The Determining

Chapter 7

The mysterious boy Straightens up from his hiding place, and I see what he really looks like.

He is tall, with muscle but not too bulky. It is so easy to notice that he is strong that it startles me. His hair is mangled every which way, the way my brother's usually is. He has vibrant blonde hair, that cuts at the top of his ears, gleaming in the dim lighting.

I was wearing an astonished expression. His eyes, two silver glowing moons, where searching me with much interest. My body is frozen in shock.

When did he get in here? 

That's when he broke our sound barrier, making me jump, from such a relaxing voice that I did not expect.

Acting so casual, as if I didn't just find a secret hallway and we were only in public.

He stretched out his steady and firm hand, "Hello, I'm Mike." I refuse his gesture and angrily stride towards the door. I am mad from his calmness and gentleness. I can feel my scowl, and see that I hurt him through his innocent eyes.

He grabs my arm and spins me around to face him. "You know, it is rude of a Self-Denial to not shake a hand or at least give their name back in return." That is when I curse the clothes I am wearing.

All the branches have different clothing, so you can tell who is what branch. Why didn't I remember this.

Mike is wearing a grey Self-Denial shirt, but his black pants point him out as a Protector.

He sure seems different than the usual boys, and not just the part of wearing clothes from two different branches.

"You know it's quite rude to overpower a girl." I give a rude smile as I try to twist his grip off. His hands are warm, which makes me hesitate resisting him.

I stop struggling, not just because his strong handle on me is impenetrable, but I feel no reason to fear or fight him.

Although, I am ticked off by him, he's cute.

He still lets go of me and I just stand there, dumbfounded. I get caught in the moment.

Maybe he could help me? I feel a strange sensation from him and he must feel it too. No! Nonsense, I don't need him.

When I finally feel like I can force myself to escape, I make the mistake of eye contact.

Right when I look into his silver eyes, my heart skips a beat.
He nervously shifts. Shifts closer to me, I awkwardly notices. He seems perfect.

"Blaire. I'm Blaire." I finally spill out, I sound like an airhead. He smiles and my head sure flies up in the clouds. His perfect teeth make his smile even more heart melting than it should have.

Mike walks me out of the library.  Asking me many questions.

I learn he is two years older than me, and isn't slightly suspicious of why I am not at my Favoring Service.

When we finally get outside the library I am ambushed. Three Protectors shove Mike to the ground and grab me.

I let them take me away.

Mike has a different take of the whole thing. He uses his feet to trip the nearest Protector to the ground, face planting. He pushes himself up and slugs the next Protector in the jaw. Before the Protector can react from Mike's previous hit he gets him again hard in the stomach and the Protector falls down unconscious. The last Protector strikes Mike hard in the jaw with the butt of his gun, bringing him to the ground. The first injured Protector, now up, finishes Mike with a good hard kick in the "bad" area below the belt and Mike is out cold on the ground.

All of a sudden my ears are being droned out by a piercing sound. I close my mouth and find I was screaming the whole time.

As the, now two, Protectors lead me away I can hear Mike whisper, "I'm sorry" as he officially leaves consciousness.
 
Why didn't I see this coming.  The Protectors are taking me to my Favoring Service!

They've probably never tracked down a person who passed their Determining and avoided the Favoring Service. Once you pass the Determining there us no reason to run.

Now all precaution of my not being caught is dissolved.

When we arrive at City Hall's Meeting Center where the service is everyone turns to look at me.

I know that my name was definitely already called to choose. And from what attention I have, many took notice of my disappearing.

The Protectors push me on the stage. My mother and father are easy to spot amongst the other colors of clothes. I see disappointment and anger in my mom's. But my dad has hope.