Artificial Love

chapter 1

ADELINE

The warm scent around me fills my nostrils, the scent of all kinds of pastries and the delicate scent of coffee. I've never liked coffee though and for that reason I hold a hot chocolate in my hands. Doing what I do right now is my favorite pastime, people watching. Watching the people around me as they go store to store, laugh, and overall just be human. It seems many take life for granted, I don't blame them. I always did too until two years ago when I found out maybe the most life changing news of my life. It was told to me that I would be having an arranged marriage. It's not common in the society but when people need money they have options given by the government. It ranges from small things such as giving blood all the way to bigger things such as well, promising that your first born child will marry whoever the government wants to match the child with. It's unusual of course and not common for a mother to do something as immense as that but people get desperate. Especially when so filled up with drugs. It was a pretty common practice to give something to the government in return for a bit of cash but from what I've heard, not many would give up their child and if they did so, it would be extremely frowned upon by others. It was ultimately ruled against 17 years ago that something so extreme like that would not be legal anymore but those who had already made the deal couldn't take it back. I never even thought that could be a possibility in my life. Two years ago my mother told me about the "deal with the devil" that she wishes she was able to take back. I could see no regret though as she told me that I'd never have the free will to pick my own husband and in two years and two months would be the day I marry a man I have never even seen before. It's been two years now. I haven't spoken to my mom since I found out about her little deal she waited so long to tell me about. I couldn't help but to resent her for it and she knew that. When I found out about what she had done and how such an important decision would be taken away from me at just the age of 20 I yelled at her like I never have. Tears streamed down my face while she stared blankly at me, seeming like there was not a care from her. I left and never returned and haven't heard from her since.