The Selection without America?

Learning to Dance

Maxon's POV

The night went by in a blur. I was dancing with one selected girl talking about something about her family then another talking about her dress. I was never paying attention because all I could think about is the countdown till I could dance with America. I watched America from afar the whole evening and saw her chatting to some selected then chat to Aspen. I didn't know what to think when I saw her leave with Aspen. Selected aren't suppose to leave the ball- especially ones they were in charge of- unless something really important came up.

I knew that it couldn't have been about Lady Kamber because I would have been one of the first to know about that. My thoughts were interrupted by someone calling my name.

"MAXON!! Oh PRINCE MAXON!" It was the one and only Lady Celeste.

"Yes Lady Celeste what can I help you with?" I ask but don't really listen. My brain was elsewhere.

"Is it my turn to dance with you?" She asks and bats her eyelashes which makes her look like she has something stuck in her eye.

"Yes of course follow me." I turn my attention back to Lady Celeste and hold out my arm for her. She takes it and her long fingernails almost like dig into my skin.

I take her out into the middle of the dance floor and start a fox trot with her. She knew the moves and I don't need to guide her. With almost ever other selected I needed to guide them.

"You are an excellent dancer Lady Celeste." I compliment her and she smirks.

"Of course I am. I mean I'm a two. Twos are suppose to know how to do this stuff. Remember Prince Maxon, twos are the ones who are most fitted to be the next Queen or King of Illéa- well besides the actually royalty." She adds thankfully.

"I don't entirely agree with you Lady Celeste. You twos might have the best etiquette and be the most manured in public, but it's the ideas that matter. The way you think and how kind and thoughtful you are. Anyone can learn how to dance in a time given. Anyone can learn proper etiquette, but Lady Celeste there is one thing that someone can truly not learn. How to love. If you don't know how to love because your parents never loved you or you don't love yourself then how could you run a Whole nation." I explain to her. She looked thoughtful through my whole speech.

"But on the contrary Prince Maxon. Why do you need love to run the nation. All you need is the people to love the IDEA of you. You don't actually need to love your subjects. You just need to rule them." She says trying to sound light. It doesn't work because of her heavy words weighing her down.

"How do you expect love from your people if you don't love them. Million of people hate my father. Take the rebels for example. They hate him. My father hates them back. What you give is what you get. If you always have your people's interest at heart then you will be a fine Queen or King. If you just think about controlling them then you aren't a Queen or a king. You're a monster to them. One that they would want to kill." I say my last word slowly. I was thinking about my father. The rebels want him gone so they can take the throne for themselves. Was that really because my father was a horrible man?

The dance ended and I bowed while she curtsied.

"That was a splendid talk Prince Maxon." Celeste says and walks away with her head held high.

You can always learn to have good etiquette and be well manured in public but you can't learn how to be kind and thoughtful. I repeat in my head.

I see the grand door open and close letting two people who couldn't be more different to me. America the one that I always get nervous around but I can be myself. Aspen the one who hurt America so badly the one I despise for doing so.