Thank you so much for all the reviews, favorites and follows! You guys motivate me to continue on writing this. As you've noticed update has been really slow, and I'm really sorry about that. I don't think I can update as often anymore. Maybe twice a week at most. School has been tough on me. A lot of requirements and books to read plus all those extra-curricular stuff from orgs . :\

Anyways, setting those things aside I hope you enjoy this chapter!

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-America's POV-

Anne, Mary and Lucy were very ecstatic when I arrived at my room. They came rushing to me and embraced me all at once which made me lose my balance. Good thing they caught me before I fell down.

"Lady America, we thought we wouldn't be able to serve you anymore!" Lucy said while helping me steady myself.

"We've missed you so much, Miss!" Mary added as Anne nodded in agreement. I couldn't help but smile, tears threatening to fall down my face. I never realized how much I've missed and needed these girls. It felt like forever, when in fact it had just been a week and some days ago since I left this place.

"Tell us how you've been, Lady America!" said Anne. "How was Carolina?"

"Did you meet anyone new?" Lucy added.

"How's family?" Mary added another.

I chuckled. "One question at a time you know! Can't answer those all at once!" We all laughed before I spoke again. "Well it was ok, I guess. And I didn't meet anyone new." I looked at Lucy. "Seriously, it's just been a week, who do you think I am?" We laughed again. "Well, my family's fine. May is still very much hyper. Mom is still bugging me. Gerad grew so much, by the way! He's almost at my eye level now." We talked for an hour or so before I decided to end the evening.

I got up from where I sat and went towards my luggage. The girls immediately came following and helped me unpack some of the things I brought from Carolina. We finished rather early because I didn't really bring much with me. I looked out of the window feeling the chilly breeze of the night. I decided to take a bath since I haven't done so in the morning. Anne prepared it for me, lighting some candles and adding some rose scent in the water to help me relax and unwind myself. Once it was ready I soaked my entire body in the water and rest my head on the tub.

I looked out the window near the tub and stared at the starry night. It's been a very long day. As soon as we arrived at the palace, Georgia had to leave. I felt really bad for her because of the amount of stress and work pushed onto her, but I still wished she hadn't left that early, though. I wasn't ready to be alone with Maxon but luckily before he could talk to me, Kriss appeared in the hallway looking rather shocked. She looked at me with wide eyes and then to Maxon with question. It was the perfect opportunity for me to escape, so I took it. Maxon called out for me as I left the scene but I pretended not to hear him. When I was already a few meters away, I peeked to my back a little and saw a very frustrated Kriss while Maxon was explaining something. That something was probably me.

I stood up from the tub and dressed myself in my nightgown. As much as I've missed my maids I still didn't want them watching over me like a little kid, so I dismissed them. I watched them leave before doing anything else. When I couldn't hear their footsteps anymore, I went to my bed and tucked myself in. It didn't take me long before I dozed off to sleep but it was immediately disrupted when someone came knocking on the door. I grunted in frustration, rubbing my eyes as I stood up. My hair stuck all over the place and I didn't even bother to put on some robe. I opened the door, my eyes half open until I realized who it was. Maxon. All the sleepiness faded in a flash. My mouth was gaping now.

"Why are you here?" I asked out of shock. He looked at me with equal amount of shock and cleared his throat. His face redder than the usual.

"Uhm.. I'll just wait till you get dressed properly." He said and looked away from me. 'Oh my gosh, I'm basically in my underwear' I screamed to myself. 'but didn't he see my naked a lot of times, already? so why the blush?' I quickly went to my wardrobe and snatched the first robe I saw. I put it on and tied my hair into a bun. When I was finally done, I faced Maxon who was still currently facing away from my room.

"Done." I said. He looked at me from head to toe. I moved to the side, inviting him inside the room. I ended up sitting on the bed while he sat at a chair. It was an awkward silence for a while before I decided I've had enough of it "So tell me, why are you here?"

He combed his hair with his hands and bit his lower lip. His eyes filled with hurt. "Don't you miss me at all? Have you moved on that quickly, America?"

My heart felt like it turned to stone. I pursed my lips and breathed out, trying to contain whatever emotion I had right now. "And for what, Maxon? What do you want me to do?" I started out slow. "Say 'I still love you' ?" my voice was trembling, now. "Don't you think that's a little bit unfair for me? Tell me, Maxon, What do you want to happen? Because I seriously don't know anymore!" I finally cried out, my eyes brimming with tears. No matter how much I try to get a hold of my feelings, he always finds a way to break it down.

He looked tenderly at me. "America, don't you see? You are not the only one, for Pete's sake! Ever since you left, I was so miserable. The only thing I ever wanted in my whole life and mattered to me more than anything else, gone; taken away from me. I couldn't eat or sleep properly. Nothing was right anymore. Nothing." Tears rolled down his face. "I'm still very much IN love with YOU."

"Stop it." I mastered out. If I don't do this now, I won't ever be able to. "Get out of my room, Maxon." I said more firmly. He looked at me with bewilderment, his face stricken. I closed my eyes and laid on my bed, facing away from him. When I heard the door close I let myself collapse. Tears kept on pouring down. I covered my face with my hands. My body was shaking as I wept. "Don't go. Please Don't go." I whispered, my voice trembling. I felt something caress the back of my head, I turned around and my eyes widened.

Maxon was looking straight at me, tears also streaming down his face. "I didn't go, you know. I won't, even if you told me so."

I sat up, still confused. "But the door?"

He shook his head and looked at me. "When you turned away, I realized that the door was still open so I closed it."

I could feel my face get hot from embarrassment. I've never felt more stupid in my whole life, as I do now. I should have made sure that he really left before bursting out like that. Now, I have more reason not to want to see him. "Kill me now." I murmured while stuffing my face on a pillow.

I could hear him chuckle, so I glared at him, but that didn't work out well for me. My face was very red, my eyes were swollen and my nose was runny. I looked like a 4 year old kid in tantrum. When his chuckle turned to laughter, I decided I've had enough. I rolled my eyes at him and went back to bed. I felt him lay beside me, so I turned around to face him. "As much as I want you here, you really have to go, Maxon."

He shook his head and looked straight at me. "Not today. Not ever." He moved closer and embraced me. I couldn't help but just give in. I snuggled myself into his arms and closed my eyes. Soon after we were both drifting away to sleep.

-still America's POV-

Maxon was still asleep when I woke up so decided to head towards the bathroom to take a shower. It's been 5 days already since I came into the palace, and every night, Maxon would come into my room to sleep with me. Literally, sleep with me. Every time he made any advancement on me I'd immediately dodge it, even if I wanted to do just the same. I looked at the bathroom mirror. My hair was dripping wet. I tried looking for another towel because the one I just used was already very wet. I didn't find any inside the bathroom so I just dressed myself up and headed out of the room and into the hallway. I headed towards to direction of the maids' quarters.

Everything seemed livelier to me now. The day was so beautiful. I could hear the busyness of each room that I passed by in the palace. I could smell the sweet aroma of pastries and biscuits being cooked in the kitchen. I suddenly stopped on my tracks, feeling my stomach grumble. I was about to head inside the kitchen when I bumped into Kriss.

"Oh.. Good morning, Kriss." I greeted and somehow I couldn't look at her anymore but I forced myself to anyway.

She paused for a while, as if contemplating something before replying to me. "Thank you, America." She smiled quite forcefully. "I think that applies only to you, though."

I looked at her, baffled. "How come?"

Her smile vanished and I could see her grit her teeth. "Do you really think I didn't know?" I suddenly froze. "I've always played fair and square, America. Why can't you?" I couldn't speak, I suddenly felt really sick. "Maxon, chose ME and not you. Why can't you accept that?! Have you stooped down that low, that you'd try to steal someone who is already engaged to someone else?! What have I ever done to you, America, to deserve this?" Her eyes filled with hurt, frustration, betrayal and anger, all at the same time.

"It's not like that, Kriss. I—" I tried to explain when she suddenly slapped me on the face. I was shocked and looked at her. She was shaking, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Don't you ever say it's not like that. I am not stupid, America." She shook her head, her eyes never leaving mine. "I don't trust you. Not anymore. I thought you were better than this, but I was wrong." I pursed my lips, taking a huge breath so that I wouldn't burst out. "Stay away from, Maxon, ok? He already chose me." Her eyes started to soften when she continued "If it were the opposite, America, I would have respected his choice. So please, if not for me, for him. Do you want to turn him into an unfaithful person? You don't right? If you truly love him as you say you do, let him go."

I didn't say anything at all, instead I just nodded. I heard her let out a sigh before speaking again. "I'm sorry for slapping you, America."

"I deserved it anyway." I mumbled, not looking at her.

She sighed again. "Well, I need to go. I'm truly sorry, America, but I'm still sticking to what I've said. Stay away from him. It's for his sake, anyway."

When she was already out of sight, I let myself collapse on the floor, my back against the wall. Why can't things be simple? Why can't we love, when we love each other? This is just too much for me. I closed my eyes, letting the tears roll down my cheeks. When I finally calmed down, I stood up. I didn't feel any hunger anymore and I didn't care about if my hair was wet or not, and so I decided to just head back to my room. When I got back, Maxon was not there anymore. I let out a sigh of relief. I went towards the bed and noticed a yellow note on top of it.

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To the person who stole my heart,

You told me 4 nights ago not to go, and I didn't but why do I wake up in bed without you beside me? Do you know how scared I was? I was thinking it was all just a dream!

You know, I also don't want you to go. So just don't leave, ok? Wake me up next time.

I'm writing something embarrassing again, aren't I?

from the luckiest man in world,

Maxon Schreave

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My hands were trembling as I held onto the note. "What do I do?" I whispered to myself. I suddenly felt sick again. I laid down on the bed and looked up to the ceiling.