The Proposal

Chapter 2: Confined

            

10-15-2018

Dear Journal,

The army enforcers arrived early. They showed up today with guns and surrounded the school, I don't know what that will do other than freak us out. I mean they can force us to marry, but until December 18th passes they can't really kill anyone for anything. It's not like they can say, oh my you don't seem to have found anyone, bam! Can they? Not long after they arrived some busses came and students began piling in, at first I thought they were just students from our school. Then I saw him, Fred Jackson, he went to my church. He was a nice kid, but definitely awkward, and he went to a school practically thirty minutes from here. That's when the announcement came on over the intercom, "Students will begin arriving today from schools in our county and will be staying here. Since it would be a huge hassle to drive them back and forth they will be staying here over night until they find a spouse. The school will now be open 24-7 through December18th. Anyone wishing to stay in hopes of finding a spouse sooner, will be allowed to stay for as long of a period as you want. Classes will now be canceled until further notice, but attendance during school hours will still be mandatory. The only exception to attendance is wedding day and your honeymoon. Please show our guests around and introduce them to as many people as possible. Thank you, and have a good day." Instantaneously this thought crossed my mind, what kind of nutshell do we live in? Slowly students began to wander out of the class, none of them really want to be stuck in class if they didn't need to be, but not willing to go out and search for a spouse. I walked over to Linda, the only classmate I still had classes with every year since high school started. She was about the only person I knew who still had the ability to wear a smile, and then it dawned on me... her boyfriend. Were they going to get married, was this her joy? When I asked her she said he proposed this morning on the balcony overlooking the green house and all the gorgeous flowers. They hadn't yet set the wedding day and didn't think they would for a while yet, even though they had a limited time. They felt like defying the government a little if they could. I was happy for her; at least one of my friends was going to end up happy after all of this. Just to add a little teasing touch I sang, "Linda and Greg Landing sitting in a tree, K I S S I N G!" That got a little punch in the arm, but we ended up laughing extremely hard, which seems like something I haven't done in a long time.

Sincerely,

Emily Thompson

10-19-2018

Dear Journal,

            Okay, ever since the buses arrived Fred has followed me around every moment I've been at school. I haven't yet stayed over night, but the few who do say they are served supper and breakfast, so that must not be too bad. I've been introducing him to so many people, trying to get rid of him. I mean I don't want to look like I'm falling for him over Elijah. Then again, if Elijah isn't falling for me... I might have to fall for Fred Jackson! That would be a nightmare. Anyway, the students have worked out a routine, since the teachers seem to avoid us. I'm wondering if they are involved in this in some way, or if the majority of them are single and looking for a spouse. I can't really figure it out, but I'm hoping it's the later. The routine we have put in place goes like this, since the bell still rings for each class period, we arrive at the teachers classroom for attendance. The teacher takes roll call, or if they aren't there we each write our names on the board. Those who normally attend different schools, simply go to the gym where they have divided the seats for each school and they meet to take attendance. Five minutes later we shuffle back into the hall and begin talking and talking, any friends we know we pull into a group, they pull their friends over, and so on. Pretty soon there is a large crowd and shockingly it's divided pretty much 50/50 boys and girls. When the next bell rings we go off to class and pretty soon the routine starts over. When it comes to lunch though we eat in three shifts, we eat when we normally would, the only difference is those from other schools eat with their friends or whenever their hungry. Now that Fred follows me around he seems to want to join our lunch table and it's hard to decided whether to invite him or not. If I do my chances with Elijah are practically ended and if I don't, well that all depends on whether Elijah was planning on proposing to me or someone else. Luckily, Fred showed up last, so he didn't seem to be following me, just knew me from church and came to say hi. Still the conversations are quite awkward. Of course the topic of proposals came up again and I told them about Linda and Greg. Then Hailey added the fact that Jacob and her had discussed the matter, and had come to the conclusion they were both considering each other for marriage and no one else, so as soon as they get engagement rings there would be a proposal. I really wanted to laugh at that, it seemed so bizarre, but yet it was such a serious matter I forced myself to keep quiet. I asked Margaret if she had gone on any dates recently, and shockingly she had. She had gone with a really nice guy, Stuart Davidson, and they had had a blast. She was planning on having him over for dinner tomorrow night to introduce him to the family... While she went on telling her life story one thought crossed my mind...we're all teenagers. We don't know how much we'll change over the years, how we'll mature, let alone if we are truly in love or is it just a teenagers saying. Why was the government doing this anyway, who would want this, why does it matter when we marry... I must have been lost in thought because Margaret almost shouted; "EMILY!" and it still took me a moment to respond. She of course asked how many dates I had gone on, and I just shook my head no. It wasn't like there was anything to say, I hadn't gone on any, and I'm still trying to believe this is a joke. I turned to Elijah and asked, "So how's the proposal? Have you found the right time and place?" Instantly I knew my face was going to turn bright red, I had said it with a little bit too much irritation, I had almost made obvious the fact I liked HIM! Then I thought, what does it matter, I need a spouse anyway and prayed I wouldn't blush. I only caught the last of what he said, "right place, but I haven't yet found the right time." What does that mean?? I'll have to ask Margaret.

Sincerely,

Emily Thomson