The Elite: Maxon POV

Chapter 10

"She's not doing well, your Highness," said her head maid.

"I just...I need to see her. Please." She nodded and moved around the corner. I took a deep breath and gently knocked on the door. Silence. "America?" I called out. No response. I pushed open the door and hesitantly walked in. It was quite a mess. She had trashed her room and was lying on top of her sheets with her back toward me.

"America darling?" I walked over to her bed and sat on the edge of it. "Please talk to me." Some muffled words came from her mouth. "Pardon?" She rolled over so she was facing me, but refrained from looking me in the eyes.

"How could you?" she whispered, her voice hoarse and strained. Her eyes were red from crying and her hair looked whiplashed. Her face was puffy and blotchy from the tears and some of her eye makeup was running. Somehow even now, she managed to look beautiful. I closed my eyes and swallowed.

"I didn't have a choice America, you have to believe me," I pleaded. "The punishment for something like this is death and if the cameras hadn't caught them the other night, I would have let them off the hook. Father wanted them to endure the punishment they lawfully deserved, but I gave them what little mercy I could to-"

America bolted upright. "Mercy!? You call that mercy, Maxon? What the hell is wrong with you!" she said waving her hands and pacing the room. "My best friend just got publicly humiliated in one of the worst ways possible for loving someone that god forbid isn't you. Her lover did everything he could to protect her while getting whipped to a point that could kill someone!" She paused and fell into a fit of coughing before continuing. "Have you ever seen someone get whipped before? Is this something you've grown up enforcing and watching? Is this what it's like to be the princess because if so, I want absolutely no part in it. You just...sat there and watched. You sat there and did nothing." At the last line she broke down. She started sobbing uncontrollably. "Oh god, oh god. Why didn't she tell me what was going on? I could have protected her, I could have-- oh god. How could she be so carless. I'm a terrible friend, I'm so foolish."

I attempted to comfort her by placing my hand on her shoulder but she jerked away from me. "Don't you dare touch me Maxon Schreave."

"America," I said trying to control my emotions, "you have to understand that I never wanted this to happen. Watching it.. I've never done that before. As the prince I had to keep my composure." How many times had I thought that already today. It was getting tiring having to hide my true feelings. "You have to understand."

"I don't have to understand shit!" she sobbed. I lowered my head. I couldn't imagine how she felt now, but seeing her this way, knowing what she just had to watch made my heart feel like it was being torn to shreds. I was supposed to protect her from things like this not expose her to it. Then again, if she did become the princess, she would have to learn how to get through things like that.

"I'm so sorry, America. I'll tell the maids and workers in the kitchen to postpone our plans for today. We can tell everyone about us another day. For now, everyone needs time to rest and think." She turned and for the first time looked into my eyes. A bewildered look spread across her face.

"You couldn't possibly believe that I still want to go through with this," she said. My heart dropped and shattered to bits. "After what I just saw, I can't.. I don't think,"

"Wait. Don't make a decision about us now, America please. I know you hate me for what happened but don't make a rash decision now. I'll give you space, I'll give you whatever you want, but please don't do this. I'm begging you." Tears filled my eyes. She walked back to her bed and lay down facing away from me.

"America."
"I want you to leave," she whispered so quiet I almost missed it. I sighed. I moved to kiss her forehead but she moved away from me. I stood up and hung my head. I left her room feeling utterly defeated. As I walked back to my room, I noticed that Kriss's door was wide open. I peeked inside.

"Oh Maxon! I was going to come find you. Do please come in," she said patting a spot next to her on her bed. I walked in and took a seat. "I know that was incredibly hard for you to do and I can't imagine what you're going through right now. It was hard for all of us to watch." I nodded. "I made you this. Back home I used to make these for my friends when they were going through a hard time. Here," she said giving me an envelope. My name was written in fancy lettering on the back. I was shocked.

"For...for me?" I asked surprised.

"Of course," she replied smiling.

"Nobody has ever done something like this for me before. I'm truly warmed by this, Kriss."

"You can open it now if you like. Or when you get back to your room. Whenever really." I opened the envelope and it was a hand made card telling me to hold on and stay strong. I looked up at her and something changed. The energy around us changed from a light friendship to something deeper.

"I don't know what to say, Kriss."

"You don't have to say anything." She leaned in and embraced me in a hug. "I'm here for you, Maxon. For everything. Always and forever."