The One: Maxon

Chapter 14

"Are you sure about this?" I asked her hesitantly. We were getting dressed in her room the following evening. I was changing in the bathroom to give her privacy, but we couldn't exactly walk around the palace in our disguises.

"It's the only way for us to know what's going on. We'll be safe, I'm sure of it," she assured me.

I slipped off my suit pants, letting them drop to the floor. The denim jeans that she had given me were extremely big around the waist. Nonetheless, I shimmied them up my thighs and rolled the waistband until it fit.

"You must trust this guard a lot," I said, struggling to get the enormous top on. These clothes must have been fit for a giant. I was a little surprised and slightly suspicious at the motives for this guard helping us with such a daunting task.

"Yes, my maids say he's one of the best you've got. He seems like he's always got his head screwed on tightly and I have a good feeling about him. Trust me," she said.

"But...how did you know he would be able to get us out?"

"I didn't. I just asked."

"And he just told you?" I gaped even though she couldn't see him.

"Well I told him it was for you, of course," she said. I was a little upset at how easily our guards could be swayed, but if America said she trusted him then so be it. She had a certain edge to all of her responses as if she was nervous of making a mistake. I wasn't trying to trap her, yet she made it seem that way.

"I still don't think you should be coming along," I said with a frown.

"I'm going, Maxon. End of discussion. Are you done?" She asked impatiently.

"Almost. I'm just putting on my shoes." I laced them up and knocked on the door before pushing it open. As soon as my eyes fell on her, I burst out with laughter. "I'm sorry, I'm just not used to seeing you like this," I said. She was dressed in jeans that were almost baggier than mine. Her shirt was long-sleeved unlike mine and her hair was pulled back in a loose bun. She had wiped all her makeup off which wasn't much different to how she usually looked, however someone had defined the bags under her eyes to blend in better, I presumed.

"I think I'd make a cute Seven," she said with a little spin while holding the pants up with one hand. I laughed.

"The cutest. We need something to hold those up though," I said walking over to her closet. I opened it and searched until I found a red sash barely hanging on a dress in the back. As I pulled it out, I noticed that the dress it was once attached to was the same red dress that she had tried to seduce me in. I chuckled to myself and turned around, sash in hand. America walked over to me as I wrapped my hands around the back of her pants to loop the sash through the belt hoops. He face was incredibly close to my bent one, making it a bit hard to concentrate on the knot I was trying to tie. In this moment, we seemed like quite the domestic couple.

"Much better," I said when I'd finished. She smiled and began to walk out of the room before I caught her arm. "America." She paused and turned to me. "What we're doing...this plan, it's very dangerous. If anything happens you have to promise me you'll run." She gave me a soft smile.

"Maxon, we'll be fi-,"

"Promise me."

"Okay. I promise." Second later the door opened and two guards entered.

"Your Majesty," he said bowing. "The Lady tells me you intend to exit the palace walls." He phrased it more like a question that a statement.

"Yes and she tells me you're the man to trust Officer..."