The Rebel Queen

Chapter 11:

I walked along the cement halls of the base in complete abandon. Every time I blinked a picture of me and Maxon kissing flashed into my mind. My solution was to try and get lost in the rebel base so that I would have to Focus my mind power on finding my way back to my room.

But as I trekked along cracked stone and smooth cement I found a room I had never noticed before. A room with treadmills, staircase machines, weights, and so much more. Punching bags, knife target boards, and metal soda cans for target practice.

I wandered into the room and ran my fingers along the machinery. I sat down on the weights bench and sighed. I made the mistake of closing my eyes out if stress and Maxon flashed behind my eyelids. I forced my eyes open and August and Georgia stood there. With a recognizable guest. Elise.

"Elise?!" I gasped, forgetting all Maxon related problems. "What are you doing here! What is she doing here!"

The last one was directed towards August and Georgia, they just shrugged.

"Hey America! Long time no see!" She giggled.

I pulled her into a hug. For most of the selection Elise and I didn't have a very close relationship. But at the very end of the selection, when me, her, Celeste, and Kriss all bonded in my room....our relationship kind of grew. And we spent the last couple of weeks of the selection really bonding, together with Celeste and Kriss.

"Why are here?!" I repeated.

"I went back to New Asia after I was eliminated and was let in on all of the secrets about the war. I don't agree with them so I called the only person I could think of. Kriss. She gave me this location and as soon as I got here, August and Georgia over here began showing me around."

"That's amazing! Not about the new Asia thing, but I'm glad to have you!"

"Yeah! I'm surprised through! There are so many familiar faces. The northern rebels seem to be a quickly growing cause and I wouldn't be surprised to see Celeste or Natalie here. Or even Marlee!"

Bringing up Marlee made me think of when I had heard her calling out to me yesterday. Which made me think of the attack and than Maxon. Suddenly I really needed to exercise. Work off some of the craziness.

"Um...I'm going to do a little exercise," I told Elise. I looked around at the room and realized how lonely and solitary it was. "Would you like to join?"

"Sure."

~oOo~

I was punching and kicking wildly at the punching dummy. My feet were sore and my wrists were hurting, and yet I continued to bring my foot around and kick, my body tilting at a weird angle, and my ponytail brushing the floor. Once both of my feet returned to the floor, I would grunt at the force of my gloved hand coming in contact with the bag. My tired body argued with my mind, telling me to take a break. And yet I tilted my body until my foot came in contact with the bag again.

Music blasted in my ears as I battled with the inanimate object. Marianna had joined me and Elise hours ago when we first started. But now the sky was dark and the sun had set and I was still working out. Elise had long ago stopped to get water and never gotten back up, not used to such a physical workout. Marianna exercised constantly, day to day, and even she couldn't keep up with me. Having joined Elise not too long ago.

And yet I couldn't being myself to stop. Because as long as I was tired my mind couldn't think. And if I didn't think than my mind wouldn't wander to thoughts of Maxon. My mind was tuning out all thoughts, and yet Marianna and Elise were surprisingly difficult to ignore. They were whispering and pointing at me. And it was slowly breaking through my rough exterior that was holding me together

I turned up my music as loud as it could go until I couldn't even hear my own thoughts. I brought my fist towards the red punching bag when every thing went silence.

I turned to see Marianna.

With the plug to my speaker dangling from her hand.

"What are you doing?!" I blanched.

"America, don't play dumb with me. I'm not just your teasing buddy. I'm your friend. And I know when something is wrong. Just tell me," Marianna sighed.

"And," Elise tagged on. "You might have changed your hair and washed off the make up, but your still the America I knew from The Selection. And when your with someone for months you get to know there habits. And I know you hide when something is wrong."

My throat was dry and desperately needed water, but I was worried that if I relieved the pain my mind would clear.

"Nothing is wrong," I croaked and wondered over to a treadmill. I turned it up to 8 and began running.

I had barely ran for a couple seconds, before Elise was by my side also with aug in her hand.

"Why are you working so hard?" Marianna asked with a look of pity, as she appeared at my other side.

"I don't want your pity," I spat, my voice cracking from lack of water.

Marianna rolled her eyes and began pouring water onto my face. She had one of refuse huge gallon bottles, and it dropped down my face until I finally opened my mouth. It relieved my throat, but brought no relief to my mind.

"America, you can tell us," Elise whispered, handing my a towel for the water and sweat.

My mind suddenly cleared and Maxon flashed into my mind. Tears started to drip down my face and I looked at there familiar faces. I found trust them. They weren't Maxon. They weren't going to hurt me.

And yet I couldn't

"Fine. You don't have to tell us," Marianna allowed. "But if this has to do with a certain Brunette, than you should tell her."

~oOo~

Marianna's words echoed in my head as I sat in my room later that day. I was staring at my cell phone as if it were an approaching attacker. I swallowed hard before picking up the phone. My body ached a bit more with every number I dialed into the phone. When my pointer finger touched the green call button, I crumbled into myself.

I was feeling guilt for doing this Kriss and also sadness that I could never do it again. I missed Maxon and my family so much. And my heart and body both ached from all that I had put them through today. And that's how Kriss found me when she answered the call. Sobbing.

"Hey America. What's up—Why are you crying?"

"I'm so sorry, Kriss. I kissed Maxon."