Part 6: Dale September 22nd

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Sarah and I began to meet regularly in secret. I know now as I did then the consequences. Knowing the outcome, however, I still cannot fathom for a second that I would take it back. I scratch the edge of my wrists, the handcuffs beginning to chafe them. I decide to let my mind drift as I am not ready to let the memory of her go quite yet.

She said she didn't want to meet at the café as it might arouse suspicion. We had not been matched as mates in the system and our closeness would be put into question. A few times she begged me to take a chance that perhaps our names would match. But for as much hope she had I knew better. Sarah had come from one of the most genetically prized families. Her genetic make-up alone earned her points beyond what I could imagine. My parent's blood still defined me and there weren't enough points in the world I could earn to catch up with hers.

It took her nearly two months before I could get her to agree to come see my unit. The first time she didn't say much. She just looked at everything I owned as though she were trying to understand it. The books seemed to be her favorite as she stood at the bookshelf flipping through all of them. A few times she would take one, sit and quietly twirl her hair as she read through. I didn't mind. Her presence brought me a piece I had longed for my whole life. I had not realized until this moment what it meant to be in love. That it would be enough to have her here, that she didn't need to say a word for me to feel how much I really loved her.

She had been reading for nearly an hour when she read out a quote from The Art of Men,

"A life without love is like the clipped bird. It is unable to reach its potential—to see the world from different angles. Unable to soar, it is without imagination, without hope and without flight."

I didn't say anything I just waited for her response.

"Where did you get this? You know such books are outlawed," she sounded scared but still intrigued.

"They're not outlawed everywhere," I said slyly.

"You got this from another sector? How? From a boarder crosser?"

"Mhm. Hard to come by, and let me tell you not cheap!"

She put the book back and went to the old record player I had bought from the antique shop. She put on my favorite jazz album. It was to my surprise when she melted her hands into mine and asked me to dance. I swung round smoothly across the floor her heart pressed against mine. I could feel her heart racing and I wondered if she felt what I did. This couldn't last forever and we both knew it. Couples who fell in love were punished harshly and were never allowed to remain together. But with all I knew I couldn't let her go. I had waited my whole life for her and I could not now nor ever see myself giving her up without an army to stand between us. 

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