Yay! Chapter 4! Time for the blind date. Hope you like it! All rights go to Kiera Cass!

America POV

It's beautiful outside. It's dusk and everything seems calm. The sky is a mix of pink and red and a slight wind rustles the leaves in the trees. I look forward and realize that there is a car parked in the driveway. I look over at Celeste and she smiles innocently, giving me a thumbs ups. I sigh, of course Celeste wouldn't let me walk there.

As I approach the car the driver exits the car and goes around the car to open the door for me. I smile, he was truly a gentleman. Just like Maxon was. For once, thinking of Maxon doesn't make me quite as sad, I'm too excited for my date. 'You look beautiful", the man complimented. "Thank you, but I'm actually going on a date", I say, trying to reject the guy's advances. "Oh I know. I am your date." I stand there frozen, shocked and embarrassed. "I'm really sorry", I apologize. "I didn't know." "Oh it's ok", the man says, smiling easily. "I'm Ethan. And may I tell you, you're even prettier than Celeste described." I blush, pleased by the compliment. "Thank you. You look quite handsome yourself." Ethan smiles, a cute, lopsided smile. "Thank you." He walks toward the car and opens the door, gesturing for me to go inside. "M'lady, please enter", he says jokingly. I giggle and play along. "Thank you kind sir", I say, taking his extended hand.

I step into the car, but not before bonking my head on the top of the door. "Not very graceful, are you?" he jokes. "Not really. I'm working on it." "No need. You're perfect just the way you are." I blush even deeper than before. What was with me tonight? A simple guy was making me blush so many times. Well, to his defense, he was really nice, and funny. And it's only been 5 minutes. Maybe I could fall in love with someone else. My thoughts are filled with hope as Ethan climbs in and starts the engine. I wave to my family before we drive away.

As we drive he tells me about himself. Apparently he was studying to be a doctor and had been away in Africa helping kids get proper healthcare for the past few years. Which meant that he didn't know that I had been in the Selection. I feel relieved, at least that meant that he wouldn't look at me in pity every time we spoke.

After he finished he asked me about myself and I told him about my family and my various musical talents. He was a Two but didn't seem to be bothered by the fact that I was just a Five. That made me like him even more. We keep talking about random things, laughing and joking the whole ride. It was so easy to talk to him, I didn't have to worry about saying the wrong thing. We soon reach our destination and see that it is a restaurant. The sign read The Marquis Diner. I was impressed, this place looked really fancy. I was really looking forward to our date.

We enter the restaurant and Ethan requests a table for two. She leads us to a secluded corner and we take our seats. "What can I get you?" the server asks. "Some Coke for me." Ethan says. He then looks at me expectantly. "Just water please", I say. She then leaves, giving us time to choose our entrée.

"You could have gotten something else", Ethan says. "Dinner's on me." "Oh. Thank you. Actually I've never tried anything other than water and champagne so I decided to just stick with something familiar." Ethan looks shocked. "You've never had soda before!", he asks incredulously. "Not really. We couldn't really afford it as Fives." I see understanding appear in his eyes. He nods. "Well feel free to try some of mine when it arrives and if you like it you can order dome for yourself." I am taken aback, I've never met a guy who was so kind before. "That's very generous", I reply. "Thank you." "No problem. I'd be honored to buy dinner for a girl like you any day."

I'm immediately disgusted. Of course. He doesn't care about me. He just cares about my looks. I shudder, thinking about what he might try. Maybe that's why he had requested a private table. I start making escape plans. Ethan seems to sense my uneasiness. "Are you alright?" he asks, his voice concerned. "Of course not", I say harshly. Ethan recoils but doesn't interrupt. I continue. "I came here thinking that you were a nice guy and now I find out that all you care about is my appearance." When I finish, realization dawns on his face. "When I said I'd be honored to buy dinner for a girl like you any day I didn't mean because you're pretty. You are rather beautiful but it's your personality that is even more inviting. I've never met a girl like you, a girl that' so...so real."

When he finishes he looks at me, waiting for my response. I blush, embarrassed yet again. I couldn't figure out why I was so on edge tonight. "I'm really sorry. I'm just kind of stressed. I really want this to go well." As I say this I realize why I'm acting so strange tonight, I don't want to get my heart broken again. I can tell that Ethan can see that there is more to the story, but he doesn't pry.

Thankfully, he changes the subject and we start a conversation about our favorite things - food, movies, music, etc- basic first date conversation. The rest of the date goes smoothly, we order our food and it's delicious, I have to restrain myself from ordering seconds. I even try a sip of Ethan's coke and am delighted to see that I like it. I order one for myself and drain it in seconds. Instead of staring at me like I'm crazy Ethan merely chuckles and orders another one. I drink that one more deliberately, savoring the taste. We split dessert, a slice of delicious tiramisu cake.

All too soon, the check arrives. I'm surprised to see that I'm disappointed that the date if almost over. I enjoyed that way more than I expected that I would. Ethan was a great guy and liked me for me, flaws and all. And I think I liked him too. We exit the restaurant and get in his car again. But instead of starting the engine Ethan turned to me. I saw that he wore a serious expression and I became nervous.

"Are you ok?" he asks me. "Don't say you are because you were hiding something back there at the restaurant. Please tell me the truth. You can trust me. And I can't trust you if I know you're keeping things from me." I sigh and nod. And then I spill. Everything. About Aspen, Maxon, the Selection, the Choosing, everything. Once I start I can't stop. Somewhere in there I start to cry. Ethan holds me to him, comforting me while I sob into his shirt. Finally I run out of words and my sobs turn into hiccups. I look up at Ethan, afraid to hear the verdict. He would reject me, he wouldn't want to date a girl like me, unstable and possibly still in love with someone else. But his response surprises me.

"Look America", he begins. "I can see that you're a girl with a lot of baggage." I nod, scared to hear the rest. 'And I can see that you are possibly still in love with Maxon." I nod again, not wanting to lie to him. "But", he says. "If you still want to, I would love to still go out with you." At this, I stop breathing. He was actually giving me a chance, even after all that he'd heard. "Really?" I breathe. "Really", he says, giving me a small smile. "You're an amazing girl and they were idiots to give you up." I smile back at him.

We sit there for a moment, lost in thought. Ethan straightens up and so do I. "So what do you say?" he asks. It takes me a minute to realize what he's talking about. "About a second date?" He nods, a hopeful look on his face. "I would love to", I say, a huge grin on my face. Ethan grins back at me and starts the car. Unlike the ride here the car ride back is silent. I go back through the events of the evening and smile slightly. Ethan was the perfect guy and it seemed like he liked me. I start to have hope that I could find love again, possibly with Ethan. I close my eyes, finally at peace.

We reach my house and Ethan parks the car. I start to get out of the car, but Ethan stops me. "I just wanted you to know something", he says. "I would never break your heart", he vows, and I can tell he's being genuine. I smile gratefully at him an get out of the car, wishing him goodbye. He's about to drive away when an idea pops into my mind. "Wait!" I call. Ethan looks at me, surprised. 'Would you like to come in?" I ask shyly. Ethan grins and nods. He exits his car and locks it.

Together we walk up the path that leads to my house, him telling funny jokes that make me laugh. The house is surprisingly quiet, they must be waiting for me. We reach the door and look for my keys in my handbag. I find them and unlock the door quickly. Me and Ethan walk in to an eerie silence and our laughter immediately dies off. We turn the corner and see my family sitting in the living room. But it's the person joining them that makes me take a step back, causing me to run into Ethan, who steadies me. My past has come back to haunt me. It's Maxon.

Ok so that was chapter 4! Hoped you liked it! Sorry there was no Maxon POV, the chapter was already getting kind of long. I promise that he will show up in the next chapter. Sorry if America and Ethan's relationship seems to be escalating too quickly. And I'm really sorry for the tiny cliffhanger. Next chapter will be posted soon! Bye! :)