Hello, once again! I am so sorry for the late update! This chapter went a lot longer than I expected. I'm loving this book to bits, can you tell? I've been going through a tough time at school, so this helps me relax. As for Alonzo's story, I am going to post a schedule in my profile description thing, as to when I update each story. Grayton's story is constantly being updated due to the fact that I have too much fun writing in his perspective! And, it's so much fun to talk with you guys and get your feedback on the story. Thank you for reading, and don't forget to vote, peeps!
-MaddieBee
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Grayton escorted Beatrice to the grand theatre, which was dimly lighted by the glass chandelier suspended overhead.

"Whoa," Beatrice looked around, impressed. She smiled brightly. "This looks a little like a place where I performed once."

"Really? We'll have to do a play or something together sometime!" he smiled back at her as he looked around the massive theatre. "So, you pick. Movie, musical, or play?"

"Really? That would be so cool!" Beatrice said happily. She looked thoughtful. "Um..let's do a movie."

"Sweet! What movie? We have all of the movies ever published in Illea, including hundreds from the days when Illéa was America," Grayton asked, happy that she liked the idea of performing with him.

"She'd make a great Juliet. I'd probably be Dogberry," he mentally shrugged.

"I don't watch movies often, so I shall let you choose," Beatrice smiled softly.

"Ooh. That's hard. What about the first Hunger Games? I've always liked that movie a lot," he suggested.

"Well, the book is awesome, so let's try it," she replied, nodding.

Grayton smiled as he popped the DVD  into the player. The movie began, and he took a seat.

"Just breathe. You've made it so far," he mentally calmed himself.

Beatrice sat next to him, braiding a tiny pink braid next to her ear. He put his arm around her and didn't pay a bit of attention to the movie, instead looking and smiling at Beatrice, tempted to run his fingers through her long rainbow mane.

Beatrice looked over to see Grayton smiling at her, and she chuckled. "What are you looking at?"

Grayton blushed and snickered. "I was just thinking, what if you and I were in the Hunger Games?" he covered up his thoughts quickly, where he had really been trying to imagine her with a crown on her head.

"You know, I was thinking about that the whole time I was reading the book, trying to figure out how long that I would survive," she answered thoughtfully. "I can be pretty cunning when I need to be, like Foxface, but I would have the problem of not knowing how to use a weapon if the opportunity ever arose."

"Oh true. I'd probably end up like Peeta, falling in love with someone I'd have to kill," he replied softly.

Beatrice nodded, thinking about Peter and knowing how that felt like. "Yes, but they got married in the end, you know. I personally always felt more sorry for Gale, who just kind of disappears off of the face of the earth after Peeta recovers from being hijacked."

Grayton nodded, his eyes clouded for a moment as he wondered if Beatrice had ever been in love like he had. Maybe she could relate.

"Who am I kidding?

Of course she's in love with someone. Someone back home.

Someone who deserves her."

"I guess for me, I would either vow to keep my lover alive, or just hope that someone else kills them..and wow that sounded really cold," she blushed, embarrassed at her own words.

"Hah! Well, everything in the games is cold," he laughed.

"Very true. But it sounded a lot less heartless in my head.." Beatrice chuckled slightly

"It wasn't that bad," he chuckled. "Believe me, I've probably said worse."

She shrugged. "I guess it's easy to say that I would be the same sweet girl in the games while I'm sitting here..but if I were actually in the arena, I really don't know."

"We find out who we truly are when we're living without comfort, the deep desires of the heart make themselves known," Grayton whispered.

Beatrice thought again of Peter. "Well in that case, I'm snappish, depressed, and lonely at heart," she. said in a voice so soft it was barely audible.

"I'm always lonely," he replied in a barely audible whisper.

Beatrice nodded. "Me too."

"That makes two of us," Grayton's eyes met hers, and a small smile appeared.

"Is it terribly strange to say that it's rather comforting someone else is lonely too?" she whispered, forgetting completely about the movie.

"No, I agree. It's good to know someone's out there who feels like you do," he whispered back. Grayton hadn't even thought about the movie since they started talking.

Beatrice smiled. "I'm glad you don't think I'm strange," she chuckled softly.

"Why would I? You're a lot like me, you know?" Grayton whisper-laughed.

"I don't know, I guess I'm a pretty strange person. I talk to myself sometimes, I'm friendly, but I don't have very many friends. I have crazy hair," Beatrice ticked off the reasons on her fingers.

"Hey, well, you've got a friend in me! And I love your hair. It's beautiful," he smiled.

She smiled softly. "Thank you, that means a lot." She curled a strand of bright hair around a finger. "It was actually a dare, but I've been told it suits me."

"Whoever dared you was a genius!" Grayton chuckled.

Beatrice grinned. "I agree. The dare was that the loser of a contest my friend and I entered, had to make their hair look an early spring day. I've always been a sucker for a good dare, but I lost miserably. Thus: spring!" She laughed. "Don't ask me how they came up with that idea, Peter had a crazy mind. But you know..I think he knew from the start that he was going to win."

"Peter? Is that your boyfriend from home?" he smiled at her story.

Beatrice shook her head, trying not to let the sudden stab of fresh pain from her loss show. "It was never official," she laughed. "But we knew each other practically our whole lives, so we were quite close."

Grayton saw the tiny moment of pain. "I can imagine so," he whispered. "I felt the same way about someone not too long ago."

She's felt heartbreak. Her eyes show it.

Beatrice looked at her lap, trying to compose herself. "Really? Then you probably know how I feel."

"Yes. Yes I do. Her name was Reinette. I loved her, but I don't think she felt the same way about me," he said softly, sadness hanging in his voice.

"Why'd you have to go and mention her? I thought I was focusing on Beatrice. Stop before you pull yourself back into the hole again."

Beatrice bit her lip. "I feel the same way," she whispered.

"It hurts, doesn't it? I haven't told anyone this, but when I found out that she got engaged, I cried," Grayton whispered.

"I don't know what it feels like to have someone you love love someone else..he said he loved me." Beatrice's bright hair fell over her face, obstructing her eyes. "This is the part where you'd expect me to say that we had happily ever after," she whispered. "But...he..he's gone..."

Grayton's own brown eyes teared up as he outstretched his arms, offering a hug. He instantly felt sorry for her. Beatrice accepted the hug, and a single sparkling tear slid down her button nose.

"It doesn't matter how long it's been, it'll always hurt. Reinette got married recently," he sighed heavily.

She hugged him again. "I'm so sorry, Grayton. And you are right...I still miss my mother every day, and it has been nearly three years."

"I'm so, so sorry," Grayton hugged back, his heart crying for the rainbow-haired girl he was hugging.

"I guess...sometimes I feel like I am loosing everyone that I love," Beatrice whispered. "What if my father suddenly falls sick, or Karla and Christina have an accident?"

He smiled sadly. "I choose not to live in the 'Land of What If?'. It makes you sadder the longer you stay." Grayton ran a finger through her hair. "If anything happens to them, I will help them. Don't worry."

Beatrice smiled wanly. "I know..I'm happy most of the time, truly. But sometimes I get reminded of them..and it hurts," she breathed deeply. "But you know...My memories of them are practically all good ones, so sometimes it is good to remember."

"I know, it hurts, yet it feels good. A weird good. I remember taking Reinette out to the gardens, and I almost proposed, until she had to leave. But I'll always remember the days when we swam in the pool and played together," he sighed. "And that's good. Good memories are always good to have," he said as he took a deep breath as well.

"You really loved her..didn't you?" Beatrice asked softly. She brushed a strand of bright hair away from her eyes.

"I did..." One lone tear trailed down his face.

"What happened to the whole 'I'm not going to talk about Reinette' plan?

I think she understands. It kinda feels good to tell someone who'll listen."

Beatrice wanted to wipe his tear away, but she was afraid of being too forward. "Sometimes I am depressed and lonely..but then I remember Peter's smile, and how he used to tell me everything was going to be okay when I had stagefright. There is a hurt there, knowing I can never see him again. But like you said, it is a good pain, because the memories are happy ones, and I will always have them. Stored in my heart, like photographs, or a favorite movie..where I can relive them just by closing my eyes."

"That's very poetic," Grayton smiled sadly, wiping a stray tear away from her cheek.

She smiled a little. "That's what comes of being a songwriter, I suppose. I once told someone that my favorite color is the sky on a bright summer morning, instead of just saying blue."

He shared her soft smile. "That's one of the prettiest shades of blue I've ever known."

"Me too, that's why it is my favorite color." Beatrice smiled and fingered a lock of light blue hair.

"I love blue too, preferably indigo or sapphire blue," Grayton said gently, mentally admiring the beautiful blue lock.

"I always used to wish my eyes were blue," she said softly. "I used to tell Peter that they are the color of mud, but he called them chocolate."

"I know what you mean! Blue eyes have always been a wish of mine," he nodded. "My browns are okay though, not nearly as pretty as yours are."

Beatrice laughed. "Your eyes are amazing," she told Grayton, looking into his soft brown eyes. "They have so much depth to them, like you have so much on your mind, and yet..there is a sadness that just barely reflects a feeling I get all the time myself."

Grayton looked at her with somber eyes. "Thank you," he blushed. "Now that, my dear, was extremely poetic!"

Beatrice smiled. "Happens sometimes," she replied softly.

"It's beautiful. I love it," he smiled down at her.

Beatrice returned the smile. "It was true though, you do have lovely eyes," she said softly.

"Thank you so much," Grayton whispered. "I wasn't kidding when I said yours were beautiful too, Bea."

Beatrice smiled slightly. "Thank you for not thinking they look like mud," she chuckled. "But you know..mud isn't all that bad," she reasoned. "It can be fun."

He smiled warmly. "Yes, it is. That's when you know the storm's gone away and left its gift behind, mud. Something you can play and romp and stomp in. Something to make you forget the storm itself."

Beatrice couldn't hide her grin. "You like mud too?"

"Who doesn't?" Grayton shared her grin.

"My sisters," she laughed.

"Oh!" he laughed with her. "They don't know what they're missing!"

"Once I splashed Karla after a good rain, and she cried," Beatrice remembered. "She was eight then, and vain as a little peacock!"

"Hah! Amberly and I love to get in mud fights, even now!" Grayton smiled as he remembered a recent 'mud war' between him and his sister.

"Yeah, that's what I had Peter for," Beatrice laughed at the happy memory. "We always tried to get Christina to join us, but she's Karla's buddy. She never does anything without her!"

"I see. Was Peter a good shot?" he asked, enjoying listening to Beatrice talk of her home.

"He always managed to get my face," she laughed. "I was always too short to get his, though. I usually hit his neck or his chest."

"Those places can take someone out though!" Grayton chuckled. "I should know, Amberly nailed me in the neck once. I ended up in the hospital wing!"

Beatrice chuckled. "Yeah, but the face is worse."

"I can imagine so!" he snickered, shaking his head.

"It hurts..and I was washing mud out of my hair for days!" she laughed.

"I don't have that much hair to wash mud out of," Grayton laughed as he raked one hand through his short downy brown mane.

Beatrice laughed and gestured to her nearly waist-length hair. "I do."

"It's beautiful," Grayton whispered. "Just like you."

She blushed slightly and smiled. "That's really sweet, thank you."

"You're most welcome," he whispered as he leaned in to kiss her, Beatrice's blush deepening as their lips met. Grayton savored the moment and enjoyed it, his heart in the stars; this was the happiest he had been in years. Beatrice hadn't been so happy since Peter told her that he loved her.

Grayton pulled away slowly.

"That kiss was way more real than the one Reinette and I shared."

"If only...if only I could end the Selection now," he whispered ever so softly. She searched his face, trying to see if his words were sincere. As if in reply, Grayton smiled warmly. "I mean it, Bea."

Beatrice bit her lip and smiled as she looked into his eyes. "Are you excited about the new music room opening soon?" he asked softly, smiling from their kiss and trying to pick the conversation back up.

"There's going to be a music room?" her smile brightened like a child's at the mention of candy.

"Yes!" Grayton grinned at her expression of joy. "I thought you ladies might like it, so why not? Besides, I love to play the piano."

"I adore the piano as well, but the guitar is my personal favorite instrument," Beatrice shared his grin, her face practically glowing from excitement.

"Really? We'll have to play sometime! Who's your favorite pop artist?" he beamed happily.

Beatrice pondered. "Wowza, that's a hard one..I have a lot of favorites. What is yours?"

"I guess mine would be Elton John. His music is so unique and special. It makes me feel like dancing," Grayton said softly.

"For real? I always loved his music when I was a little girl," she replied as she thought of a few songs.

"Oh yes. I love his songs from 'Gnomeo and Juliet', you know 'Hello Hello' and 'Love Builds A Garden'," Grayton replied cheerfully.

"Aww, that movie was so adorable. I got all emotional during 'Love Builds a Garden.' I felt so bad for Featherstone," Beatrice said, smiling.

"I know! Featherstone was so sweet and fun!" he nodded as he thought of the plastic pink flamingo.

"He was," she agreed with a chuckle.

"I love the little deer though!" Grayton laughed softly. "I've got an idea. Do you want to watch 'Gnomeo and Juliet'?"

"He was so loyal..it was just adorable," Beatrice beamed cheerfully. "Yes!"

Grayton popped the movie into the DVD player and returned to his seat, smiling as the movie began. Beatrice snuggled a little farther into her cushy seat as he put his arm around her once more.

"Enjoying it so far? The entire date?" he asked in a whisper.

"Absolutely," Beatrice told him. "It really meant a lot to have someone to talk to about Peter." She smiled, thinking about their kiss.

"I know what you mean. Sometimes it's good to vent and let it out once in a while," Grayton smiled warmly.

Beatrice smiled at him. "Agreed."

He hugged her and let her rest her head on his shoulder. Gnomeo and Juliet were on the roof of the greenhouse, the song 'Hello Hello' playing as they teased each other, both in pursuit of the Cupid's Arrow Orchid.

"Hello, hello. It's good to know someone's out there to say hello!" Grayton sang with the movie. Beatrice chuckled and sang softly with him, her head still resting lightly against his shoulder.

The little gnomes set a date to meet in the other garden, when Grayton remembered. "I'd love to do this again with you, Bea," he whispered.

"Really?" She lifted her head to look at him. "Me too," she smiled.

Grayton smiled softly as he kissed her once more, holding Beatrice close.

Beatrice leaned her head lightly on his shoulder as they pulled away, laughing as the frog sprinkler, Nanette, fantasized about 'forbidden love'.

"Your love is doomed! Your love is dead! Doomed! Dead!" Grayton sang along with the frog, grinning like a child.

Beatrice burst out laughing. "That impression was scarily good."

"Hah! I have to admit, I've been working on it!" he laughed with her.

Beatrice grinned. "It shows," she assured him.

"That's good! Heaven knows I've scared Amberly enough with it!" Grayton whisper-laughed.

Beatrice snorted softly, before covering her mouth. "That sounds like something I would to go my sisters."

"Hah! I'd love to see their reactions. What were their names again?" he smiled happily.

"Christina and Karla, they are eleven and thirteen now," Beatrice smiled as she thought of her sisters.

"Beautiful names, but not near as beautiful as Beatrice," Grayton grinned down at her as he brushed a soft blue lock behind her ear.

"That's really sweet of you to say," she smiled softly.

Grayton looked her in the eyes, his brown eyes meeting hers. "I mean it, you know."

"I love her.

Wait, what?

I'm in love with the girl with a rainbow in her hair."

She looked up at him as their eyes met. "You think my name is beautiful?"

"I do, Bea. One of the most beautiful names to reach my ears," he whispered as he kissed her once more, savoring the kiss and wishing it would never end.

Beatrice closed her eyes as Grayton kissed her, a hole in her heart from Peter feeling as if it was closing up, something she never thought was possible.

Grayton felt for the first time like his hurt from Reinette was leaving his mind. That was something he never thought he would get over. He leaned into Beatrice's ear and whispered something he never thought he'd ever have the courage to utter.

"I love you."

Beatrice's face flushed bright red at the three words that had caused her heart to be broken. She turned slightly so that her brown eyes were looking deeply into his. "I love you too," she whispered so softly that she was basically only mouthing the words.

"She loves me..."