America & Me..

Chapter 17

After what happened with Kriss, I couldn't get much sleep, even though I knew she was fine. I woke up, staring at myself in the mirror. I looked tired, worn out. The thing that pissed me off the most was that there was a Report today. There was no reason for one, father was just going to address the citizens and explain the threat of the rebels. Of course, not completely. He has his own technique to be as vague as possible. Luckily, this was one of the reports where I wouldn't have to show my face in.

The report was in a couple of hours, and since I had nothing to do, I went to talk to America. She tugged her ear and I didn't talk to her yet. I was greeted by her energetic smile, after my knock at her door.

"Maxon, are you alright?" she asked. I could tell I looked a little tired.

I gave her a nod and a weak smile.

"I'm sorry about what happened yesterday." She said, walking with me. She didn't look at me, she was looking at the ground. I smiled.

"Don't be, it wasn't your fault. It wasn't anyone's fault, to be honest. It was just a mistake." I replied, shaking my head. We were in the gardens now, seated on the bench.

"What do you mean 'it wasn't anyone's fault'?" She shot back.

"What?" I didn't understand the point she was making.

"Celeste did that on purpose. A calculated move! How couldn't you see that?" She said, frowning at me. I frowned right back.

"No, she didn't. You know that." I replied, keeping my voice authoritative, trying to tell her not to talk about this. But she didn't understand me.

"I'm telling you, Maxon, it wasn't an accident."

"But she looked mortified, and she was so apologetic," I said. I was trying to keep my voice down, compared to hers. She was screaming. "How could it not have been an accident?"

"I'm telling you. I see Celeste every day, and that was her sneaky way of ruining Kriss's moment in the spotlight. She's so competitive."

"Well, if she was trying to take my attention from Kriss, she failed. I spent nearly an hour with the girl. Rather pleasant time I had, too."

"Then what about Anna?" She asked.

"Who?"

"Anna Farmer? She hit Celeste, and you kicked her out, remember? I know Anna had to have been provoked."

I kicked her out? There were rules, I just had to make sure they were followed. I had no choice! I stared at her.

"Did you hear Celeste say something?" I couldn't just take her word for it. I had to have some kind of evidence.

"Well... no. But I knew Anna, and I know Celeste. I'm telling you, Anna was not the type of person to head straight to violence. Celeste must have said something heartless to her for her to have reacted that way."

"America, I'm aware that you spend more time with the girls than I do, but how well can you really know them? You like to hide in your room or the libraries. I daresay you're more familiar with your maids' personalities than any of the Selected."

She rolled her eyes. "That's not fair. I was right about Marlee, wasn't I? Don't you think she's nice?"

Again? Marlee? Of course she is nice, but... "Yes ... she is nice, I suppose."

"Then why won't you believe me when I say that what Celeste did was a calculated move?"

"America, it's not that I think you're lying. I'm sure, to you, it seemed that way. But Celeste was sorry. And she's been nothing but gracious with me."