The Rebel

Chapter 3: America

It was all over the report. "Prince Maxon and Lady Kriss Have Given the Date of Their Wedding!"

 I was heartbroken at the fact that he had moved on so fast. I was still completely in love with him. It was obvious that he loved Kriss now and had completely forgotten about me. I got home the day after the engagement and I was greeted by my family. I was a watery mess, and May started crying too.

"It's ok, Ames." Mom said, embracing me. "It's ok." 

The phone didn't stop ringing with other men wanting to marry me. We ignored them all. The last thing I needed right now was boys. I fell asleep beside May on the couch. I woke up at lunch, May shaking me.

"Ames, wake up." I got up and stayed in my pyjamas. I looked into the job options of a Three. I was sad my caste got changed, but I could be a music teacher. There was a knock at the door and Mom answered it.

"America, someone's here to see you." she said.

"Mom, I don't want to talk to another boy." I said. Mom came into the living room, Aspen behind her in palace guard clothes. The sight of Aspen made me tear up all over again. I wiped the tears away and spoke. "Don't you have to be at the palace?" I asked him. 

He came and sat beside me. "After you got sent home, I volunteered to stay with you for a while to help you transition into your new lifestyle. I'm glad to see you, Mer."

"Well, I'm fine. Thanks for staying with me." I said. Aspen moved closer to me.

"Mer, as soon as I get off duty, we can get married. It'll be great. We can-"

"Aspen, I don't want to marry you." I said, biting my lip. His face fell and I immediately felt a pang of guilt. "I-it's just that-" I choked on tears. "I love you, but not in the way I did before the Selection."

"You still love him." Aspen said. "You still love that bastard who kicked you out of the Selection and used you!" The guilt I was feeling turned into pure rage.

"Maxon is not a bastard! He's the nicest man I've ever met! He was not using me!" 

There were angry tears running down my face now.

"Then why did he kick you out?" Aspen asked.

"He kicked me out because I kept our relationship a secret! It was my fault! And you know what,  Aspen?"

"What?" he said, his voice full of anger.

"Now I see you for what you really are.  You tried to convince me that Maxon didn't love me, that he was using me, and that I wasn't princess or queen material. But Maxon did love me, once. Now he's happy with Kriss. Are you happy, Aspen? Because I'm certainly not." I shot him a death look and he looked sad.

"Mer, I-" he began.

"No. I don't want to hear it. Get out. Now." Aspen picked up and left, slamming the door behind him.

 I collapsed down onto the couch, tears streaming down my face. Mom and May came out of May's room, where they had been during Aspen and I's fight. They sat down on the couch with me and comforted me while I was crying.

"It's all my fault." I whispered. Mom stroked my hair.

"No it's not, Ames." she said.

"Yes, it is. I kept the secret from him and now he doesn't love me anymore." I cried even harder.

"You know Ames, that's usually not how it works." May said. She put her head on my shoulder and held my hand. We stayed there, a watery mess on the couch; Mom stroking my hair and May squeezing my hand. Gerad woke up from his nap and came to sit with us too. He was only eight, so he didn't fully understand how I was feeling.

"You stop crying, America!" he told me, a stern look on his face. I smiled a bit and pulled him tighter. "Why are you crying?" he asked.

"Well," I said, choking on tears. "I'm in love with Prince Maxon, but he loves someone else."

"No, Prince Maxon loves you. He told me at the palace." Gerad said. I didn't know him and Maxon had a conversation.

"Well, he doesn't love me now. But I'll be ok." I hope.

"Well, I'm going to make supper. May, can you help me?" Mom got up off of the couch.

"I'll help, Mom. May, go play with Gerad." I said, standing up too. Once May and Gerad were out of earshot, Mom hugged me.

"America, I know you'll find the man of your dreams. And I guess Maxon isn't the one. But-"

"Mom, I love Maxon. He is  the one. It took me too long to realize that, and now he's gone." I started sobbing again. Mom squeezed me tighter, and we stood like that.

"We'd better get supper ready." I said after a while. We made supper, making small talk. Mom asked me what I was going to do for a living now that I was a Three, and she was pleased to hear that I was looking into teaching music. 

After supper, I went to my room and grabbed my violin. I missed it. It was more comfortable than the ones at the palace, I was more familiar with it. I played a slow ballad to match my mood. 

When I was done, I played with my bracelet; the one Maxon got me from New Asia. A few tears rolled down my cheek, followed by more. I sat there, looking at my bracelet, silently sobbing. I missed Maxon. I loved Maxon. And I blew it. My heart would only ever belong to Maxon. His heart belonged to Kriss.

"It's beautiful." I admitted. "Did you take it yourself?"                                                                                                

"Oh, no." he laughed, shaking his head. "The picture isn't the gift; the house is." I tried to let that sink in.

"What?"

"I thought you'd want your family close by. It's a short drive away, with plenty of room. Your sister and her little family would even be comfortable there, I think."

"Wha... I..." I stared a him, searching for clarification. Patient as ever, Maxon gave me the explanation he thought I understood.

"You told me to send everyone home. I did. I had to keep one other girl-- those are the rules-- but... you said that if I could prove I loved you..."
"...It's me?"

"Of course it's you." I was speechless. I laughed in shock and started giving him kisses and giggling between each one. Maxon, so pleased with the affection, took every kiss and laughed along with me.

"We're getting married?" I yelled, kissing him again.

"Yes, we're getting married."

I cried harder at that memory. 

I stopped playing with my bracelet and moved my hand up to my earlobe and tugged it. 

Little did I know, that somewhere, miles and miles away, the Prince of Illéà was lying in bed, awake, tugging his ear too.

Guys, I'm crying as I'm writing this! I'm sorry for bringing out your feels! You should go check out my book, The Queen. It's on my account emmalmgren13 . And go check out Mad_Kat_Hatter and crazysportchic , cause they're awesome. Thanks for reading!!👋
~Em and Hannah