The Selection without America?

I Will Always Love You

America's POV

"Aspen!" He turns around to face me. I breath in and out quickly. I can do this. I can do this.

"America? What's wrong? You look nervous. You know you can tell me anything. What's on your mind?" Aspen says hugging me quickly and holding me at arms length.

I would miss his company so so so much. I'm losing him. But honestly he was already lost. He might have been mine for the few years we were together, but now he's not mine anymore. Ever since the selection ended we were never each others anymore. We were someone else's. I lost him the day I left the palace. He lost me the day I fell for Maxon.

"I need to tell you something. I think you will either love the idea or totally hate it." I say and tears well up in my eyes.

"America. You're scaring me a little bit. Tell me please." He pleads.

"I want to get a divorce." I blurt before I can tell myself to back out of it. I take a sneak at his expression. I couldn't read it.

"What?" He asks quietly.

"I want to break up, Aspen. I know you love Lucy. Aspen look at me." I take his head and stare straight into his eyes. He too was starting to tear up. "And I know you know that I have strong feelings for Maxon."

"America, please."

"Aspen hear me out." I put my hand up to stop him from talking. "I will always love you, you know this. And I know that you will always love me. But to be totally truthful, I know you are still talking to Lucy. It was my fault to tell you not to see or talk to her anymore, but you promised me. I'm not mad. Actually I'm relieved. It shows how much she means to you." I take his hands and squeeze them.

"America. I'm sorry. I couldn't stay away from her." He finally says and looks down. He can't meet my eyes.

"Aspen I don't want apologies. I really don't want them. You cheated on me. And... I cheated on you yesterday." I needed to get Maxon's kiss off my chest.

"You what?" Aspen yelled. He didn't look angry, just shocked.

"Maxon and I kissed. I know I know I'm no better than you now. But, that's when it hit me Aspen. We are falling apart no matter how much we want to deny it. We will always love each other. It's hurting both of us that we can't express our feelings for other people!"

"Okay. I'll always love you. I know you know that but I just needed to say it. I'll get a lawyer?" Aspen says and he sounds exhausted. He runs his fingers through his hair and pulls me into a hug.

"I love you too." I say into his ear and I hug him back.

"Good luck with Maxon." Aspen pulls back and gives me a playful wink which makes me laugh. He smiles at me and I smile back.

"Good luck with Lucy." I finally say and give him a wink as well.

There was someone else I needed to talk to. So I go to my room. I see the three of them on the floor playing a card game.

"Anne and Mary can you go and take a walk in the garden? I need to talk to Lucy." Anne and Mary exchange a glance with each other and then Lucy. Lucy shrugs and looks down at her cards.

"What do you want America? Came to yell at me? I don't need it. I really don't. I guess I should say thank you for sticking up for me. So thanks." She says and she can't meet my eyes. I sit down on the floor by her.

"I'm sorry."

I must have thrown her off because she snaps her head up and just stares at me for a while. "For-for what?"

"For being such a jerk. I forgave my husband and not my best friend. It was a team mistake. I took it all out on you. I shouldn't have yelled at you so much." I admit.

"No. America you had a reasonable reason to be mad at me. It's all my fault. I'm so sorry. Aspen and I are talking but nothing more. I promise. If you came by to talk to me about that I promise it will never be more than talking. If you never want to be my friend again I'll get that too." Lucy rambles on and on.

"Lucy!" I finally say to get her to stop talking so much. She looks up and me and stops talking. "I want you back as my friend. I miss you, I really do. Aspen and I we were falling apart even before you. We were falling apart even before our wedding." I laugh a little despite myself. "We talked. We both love other people. We both still love each other, but both of our loves for those other people grew greater than our love for on another. Basically what I'm saying is that we are getting a divorce. He loves you Lucy." I smile at her and she blushes a deep pink.

"How do you know? He only had an affair with me because he was lonely." Lucy says sadly.

"No he didn't. Aspen isn't like that. You know that! Stop lying to yourself. And I know he loves you very much because he used to look at me the same way he looks at you. He love you Lucy. Trust me." I say to reassure her. It must work because she smiles.

"Can we hug. Please." She asks and holds our her arms. I hug her and stay like that for a while.

"Don't tell anyone yet. You're the first to know." I say and she bursts with happiness.

I've known for a while that Aspen and I were falling apart. Maybe I've always known. How could I deny my love for Maxon? What kind of friend am I, not letting my best friend be happy? I didn't let Aspen free when I knew he loved Lucy. I did that because I was scared of losing him. Just like how I lost Kamber. Right now I don't even care if Maxon divorces Kriss to be with me or not. I'm just glad that Lucy and Aspen will be happy together. I know for certain that they will be happy together. Especially because I gave them my blessing. They would still get together even if I didn't give them my blessing but why be mad at them together when I could be happy for my two friends who are happy together?

For once in a while I finally feel like everything will fall right into place. I've done the right thing.

How'd you like this chapter? I know I have at least one Asperica (did I spell that right? I'm so bad at ship names) and a bunch of maxerica shippers. What do you think Maxon will say? What will Kriss say or do when she finds America moving in on her man? What about Clarkson? Will Kriss get arrested? Will Kriss's lies spill out? Please comment your thoughts and vote!!

I will post again on 8/2/18

Spoiler: Kriss's coronation is coming up!!