Have you ever been disappointed about a movie after reading the book (or something like that) - no. I honestly am pretty chill about my movies. I get bothered when people pick out every little thing in a movie. I like to watch a movie and enjoy it as a movie, as if it's an original story and screenplay. movies and books are two very different artforms and comparing a book to a movie is like comparing apples and oranges.

What are you studying in college? - *heavy sigh* I don't know. I'm undecided right now and my interest changes every week. this week it is archaeology. I keep flip-flopping between archaeology and English but I do know that I want to minor in Arabic.

Day or night? - neither? I don't know. I am not a night owl at all. I go to bed at like, 9:00. I'm basically an old lady because I love waking up early. I prefer waking up before dawn. i mean, with homework and stuff, i'll go to bed and wake up extra early to do it if i have a lot. i don't know. So i guess I'm a morning person. i don't know if you'd classify waking up at the crack of dawn day or night.

Is Amberly still in the palace or in hiding? - at this point of the story, she's not in the palace but she's around. you'll see soon.

"Don't let your happiness depend on something you might lose." - C.S. Lewis

America bounced on her toes as she stood waiting at the top of the staircase in the grand foyer to the palace. She had already bitten her nails down to the nail beds. Maxon had been gone for three weeks and she thought that if she didn't see him in the next second she would combust. But her husband was always punctual and just when she couldn't stand it anymore, he strode through the front door, instantly making eye contact with her.

That was all it took. She started descending the stairs as fast as she could with her evermore encumbering belly and dashed into his arms, holding fast. She breathed in the smell of his cologne and shut her eyes, letting the feel and smell of him overwhelm her. Of course, due to her hormones, she started crying.

He pulled away and smirked. "I see you're upset that I couldn't stay away longer but I promise that next time I'll try my best to extend the trip as long as possible."

She shook her head, still holding onto the back of his jacket. "You're not allowed to leave again," she sobbed into his shoulder.

"Papa!" Christian exclaimed from the steps where his nanny had just walked him to. The toddler ran to Maxon and held onto his leg.

America drew away from Maxon enough to just keep one of her arms secure around his torso so that he could lift Christian into his arms. "Finally, back with my favorite two people in the world," he sighed, smiling at both of them in turn.

Later that night, America laid on her back, listening to Maxon's quiet, sedated breathing. He was just barely snoring, a residual side effect from the cold he had been fighting off for the last week of his trip. She sighed, rubbing a hand over her stomach, praying the baby would just go to sleep soon. Thunder clapped overhead. She started counting in her head and at seventeen, Christian was opening the door to their bedroom. She lifted up the covers and made room for him between her and Maxon. Maxon shifted and mumbled something but didn't wake up.

Christian was asleep again within seconds, his breath automatically matching Maxon's. Deciding that the baby just wasn't going to sleep any time soon, she walked to her desk and took a seat there. In her top drawer was a letter she'd received just a few days before that she had yet to read. It didn't have a return address or even a real address; it was sent via the guards traveling with Maxon. The handwriting on the front of the envelope was enough for America to know who had sent it though.

Using her engraved letter opener she had gotten from Maxon as a random present for being amazing, she opened the stiff envelope. It had water stains in the corners. America assumed they were from being in water instead of May's tears falling on the envelope.

With shaking hands, she unfolded the letter.

Ames,

I understand if you never read this letter. I understand if you don't read another word written in this letter; I wouldn't. I don't know why I'm writing to you Ames. I'm sure you've forgotten about me already and I'm okay with that.

You have a wonderful life there in Angeles and I was stupid for trying to ruin that. You deserve to live a long, happy life with Maxon and your children and I am so sorry for getting in the way of that. I know that working with Amberly was the biggest mistake of my life and if I could, I would go back right now and try to change it all. I don't really know what else to say about it. I'm not going to waste my time explaining myself because I know my actions were inexcusable.

All you need to know about me is that I'm safe. I've settled somewhere where no one knows my name and I can just be myself and make a new life for myself. Ames, seriously, if you haven't forgotten me, do it. Forget me right now. Don't let the ghosts of my actions haunt you like I know they will. You are too good for that fate.

Love,

Sissy

America drew in a long, shuddering breath and wiped a couple tears away as she folded the letter up. Another loud clap of thunder made her jump and Christian cried out, waking Maxon. Maxon immediately comforted his son and then looked around for America. He watched her as she crossed the room and crawled under the covers.

"What're you doing?" he asked sleepily.

She shook her head and curled up on her side. "The baby is keeping me up so I was just doing some housekeeping on stuff I should have done while you were gone," she lied quickly.

Maxon rolled his eyes; he always knew when she was lying. "Housekeeping that made you cry like a baby?"

"You know these hormones," she mumbled.

"No, Ames. I've been awake since you got out of bed. Who was the letter from?"

She was quiet for a long time, not wanting to say the name. She had all but forgotten May. Even if she wanted to forget May, she wouldn't be able to. May was her baby sister. Instead of leaving and ripping off the band-aid painlessly, America was left with having to deal with a gaping hole in her heart where her sister was supposed to be. "We have to find her Maxon," America whispered finally.

He sighed and flipped onto his back, staring up at the curtains above them. "Ames, you know we can't. We can't bring her back here if she's the one guilty for all of that stuff that happened to her."

"Maxon, you don't understand. I can't sleep, I can't eat…I need to know where she is. I'm not saying we need to bring her back here but I just need to talk to her."

He suddenly looked over at her and smiled sadly. "I don't know what it's like to have a younger brother or sister, but I know that May is lucky to have you. She's the one that abandoned that."

"But that doesn't mean I have to abandon her…to forget her." She nudged his shoulder. "Please, Maxon."

He sighed again, closing his eyes. "We can look. That's all I can promise for now."

America nodded, knowing that it was more than what he could promise. But she also knew that at the end of the day, May was her sister and despite her mistakes, she could not be left behind by the Singer family.

This was just a quick filler chapter. i know i promised to update sooner but I've been really busy these past couple days. on Friday and Saturday i had a track invitational (took second for the decathlon and third overall for discus!) and homework has been really bogging me down. anyway, I'm so excited for the One to come out next week.

on a more personal note, i need advice from my virtual friends. there's this guy that I'm going to prom with and i went on a date with him last week and it really sucked. i hated every minute of it. but i feel like I'm stuck going to prom with him. my mom told me to not tell anyone i have a prom date and to just leave my options open; if someone else asks me or i ask someone else, just go with them and tell this guy that I'm sorry but i have to go with someone else. i just feel like that would make me a terrible person and this guy is so nice. i can tell he's never had a girlfriend before so i don't want to like, break his heart or something. we have nothing in common and he's not my type at all. at this point, i can really feel for Katniss in the Hunger Games, having to pretend to love Peeta. i really can sympathize with her now.

anyway, just tell me what to do! thanks guys!