The Unexpected Expected

Part 1: Chapter 1

Maxon's POV

I winced as my father roughly dragged me down the hallway, Lady America in his other arm. Glancing over at me, she mouthed What's wrong this time? I shrugged. I honestly had no idea.

Nodding briskly at one of the guards outside my father's study, the guard at once opened the door. Tugging our arms, he dragged us inside his study and didn't release us until the door closed once more. Then, like a cat cornering his prey, he walked over to me with a small smile on his face.

"Maxon!" he thundered in my face, "I'm about done with these games. You have two choices: one, send Lady America home and pick Kriss, or two," he paused, thinking deeply for a moment. "Or you can stay with her as a Five."

I froze. Become a Five with America? I had imagined the Selection ending in many different ways: I pick Kriss for her personality, I pick Marlee for the crowd, I pick Elise for her connections, I pick Celeste for her status, or I pick America for love. All of these potential outcomes had still allowed me to stay a One (not that it really matters to me). Never had I considered losing the crown for any of the ladies. I had trained my whole life for this, was I really willing to give it all up for a young lady with red hair?

"Maxon?" America whispered.

"Yes, my dear?" I answered as quietly as possible.

"I just want to let you know that I'll understand if you pick the crown over me," she paused for a moment. "And I'm still not your dear."

I hid a smile, hoping that she wouldn't have noticed my insert of "my dear." Only America would care enough to make sure I never called her that. She had explained her reasoning before, and I didn't realize that after that incident, I never called the other girls "my dear," it was only her.

Risking a quick glance out of the corner of my eye, my heart began to beat faster as I took in her brilliant red hair, her round lips, her sky-blue eyes...

"Anytime today, Maxon!" My father roared and I instinctively flinched. Would I be willing to leave everything I've ever known for her?

My eyes wandering around the room, I saw America's cheeks heat up as our eyes met. This girl, what was she doing to me? I was under her spell, and I felt blessed to have simply have been chosen.

Thinking about the other girls, I thought about Kriss. She was nice, I suppose, but her love was a small, quiet, contained flame. Compared to America's roaring forest fire, I would've rather been fully submerged in the flames rather than partially burned. Was I willing to experience pain to be happy?

I then thought about Marlee. Of course, she had already been sent home (or rather sent to work in the kitchens with Carter), but in the end, she had chosen love over the crown. Was I willing to become humble Marlee?

I thought about Natalie, a girl I never really got to know because of my father's continuous shadow casted over her. Did I really give the other girls a fair chance?

Looking at the deep brown of the study's walls, I was reminded of Celeste. I knew that when given the choice between the crown and love she would choose the crown. Would I be happy with having one of the other girls by my side every night?

And last, I thought about quiet Elise, a girl who was so dedicated to her family that she didn't care about love. She was a lady made of sacrifice, wearing her humility like armor. Could I make sacrifices for the ones I loved? Which choice is better for them?

But America's smile kept popping into my head, her auburn cascading down in the amber colors of morning, her eyes full of wonder as she took in the majesty of the night sky. This girl was going to be my downfall.

And it was then that I knew I loved her.

*-*

"Maxon Schreave, I don't know whether to scold you or kiss you!" I chuckled at her attempts to cheer me up.

"Well, we'll have plenty of time for that later."

"For which?" She asked, curiosity written across her face.

"Both!" I said as soon as we reached her bedroom door.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow in Carolina then," she said, a small frown on her face. As she turned to open the door, I grabbed her waist and turned her around. Then, I gently traced a faint smile on her lips using my finger before kissing them slowly.

"Better?" I asked after I pulled away.

"Much," she said breathless. "Good night, Maxon."

"Good night," I said in reply. As soon as her door closed, I whispered, "My dear." She was MY dear now, for I had given up everything to be with her. All that remained was for us to be killed tomorrow.

I quietly laughed as I walked down the hallway, thinking about how strange that thought was. Our plan (well really my father's plan) to rid the palace of America and I was for us to be dramatically killed. We would then fly to Carolina in a small private jet. We were then to go to America's family and tell them about our flee from the palace and assure them that we are both safe and well. Then, we would finally be free to do whatever we wanted.

I smiled and stopped outside of my room. We would be just Mer and Max, normal citizens living outside of Carolina. There would be no more fancy titles like Lady America Singer and His Royal Highness Prince Maxon Schreave. There would be no cameras pointed at us twenty-four seven. I could live a life of a Five with my beautiful (soon to be) wife.

Opening the door to my room, I imagined what it would be like to have a normal life with America. I imagined her walking down a small isle in the middle of a field in all white, her growing round with our children, her fiery hair becoming tame as streaks of gray mix in. And once she left this world, so would I.

Looking at the collage of photos on my wall, I smiled as I took in my life in a couple of pictures, then, with a small sigh, I took them all down, packing them all in a small notebook my mother had given me when I was younger. There's somethings you just can't erase, and the Selection is one of them.

Then, I quickly packed the simplest outfits I owned before I collapsed on the bed, a smile etched on my face as I imagined my new life with the woman I truly loved with all my heart.