After a bribe from her mother and the end of America and Aspen's relationship, America finally enters the Selection.
On a Special Report, the selected 35 girls are revealed to the general public. To her surprise, she is selected to compete.
This memory is worth holding on to because if she did not get selected,she would not have met Prince Maxon and, in the later books, become the queen of Illéa.
The day after America comes to the palace, she gets a panic attack and asks to leave the palace to enter the royal gardens which is against the rules.
Prince Maxon comes and lets her go into the gardens. Later, they have a discussion which turns into a argument. She reveals that she is not interested and that they should remain as friends.