she drawls, tossing the popcorn bowl in the microwave and pressing random buttons. "This is Jasp." The guy- Jasp- gives a quick salute before standing up. He extended a hand.
"It's actually Jasper but you can call me Jasp is you really want to," he says. I laugh and slide my hand into his, shaking his lightly.
"America," I return the introduction. I turn away from Jasper and back to Celeste who is drunkenly giggling at herself.
"Big night?" I ask. She just laughs even harder, grasping her stomach. I roll my eyes again.
Jasper laughs along with me. "We ran into each other at the club and unfortunately she was already past wasted," he explains. I raise my brows. Celeste tried not to bring guys back here for my sake. I wonder what makes this guy so special that she would break her own rule.
Jasper's eyes widen in alarm as if he can tell what I'm thinking. "I'm not- ew." He shook his head. "Celeste is my cousin. She forgot to mention that she was now living in the same city as me, so I thought some catching up was in order." He laughs and I join him. Now that he's mentioned their relation, I can see the similarities in their light brown hair and the slope of their noses. They had to be close cousins, surely.
"Celeste never mentioned any cousins," I say. "I mean, I've met her parents, but I never knew there was anyone else." I shudder at the thought of Celeste's parents. I've only met them once but that was enough to make my skin crawl. Their prejudice radiated off them in waves.
Jasper chuckles as he moves towards where Celeste is still in her slightly manic giggle fest. He lifts her up while talking. "Our parents had a disagreement years ago, but we've tried to keep in touch. I don't think my aunt and uncle think of me often though so it's no surprise you've never heard of me. I smile. He sure is charming.
Celeste groans as Jasper essentially drags her to her room. Celeste claimed the master bedroom as soon as we moved in with its giant closet and private bathroom. She was quick to unpack. I still had boxes littering my room, but Celeste had laid out her chic furniture as soon as we stepped through the doors.
Jasper deposits her on her bed, tucking her under the covers. She looks peaceful in sleep; the guards I know she keeps up constantly finally down for the night.
I sigh and lead the way out the room; Celeste deserves her privacy. Jasper follows like a small dog.
We go to the living room and I let my body fall down on the couch. A movie is paused on the screen, no doubt the movie they were intending to watch before I came home.
Jasper sits down in the armchair and relaxes in the comfortable seat. It was one of the only pieces I picked for the apartment. Comfort was my specialty whereas the more stylish pieces were Celeste's.
"She hasn't changed one bit since we were young," he tells me, his head falling back. His eyes are the one staple of him that differs from Celeste. They're a bright blue with a dark lining around them.
I bite my lip and tuck my legs to my chest. "When was the last time you saw her?" I ask, curious. Celeste has never mentioned a cousin. She never spoke about her family during the Selection and has only given me spits of information since.
He furrows his brows in thought. "It must have been the day before she left for the Selection," he says. He thinks a bit more before rolling his eyes and letting the corners of his lips pull up playfully. "Her parents insisted on throwing a party, their perfect daughter was to be the queen of Illea." I laugh at the similarity between the thoughts of my parents and hers.
"Did you watch a lot of it?" I question. He must have. Almost everyone sat down each night to watch the Selection and if they didn't, they heard the recap of it the next day.
He looks at me almost sympathetically. "I didn't watch much but I watched enough." His blue eyes hold pity in them. I look away, thinking of a different set of eyes. It's been so long since the Selection, so much has changed but its memory is imprinted in my memory. Days of dresses and nights of dancing. Royal parties and feuds. I fight away the tears that prick my eyes and force a smile on my face, much like that last day.
I stand up, going into the kitchen, remembering Celeste's popcorn in the microwave. It's burnt beyond salvation, the usually white cloud shapes blackened like there's a storm about to rip out of them. I laugh at Celeste's drunken creation as I pour the bowl into the bin.
"One thing I wish they taught the girls during the Selection," I say fondly, "is cooking. Or at least baking." Jasper stands from his seat and moves to the other side of the counter, leaning against it and looking at me curiously. I elaborate, "Not because women should be forced into the kitchen but more because it's an essential skill for everyone. Instead, they fed us such delectable meals and delicacies that when we returned home, nothing would satisfy us. It's quite cruel." Jasper laughs. I study him. He's so alike Celeste yet so different.
"Celeste has never been terribly useful in the world of cooking," he shares. "I remember we tried to bake cupcakes when we were younger. She fussed about having to do it but in the end, she was put on icing duty. Icing duty." He chuckles at the memory and runs a hand through his light brown locks. "Needless to say, the cupcakes were thrown to the floor, a nice tasty snack for my dog." I laugh and glance up at the clock. It's later than I anticipated. Did Celeste intend for Jasper to stay over? Was that the plan for this evening?
"One thing I took into consideration that Celeste did not when purchasing this place was a guest room." I motion for Jasper to follow me. I take him to the cramped room and sigh. It's not the tidiest room due to the fact that we've never used it. My family lives close by so they never stay the night and Aspen still works at the palace, so he doesn't use it. Celeste wouldn't dare inviting her parents to come to our place, so it has gradually become a kind of storage closet.
I move into the room and start taking things off the bed. It's mostly clothes which makes the job easier. Thank goodness we thought to buy bedding for the bed before turning it into the trash closet.
Jasper looks at the bed incredulously, a small smirk on his face. I huff at his amusement. "It isn't much, but I assure you it will be better than sleeping on the couch," I tell him. He shrugs and basically dives onto the bed with his shoes on. I laugh at his playfulness as I turn out of the room making my way to my own room so I can collapse happily in bed alone.
