Chapter 18- Family Stills

GummyBear1178- Thank you!

Bluebelles112- This one is another Elite-centric chapter but we'll get to see our fave soon :)

DBZfanLou-that is one of the sweetest reviews I have ever gotten! Thank you!

BlissfulBillie- I adore Celeste in the og series and have been itching for them to reconcile since Day 1 and I'm so happy it finally fit into the story.

KMLovesFanfics- thank you sweetheart! So glad you enjoy reading BC :)

Boredboredboredd- can i just really quickly say i love your username lol such a mood. Also thank you thank you

Virtue01- 100% agree about Max being unhappy w/o Ames and Celeste and America's friendship. I will say that writing with this computer is no longer worth it haha but still kinda fun to reminisce. Thanks for your continuous support!

Mish1475- thank you so much :)))

Guest- okay this is the cutest suggestion ever ever and i will 100000% use it because wow i love this thank you for that

Alrighty-o! This scene is a spin on a scene from the One and I had mucho fun writing it. Also expect another update soon, because I already have the next chapter written (who am i? lol) but I'm super excited for it. Also though, BC is rapidly coming to a close and idk how to feel. Hope you enjoy this chapter! we love female friendship! anotehr thing-i skipped the actual presentations because I didn't feel like writing it and nothing dramatic happened! But there over and two more poeple are gone so pay attention! Have a lovely day and remember that you matter and good things are coming!

Without further ado… Chapter 18-Family Stills

We wandered back to the Women's Room arm in arm. It was the most I'd smiled since my fight with Maxon. I understood Celeste in a way I'd have never thought possible when we first met in the airport. But I could see her becoming one of my best friends. I smiled broadly. She swung open the door of the Women's Room. Natalie was still lying on the couch flipping through channels boredly. Marlee drank a cup of what looked like tea by the window. Elise was hunched over a desk. Tiny was mysteriously absent.

I glanced over at Celeste. "She asked to be sent home after the last rebel attack. It's just the five of us now."

"Oh," I whispered. I looked back at the room of tired faces. "We should probably work on our reports for Friday."

Celeste nodded. "But first I have to talk to them-to apologize."

I bit my lip, nodding in return.

I glanced at the note in my hand, a giggle bubbling to my lips. "Okay, okay let me read it back. 'Your Highest of Highnesses, the ladies of the Elite require immediately, the least fancy of your cameras for a study in feminine diplomacy. They thank you for your generous contribution to the education of your future Queen."

We burst into laughs. Even Elise chuckled. I had to hold my hands to my stomach and think of anything else to stop laughing, but tears still rolled down my cheeks. I thought I even heard a faint giggle from the corner of the room where the Queen sat.

Giant mirrors leaned against the walls at varying angles. We had set up tables lined with brushes and hair combs and pins. All of us brought our maids and broad smiles on our faces. We talked for hours together after Celeste apologized. We met almost daily now-in each other's rooms, in the Women's Room, in the Gardens. We even spent one afternoon after class with Silvia in our pajamas in the movie theater watching bad rom-coms and throwing popcorn at the screen and having pillow fights. It was the sisterhood I had missed since being at the Palace. That sisterhood made it harder that Natalie was gone now. We felt the weight of her loss keenly-it was only a matter of time before our small family would be disbanded. And the way Natalie went… Her sister was killed by rebels trying to attack our families. I couldn't imagine what I would do if the same happened to me. To lose Kenna or May would be devastating. I doubted even Maxon could bring me back from that.

Celeste proposed we do makeovers with each other to celebrate the presentations of our philanthropy projects before we went on the Report last night. It was before we found out about Natalie, but after her news and the stress of presenting to the whole nation was reason enough for a mood boost.

I hoped mine was good enough. I ended up really enjoying my topic-music was always the best therapy. I even played some during my presentation. And I had helped Celeste work out the details of her employment ministry so that the lower castes wouldn't be underpaid or mistreated. It was a riff off of her original idea but more feasible and achievable in the long term. Marlee's was amazing too. She wanted to create an organization to help women in domestic abuse situations and those with unplanned pregnancies. I saw too much of that at home. Women with bruises on their neck that they tried to cover with makeup. It rarely worked. Elise suggested a recovery program for alcoholics and drug addicts that addresses it as an illness and helps them get back on their feet so they don't have to become Eights hungry on the streets.

All of us truly wanted to help Illea. Each of us worked in our small ways to help change the world. It wasn't abolishing the castes, but it was something I could do with a thing that I loved. It was something all of us could do. That was enough for now. Maxon and I could revisit the caste system when we ruled.

I bit my lip. I didn't even know if we were going to be together at the end of the Selection. Not anymore. I sucked in a breath and forced a smile. Elise took the note from my outstretched hand and passed it to one of her maids with a small laugh.

Maxon knocked on the door about twenty minutes later. He cracked the door open an inch, "Can I come in?"

Marlee laughed, snatching the camera from his hand and shutting the door in his face. We fell back on the floor laughing. Maxon called back another question but we were laughing too loudly to hear what he said.

We posed with hands on our hips and smiled with our arms around each other. Celeste taught us all how to "find the light." We turned in the light by the windows and blew kisses at the camera. We laughed the whole time-the most I'd laughed in what felt like forever.

Every now and then I glanced at Queen Amberly across the room. A small smile spread across her face like a secret. She sat alone in her corner. I felt almost bad that she was left out of the fun. I glanced back at the girls. Celeste was arranging Marlee and Elise together for a picture on the couch. I grabbed a brush from the table and walked over to Queen Amberly.

She smiled broadly when I stopped in front of her. "Good morning, America."

I matched her smile and raised the brush in my hand. "Could I brush your hair?"

Emotions flitted across her face, but she nodded. "Of course."

Her hair was absolutely gorgeous. I picked up a handful and raked the brush down over and over. We watched the other girls quietly.

"It does my heart good to see you all getting along," she commented. "I met some of my very best friends during the Selection. I'm still friends with many of them today."

"I think they're forever friends too." I said quietly. "No matter what happens."

Queen Amberly turned to face me. Her eyes softened when she saw my own face. I swallowed hard. Was she going to tell me that Maxon was ending it?

"You know he loves you, dear." She said softly.

I nodded, breathing deeply. "Of course I do. That's what scares me."

Queen Amberly opened her mouth to reply but then pursed her lips. She turned back to watch the other girls. She spoke quietly after a few beats."He doesn't want to see you get hurt, dear."

I sighed. I knew that. Of course I knew that. But he was hurting me. "I just want him to let his walls down again. He's been so tense since…"

I trailed off. Queen Amberly nodded. "He laughs off his stress. We all have learned to do something with it. Maxon smiles and makes jokes and loves deeply."

I smiled softly. "He does, doesn't he?"

She nodded and turned back to me. "The question is how will you handle it? Your passion is what I think makes you the perfect princess-you care. But you need to control that passion. That's what scares him. He's scared that you'll say the wrong thing or argue with the wrong person or love someone too much and you'll end up with a bullet in your head."

I sucked in a breath. It wasn't a terribly far-off conclusion. I still didn't know what compelled me to jump in front of that bullet, but I did. And I almost died. He was right to be afraid. I tried to imagine what I would do if Maxon acted like I did half of the time. Part of me couldn't because Maxon was so careful with his words and the mask on his face. But another part of me could see him struggling against guards because I was missing. Another part of me could see him jumping in front of more bullets. And that part of me was terrifying.

I swallowed. "He was right," I said almost to myself.

Amberly had turned back to face the Elite but I saw a small smile tug at her lips. I pulled the brush through her hair again. "Perhaps you should tell him that and not me."

I laughed. "Of course, Mom."

She stiffened. Panic shot through my chest. "Ma'am. I meant Ma'am."

Amberly turned slowly and a dash of mischief danced in her eyes. "So long as you talk to my son," she said with a small laugh, "Mom will be perfectly fine, darling."

I grinned back at her. A click sounded from in front of us. I snapped my attention to Celeste, holding a camera.

"Smile," she exclaimed.

I wrapped my arms around Queen Amberly and smiled broadly. I wanted so much to be the daughter she always wanted.