Here's chapter eight! Hope you like it!
if i were infinity, Dl9571, PeetaOrMaxon, Frankfish, winterprincess, SkyRosyPosy, selectionluver, lilythemermaid, kassoug4, avaatquevale2250, Melody, prnamber3909, maggiebswim, Thank you so much for the reviews! I loved all of yours (ps, maggiebswim, I laughed my head off when I read your review) I have the best reviewers ever! Thanks for all of you who put suggestions in yours. It really helped out. And I even used some of them! So Thanks!
CHAPTER EIGHT
MAXON'S POV
I couldn't help myself. I got out of the boy's bed. (It was a few inches too short for me and my feet stuck slightly out the foot of the bed.) I just had to. I was wide awake, not anywhere close to sleeping. I was always like that in unfamiliar places- in unfriendly places. But it wasn't like that, I reminded myself. This isn't some foreign country I'm sleeping in, where they could change their minds about being our allies at any time and kill us while we sleep under their roof. No, this was my amazing, beautiful girlfriend-soon-to-be-fiance's family's house, where I am safe and happy. I am not the Prince of Illea here, or Prince Maxon. Just Maxon, their daughter's boyfriend.
Like I said. I couldn't help myself. I snuck out of the bed, out of the room, into the hall, where I went to the door I remember seeing America go into. It must be her room. And she must be sleeping alone in there. It was dark in there, but the moon was bright enough to see small details. There were two beds in there. One with a pink comforter. It was empty. Another with a blue comforter. That one had a body under it. One bare leg was hanging off the side of the bed. One arm was resting over her eyes and other was hanging off the side, just asking to be held by my hand. So I did. I walked over to her and slide my hand through hers.
But I knew I couldn't stay in here. Her parents could check on her in the night at any moment. So I kissed her softly on the forehead, wishing her sweet dreams, and headed towards the door.
"Hey," A soft whisper behind me. I turned around. Her eyes were open. She slid her leg back under her comforter.
"Hey," I whispered back.
"How long have you been here?"
"Just a few seconds. I never got to wish you sweet dreams."
"Do you usually?" She asked. She either meant come into her room in the middle of the night, or wish her sweet dreams. But it didn't matter. I admit both are true… usually… when I'm not busy.
"Yeah." I admitted. "You're cute when you sleep. Did you know sometimes you mumble in your sleep. Sometimes you even twitch like a dog dreaming of running." I joked. But it was also true.
"Na-aw!" She protested quietly.
"Yeah. Sometimes you say Aspen and sometimes you say my name. Sometimes it's just mumble jumble." She laughed quietly. It was more like a whisper of a laugh, a breath of air. It was beautiful. Then I realized we were in her room in the middle of the night, with a chance of her parents catching us, making them instantly not like me.
"I should go," I said and headed to the door again.
"No wait stay!" She breathed. "Please?"
It wasn't a good idea. Not at all. I came here to make her parents like me. To make her sister blush like America always said she did. To have an intelligent conversation with Gerard because he's so smart. Not to sneak into her room and fall asleep with her in her bed, with her parents down the hall. No. I couldn't. I wouldn't. I shouldn't.
She smiled at me. She smiled at me! She knew my resolve was crumbling quickly.
"Please?" She patted the space of bed next to her. What is this girl doing to me? I sighed and climbed in. She pulled the covers over her. Her pjs was a tank top and short shorts! In the middle of winter!
She sighed in content. America rested her head on my tshirt clad shoulder and put her hand on my chest. Does this girl know what she does to me! She must. She better. She probably silently enjoying my slow torture. Of being so close to her. Of feeling her breath slowly next to me. Of knowing I love her. Every time I think of her, my heart does this little flutter. If I think about her too much, I have a mini heart attack.
And so we fell asleep in each other's arms.
"Max! Maxon! Wake up!" Someone whispered in my eye while they shook me.
"Hnmm?" I asked, drowsy. My eyes fluttered open. America was on top on me… well kinda…. she was standing over me, shaking me awake. It was still dark out, but barely.
"You need to go back to your room before my parents wake up." She said.
"Did you call me Max?" I just realized. She smiled.
"Maybe…. but it doesn't matter now! C'mon!" I got up, waited by the door to see if I hear voices or footsteps, then snuck back to my room. There, I fell asleep on the bed.
When I woke up for the second time, it was morning. I got up and rummaged through my suitcase at the foot of my bed for something decent to wear. I made my way to the kitchen, thinking someone will already be up. It was America's older sister, Kenna her her older brother Kota. I was under the impression that they had gone back to their houses. Hmm, maybe not.
"Good morning." I said politely, turning on 'Prince Maxon Mode' as America calls it.
"Oh don't good morning me!" Oh no, angry pregnant lady…
"I'm sorry?" I more asked it than said it.
"Oh give up the act!" Kota spoke up from the kitchen table. "We both know it's all just an act! You need to find someone to marry just so you can take the throne from King Daddy here! You've been lying to America the entire time! You think she's just someone easy to manipulate! Well you're wrong! She has a backbone!"
"I know." I said lightly, trying not to let them get to me. "I know she has a backbone. And I don't want to manipulate her. If anything she manipulates me." I jokes. "I know she has a backbone." I stated again. "That's what I like about her. To her I'm not the Prince. I'm Maxon. She's willing to argue with me, not just agree with automatically just because I'm the Prince." The both softened up. But only a little.
"Do you love her?" Kota demanded.
"Sorry?" I asked, wondering if I heard him right. He said it in an angry tone. The question didn't go with the tone.
"Do you love her?" he seemed irritated to repeat himself.
"With all my heart." I admitted. Kota sighed angrily, as if he wanted nothing more than for me to laugh and say 'ha! No! I just want someone pretty on my arm!' just so he can pummel me.
Kenna left the stove to approach me. I was actually kinda scared she was gonna slap me or something. But she just stared at me, like she was staring straight into my soul.
"Then, if you really truly love her…" She started then faded out. "Welcome to the family, I suppose…" She said reluctantly. I smiled.
"Thank you." Then, America walked in.
AMERICA'S POV
After I woke Maxon up and he left, I fell back asleep. When I woke back up, I found a long sleeves black velvet dress. I headed to the kitchen to start breakfast. I usually try to be the first one up so I can make everyone else breakfast. But I stopped when I heard familiar voices inside the kitchen.
"Do you love her?" Kota demanded irritably.
"With all my heart." Maxon answered. They were talking about me. I heard someone exhale irritably.
"Then, if you truly love her… Welcome to the family, I suppose…" Kenna forced out reluctantly.
"Thank you." Maxon answered. I thought this would be a good time to walk in. Maxon stood up.
"Hey." I said, mostly to him, but also to my siblings.
"You look pretty this morning," Kota commented. Then he looked at Maxon like "Ha! I beat you to it! Some boyfriend you are!"
"Thank you," I stiffly answered him.
"I thought it was obvious..." Maxon said, looking at him innocently. I ignored their bickering… for now.
"Where's May and Gerard? I thought they were with you?" I asked Kenna.
"Yeah, they're taking a nap on the couch. They should probably be woken. Breakfast is almost done." Kenna said it more as an offer for me to leave the room, but Maxon jumped up.
"I'll go." He offered and left the room. I immediately glared at Kota.
"Is there a problem?" I asked him.
"No," He said innocently.
"Really? Why do I sense a little rivalry going on here, then?"
"There isn't." Kota answered, still playing innocent. I raised my eyebrows at him and put my hands on my hips. That only went on for a few seconds before he broke. "OKAY! I don't like him, Mer. Not at all. He's lying. He's gonna use you. He's gonna do something!"
"NO!" I said angrily. "He loves me and I love him! Okay? If you have a problem with that then maybe you shouldn't have been invited to the Christmas ball. And if you have problem with it, you're not going." I yelled.
"FINE! THEN I'M NOT GOING TO YOUR STUPID BALL! I DIDN'T WANNA GO ANYWAYS!"
"GOOD!"
"FINE!"
"FINE!" He burst out of the kitchen and before he burst out of the house, he yelled "HE DOESN'T LOVE YOU!" and left. And I burst into tears. Kenna immediately started to comfort me. I sat down and cried onto the table as she rubbed my back, murmuring soft words in my ear.
"What happened here?" I heard Maxon ask.
"She got in a fight with Kota." Kenna explained. I looked up just in time to see Maxon mouth to Kenna 'I got this' Kenna left and Maxon sat down next to me and took my hand.
"He's not going to the ball!"
"That's okay, right? I mean you still have the rest of your family. It'll be okay."
"No it won't!"
"I'm sure he can still go to the ball. We have a week and a half till the ball. He can change his mind."
"No! I never wanna see him again!"
"Okay." He said, not knowing what else to say. I can tell he's still awkward around crying girls. "It'll be okay." He repeated.
"He said you didn't love me!" I pointed out.
"But I do. I love you. And it'll be okay." he said.
"What happened here?" My parents voices. Oh no.
"Uh, she got in a fight with Kota. He just left." Maxon explained for me.
"Ah…" They said. I sniffled a little from my sob and looked up.
"I'm sorry." I apologised. "I should I fix my makeup." And I left the room. When I came back, eggs and bacon were on the table. They actually had enough money for that now, reminding me why I joined The Selection in the first place. I sat down in between Maxon and May.
"So what do we wanna do today?" I asked.
"I don't know. I thought we were just going to play it by ear." Mom said.
"I just blew up the ball if we wanna play street soccer?" Kenna offered.
"Maybe you shouldn't play, Kenna." Mom offered.
"When are you due?" Maxon asked politely.
"Any day now." Kenna answered.
"I'll play soccer!" May said.
"Sure, I would, too." Gerard said reluctantly after mom gave him 'the look'. So after we finished breakfast, we decided it would be boys against girls.
"Do you know how to play soccer?" I mocked Maxon.
"More than you think I do," he answered. Thankfully, the street was just plowed. We set up goals and kicked the ball around. maxon was surprisingly good.
"Maxon was goalie. I kicked it towards the goal but slipped and fell. Pain shot up my leg. Shoot…
I grabbed for my ankle and Maxon ran up to me.
"Are you okay!" I laughed, trying to make the situation lighter.
"Yeah, I just tripped on the ice. I'll be fine." He helped me up and I hissed when I put weight on my ankle.
"We need to go put some ice on it."
"I think my ankle's had enough ice, thanks."
"That's not what I meant. Let's get you inside."
"I'm fine, really." I tried to assure him.
"Mer, you can barely walk." He pointed out. I sighed and he helped me inside. He brought me into the kitchen, where my mom propped it up on a chair and put an ice pack on it. He stood next to me.
"I'll be fine now, go play with May and Gerard." I offered. He hesitated. I knew he wanted to, though. "Go," I said with a smile. And he left. My mom sat next to me.
"How have you been?" She asked.
"Good."
"You love him." she said bluntly.
"I do."
"Does he know that?"
"Yes."
"Does he love you?"
"Yes."
"Are you getting married?"
"He has to propose first." I pointed out.
"Is he going to propose?"
"I hope," I said in a ways that said 'yes'. She smiled.
"I'm really proud of you, America. You really found yourself. You found who you are and you found your heart. I'm really happy you found Maxon. You're great for each other. I can just see it now."
"Thanks, mom. I love you."
"I love you too, sweetie." We hugged.
Before I knew it my ankle was better. The next day I decided to go to a play with Maxon. We never had enough money for it before. But now we do.
Romeo and Juliet was one of the best romance stories ever. Maxon pretended he didn't hear me when I cried at the end.
We walked back to my house hand in hand. The sun was just setting.
"I wanted to thank you." I said.
"For what?"
"For doing this for me. For coming and meeting my family. For making them absolutely love and adore you. For spending time with them and with me. It really means a lot to me." He kissed me.
"I would do it over again, and more." I smiled at him and kissed him again.
The day after that, we just spent time as a family. We sang music and played our instruments. That night we had dinner as a family.
Maxon fit right in at dinner. He laughed and joked and could have a conversation with everyone at the table. I was so happy.
That night I fell into a dreamless sleep. The week is so long and is taking so much energy from me. But I was happy.
"America! America wake up!" An excited voice brought me out of my sleep.
"What is it, May?" I mumbled.
"Kenna's having her baby!" I jumped out of bed. May left the room quickly so I could get ready. I ran into the living room, where everyone but Kenna and Mom and dad was.
"A car's waiting." Maxon told me. So we all jumped in and it brought up to the hospital.
"A healthy baby boy." The nurse told us. We looked through the glass. Elliot Singer-Smith the sign read. My nephew.
They finally left us hold him. He was the tiniest little thing. We passed him around. When it came it Maxon, he looked unsure of himself. That was probably the first time my family every saw him unsure of himself.
"I can take him instead," I offered from next to him.
"No," he said, determined. He took the baby. Truth be told, Maxon turned out to be not so good with babies. No, he was amazing. He probably never saw a baby in his life, yet he held Elliot like a professional. When he cooed and baby talked to Elliot, I couldn't help my smile wider and wider. He'd be an amazing father. I saw just saw it now. I almost cried. I saw our future.
Then his phone rang. He handed Elliot to me.
"I'm sorry, I have to take this." He looked apologetically to everyone. He answered it and walked away. He seemed to be arguing. Then he turned quiet. Quiet after arguing either means he's simply livid or sad. I had to go comfort him.
"No! Parliament can take care of it without me!... I don't care!... No… Yes put her on. Hey mom. Are you okay?... I understand. … Okay. … But mom- … Okay. Just let me talk to them. … Okay bye. Love you. …" Then he hung up.
"Are you okay?"
"There was an attack on the Palace." He told me.
"What's new?" I mumbled.
"This one's different. … they killed my dad, America."
"They killed… that means…" I said, not being able to make a full sentence.
"That I'm King. We're leaving early, America. We're leaving tonight. Everything will still go as planned. Parliament will run the government until after the wedding. Then I'll be King. And you'll…"
"Be Queen." I finished numbly.
"You can do it." I took a deep breath. "Okay, let's go talk to them." I nodded towards my family. He nodded. "Are you okay? I mean your dad just di-"
"He wasn't my father." He answered stiffly. I squeezed him hand comfortingly and we walked towards my family.
"Hey, what's up?" My dad asked. Everyone's attention turned to us.
"Plans changed. We're leaving tonight. I'll explain everything. on the plane." Everyone nodded, not questioning.
Mwahahaha! Cliffie! Who's happy that horrid king is finally dead? I know I am! Tell me what you think? Thanks for reading!
Did you like Maxon's pov in the beginning. I like the little conversation they have in the middle of the night.