Hi guys! Sorry I haven't posted in a while, school is keeping me busy. Finals are coming up. But only one more week until Christmas break! Yay! Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I did two points of view, so you can see both sides. Is it snowing where you live?
America's POV
Did I imagine him tugging his ear? I don't think so. Then why didn't Maxon come to my room? Maybe he was busier than he expected. Or he was with one of the Elites. I try to sleep, try to forget about the Selection.
When I wake up in the morning, I look out my window and see fresh snow covering the gardens. The first snow of winter! I have always loved the powdery white fluff and it's ability to cover all the impurities on the ground. I wish something like that was invented for my behaviors. Everything I had done wrong in my life, just erased. That would be wonderful, yet too easy. I must pay the price for my actions. There are consequences.
I tell my maids to dress me warmly, for I will be going outside. They do, layering a heavy dark green wool dress under a brown fur lined cloak. Snow boots are put on my feet, and gloves are slipped onto my hands. Only my face is exposed. I thank them and rush down the stairs, eager to play in the snow before breakfast. The childish side of me is coming out.
When I step into the winter wonderland, I take a deep breath. It smells so fresh, so clean. The first thing I do is make a snow angel. I haven't made one of these in ages! May and I used to play in our backyard when it snowed. She would love playing at the palace. There's almost too much snow!
Next I make a short snowman. Not my best work of art, but it will do. May's snowmen are exquisite. Every inch is detailed. I don't know how she does it. I am personally better at sculptures, so that is what I work on. It starts out as an angel, but soon turns into Maxon. I wonder what he is doing and why he didn't visit me last night. Sighing, I put the finishing touches on his face and step back to take a better look. Not too bad. He is standing with his hands folded behind him, a grim smile on his face. He looks like a king.
I hear the snap of a camera taking a picture sound from behind me. Maxon!
"Hello my dear. You look so beautiful with snow in your hair." he says, grinning widely. He takes in my hurt look and is confused for a moment. Then realization hits.
"You tugged your ear last night, didn't you." he says. I nod slowly. "America, I'm so sorry. I was busy with...with-" I cut him off. "With work right?" I say sarcastically. "Or were you kissing Celeste again? Or better yet, kissing Kriss." He doesn't deny the last part. I gasp.
"You were kissing Kriss? I thought you said she wouldn't kiss you." He sighs, defeated. "America, she kissed me."
"But you didn't stop her." I say. He looks for an explanation, but comes up short. I can't believe this.
"You said you loved me!" I yell. "You said you would choose me, that we would get married. You promised! I thought, that this time at least, you weren't lying."
He stops me. "America, I never promised you anything. I said it was probable, but I didn't promise. You're still in The Selection, this is still a contest. I haven't made my decision, but with the way you're acting I'm kind of leaning towards Kriss. I can trust her to be reliable and understanding."
"Trust requires two people Maxon. And right now, you're not being very trustworthy." I say.
"I'm not being trustworthy?!" he cries, indignant. "I trusted you to be understanding, and you're not exactly acting that way right now."
"I might be more understanding if you had at least visited me! But no, you had to go to Kriss's room and kiss her all night."
"We didn't kiss all night America. It was just once." he defends himself.
"It doesn't matter if you kissed her a million times or once! The fact of the matter is you kissed her." I say.
"No America. The fact of the matter is that you're getting upset over something expected. This is the Selection! I can kiss whoever I want whenever I want. And you're going to have to get over that." he exclaims.
I stare at him, dumbfounded. How could he act like this?
"Well, maybe I don't want to get over it. Maybe I want to leave." I say angrily.
"Maybe you should leave!" Maxon replies just as angrily.
"Fine!" I exclaim.
"Fine!" he shouts back.
Tears well up in my eyes, and I run back into the palace. Throwing myself onto my bed, I cry until my maids come in to get me for breakfast. I take it in my room, not wanting to see Kriss and Maxon together. He has hurt me so much, but this time it is the worst.
I stay in my room until I hear a knock on my door. "Go away Maxon!" I shout, not wanting to see him. The door swings open, and I see Celeste standing there with cocked hips.
"Disappointed?" she asks.
Maxon's POV
I wake up feeling refreshed for the fist time in days. It's because I'm in love. But with whom? America or Kriss? I don't know.
I see America outside in the snow and decide to join her. Putting on my warmest clothes, I grab my camera so that I can capture the moment.
America is sculpting, and her sculpture is marvelous. So detailed, it looks alive. I wonder who it is of, until I study it. Stiff posture, hands behind the back, a serious smile. It is me. I look...kingly.
I snap a picture of America. She is so beautiful, lightly flushed cheeks, sparkling eyes, the white snow contrasting with her fiery red hair. She turns around to see who it is.
"Hello my dear. You look so beautiful with snow in your hair." I say, grinning like a Cheshire Cat. I take in her hurt look and am confused. What did I do?
Oh.
"You tugged your ear last night, didn't you." I confirm. She nods slowly. "America, I'm so sorry. I was busy with...with-" What can I tell her? That I was with Kriss? She would get so mad.
"With work right?" she says sarcastically. Oh no. "Or were you kissing Celeste again? Or better yet, kissing Kriss." I shake my head, but when she says Kriss, I stop. I can't lie to her.
She gasps. "You were kissing Kriss? I thought you said she wouldn't kiss you." I sigh, defeated. What should I tell her?
"America, she kissed me." I explain.
"But you didn't stop her." she retorts. I didn't, because I liked it. I like Kriss, maybe even love her. But how can I tell that to America?
She takes my pause as a sign of defeat. "You said you loved me!" she yells."You said you would choose me, that we would get married You promised! I thought, that this time at least, you weren't lying."
I stop her. She can't go on thinking like this. "America, I never promised you anything. I said it was probable, but I didn't promise. You're still in The Selection, this is still a contest. I haven't made my decision, but with the way you're acting I'm kind of leaning towards Kriss. I can trust her to be reliable and understanding."
"Trust requires two people Maxon. And right now, you're not being very trustworthy." she replies. Me, not trustworthy?! Look whose talking.
"I'm not being trustworthy?!" I cry, indignant. "I trusted you to be understanding, and you're not exactly acting that way right now." Kriss would be understanding.
"I might be more understanding if you had at least visited me! But no, you had to go to Kriss's room and kiss her all night." she spits the words out.
"We didn't kiss all night America. It was just once." I tell her. But it was a good kiss. I like America's better though.
"It doesn't matter if you kissed her a million times or once! The fact of the matter is you kissed her." she tells me.
"No America. The fact of the matter is that you're getting upset over something expected. This is the Selection! I can kiss whoever I want whenever I want. And you're going to have to get over that." I exclaim. This is a contest, for God's sake. Why can't she understand that there is more than one person I love?
"Well, maybe I don't want to get over it. Maybe I want to leave." she says angrily. What? I was not expecting that.
I'm so mad, I just reply, "Maybe you should leave!"
"Fine!" she exclaims, tears in her eyes. I can't believe I said that. Too late now.
"Fine!" I shout back. America turns and runs back to the palace, crying. I am so angry at myself. How could I do this? She probably will want to leave now, and I'll never see her again. The thought takes my breath away. Then I realize.
I love America more than anyone else, even Kriss. I can't bear the thought of her leaving. Yet she is so rash, with such a temper. I can't think right now, so I walk over to America's sculpture of me and study it. Such detail, such care put into it. That is how America is, and I love her for it. But I can't speak to her now, she will be too angry. Later, I tell myself. Good things come to those who wait.
Sorry for the cliffhanger y'all, I really am. Who do you think Maxon will end up choosing: America or Kriss? Review what you think!