The Other Side(A Selection Story)

Chapter One

One moment ruined everything. One so wrongly timed moment ruined everything, and I can't fix this. Not this. He won't believe me.

The look on Maxon's face is pure anger and hurt as he stares at me and Aspen. Kriss simply stands there in shock.

"Maxon, please let me explain..."I try to say.

"Don't. Don't even try. I understand exactly what is happening here," he says with anger.

"I swear it's not what it looks like. It's..it's nothing," I say.

"Nothing? It's nothing? What's your name, officer?"Maxon asks Aspen.

"Officer Leger, Sir," he says stiffly.

"You're full name!" Maxon exclaims.

"Aspen Leger." It's almost a whisper but Maxon hears it clearly and it's all it takes to turn his face to stone. He looks at me with such anger that it feels like his eyes are staring into my soul.

"It's nothing? IT'S NOTHING! You're trying to tell me that you leaning you body up against the man you told me you once loved is absolutely nothing?!"

I stand there speechless. I should say something, try to explain, but I know Maxon. He won't listen or understand. Nothing I say will ever be able to fix this. I've ruined everything. My whole life is gone. Tears start to form and roll down my cheeks.

"That's what I thought," Maxon says quietly as he looks at the floor, "and to think that all this time I believed that you actually loved. Cared about me. Now I know that was all a lie too."

"No, please, Maxon, it was all real. I love you! I always will!"

"Just stop! I don't need to hear anymore lies from you!"

"Sir, please..." Aspen tries to say but Maxon cuts him off.

"And YOU, you better get the hell out of my face and out of my castle! First thing in the morning you're being shipped off to New Asia so I never have to see your face ever again!"

I gasp. No soldiers ever come home from New Asia, and Maxon knows that. My blood turns hot and all the pain disappears into anger.

"I can not believe you, Maxon. You claim you never want to be like your father and yet here you are sending an innocent man off to die because you think he's taken something from you! Well guess what, Your Highness, I did once love Aspen but those days are over and we've moved on to become friends. And also for your information, Aspen is in a relationship with one of my maids, which I fully support. So, what you saw, it WAS nothing. Not like you'll listen or care. But go on, kick me out and go marry Kriss. I'm done getting my heart broken by you!" With that said I storm past Maxon and head downstairs. No one comes after me, not even Aspen.

I wander aimlessly around the main floor until the realization what actually just happens hit me. I just lost the love of my life. Tears start to roll uncontrollably down my face and crumple up into a ball on the floor in some corner. My entire body shakes and extreme heartache begins to crush me. Just this morning I was planning on becoming the next queen and marrying the man I love and spending the rest of my life with him, and now that's all over. I'll probably never even see Maxon ever again.

A muffled sound from down the hall catches my attention. The sound almost sounded like a scream, but I couldn't tell. I slowly stand up and unsteadily walk to look down the hall. All there is are two soldiers. No, there's someone else on the floor. I gasp as I see its a dead maid. "Rebels" I whisper.

That's when the explosion goes off.