The Future isn't Bright

Two

We drove over half an hour to reach the Gathering hall. I've never been inside of it or relatively seen it. We rarely leave Femme, and the hall was located near the border of both Femme and Mascel. Lucas pulled up behind a long line of strikingly elaborate cars in a cul-de-sac in front of a white, manicured palace-looking building. Elle and I pressed our faces against the window. There was plastic greenery anywhere but it looked beautiful against the background of the large white building. It looked to be made out of marble, with a wide staircase leading up to it. As Lucas pulled the car up to the drop-off area, a towering man in a suit opened the door for my sister and I. Elle looked tense and nervous, rightfully so. The man gave off an uncomfortable aura, but the building’s beauty distracted be from him. I really didn't feel any emotion. I was too busy taking in the gorgeous architecture. Elle nudged me.

"Don't gape at the place." she said, but I could not have been the only person that was impressed. My mind was still in a faraway place as we walked up to the gigantic doors. I was so distracted that I didn't realize I had walked into a young boy. I was so startled at seeing an actual male apart from my brother. He had to be sixteen, because everyone attending today's Gathering was my age.  

"I'm so sorry!" I said quickly, word vomiting my apology. He turned around, obviously angry at me. I saw the intensity of his blue eyes. They were a wonderful icy blue that completely contrasted his nearly black hair. His striking appearance had me staring up at him like a puppy. His tense face softened when he noticed my eyes. The last thing I wanted was for him to pity me. I’d rather him be mad at me. I exhaled sharply and marched past him, dragging Elle by the elbow.

“Hey now! I know how to walk! Ow!” she exclaimed, grabbing at her elbow. I didn’t think I grabbed her that hard. I must have been really angry. I muttered yet another apology and let go of her arm.

“I hope none of the Government workers saw that,” she whispered harshly. At the entrance to the hall, there were Government workers on each side of the doors checking everyone's name as they entered. Gatherings meant a great deal to them. I nudged Elle toward them before me. I didn't want to go first. We approached a shorter lady dressed sharply in black. Her hair was pulled tightly into a chignon bun.  

"Name please," she demanded unpleasantly. She was probably tired of checking adolescents' names for a living. Elle told the lady her name and walked inside. I secretly hoped she’d wait for me inside.

"Name please," the lady repeated. From a close distance, her name tag had the name Constance on it. I never liked that name. She took one look at me and seemed mesmerized by my eyes. Great.

"Donna Duchane," I said, snapping Constance out of her trance. She marked my name off of her list and opened the huge door for me to step inside. I entered into a large greeting room. The inside of the Gathering hall was just as unique as the outside. There were large columns holding up the elaborately colorful ceiling. The walls of the hall were white with delicate gold decorations. There were doors on all four sides of the room. The entry door, which I just came out of, and three others. Most people were going through the door straight across from mine, into what looked like a dining room, where I guessed lunch was going to be held.

The whole point of Gatherings was to spend quality time with the other gender. My class in school was to join a class from Mascel and "interact". Our classes were carefully tailored based on compatibility with the other. The Government makes us marry someone from our compatible class. That means that my class' future husbands were at the Gathering right now. A lot of mothers dress their daughters provocatively to appeal to the boys. We are all sixteen now, and at age twenty we are expected to marry, at the peak of our fertility apparently.

I completely disagree with the government on this procedure. I don't even want to marry. But I don't want to be a Low either. It's a paradox.  

I snapped back to reality when a woman on a pedestal called for everyone's attention. Elle appeared at my side and pointed to a boy which I guessed she found attractive.