If she cries, I want to wear pants for a week," I offered. "Done," Maxon said. "And if she doesn't, you owe me a walk around the grounds tomorrow afternoon." "You drive a hard bargain, sir, but I accept.

I felt the little beads of sweat pooling on my temple. Sit here and look nice...I could do that. But answer questions? I knew I wasn't going to win this little game; that wasn't the issue. I just really, really didn't want to look like a moron in front of the entire country.

The Selection was no longer something that was simply happening to me, but something I was actively a part of. I was an Elite.

I pranced around the room like a blind moose, but what I lacked in grace I made up for in effort.

if you like the lovable sound of an asthma attack in your ear every time you tell a joke.

You deserved to be loved. And I hope you get to marry for love and not a number.

My shoes I got to pick. I chose worn-out red flats. I figured I should make it clear from the start that I wasn’t princess material.