Royally Rebellious

Chapter 3

~Maxon's pov~

It's been three months since I last saw my America. I mentally beat myself up everyday for letting her go. But I can't do anything now. I've let it go too far. The wedding of Kriss and I will be in three weeks. I've been dreading this for so long, and it keeps getting closer.

Don't get me wrong, Kriss is amazing, but she's not America. She might be the perfect princess to my dad, but she isnt. His idea is that all ladies should be quiet, obedient, and never go against their husbands. It's everything America fights against. And I love her even more for it.

She was the change we needed. But me being stupid, bypassed that and made the stupidest descion of my life. And now I'm paying for it.

Right now, I'm in my office after a long meeting. The whole thing was frustrating. The lower caste were getting a little unruly, so they decided-without taking what I said into consideration- to cut back on their supplies. I had voted against it. They were already struggling enough, why add even more burden? My dad says people who are soft and not firm are not fit to run a country. "They let compassion get in the way of what's needed.", he told me a few weeks ago. He had chuckled to himself a little before shaking his head. "That's why you aren't going to be king for a very long time." I wanted so bad to shove him, to yell in his face, "You're as much as a awful man as you are a father!", but I know what that would lead to.

I start working on some kitchen supply files. Father has given me the assignment and told me this was the only thing I was capable of doing. I had tried to hold back my rage at the time, but nowadays I'm used to putting my feelings in the back closet.

When I'm about to approve a shipment of beef and pork, Kriss comes busting into my office. I secretly slump in my seat. This is not what I need right now.

"Maxy! Can you BELEIVE it?! Only 3 weeks! 3 weeks, Maxy until we are finally married!" She gushes, while I flinch at her excessive use of that god-awful pet name she uses for me.

"No, I truly cannot my dear." I answer back, simple and straightforward. She giggles when I call her dear and batts her eyelashes. Unlike America, she loves being called dear.

"Maxy, you are just too cute!" She says, as she rushes around my desk to sit on my lap. I grimace when I feel her body thud on my thigh. But, like a gentleman, I hold her waist and put on a sweet smile.

"What are you doing here Kriss?" I ask, trying to not sound irritated. Kriss snuggles up to me some more, making me want to shudder.

This is one of the other problems. Kriss wants to be very intimate, which is weird, because she was the opposite in the selection. In fact, she didn't want me to kiss her for the longest. But now, she's always all over me and being overly affectionate.

In the back of my head, I sometimes wonder if this is all an act. I'm not saying her love for me, but all the touchy things. Like she feels the need to do it. Like she has to to get attention from me, and I blame some of that from the selection.

Your husband could be comparing you to all the other girls in his head-which I kinda do. I can see how she would feel like she needs to rush things and have an exciting relationship, if you're fiance is still in love with another girl that he shared most of his firsts with. It's kinda like competing with someone, even though you already won. I can see slight things she does that make me wonder if it's true. Like When she sees America as the hot new topic on the news, and immediately flips the channel off. Or, when she gets new magazines, and they have America on the from page- which they always do- she tells her maids to discard of it.

"Well, of course I wanted to visit you Maxy! But also, I need you to finalize the guess list for the wedding." She hands me a paper with a list of names.

I scan the list mentally to check if it's good. But wait. I glance back at the paper. I glance at it again. I stare at it another time. America isn't on it. The one person I actually really want to see. I look up to an expectant Kriss.

"My dear, where is America on the list?" I ask.

"Oh, silly me! I forgot to add her!" She exclaims.

I grab a pen from my desk, and start to write down America's name.

"Wait- stop!" Kriss shouts, while snatching the pen out of my hand. I look at her weirdly.

"Kriss, is there something wrong?" I question.

She looks at me with a smile, that I can tell is fake.

"No, Maxon, everything is just fine." She says, not meeting my eyes.

Now I know she's lying. She used my actual name for once.

"Kriss, be honest." I say sternly to her.

She sighs, gets off my lap, and walks to the corner of the room.

"It's just..." She trails off and looks out the window in my office. I think I can see a glimpse of the real Kriss I knew from the selection. I get up from my seat and join her.

"Just what?" I ask gently.

She sighs and looks at me, kinda sad.

"I just want to be the center of your attention for once." She blurts out. I'm about to cut in, but she cuts me off.

"You know, my parents use to always tell me a wedding's suppose to be magical. Where it's all about the groom and bride." She looks at me and gives me a teasing smile, something I haven't seen in months. "But mostly the bride." I chuckle a bit.

"When the bride walks down that aisle, all eyes are suppose to be on her. On that special day, she gets all the attention, all the adoration, all the envious." Her face loses its happy demeanor. "But with her there, I know it won't be like that.

I'm taken back from what she just said. I'm left speechless.

"I-I don't know what you're trying to say." I studder. She gives me a pointed look.

"Maxon, I don't think you know how I feel. It's like every time it's suppose to be my time to shine, she's always there to soak up all the attention. She one ups me on everything. Heck, put us next to eachother, and I look like some scrubby eight compared to the 'mesmerizing' America." She about spats. This is it. This is what she's been keeping in all this time.

"And I'm tired of it! She has the red vibrant hair. I have dull, simple brown hair! She's tall and curvy. I'm small and slinder. She has crystal blue eyes. I have dark, basic brown eyes. Everyone loves her!" She yells, throwing her hands in the air. She looks down. The next thing she says is very quiet, but so cold that it makes me shiver.

"And I think you do most of all."

I stand still for a few seconds, pondering over what she just said. She's right, I do love America, and I don't think that'll ever change. But I can't hold Kriss's feelings hostage, because I made a huge miatake. It's not fair to Kriss, to America, or me.

I wrap my arms around Kriss and hold her tight. I lay my chin gently on the top of her head.

"You know what? Forget America." The words sound awful in my mouth, and it feels even worse when it comes out of my mouth. I could never forget America. Not even in my wildest dreams.

"We're not going to invite her? Are you just doing this to get me off of your back?" Kriss asks sharply.

"No." I say. Yes.

Kriss let a her face a often back to it's easy smile, and I smile back.

"I promise, on the wedding day, you will be the only thing on my mind." I whisper in her ear. She giggles and snuggles up to my chest. I sigh.

Yeah, you and one breathtaking redhead who has me wound around their finger.