The Life

viii. (UNEDITED)

America Singer

Laughter filled the room and paranoia filled me.

We were having a celebration in the palace, nothing big. It was just me, Maxon and the Illean palace officials and ambassadors.

It was nothing compared to what was yet to come. We were having the French Royal Family over. I'm not going to lie, it isn't to build a good relationship. It's to show the world our alliance with one of the world's most powerful nations.

Why were we celebrating? Because of our 'victory' over the 'rebels.'

I went down to sit at a table. I put my hand against my head. I had a killer headache and this dress literally weighed a thousand pounds! It was fun being fancy and pampered during the selection but now it's getting tiresome.

Almost immediately after I sat down I heard the most annoying voice call out.

"America, dear! Don't slouch, I've been telling you this even before you were a Queen!"

Why hadn't I fired Silvia yet? She constantly tells me to stop acting like a 5 as if it's a bad thing, now that I'm a Queen. She gets on my nerves like no other.

"Go away, Silvia! I don't want to speak to you! If you dare come to annoy me again I'll make sure you won't ever be allowed in the palace again!" I lost my temper just like any other person who has constantly been humiliated would havel.

The room went silent. Everyone who was milling around stopped and stared at me.

I had lost it in front of everyone! It was getting hard to breathe. The room suddenly felt too hot and stuffy. My headache was getting worse by the second.

I had to get out.

I abruptly stood up, almost knocking my chair over and speed walked out of the Great Room, ignoring all the stares that followed me.

I managed to walk out and as soon as I got halfway through the hallway I broke out into a sprint.

I ran through the now familiar corridors, none of the guards bothering to stop me, until I reached my room.

I stepped in and went straight to the bathroom and started scrubbing at my face. The amount of makeup I was forced to wear was ridiculous! At this rate my face would be completely destroyed by the end of the year. As soon as I was done I got straight to work on changing out of my horrid dress.

Screw it. I don't want to wear a truckload of makeup and dresses that make it look like my wedding day, every single day!

I pulled on a plain white v neck t-shirt and my favourite pair of blue jeans. Wait for it, I actually have a pair of normal shoes. Crazy, right? Why would anyone want anything that a 5 would wear?

I walked to my vanity and started ripping out all the hair and bobby pins from my hair and started putting my hair into a normal braid. I know I'm on a roll.

Once I was done I finally felt like relived like myself. I don't know why but this whole Queen thing was getting to me.

I opened the door and stepped out. Down the hall I saw Aspen walking towards me. Once he saw me coming out he broke out into a light jog.

"You changed?" he asked, surprised.

"Yes, why?"

He smiled, "Nothing, it's just nice to know you haven't let them change you, not even the slightest bit."

"Aspen" I took a deep breath. "You need to know I haven't changed, and I never will."

"Thank god. Anyways, I need to tell you something."