Matched belongs to Ally Condie. And I know that she wrote that they were in another world that rose up from the USA, but I'm not all the way familiar with the territories. Peter Carter belongs to LyokoWarrior1994.

My hands wring the pink fabric I picked out. This is very, very crucial that I remain calm, but I end up shaking. In a few hours, I'm going to be Matched with someone. Who will I know? Will he be a great guy? Is he from around here?

A warm hand reaches my shoulders. "You're shaking."

I look into the warm heterochromatic eyes of my friend, and nod. "I'm nervous."

"About finding your Match after six months of Matching Banquet failures?" she asks.

"Yes, Ashlyn…" All my Banquets were failures. The first one, the screen turned black and stayed that way for hours. The Officials told me that no one was my Match. It stayed the same for about three more Banquets. The fifth Banquet I had ended up with an unexpected power failure when I was about to come close. The sixth one almost had my Match, but he ended up refusing to socialize with me. I had to take a red tablet at that same day. I forgot the boy, not the memory of the Banquet.

"You might find it now," she patted my back. "It's not as if you are cursed to be Single."

"If that screen goes blank like in my first four Banquets, I will think I am cursed." I shake my head. It would be great to be Matched. It's what I signed myself up for. I want to be married, though I am not too sure I want kids.

The air train comes to a silent halt. My heart pounds so heavily, it almost feels as if I might be heaving before I could eat. As we disembark, my dad links an arm through mine. Mom stayed behind to look after my sister. She was a special case. It had been said that my sister might not be Matched until she is twenty. She is lucky for this, and my heart warms in joy for her.

I've been in the City Hall so many times to tell that I'm now in the Rotunda. It is no surprise to me at all that yet again, I'm with the Single people again. I'm excited, but at the same time, I'm scared. What if the screen is black again? What if I never find my Match? Will it be a curse for me and those around me?

Dad looks at me. "Let's hope you are Matched. The Society is worried that you might be cursed to be Single."

Don't you think I know that? I'm worrying the same case as well.

"But all the same, good luck." He smiles.

"Thanks, Dad," I nod.

"Please be seated," an Official orders. "Dinner is about to be served."

I take my usual chair. The Officials think I'm a regular nowadays, no thanks to my many failed Match Banquets. I never take the time to look at the many details of how the plants and china are so carefully arranged.

A woman on my left smiles at all of us, as if we were precious, before opening her mouth to speak. "They say this dinner is always wasted on the Matchees."

I sigh. "So excited we can't take a bite."

She gasps in surprise. "You knew what I was going to say?"

"Yeah. I've been around the block a few times to know what everyone is going to say," I blink.

The courses go in time with the music, though I've grown pretty used to my routine by now. I eat a few bites before the next course comes to my attention. Soon I find myself in front of a chocolate cake. I eat and savor each bite. I could never get enough of that cake. It was always my favorite.

Soon the announcer states, "We are ready to announce the Matches."

Luckily, I have downed the cake and savored it, too.

"Nikki Avery."

Nikki rises, but I know that she is nervous, like the rest of us. I start shivering myself. It will be forever before they get to the M's. She walks up to the stage, stands, and waits.

The image of a boy with brown hair and bright blue eyes shows up on the screen. He smiles as he sees Nikki's face on the screen, as she does to him. "Xifan Solomon," the announcer states. "Nikki Avery, you have been matched with Xifan Solomon."

I blink at the name. Something about that name sounds familiar. I shake it off as some random Déjà vu. It might be just coincidence. Plus he could've been in a dream that I had that was a Match for another person.

The usual hostess hands her a silver box. I have a few of them stashed in my closet, but they are all blank microcards. Not a bit of information on them. I'm worried. If this is like years past, I might throw in the towel.

The screen flashes to the default boy and girl smiling on the screen. I'm used to it.

Soon, more and more girls have their boxes. And then…

"Cassidy Rene' McGuire."

It's my turn once again. I stand up, looking at the screen. Please, don't stay black. Please, power, stay online. Please let the boy be sociable. Just please, let me find my Match.

I watch and wait, though I know that if I don't get Matched there could be a few things wrong: One, I'm cursed to be Single. Two, I'm having a bad taste in men. Or three, the Society is keeping a secret from me.

I keep my hands by my sides. They're shaking.

Whispers arise in the room. Is this it? Is she finally going to find her Match? Will we get to finally see Cassidy get partnered?

Every muscle in my legs begins to tense under my dress. I look to the screen, hoping, praying that the screen will show something. I'm trying to smile, though I know I'm a veteran in this area of expertise.

Suddenly, the screen flickers, and my heart jumps. Is it time? Is it finally my match?

It shows a boy with brown hair and brown eyes. It's him! This is the guy I'm destined to be with.

Cheers erupt all around me. The veteran has found her match at last. I blink and smile.

"Peter James Carter. Cassidy Rene' McGuire, you have been matched with Peter James Carter."

It surprised me, this time. I thought it would be yet another failure. But now I'm fully renewed in faith. I mouth a little 'hi' to the boy on the screen. He does the same.

The hostess puts a silver box in my now-relaxed hands. She smiles at me. "Congratulations on finding your Match at last. Your case was unusual. We thought that you wouldn't get to find him, but today, you did find him," she whispers so low that Peter doesn't hear.

I whisper in her ear back, "One more failure and I would've thought that I was cursed to be Single forever."

I sit down at the table, glad to have finally found my Match. His face clicks off the screen. Dad's breath brushes against my ear. "Congratulations, Sweetheart."

"Thanks, Dad."

"Now you aren't a veteran anymore."

I smile even more. "No, I'm not anymore."