How It All Goes Down
- Meet Aspen. It seems like he's America's secret boyfriend—which is confirmed when they start making out like their lives depend on it.
- Aspen has to be kept a secret because he's a lower caste than America: he's a Six. By law, Sixes are servants that "were better educated and trained for indoor work" (2.13).
- Aspen and America have been dating for two years, and things are so serious that they're even considering an inter-caste marriage, which is highly frowned upon by society at large.
- Aspen's sisters (they're twins) are sixteen, which means they've been invited to join the Selection as well. Aspen quietly inquires about America's feelings regarding the competition.
- America gives Aspen her meal, and he eats it happily. Aspen works a bunch of different jobs to support his family, so he could really use the nutrients.
- Suddenly, Aspen demands that America apply to the Selection: he would feel guilty if she passed up this opportunity because of him, especially because she'll be mega poor once they do get married.
- After some kiss-centric convincing, America agrees. Aspen then asks America to sing, which he pays her a penny for (this seems to be a little ritual for them).
- After she returns to her room, America throws the new penny into a jar she's been using to store these coins from her broke beau.