It's beautiful up here, but the wind is much harsher. Strands of my thick hair smack my freezing cheeks and my lips. I honestly don't care, though. I can see all of Bayfell from up here. The different sectors that people live in—The Royal District up closer to the mountains, the Central District where the hustle and bustle of the city takes place, the Family District where everyone wants to live one day, and the Lower District where I'm stuck until tomorrow. Maybe.
"I know the rules," Riah says tentatively, "but at least give us a hint as to who you claimed!"
"Riah," I say in a begging voice. "We're not supposed to ask them about it." I glance to my left and give Alec a knowing look. I've always been a rule follower. Alec will bend them every now and then, but he understands me most when it comes to our society's laws and my intention to follow each and every one of them.
Chance laughs softly. "It's fine! Well, just... don't tell anyone."
Alec and I whip our heads around at Chance who stands on the other side of Riah. Chance is just as strict about the rules as me, so this surprises me, but not for very long.
Riah scoffs. "Who is there to tell?"
My rebellious friend has never followed the rules if she didn't like them. When we were three, she stole a doll from Penelope Snider during playtime (I still don't know why that's such a vivid memory of mine). Riah tends to speak her mind a little too often which gets her in trouble with some of the Officials. And the fact that she has dyed her hair a flaming red—with some illegal hair dye nonetheless—doesn't help either; it's just not accepted lightly in our city anymore. It's an obvious sign of rebellion. However, no one of authority wants to touch her because of her status.
Our status.
"Well... I requested someone who is very beautiful," Chance says. He folds his arms across the ledge that lines the roof.
"And...?" Riah presses.
Chance nudges her with his shoulder. "I'm very hopeful. But I'm also worried because others are probably after her, too."
"Well, I'm sure you'll get her. You know her well, don't you?" I ask.
Chance shrugs. "Well enough."
"Then what is there to worry about?"
"Yeah, Chance," Alec says, leaning back against the ledge, stretching his arms out with a huge yawn following. "As long as you know her, you've got her!"
Chance bites his lip. "I don't know... There's probably a lot I still don't know about her."
I look at Riah's face and can see her about to burst with excitement. For years she's been majorly crushing on Chance, and now she can finally find out if he has feelings for her as well. She's pretty sure he does, considering all the hints he gives (like telling her she looks pretty on that particular day, saying sweet things to her, or constantly being around her). I'm not totally convinced these are signs, considering he's done all the same to me because he's actually a very nice person, but whatever. Riah will end up being happy no matter what happens. She will make sure of that.
"What about you, Alec?" Riah says, still slightly in her daze.
Alec blinks at her, then at me, then at Chance. "Well. I requested someone. She's female. And she has hair. And nice... feet?"
I laugh, but Riah groans. "Seriously, Alec! This is important!"
Alec puts his hands up in surrender to Riah's attitude. "You'll find out tonight! Two more hours till the Claiming ceremony."
When a guy turns sixteen before March 31, they have to play their part in the Claiming. Guys go to the Plaza the day before, fill out a form, and write down three names of girls of sixteen years (or who are about to be sixteen) whom they wouldn't mind spending eternity with, the one they want most being first listed. That is the requesting part of the process.
If a guy picks a girl with only one request, she automatically goes to him as his wife. If he picks a girl with more than one request, the girl picks who she wants of those who chose her.
At the Claiming, the girls will find out if anyone has chosen them. All girls are required to attend along with all the boys. If a girl is not chosen, she is sent to the Lower District. And that's the end of her story. She becomes forever alone. The end.
Most years, girls outnumber the boys. In the rare cases that boys outnumber the girls, any boy who does not get their pick of a wife is allowed to attend the Claiming the next year.
As you can see, this process is incredibly fair. Completely and totally... Fair.
In our society, this is considered an orderly way of living. You're engaged young, you marry young, and you reproduce young (preferably within three years of marriage). We're told it's all for the prosperity of the kingdom.
"I'm terrified I won't be chosen," I whisper, partly to myself. I wrap my arms around myself and gaze out past the city limits. Mountains rise high over our city, cradling us in our perfect, petite valley.
"Belle, you're too pretty not to be chosen," Riah says, elbowing me in the ribcage. "If you're not chosen, every guy in this city is an idiot."
"I just don't want to end up back in the Lower District," I say. "As long as I marry a nice enough guy I'll be fine."
"What about falling in love?" Riah says, a little surprised. "I thought you cared about that factor."
"I did," I say, "but what's the point anymore? There's a huge possibility I'll end up with a total stranger. Some guys just pick random names off the list because they're so socially awkward that they've never spoken to a female in their poor, pathetic lives." I spit the words out, trembling.
Riah grabs my shoulders and makes me face her. "You're getting worked up, Belle. Calm down. You've panicked about it every day this week. I can only imagine what you'll be like in the next hour or so."
I grit my teeth. "Sorry. This whole thing just puts me on edge."
"I understand," she says, softening her voice. "Me too. I mean, we're probably all thinking the same thing about this law. Well, all the girls, I'm sure."
I nod slowly.
Ever since the World War III that caused everything to fall apart, every city has secluded itself and become its own form of government. Ours is run by men, so that's why men are the ones who choose their spouses. There are more females in the Lower District than males because the male population isn't as high as the female.
"We need to go," Alec says. "Apparently we have to look nice for this thing."
"Who knew, right?" Riah says sarcastically but playfully. She pulls on my arm. "Come on, Belle. We'll see you guys there!"
Chance and Alec race to the stairwell doors in the middle of the roof. Riah and I trail behind to talk privately.
"Don't worry, Belle. I'm nervous, too," she says. "Do you think Chance chose me?"
I shrug. "No way of knowing until tonight. We need to get back to the Facility and get ready with the others."
***
I was born to a Lower District woman whose only job was to have children. Our city has been decreasing in numbers due to so many people leaving, so the king closed the gates around the city. Now no one can leave. He then ordered that a new job opportunity be created for lonely women in the Lower District.
So yes, my mother is basically a prostitute who had the intention of getting pregnant. I should be ashamed, but I'm not. Not really. I never knew her, because once I was born, I was sent to the Facility, a building where all children born to women like her end up to be raised as a sort of "mid-lower class". There are hundreds of us now, all around the same age. I met Riah here, but Chance and Alec are in the Family District. They have parents and friends with parents, and they can go to school and do normal stuff that we've never had the chance to do. Kind of depressing, but it hasn't really bothered me much because I'd always been hopeful for a better future. Well, until now. If I'm claimed, I move up to the Family District. That's the goal.
"Hurry up, ladies!" Ms. Cadence chimes at the head of the dorm. She oversees all the girls. "I know we all want to look nice, but we're on a tight schedule! Put your dresses on, pull your hair out of your faces, and sit out in the entrance hallway."
The room is lined with bunk beds along the walls. I stand at my bunk that I share with Riah. She sleeps on the top, I sleep on the bottom (I'm afraid of heights, so she willingly sleeps on the top bunk). A long dress lays across my mattress, set there by the seamstresses of the Facility. They made dresses for all the girls in the Facility that are going to the Claiming tonight. Mine is a simple coral gown with lace trimming on the bottom. I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. I'm sure it looks better on.
All the girls change at once into their gowns. I have Riah zip me up in the back, and then I turn to face her. Someone made her a beautiful forest green gown with gems scatter above and below the sash around her waist.
Her dark brown eyes widen when she sees me, and she grins. "Well, that'll certainly make some guy regret not choosing you. And I'm sure whoever did will be glad."
"Stop it, Riah!" I cry playfully. "You've never been this sweet, and it's freaking me out."
"I'm freaking out here! Give me a break! Do you know how badly I want Chance to have chosen me? Do you?"
"I kind of do," I say with a nervous laugh.
"Good! Now zip me up, will you?"
I giggle once again. "There's the bossy Riah I know and love!"
"Shut up," she growls, but I can still hear the tension in her voice.
A/N (Jan 1st, 2019): New YouTube channel is up and running for you guys! Just one video at the moment, as YOU GUYS are part of the next! The link to the video is down below :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY3jtYtYELo&t=1s