The World Never Ends

Chapter 12: Rite

I just held her. It made me so happy that she cared so much. I loved this girl, and she made it painfully obvious she loved me. I'm so glad I have this girl. I'm so lucky to have this girl.

I kissed her forehead as we stood there, and she blushed and hid her face which made me smile widely. She was so adorable.

We just stood there for a while, in each others arms, still in shock of everything that had just went on around us. Honestly, I still didn't have a full grip on my surroundings yet. All of this together was just too bizarre. It took me back a step, and I'm sure Nikol, too. I didn't know how to classify all of this, as wrong, or right? As too much, or not enough?

My stomach growled and I came to the sudden realization that I was starving. I looked at the woman that was still standing in our doorway, smiling, and asked, "When does all of this," I notioned around us, "end and when do we begin training?"

She smiled, "Your training has been completed, and as for you, you're teaching, next year." This lady smiled way too much. It made me uncomfortable.

"What do we do until then? What about food and such?" I asked, trying not to sound overly reliant on the capital, even though that's what I'd have to be for quite some time now.

"We will provide all of the necessities, and you are allowed to live here, and you'll be payed as if on the job. You will both be granted level two access for the time being, and I will look forward to seeing you all the next time we have to meet!" At that, she exited the room, telling someone outside the door to bring us our gear.

Once we got our gear and such, we set everything up in our room. They didn't give us much, but we had enough to actually make our room feel homey. However, we did our best to make it fit in with our surroundings. We added to our closet, and afterwards, we laid down in bed. We deserved it, after all.

I pulled Nikol to my chest and tucked my chin on top of her head, letting her press her face into my neck.

We layed like that for quite some time before I felt her relax into sleep. Her breathing slowed, and she entered the peace of her dreams that cascaded it's way through her mind. It took some time before my sleep overcame me, given I was still troubled with what happened through the simulator. That wasn't something easily forgotten. It's one of those long time pains that goes away, only to come back almost twice as strong, and it's yet to hit me hard.

I folded myself around Nikol's sleeping body and finally let the sweet touch of sleep take me.

- - -

I woke with a jerk. I dreamt that us being back was a simulation, and the nuclear affects had gotten to us. My jerk woke Nikol, who was instantly comforting me. I didn't believe that this was real. How could it? It was too, perfect. I'm just that outcast, Rite, always walking through Ponama with no real destination, yet mostly to go hunting. How could I have a job, a girlfriend, anything. This was just too perfect.

I convulsed, and Nikol held me down as I eased out of my panic. I had tears running down my cheeks as I pulled Nikol against my chest, hugging her and apologizing profusely. I didn't know if she knew what had caused it, but I feel like she did, given she officially knows me better than even my family.

Speaking of family, I had to write my family, telling them I now had a life in the Aeresa. I planned on sending a bit of money as well, but I didn't know if that was allowed. In fact, I've never even written or received a letter in my life. I don't even know if I had forgotten how to read! That's probably what scared me the most. We learned to read back in second grade, before they shut off all schools for us to go work early. Now, once a kid hits 10, we forced to go work for whoever claims us first. Then we have to work there until we're 16, because then we have a choice by law who to work for.

I'm certain Apenture was much different. Especially since they matched which jobs would suit you the best, and gave you that one. And they assigned you a job at 16, not 10. Shows you exactly how unfair my officials are.

I kissed Nikol on her forehead, never wanting to let go, and she smiled slightly and kissed me back on the lips then shot out of bed giggling and running to the bathroom to change. I chuckled to myself and slightly shook my head smiling. She was adorable.

I hopped out of bed and followed suit, and I started changing in the room. Once fully clothed, she walked out adjusting something in our new uniform. The uniform had gotten rid of the horrible blue color for a black and red outline attire that the lady behind the desk wore. The only key differences was ours wasn't as decorated. It didn't really matter to me; I didn't want the higher position if it meant being forced away from Nikol. As long as it meant staying with her, I'd do anything.

They informed us we were allowed to do whatever, so both Nikol and I walked out of the building, and back to the market. This is my new home, I thought to myself. As beautiful as it was, I still somehow missed Ponama. I had called Ponama home for 16 years of my life, so I guess I had grown attached. I knew Nikol had to be feeling the same way, despite her wide smile on her face as we exited the building into the looming dark gaze of the dark, stark white towers ahead of us.

I grabbed Nikol's hand, and pulled her into my chest, hugging her tightly and smiling. I then released her, and took off walking, holding her hand. Crazy as it was, I would do anything to see this girl smile, even though she smiled constantly. It was almost like the capitol buildings that surrounded us; a sight so beautiful, it never ceases to entice you.

We walked to the marketplace, and entered a food store. We browsed the selection quickly, and determined what we wanted to purchase, and we bought it. I got a bit of food for the fridge in our room, and a few items for decoration. Nikol bought some things to drink as well as her own bits of decoration. We were making our room feel more homey, slowly but surely.

We got back to our room, no, our home, and we placed the decorations. She bought a painting that resembled a blue blob eating another red blob, and placed it above the bed, hanging it on the wall. I placed a mini tree in the corner by the door, and one by our bed, next to our nightstand. I placed a comfort chair in the far corner from the door, next to a small table, and placed a light on the table, and placed books on the table. Basically we made it our reading area, if we ever had the time. We placed our other decor around the room as we saw fit, and soon it actually felt homey. I liked it.

I smiled and looked at Nikol to see her also approving smile.

I layed down on the bed, sprawled out, and Nikol climbed in and cuddled up against me. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her tight against my chest, closing my eyes, despite the time only being 5:00 pm. I didn't plan on falling asleep; I just wanted to hold her and cuddle her.

She looked up at me as if expecting something, so I leaned my head down and kissed her on the lips. We laid there kissing for a while, before we finally pulled apart, both of us smiling. I hid my face in the comforter to hide my blush, and I heard her giggle. One of those pure joy, soft, wholesome giggles. One of those that just made you want to sweep the person who let it out off their feet and ride into the sunset or something just as corny.

Her giggle made me laugh, and soon enough we were both laughing.

I looked her in the eyes, "So I guess we're official now?"

Her smirk, mixed with a pure joyous look told me her answer before she even formed the words. "Yes."

A wide smile spread my face as I pulled her even tighter against my chest. "I love you, Nikol."

"I love you too, Rite," she said, smiling as well.