The Immaculate

Chapter 7

(Nick)

After Kateros walks out of the door, I realize how lonely I am when I am in my apartment alone. I am not a very social person, but I had a best friend back home. We would hang out almost every day, and I am starting to miss home. I never thought I would ever want to go home, but right now, I want to go back.

Greyson Black and I grew up together. We were in the same foster home for six months before our parents adopted us. Then, we ended up at the same high school. Talk about chance. But we always said that it was more than chance or luck. He was more like a brother.

I sit lost in thought the rest of the night, and I eat my dinner in a daze. I do not feel alive. I feel like I am living outside of myself. I do not know what to do with myself, so I choose to go to bed. It is not even close to curfews, but I do not feel like going out. Even if I did go out, I would not know where to go.

The next morning is just like all the others. Kateros and Dextion knock on my door, and we go to the lessons, and I am even more bored than normal. Dextion keeps on giving me weird looks the whole day. I am not sure if I did something to annoy him. I do not know what I could have done.

I am clueless about everything. I hate feeling lost, and I feel useless and unwanted here. I wish I could talk to Kateros again. I feel like I do not belong here, and I have no place here and nothing to offer these people. I am almost starting to like it here.

The weird feelings I had at first are starting to fade away. Everything seems more purposeful, and I am starting to get comfortable. The daily routine is starting to feel normal, and I am starting to get used to this place.

A few days later, Kateros knocks on my door alone again and says that it is time for the Binding Ceremony. I put my ceremony outfit on, and I follow her to the ceremonies building. Inside we all sit down and wait for Dominic to start his speech.

After Dominic's welcoming speech and the history for the ceremony, he starts to call out girls' names, and then a girl walks onto the stage, then he calls another name, and a guy walks onto the stage. He then gives them their sector and keys to their residence together.

Then, Dominic says, "Kateros." Kateros walks down to the stage, and Dominic says, "Greyson."

I look to see who it is, and it is none other than my best friend from home. Greyson is trapped here as well. Soon enough, almost everyone in The Immaculate is bound. There are still some, including me, who aren't bound yet. Dominic then calls more names, and I wonder where Dextion is during all of this. I haven't heard his name yet, and he isn't sitting with Kateros and the rest of his family.

When I get called up, I turn to see who I am bound to. I hear Dominic say her name is Carleya Hughman. She has pretty straight brown hair and big green-blue eyes with flecks of gold in the middle.

Dominic then hands me the keys to our residence and says, "You will be in sector 3, here in The Immaculate. You are also an Elder, so you will also spend time in sector 1. You are assigned a bound partner to sector 3, only."

Dextion was sitting with the Savants, his new sector, when Dominic called him to the stage. Kateros and Greyson, were assigned sector 3. I will get to see my old best friend again, and I won't have to say goodbye to my new one.

The Immaculate is starting to feel more and more like home now that I know some of the people here. It will feel like home when Greyson gets here. I have so many questions, like always. Life here is starting to feel normal and almost comfortable.