The Runners

(Hello, this is my first book, thanks for reading it! I hope you like it and if you do please vote and comment.:)

   PART ONE

Prologue

     73 years ago the law that no minor (anyone under 18) living in New America may see a person of the other gender until they have been Matched with their mate on their 18th birthday, was passed. The way the system works is once you turn the age of 1, you are sent to either an all boys school or an all girls school. Until your Matching day on your 18th year. The system is supposed to prevent unplanned children, and to prevent young love from happening, which can cause rebellion against the system and the Matching process. 

     Today was my 18th birthday. My Matching day is tomorrow. 24 hours until my future is unfolded. The thing is, I have never seen a boy. I never even saw my Father when I was a baby. I guess you could call my parents rebels, they fell in love against the system and fled from New America to one of the outlying provinces. My parents had me and brought me to the outskirts of New America, and they left me there. I was found by system officials and brought to the only home I have ever had "St. Victoria's School for Girls". I can't imagine leaving your child all alone, but even though I never met my parents I am sure they would only want the best for me, and there was a reason they left me. So as I said, I have never seen a boy, I dont know what one would even look like. We're not even supposed to see pictures of boys until we see our Matched, because they don't want us to be able to compare and therefor have no desire to be with our Matched Companion.

      Even though we are not aloud to see a visual of the opposite gender, we can still read love stories. I can only imagine that the person I'm Matched with will love me enough that I can have a life like the ones in the books.

 Chapter One

Day Of The Matching*

      "Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" my friend Danielle yells pushing me practically off the bed. "IT'S YOUR MATCHING DAY! GET UP SO I CAN MAKE YOU PRETTY".

       I roll around in the bed for a minute trying to shake the tidal wave of nerves that hit me when I woke up, but I know better than to think they will go away, at best they will get worse. I also know better than to keep Danielle waiting.

       I groan and roll out of bed. I can already feel the morning hunger tugging at my stomach, but unfortunately I am not aloud to eat before the Matching test, because some girls throw up from nerves and we must look our best for our new husbands. I walk into the bathroom and look at myself in the mirror. Looking at myself blinking the sleep from my eyes, with my crazy brown hair falling out of the braid I put in before bed. I wonder wether anyone will be pleased to find themselves as my Match. Before I can give that anymore thought, Danielle walks in without knocking holding two dresses. One, a pink fit and flare dress with a blue ribbon around the waist, the other a green dress with a sparkly blue bodice. 

        I choose the green and blue sparkly one hoping it will bring out my light blue eyes. 

        Once I get out of the shower Danielle sits me down and puts my hair up in a high bun with a few peices dangling at the side of my head with a blue ribbon around my hair. I put on some light makeup and the dress, and a finishing touch; a pair of medium height baby blue heels. I take a look in the mirror and I'm surprised by how good I look. It's not that I am not pretty regularly but right now I look exceptionally pretty.  I glance over at Danielle; and she's smiling like it's her matching day.

        I arrive at the Matching building. It looks about the same as all the other buildings in this end of New America: Tall, expensive, and intimidating. I can already see the line of girls forming at the entrance, I'm sure the same thing is happening on the boys side.