If America Wasn't Selected: A Selection Fanfic

Chapter Ten: America

Even though Maxon didn't know that I had broken up with Aspen, much less that I was dating him, he comforted me, and for that I was grateful.

"Maxon!" cried Celeste. I rolled my eyes. Here we go.

Maxon and I followed Celeste's sobs, and once we came upon her, she kissed Maxon on the lips.

"I love you," she moaned while kissing him. "I love you and I thought you were gone for good," she said.

Maxon hugged Celeste. "No, honey, no I'm not. I'm okay."

Celeste gasped. "Your leg's bleeding!"

"I'm okay."

Celeste stroked Maxon's bare chest, and I didn't know why, but anger bubbled up inside of me. Maxon was just a friend, I thought to myself. There's no reason to be angry.

"Who's this?" Celeste asked, pointing at me. I looked down, and my pink, silk nightgown provided to me by my maids was covered in dirt.

"I'm the musician for the party. America Singer."

Celeste scanned me from my head to my feet. "Oh, right." She turned to Maxon. "What's going to happen to the party anyway?"

"We'll definitely have to postpone it after this." Maxon looked at me. "America, are you okay to stay here a bit longer until we can reschedule it? Or do you want to go home for a bit and -"

"I'll stay here," I blurted, thinking of Aspen. "I can stay here for a bit longer. I don't mind."

"Okay," Maxon said. "Celeste, do you know anything? Like, who died, who got injured..." His voice was quivering and high-pitched.

Celeste looked down. "I'm afraid that Lady Marlee is deceased."

What?!?!?

The first friend I had made here - I was just talking to her! Why didn't I follow her instead of running the other way in the forest?

I couldn't bear the news. Marlee, she couldn't be dead.

"Celeste - this can't be true. What happened?" Maxon asked. I was too upset to speak.

A tear slid down Celeste's cheek. "The Rebels - they shot her. Marlee was the first Selected girl to run out of the castle, so I guess the Rebels targeted her." Her voice quivered.

Wait a second.

"Marlee ran out with me," I pointed out, my voice cracking as more tears escaped from my bloodshot eyes.

Celeste looked challenged. "No, I saw it. I was behind her when she ran out, and through the doors, she was shot."

That. Filthy. Liar.

"Celeste, I was with Marlee. We came out the doors together, and while we were running into the forest, we went separate ways." I couldn't believe I was arguing about Marlee's death - if she was dead - with Celeste.

"America, this isn't a joke. This is someone's life," Celeste argued. She was lying. I knew it.

"But Celeste -"

"America," said Maxon. "Stop arguing with Celeste, alright?"

Great. Now everyone's against me. Why didn't Maxon believe me?

"Fine," I said and wiped my tears. "Marlee is - Marlee is dead."

After saying those words, I couldn't handle anything. Aspen cheating on me, the Rebel attacks, Marlee's death, and the fact that Maxon thought I was lying.

I fainted.

{Sorry for the short chapter!!}