He was Almost Absorbed by the System

Chapter Thirty Two - Engagements and Matchmakers

Finally, the door clicked open and in rising temper, she did not wait to push through into the condominium. Rush rolled his eyes heavenward over her impatience. "Come in," he muttered, belatedly.

Honor took a deep breath and adjusted her mood, plastering a deep smile upon her face before turning to face her man. "I bought you a little something," she offered, gleefully, passing him the package.

"You shouldn't have," Rush said, amicably. Really, you shouldn't have, he thought as he tore off the brown paper covering the picture.

"It was nothing, really." The painting, a simple still life picture of a rectangular, glass vase holding two leafless white lilies had cost her a fair sum at the auction. It was by an artist who was very popular right now.

Rush was nothing if not honest. "I don't like it," he stated, bluntly and handed back to her before retreating to the open kitchen to grab a drink of bottled water.

"What's wrong with it?" Honor asked, tempering the frustration in her heart.

"It's boring," Rush advised. He suddenly began tossing vegetables onto the side along with a slab of synthetic meat. The man had a tendency to cook whenever he felt irritated, annoyed, restless... whenever really. However, Honor thought he was doing it to slight her.

With a slight huff, she took the framed picture to a wall in the living area, placed it upon it and held it as the frame automatically attached itself. Then the woman stood back and admired her handwork.

"Hi honey, I'm home!" a familiar voice called out as he burst into the room.

"Don't you ever get tired of that?" Rush asked the man.

"Nope!"

Honor turned, eyes narrowed. So her husband to be allowed his manager access to his private quarters, but not her? It was inconceivable! So red was the edges of her vision, that she failed to notice the boy who appeared next to her. "New painting?" He said, glancing at the wall behind her. Rush nodded once. "It's a bit boring.." and then as if he had just noticed her presence; "Oh my God! You're Honor Harlow! Wow! It's an honour Miss Harlow! I'm Xavier!" The boy stuck out his hand, but the actress just looked at it with distain before ignoring him.

"Stop fan girling, Xavier," North told him before stealing a piece of chopped carrot and popping it in his mouth before Rush could stop him. He received a cold glare for his troubles.

"I'm not," Xavier said, blushing and staring at his feet.

Honor coughed in attempt to regain Rush's attention. "Well, it's been.. I have to go, I am meeting daddy for lunch. See me out."

"Why? You know where the door is," Rush told her, his concentration centred on the stew he was throwing together. With an anger huff, she stomped out of the condo, slamming the door behind her.

"I don't like her," Xavier said, decisively.

"Neither do I," Rush admitted.

North groaned, thinking of all the backlash he would receive if the truth of the power couples relationship got out. "You should give her a chance," North suggested. "She can't be all that bad, the company approved the engagement after all."

"Pfft," Xavier laughed. "It's not like her daddy had nothing to do with it, at all!"

"Not helping."

"You're just pissed that Mrs Patterson is on your case again," Xavier teased. North groaned at the thought of his mother, who had handed him another batch of files on women and one young man, who the matchmakers thought were compatible with his own profile. He had honestly tried meeting a couple of women in the past, but the first had her heart set on another man (her mother had chosen North due to his career prospects) and the second had rejected him as soon as she realised that he had no intention of introducing her to the celebrities he managed (namely Rush).

"You don't know how lucky you are to already be engaged," North muttered.

"Then you marry her," Rush offered.

Xavier chuckled before digging out his handheld, tugging it on and waving it towards Rush. "Want to see the latest Wish video?" Rush nodded with enthusiasm and after throwing a few spices into the simmering stew, came over to view. North felt a headache coming on.

***

"I won't be able to come around so often," Kez called out as he changed back into his boy clothes inside the tiny closet.

"Why?" Leilei asked, biting her nails while editing their latest video.

Kez sighed. "Exams are coming up," he stated, "so mum's increased the time she expects me to study. There's also the school festival coming up, so I have to stay at school late to help prepare."

"Ooo, should I come?" Leilei asked, jokingly.

"Don't." They would likely take one look at Leilei in her old, non-conformist clothes and kick her off of the building. Higher Levels did not take well to Grounders. He sighed as he left the closet and murmured quietly; "I think mum and dad will divorce soon. Dad is staying later and later at work and mum has her hopes set on me moving to the upper levels so she can join me."

"Aw sweetie," Leilei enveloped him in a warm hug. After a while she chuckled, even though the moment didn't really call for it. "I wonder what your future spouse would have to say about that!"

"I doubt mum would ever let me wed someone she couldn't manipulate," it was one more bitter pill to swallow about the whole matchmaking thing.

"Wouldn't that rule out your whole manly man requirement?" Leilei asked. Kez nodded and sighed, before waving at the flexi-acrylic sheets upon her bed, each one containing a photo and information of an individual. These were used when files by email 'failed'.

"What about you?"

Leilei groaned when she saw what he was indicating.  Although she was only 18, Matchmakers seemed to think it was best to marry off Grounders early, especially pretty ones like Leilei, who could likely get a match from a mid level. "Did you know Social Services dropped them by when dad refused to?" Her father did not trust matchmakers, he felt they had completely failed him when his wife of a year divorced him and disappeared, leaving him with a two month old baby girl and no hope of remarriage. He had decided to let Leilei pick her own match amongst the Grounders, as was gaining popularity down here. It was another reason Social Services had begun to step in, to prevent potential social anarchy. Leilei picked the flexi-acrylic files up and tossed them into the bin. "And there was not a single female in the bunch."