He was Almost Absorbed by the System

Chapter Thirty Eight - I Want To See You

"I think I should come over and visit you now."

"Seriously?"

"I want to see you as well."

"...."

The chance meeting turned marriage meeting had ended due to North receiving an overloaded elevators worth of work and Kez needing to return home to potentially a life time of being floored(*1). But before they had all gone their separate ways, Savannah had pestered Shang into sharing all of her personal contact details and Savannah was not shy about using them; "Have you created any new music tracks recently?" "Can I listen to them first?" "I want to come and see where you live!"

Shang had been reluctant at first, offering short responses; "Yes." "No." "Why?" However under the pressure of the intense whirlwind like hellion that was Savannah, Shang had slowly opened up to the young woman, though they still only communicated via text. To Savannah, Shang represented something exciting, new and different and everything that Savannah wasn't allowed to be. Her simple, understated room within her parents house now looked uninviting and cold. Her friends were polite and boring, the music playing within the background of the fashion retail house where she worked was lame. And her own wardrobe was no muted and plain, she could cry.

"Where do the clothes that you and Wish wear come from?"

"Ground Markets. They are mostly secondhand clothes that have been redesigned."

"Really?! So they once looked like things I wear?"

"Probably, except the knitted stuff. That's more likely from reclaimed wool."

"Do you know people who redesign things?"

"I've met one or two."

"Think they can redesign all of my clothes?"

"???"

"I think I should come over and visit you now."

"Seriously?"

"I want to see you as well."

"...."

"You can play me your latest tracks!"

****

While Savannah was attempting to slip out of the house with a dozen or so outfits (her mother was attempting to get her to rethink her engagement, as surely that nice actor Dante Night would make a better match, it's not just because he is my favourite actor or anything...), Kez was at home, lying stomach down upon his bed attempting to study.

He had not received the expected punishment, thanks to the quick wits of Xavier. The young man had taken him home, via Leilei's place so he could get changed into his boy clothes.  His male appearance had startled Xavier at first, for as much as he looked like a girl when he dressed up as Wish, there was somehow no denying he was male when he did not.

As they had approached the apartment door, Xavier had blurted out; "I honestly thought you were a Grounder like Leilei."

"Hmm," Kez had simply replied, his nose wrinkled slightly. "My parents are typical Mid-Levellers.  So..."

"Understood," Xavier had smiled.  He knew of that sort.  His neighbours were all that sort.

The verbal barrage had come from the moment his thumbprint unlocked the door.  "Where have you been?  Do you know how worried I was?  While you were galavanting around, who knows where and your father being of no help, not one message, not one call!  Have you forgotten that you have exams this month coming?"