The One: Alternate Ending - A Selection Fanfiction

Chapter 3:

America's POV:

I woke this morning feeling stiff and sore and my face felt tight and swollen from all of my tears last night. I gingerly sat up in bed and stretched. I felt May stir and I gave her a weak smile. I saw her eyes fill with tears as she saw my first sign of emotion in weeks. She gave my hand a small squeeze.

I slid out of bed and walked into the bathroom, and peeked in the mirror.

"Oh my goodness." I muttered under my breath.

I looked worse than I thought. My hair was knotted and stuck to my cheeks, my eyes were puffy and my whole face looked pale. I ran a hand along my arms, feeling the slow beat of my pulse at my wrist and only now did I realise just how thin I had become.

I crept back into my room, where May was waiting for me. I shut the door behind me and looked her in the eyes.

"Will you help me please?" I whispered, my eyes filling.

I swallowed back the tears as May gave me a small smile and a determined nod. She went to the bathroom, and brought back a hairbrush, some hair pins, a basin of water and a face cloth. She sat me down in front of the vanity and began to work.

First, May brushed my hair. She was ever so gentle, careful not to pull too hard. After about half an hour of brushing, my hair was knot free. She sent me to the bathroom where I took a bath and washed my hair.

I walked back into my room where May was cleaning up and had set out my simplest of dresses. She helped me get into the light blue knee-length dress, and did my hair in a simple half-up, half-down do. Even though the dress was extremely casual, one that I could definitely get away with doing my chores around the house in, it helped me feel like me again.

It was still early enough for my household on a Saturday, so it was just May and I downstairs, we decided to make pancakes for breakfast. I opened the fridge door, and looked for the milk when I saw a package full of pastries. After taking a closer look, it was bundled in pink ribbon and a note with Maxon's handwriting was attached.

May,

America told me just how much you love these strawberry tarts. I asked the cook specially to make a batch that would keep and stay in date longer. As a gift from me to you, here are some delicious pastries. And as ordered by His Royal Highness, Prince Maxon, The Crown Prince of Illéa, please do not cry over these.

- Maxon

I froze then read the letter. It took me a moment to process it, but when I did, I broke down all over again. It was so Maxon. Of course he would do this. He was so compassionate, so kind, it's exactly like him and I had thrown all that away. I sobbed quietly as I reached for the milk and handed it to May.

"Ames?"

She saw my distraught expression and looked to the fridge. She understood immediately and hugged me.

I stood there in the kitchen and cried for a few moments, commiserating what I had lost and commemorating all that Maxon and I had together.

When the pancakes were made, I resumed my usual spot at the window seat and stared out into the garden. I had reverted back to my old, distant self.

𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿'𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲:
𝗛𝗲𝘆 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲, 𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲, 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝘆!

𝗕𝘂𝘁, 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀, 𝗜 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁? (𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝘂𝘆𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗲 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 - 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲?

𝗢𝗸𝗮𝘆, 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗜 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗱, 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗮𝗯𝘂𝗹𝗼𝘂𝘀 <𝟯

- 𝗝