Unmarked

6. Pretending

The smell of cut grass, picnic food and sweat saturates the hot, thick air. The grassy bank is crammed with families and couples. It's too warm to be indoors.

Sitting next to Teddy, I eat an ice-cream cone and watch the small rowing boats glide across the lake. This feels almost normal. I feel almost normal.

Teddy wipes his brow. His short-sleeved t-shirt and shorts expose his arm and leg markings but the fading light has washed their colours away; dulling them all to a uniform blackish colour.

I always notice Teddy's engagement seal on his left wrist. It is his fiancé's family emblem with his birth brand identification number incorporated into the border which symbolises how he is now part of her family. The design is amazing. Intricate curves and swirls which feature a range of birds surrounded by words which he read out to me once, 'The righteous will flourish and prosper'. Teddy's engagement seal tells me he's marrying into wealth, words and designs like that cost extra.

A simple design is offered free of charge by The State but few opt for the basic option. Even the less wealthy will scrimp and save to add some detail. No one wants their family emblem to show their true financial status. His family embelm will feature on her wrist as her engagement seal and when they marry they will create their own new family emblem to represent the joining of their two families.

"You know it's hot when a lake full of duck waste looks appealing," Teddy says.

"I'm game if you are? Let's strip naked and jump in. Maybe no one will notice," I whisper conspiratorially. "On a count of three?"

"Very tempting." Teddy laughs softly. "If only I'd thought to bring towels."

"No towel? Well, that ruins our swimming plans because we would definitely be questioned for getting dressed without drying ourselves properly and not for the naked part." I wink as I pop the last bit of the ice-cream cone into my mouth. I lay back on the blanket and close my eyes. It's really nice to feel ordinary.

"And there's the risk of catching a cold which could potentially be fatal," Teddy adds jokingly.

"Ahh...yes, I forgot about the death induced cold. I've heard there's been a rise in reported cases recently. Must be the temperature," I say sarcastically. My long-sleeved top and trousers itches against my hot skin. Seventeen years of covering myself head to toe and I still find summer difficult.

Teddy's lips press against mine. It's unexpected, we shouldn't kiss in public. We're not married, we're not even engaged. In private they may be harmless kisses but in public they can lead to serious actions. However, I don't stop him because this is unlike our usual kisses. This is impulsive, urgent and also much nicer somehow.

The heat around us, the rustle of the leaves, the distant splash of water all adds to the sensation. My mind doesn't drift instead I notice how good he tastes, the smell of him, his body against mine and my stomach starts to flutter.

My hand reaches into his hair pulling him closer which I've never dared to do before because this can't happen, we can't go anywhere so why do this now? The answer to my own question quickly reforms my internal walls within seconds. My finger untangles from his hair, dropping to his left wrist, I stroke his engagement seal, the mark claiming him as belonging to someone else.

Teddy stops kissing me. Touching his engagement seal always works. It reminds him what we're doing is wrong. I feel unkind in my approach but there's no point in us getting attached.

Teddy rocks back on his elbows and inhales deeply. Turning onto my side, I admire his skin covered with marks highlighting his achievements. Educationally he's done well, all his subjects and grades etched into his skin show he's clever and hard working. Yet, it's his sporting abilities where he excels most. Numerous awards for fencing, basketball and swimming are marked around his arms and shoulder which peep out from the neckline of his t-shirt.