SURPRISE! I felt bad about the long wait for the last chapter, so here ya go! And wow. Just wow. Over 100 views in a week! I'm having so much fun writing this. Thank you all so much for your love and support thus far! It literally makes my day to read your comments and know that you like this story. Oh, and Ali and I are working on Grayton's life after the Selection! AND ITS FANGIRL MATERIAL!!
YAY!
I love you peeps,
-MaddieBee
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Grayton and Kya walked in the gardens, the soft glow of twilight casting a shadow on their faces. The sweet smell of blooming flowers mingled with the musk of the night dew filled Grayton's lungs.

"That was French!" Kya exclaimed, referring to Grayton's "Allons-y!"

"It was, wasn't it?" Grayton said playfully. "That and 'merci beuccoup' are about all I know in French."

"That's good! That's more than I knew when I began," she said. "All I know in Spanish is how to say 'yes' 'no' and 'where is the restroom,'" she said with a soft blush.

"Well, that is quite useful!" he chuckled softly. "What do you want to know in Spanish?"

"The basics, I guess, you know, in case I ever go to a Spanish-speaking country," Kya replied as they walked. "What about you? What do you want to know in French?"

"Let's see. 'Where is the bathroom might be useful', what is that in French?" Grayton immediately felt stupid for asking.

"Of all the things you could have asked how to say, you had to go and say that?" he mentally scolded himself.

"'Est-ce que je peux les toilettes?'" she replied. "That means 'can I use the restroom?"

"Oh! Thank you. Let's see, ah! Here's a phrase in Spanish. 'Te amo'. You're pretty clever. Guess what it means," Grayton challenged, smiling.

"Well, 'tu' in French is 'you', and 'ami' in French is 'friend.'"

"You're close! It means 'I love you'. 'Te quiero is another phrase for it, but you only use it around friends. 'Te amo' is used around people like your parents and your boyfriend and girlfriend," Grayton's eyes met Kya's.

Kya's cheeks went red as she smiled at him. "Well, then guess what this means: 'je t'aime.'"

"Let's see, 'I make a friend?'" he guessed, he himself starting to blush.

"Great. Friendzoned already," he sighed on the inside.

"It means 'I love you' as well," she said, fighting the blush rushing up her cheeks.

"I should have guessed," Grayton said softly and lifted her chin up with his finger. "I see that blush! Don't hide it. You look beautiful when you blush."

Kya covered her left cheek with her hand. "Really?"

He pulled her hand away. "Yes, really," Grayton smiled as he kissed her cheek softly.

He pulled back and studied her. "Hmm...." Grayton mused, his expression soft.

Kya looked up at him. "What is it?" she asked softly.

"Nothing, it's nothing. Tell you what," he looked behind him, hearing Beatrice and Wendy's voices echoing from the castle as they raced outside. "Why don't we meet together in the theatre? I'll take you out tomorrow, if you'd like."

Kya nodded. "Sure. See you there!" she called over her shoulder as she turned to leave, slightly disappointed that he hadn't given her a kiss goodnight.

*

Grayton sighed and walked over to Beatrice, who was sitting beside Wendy on a spot of grass and catching her breath from the sprint she had made from the castle to the gardens. Beatrice crossed her legs and brushed a strand of hair streamed with pink and green behind one ear. She smiled softly up at Grayton.

"There's something special about her, and it's not just her hair," he noted.

Grayton smiled down at her. "I've been meaning to talk to you," he said softly. "Would you be interested in going on a date with me?"

Beatrice grinned brightly. "I would love to."

"Where to then?" he beamed softly in the fresh moonlight.

Beatrice pondered for a minute, before laughing softly. "Wherever you would like."

"Even her laugh is so much more enchanting than she knows. It's simply beautiful," he smiled to himself.

"Let's see," Grayton thought for a moment. "What about the theatre? Would you want to see a movie or a play?"

"Sure!" Beatrice said happily. She stood up, straightening her dress slightly.

He took her hand. "Vamos!" Grayton smiled as he led her to the theatre.

"Finally. I'm going to get to meet the girl with the rainbow in her hair. What is this strange feeling inside? It feels like what I felt with Reinette, but way stronger and way better.

Am I in love?

Oh, please, I don't even know Beatrice. How can I fall in love with someone I've never met?

Unless, no.

Unless she's the one."