The Prince (Maxon's Selection POV)

Chapter Four

Dinner after The Report was uneventful. The ladies had all chatted quietly about The Report during dinner and thankfully, there were no rebel attacks.

After dinner, I quickly went to my room to make sure I looked presentable and headed toward America's room. I approached the door and gave it a knock, my father's voice reminding to knock firmly. The door opened widely to not a maid, but America herself!

"Where in the world are your maids?" I asked, surveying the room.

"Gone. I send them off as soon as I come back from dinner."

"Every day?"

"Yes, of course. I can take my clothes off by myself, thank you."

I raised my eyebrows and smiled as she blushed. "Get a wrap, it's chilly out."

We walked down the hall together, America's arm wrapped around mine. "If you insist on not keeping your maids around, I'm going to have to post a guard outside your door," I said.

"No! I don't like being baby-sat."

I chuckled, "He would be outside your door. You wouldn't even know he was there."

"I would too, she complained, "I'd sense his presence."

I gave a playfully exhausted sigh.

Across the hall, we ran into Lady Celeste, Lady Tiny, and Lady Emmica, I believed. "Ladies," I said with a nod as America blushed again.

They curtsied and kept on walking.

"I told you the girls who got nervous about the attack would end up staying" America said, breaking the silence.

"You can't imagine what a relief that was" I said. When the girls had asked to leave, I had started to panic, for I knew my choices were getting smaller. Plus, I was sure I worth some sort of risk. America was silent for a moment, thinking.

We walked down the stairs and she stumbled a bit in her heels. "I would have thought it would be helpful in a way," she said as we reached the first floor. "I mean, it has to be complicated to pick one person out of all of these girls. If the circumstances weed some out for you, shouldn't that make it easier?"

I shrugged. "I suppose it should. But it didn't feel that way at all I assure you" I said, a little hurt. "Good Evening, sirs," I greeted the guards, who thankfully opened the doors without any hesitation.

"I don't understand," she said as I lead her to our bench. I let her sit facing the palace while I sat next to her, faced the other way so we were kind of facing each other.

I hesitated about sharing my thoughts, wondering if I could trust her. I took a deap breath, "Maybe I was just flattering myself, thinking I'd be worth some sort of risk. Not that I'd wish that on anyone," I said quickly. "I don't mean that. It just...I don't know. Don't you all see everything I'm risking?"

"Umm, no. You're here with your family to give you advice, and we all live around your schedule. Everything about your life stays the same, and ours overnight. What in the world could you possibly be risking?" she said.

I stared at her, shocked. "America, I might have my family, but imagine how embarrassing it is to have your parents watch as you attempt to date for the first time. And not just your parents-the whole country! Worse than that, it's not even a normal style of dating. And living around my schedule? When I'm not with you all, I'm organizing troops, making laws, perfecting budgets...and all on my own these days, while my father watches me stumble in my own stupidity because I have none of his experience. And then, when I inevitably do things in the way he wouldn't, he goes and corrects my mistakes. And while I'm trying to do all this work, you- the girls I mean- are all I can think about. I'm excited and terrified by the lot of you!" I nearly yelled, using my hands to get the point across and running them through my hair.

"And you think my life isn't changing? What do you think my chances might be of finding a soul mate in the group of you? I'll be lucky if I can find someone who'll be able to stand me for the rest of our lives. What if I already sent her home because I was relying on some sort of spark I didn't feel? What if she's waiting to leave me at the first sign of adversity? What if I don't find anyone at all? What do I do then, America?" I asked her, really wanting an answer.

"Actually, Maxon, I think you will find your soul mate here. Honestly," she said.

"Really?" I asked hopefully.

"Absolutely," she said putting a hand on my shoulder. I felt comforted by the touch, and relaxed.

"If your life is as upside down as you say it is, then she has to be here somewhere. In my experience, true love is usually the most inconvenient kind" she said smiling weakly.

I was consoled by her words, but I was wondering what she ment by her experience. "I hope you and Marlee hit it off. She's incredibly sweet," she said.

I made a strange face, "She seems so."

"What? Is something wrong with sweet?"

"No, no. Sweet is good.'' But what about us, I thought, will we hit off? Stupid, she already told you she has no feelings for you, Maxon! "What do you keep looking for," I asked, observing her searching around us.

"What?"

"You can't seem to keep our eyes in one place. I can tell you are paying attention, but you seem to be looking for something."

"People...cameras..." she shook her head as she looked into the night.

"We're alone. There's just the guard by the door" I said pointing to the door. She relaxed a bit. "You really don't like people watching you, do you" I asked, thinking about how I looked out my window watching her cry all those nights ago.

"Not really. I prefer being below the radar. That's what I'm used to, you know?" she said tracing patterns into the stone bench, not meeting my eyes.

"You will have to adjust to that. When you leave here, eyes will be on you for the rest of your life. My mom still talks to some of the women she was with when she went through the Selection. They're all viewed as important women. Still," I said.

"Perfect!"she moaned. "Just one more thing I can't wait to go home to."

I stared at her, apologetic that she had to go through this. She turned away from me. Should I send her home? Send her back, to put her out of all her misery here? She sighed quietly and looked back at me. "America, could I ask you something personal?"

Sorry for small cliffhanger, but if you already read the book, you know what happens. If not, then... sorry! But you should really read The Selection! But you won't have to wait long for the next chapter.

-theselectionseriesfan