The Selection without America?

The Last Dance

Maxon's POV

I haven't talked to my father since the fight after the selected presented their idea to us. We went with Lady Kriss and Lady Celeste. They were in the ball room setting up the party and organizing the catering and decorations.

I walked past the room and heard yelling and screaming from behind the door. I decided to see what all the fuss was about. Why were people yelling? I opened the door to find Lady Celeste yelling at a maid and then Lady Kriss yelling at a caterer.

"Ladies!" I yell over both of them. They look my way and their expressions changed. Instead of a fed-up sort of face they put a bright and big smile on their faces.

"Hello Prince Maxon." Lady Kriss says stepping up.

"Hello Lady Kriss. So what's going on." I ask. I've been wanting to talk with them about the party. We still haven't figured out who cheated off of who.

"I was just telling the caterer that we didn't want any Illéan food. Right Celeste?" Lady Kriss looked at Celeste who was giving her daggers with her glare.

"No. We DO want Illéan food Kriss." Lady Celeste said in a tight smile.

"Celeste what are you talking about? Weren't we going to present America and Marlee's idea first and then-" Lady Kriss stopped mid sentence and looked back to me with her eyes big.

I smirked. I now know for sure that America and Marlee had not cheated as my father had suggested. I looked at Lady Kriss and Lady Celeste pointedly.

"Umm... I mean we were just going to go off of our idea. You know the one we presented." Lady Kriss says quickly.

"So know that I know you were the ones who cheated I will send Lady America and Lady Marlee in here and carry out their idea. Please return to the women's room right now." I say and open the door for them. They held their heads low and walked out without a fight surprisingly.

~•~

"You called us down Maxon?" America says after closing the door to the ball room. I stand in the middle.

"Yes I did my dear America." I smile. Then I replay what I said out loud in my head. Did I actually call her my dear America? "I mean Lady America and Lady Marlee." I smile my mistake away.

America laughs a bit and Lady Marlee is smiling ear to ear. "So Prince Maxon what do you need?" Lady Marlee asks.

"Well as you may or may not know, but Lady Kriss and Lady Celeste cheated off of you ladies." I state.

"They did?" America asked innocently totally oblivious.

"Yes I'm afraid so. So now you two ladies will set everything up as you two planed to." I smile and make my way to the door. When I passed America I whispered in her ear "I always knew it was your idea. You always have the best ideas. Good luck." And then I left.

~•~

I start to get ready for the party at 5:30. I wanted to get there early to see if America or Lady Marlee needed any help. Or just to see America.

I make my way down and open the ball room doors. America is putting up the red and gold ribbons herself without any help from the maids. She just became more beautiful just for doing that.

Wait. She's a selected. Which means that we could end up together. King Maxon and Queen America. It had a good ring to it. I feel in love with the idea of it. Of us as a couple. Side by side. Hand in hand. Together.

"Hey Maxon!" America says from the top of the ladder she's on.

"Hey America. How's the view from up there?" I smile. For some reason whenever I'm with her I smile.

"Its good. Really good. You want to come up and see?" She asks.

"Sure. I've never climbed a ladder before though. So what do I do?" I say and look at the steps.

America laughs at my inexperience. "You just climb!" She says and throws her hands up which makes the ladder shake. She puts her hands back on the ladder to steady herself. I take the bottom of the ladder to help too.

"Ok like this?" I say and put my foot up on the first step and hold the sides. I climbed on the opposite side of America.

"Yeah just like that. Look His Royal Highness is a pro at this kind of thing." She laughed again. Which makes me laugh with her.

Once I was up there our faces were inches apart. I would just need to move my head a few inches forward and they would connect with hers.

"So America-" I got cut off by the door opening and closing loudly.

"Your highness the New Asian royals will be here in less than an hour." A guard that when I looked closely I saw that it was Aspen.

America must of noticed it was Aspen as well and cleared her throat. "Maxon- I mean Prince Maxon I think I got it from here. Thank you so much for you help." She says and give me a small smile.

"Well Lady America you should get dressed soon. The Ball room looks beautiful." I add and make my way down the ladder. "Thank you Officer Leger." I walked out of the room.

I meander down the halls of my house and finally end up outside my mothers room. I knock and she herself answers the door.

"Hello Maxon. Do you need something?" She asks worriedly.

"I just need some advice." I admit. It's not that manly to ask for help and advice my father always told me.

"Oh Maxon of course come in come in!" My mother stepped aside and let me in. On the bed I saw a bunch of clothes of black, red, and gold. I sat at the edge where no clothes were. My mother sat next to me and folded her hands in her lap. "So what is this about? The selection?"

"Mostly one girl." I say.

"America! I knew it you like her!" My Mom gasped and clapped her hands happily.

"How did you know? Ohhhh it's not THAT obvious right?? Ohhh no no this can't happen. Do you think America knows? I've made a fool of myself Mom!!" I whine.

"Sweetheart calm down. Maybe I only noticed because I'm your mother and I know you better than almost everyone. Also you know you really like her when you would make a fool of yourself for her. I've also seen how you look at her." My Mom says and takes my hands in her's.

"What will I do? Has she told you about Aspen?" I ask worried.

"No She hasn't. I'll ask her about it. You know girl to girl." My Mom smiles again.

"No please-"

"Don't worry my dear Maxon. Also ask her to dance some other advice is to dance with her last." My Mom gave me a pointed look.

"Why last?" I asked confused.

"Because you have to dance with all the other selected no matter what. Now if you dance with her last you can have as many dances as you want with her and just pay attention to her." My mother explained.

Hello!! I hope you guys are enjoying the book so far. Please please comment what you think!! What will Maxon do? Will he dance with America or will Aspen beat him to it? Please vote!!

I'll post again 5/10/18

Spoiler: the New Asian party has arrived. Who will America dance with?