2080

Chapter 3

• May 2nd, 2080 •

Harper stood outside the front gate. She recited the bylaws of the community and once she had finished she was given a key to Addilyn's home as a welcoming gift. A blank gun was shot and with that, everyone applauded and cheered. Zach somehow found Addilyn out in the crowd and pinched her arm.

"Hey, you." He smiled and stood with her applauding.

"What are you doing here?" Addilyn smiled up at him. He was tall enough to tower over her.

"Can you believe, that out of the few people they bring in, they bring her in? We need more men here. They're going to start building salons and nail places if we don't get anymore men." He joked.

"She has potential... I can't see it, but obviously my father can." She said. She waves Harper down as everyone begins to leave.

"Wait... She's living with you?" Zach asked, he cocked an eyebrow and gleamed over at Harper.

"Yes. Don't worry, I'll be okay. Run along now, I'll find you later?" Addilyn half asked as a question and half demanded, she wanted to see him later, although he was dreamy to everyone around her, she wanted to talk business.

He smiles, not leaving her with a direct answer and walks back towards his home on the East side.

Harper came up to Addilyn, still distracted by watching him walk away, "who's that, hunk." She smiles and continues to pester her as they walk towards the house.

"My ordained future husband." Addilyn rolled her eyes and chuckled. Harper than watched her for any sign of a joke. "You will probably be given one as well, but we're on a shortage of men, so who knows."

"I'd be okay being independent." She chuckled, "some of these men are too much. Maybe if they can't find me a man, they will set me up with a woman." Addilyn stopped dead in her tracks. She looked around to see if anyone had over heard her saying such a thing. She found nobody around the general area except the guard way up in the guard tower. She then rushed Harper through the front door before she could say anything else. "What the hell?" Harper turned.

Addilyn rushed her up the stairs and into the room she would be staying in. "You can't say things like that out loud, you know the bylaws."

"Laws are laws, I know, but the heart wants what the heart wants." She said obliviously.

"Keep it up and you'll end up on the outside again." Addilyn closed the door behind her so Harper could get dressed with some donated clothing and she could settle in.

Addilyn walked away to her room, nervous from the incident. She sat in her window sill, looking outside, still trying to figure out if anyone heard them. She was terrified.

"I'm sorry... if I offended you. I'm not into you like that, we're just friends." Harper walked into her room and watched her on the window sill. "I'm truly sorry."

"Are you just going to sit there like I didn't apologize." She reached out for Addilyn and their eyes met romantically. Addilyn realized the feeling she was having wasn't flight or fight, it was something new, romantic feelings for a girl.

"I'm sorry, I guess I'm just not in the right mind." Addilyn looked away again, she felt faint. Harper was so beautiful, they had never really touched this long. Addilyn shrugged her arm away and continued to look out to open window.

Harper didn't know whether or not to apologize again or to just walk away at that point. "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable." Harper began to walk out.

"I'm sorry I'm so uptight. It's just, it's a big crime here, you have to watch yourself, everything gets found out. Especially in this house... I feel so fucking trapped here." Addilyn bit her lip. It was true, the only thing she looked forward to most her life was marrying a complete stranger, or one day she just magically teleported outside. She loved her parents, but she was all too curious.