The Search

Chapter 1

Time Left: 18 months

  My tutor, Thomas, walks into the study and slams the door. He plops down into a chair.

"What are we doing today, Sir?" I ask, putting emphasis on "Sir". Thomas hates it when I call him sir.

"History," he answers without missing a beat. "And, Aira, please do not call me sir."

"Okay," I say.

"Now, Aira, please recite the history of the modern United States," he says.

"The United States fell into a depression with unsurmountable debt. There was a small population and in that population there were little families. There was great global warming and ocean levels were rising. The United States needed a way to change it's luck. The government decided that there were a few causes to the problems they were in. They created a law that requires all people at the age of 19 be married or they will choose your spouse. Parents have control of their children until they are married. This gave the US more families. They United States started regulating the use of electronics to stop global warming. They worked their way thru debt and stopped overspending and borrowing.  They also established several social normalties in today's society," I recite. 

Thomas smiles and nods. "Now onto science,"

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After my lessons are over, I go to the parlor. My mother is sitting in a ornately decorated chair.

She looks up at me. "Aira, will you please go fetch the items on the grocery list. I'm a tad under the weather."

"Yes," I say, running out the door. It's very stuffy sitting in the house all day.

I walk down the streets with a little bounce in my step. I think about the history review/ lesson thingy. The " social normalities" are really from the Victorian era. Girls wear skirts and don't do sports or unlady-like things. Boys wear suits and do "manly" things. The rich think they're better than the poor. And the poor hate the rich. I think it's horse poop. This is here to separate everyone. Boys from girls and the wealthy from the penniless. It's so the well-off don't have to know about the impoverished. It's stupid. And no one cares.

No one says anything. I wish I lived somewhere else sometimes.

Finally, I arrive at the store. I take out my list and start looking for the items.

When I go to the section with dairy, someone taps me on the shoulder. It's Eli Reynolds, the son of my father's enemy.  Our parents hate each other but we're sort of friends.

"Hello," he says with a smirk. The sly look reaches his pale blue eyes.

"Hello, so how's your father?" I ask with a smile.

"Hating your father as always," he says with a laugh. "Your father is hating mine, I pressume?"

"Not exactly hating, he's moved on to despising," I giggle.

"Hmmm, despising now?" he laughs.

We look at a couple. It's of two people who could be no older than fourteen but were obviously married. I laugh a little.

"What's so funny?" Eli asks.

"Years and years ago, they couldn't have been married," I say. "This would be considered 'weird'. They look they're 14!"

"Now, Aira, no assuming," Eli says.

"Fine I'll ask them then," I walk toward the couple and away from Eli. "Hi! I'm Aira and I have a question. Actually, two questions."

They look at me oddly but tell me to ask them the questions.

"One: How old you?"

"We're 14," the boy responds.

"Okay, and two: are you guys married?"

"Uhhh..." the girl blushes as she speaks. "Yes"

"Okay, Bye!" I say as I walk away.

"I can't believe you did that!" Eli exclaims.

"Well, I was assuming and I needed answers so I asked the questions." I tell him.

"Yes, the pressing issues, that everyone is dying to know," he says.

We laugh together.

"I should probably get back to shopping,"  I say with a small sigh. "My mom will get worried if I'm not home soon."

"I'll help you shop," he shouts like a ridiculous superhero. "Just call me, Shopper Boy!"

"And you can call me Grocery Girl" I announce.

We grab everything we need while acting like stupid superheroes. We tell the cashier that we're here to save the day. He gives us weird looks but it's worth it.

"Until next time, Shopper Boy," I tell him with a giggle.

"Until next time," he affirms.

A/N

Hi!

Sorry the update has taken so long! But I hope everyone has been enjoying the book!

Until Next Time!