BUBBLES
What's the algorithm? The one that will tell me who my one true love is? I want to know, even more so now. You see, Today I am 16, and now that I've come of age, I've been given my "suitor". Every year you take a test and then when your 16 –bam! This is the person who you will love forever. I take a deep breath I'm sitting in a waiting room with 100 other girls. All of them are waiting patiently like me for their turn. I'm with my sisters; Blossom I'm not sure needs to worry how she looks her hair and dress lay perfectly. Buttercup won't look in a mirror or admit she's worried at all for that matter. Me? I'm just trying to breathe.
"I wonder what he's good at. Maybe he likes science." Blossom says. Buttercup barely reacts; she looks frozen. I see the number on the wall change. 89. I'm 90. I'm next. Blossom is looking at me when the number switches. I stand and they stand too. "You look beautiful", she says holding me at arm's length so she can check again. Buttercup nods.
"You do." Then they walk with me to the lavender door and I start to feel light headed. I can't stop smiling. How will he look? I imagine a large gorgeous smile and deep beautiful eyes. I imagine big hands and what they may do. Play music. Write stories. My mind is racing. I walk through the door and look back at them for a second before the door is shut.
The hall is lined with body length mirrors and leads straight to another door. I move my blonde bangs a little and touch my soft pigtails. I smooth my white sundress. I wonder if he will be disappointed. I wonder if he will have wanted a girl in a shorter dress or a girl in all black. Or a smart devoted girl like blossom or a sporty effortless laid back beauty like Buttercup. I look at myself and push through the door. My heart drops.
He's standing in a baseball shirt and jeans looking cool and uncaring. He doesn't look particularly happy. But I notice his eyes they're an ocean blue that makes my heartbeat faster and his hands I notice are big and steady looking. Our eyes meet. He smirks. I don't know what to say or do. I just stand there staring. I recognize him not from his face, no from his reputation. While girls usually save themselves for their assigned lover, boys do the opposite and he is known as a particularly dangerous player. Suddenly I feel hot and flushed and I run straight past him out the door. I can't look at him. I'm supposed to spend the rest of my life with him and I can't look at him.
The hall was decorated and he was gorgeous, but I wish there had been someone else standing there. I wish there was a geek or even someone seemingly rude. I trust the system, I'm the daughter of its creator, but how can I trust this. No, there was a mistake. It's unlikely but maybe.
In my car I have to wait for Buttercup and Blossom, it feels like forever. God! It feels like forever. The car is dark; I hit my head on the steering wheel. I picture his face and my stomach twists. Him. Him. Him. I guess right now you're thinking "gosh if it's regular for guys to be players why is she so surprised?" You're imaging something embarrassing happened between us maybe or (if you're really diluted) maybe he raped her. No, sorry to disappoint. The problem here isn't that.
The reason I ran is because that boy's name was Boomer Jojo. He has two brothers, Brick and Butch, and a dad who happens to be my father's rival. I have to say I've always believed in the algorithm. Millions of matches each person satisfied. It matches your physical preferences and mental needs, it's always perfect. But this guy, I knew him shortly in kindergarten, not that we ever spoke. It was around this time the algorithm was getting big. The next year the government had adopted it and it became a birth right.
I hated the Jojo's. Boomer Jojo especially, I remembered his smirk. He had probably enrolled in the algorithm as a joke. He probably enrolled just to get another fucktoy. I was turning red probably. Now you're thinking "really? She hates him because their daddies fight?" Well, kind of yeah. That and I had a small crush on him before he became, you know the player. I just, was imaging this knightly guy with cute hobbies and not a walking bone missile. How could we be a match! How could he be my suitor! I hated to admit it but the algorithm was wrong. But do I bite my lip and accept the pairing or destroy all of my dad's hard work.
BLOSSOM
As soon as Bubbles left the number changed again. 91, that's me! I glance back at Buttercup, she squeezes my hand as I go through the door and when it is shut I'm all alone in this mirrored hall. I remember what the Professor, my dad, had said, "we added mirrors that reflect light that stimulates happiness." I feel it in my stomach. I'm giddy and smiling so wide I barely glance at the mirrors what I want is behind that door. I'm fast walking my strawberry blonde hair swinging behind me. My pink dress is a blurred image that surrounds me. I barely breathe when I push through the door. No, when I burst through the door ready to take him in. My eyes barely adjust to the dim romantic tea lights in time to see a table—an empty table.
My eyes search the room it's small and romantic and empty. Where is he? The guys are always first. Always waiting. I got the letter! It said I was matched so where was he? He wasn't here.
Then I see a note situated beneath a candle and it kind of makes me want to cry. A note, he left me a note. But I want him. I want to bury my nose in his scent.
Dear suitor,
So I don't know who you are and you don't know who I am. I'm sure you're standing in the middle of this hall looking pretty nice but sorry. I thought this may be fun but I don't actually believe in the algorithm and I don't believe in wasting my time, but if I didn't do this you'd just never be matched and I don't think it's fair to leave you without explanation so this is it. I feel the algorithm is untested, of course you'll love this person you're told is perfect for you but that's already so biased. It's untested, I mean this is the first generation that we have actually taken all the tests so why would I maybe fall in love with someone who may or may not be my soul mate. Sorry if you're disappointed but that's how I feel and that's why I refuse to participate in this glorified dating service.
Sincerely, your "suitor"
My mouth was hanging open. It had to be. How could this person, my person, call the algorithm untested? I've spent my whole life testing it! I sat down and reread it so many times. I even smelled it, creepy I know. But I was shocked utterly shocked. This was like a slap to the face but what hurt even more was that maybe he had a point. I was matched with him. Me: the person who believes in the algorithm more than anyone else. I read it again and smiled and cried. He likes science though at least I predicted that.
BUTTERCUP
I didn't bother dressing up or checking myself. I walked down the mirrored corridor with ease; I had nothing to worry about because this wasn't a first impression. I knew exactly who would be standing there with his cute smile when I opened the lavender door. I had known since the 5th grade. I mean with the algorithm sitting a few steps below my room you think I wouldn't peak? Hell no! I've known who my soul mate was since I first took the test. He's my best friend: Mitch.
He's the average guy with soft brown eyes and course strong hands. He's the guy who I play basketball with after school. He's the guy that has saved his first kiss for his suitor since he knew what kissing was. I imagined just bursting through the door and laying one on him. I'd perfected the image in my mind since middle school and now here it was. I was at the door and I straightened my black hair and applied some chap stick. This was my first kiss. This was it. I remembered Middle school when we really got close. He would always talk about his ideal girl but I already knew. He'd say he couldn't wait to kiss her and id bites my lip so I wouldn't ruin the surprise.
I remembered freshman year when I got my boobs, I tried to seduce him but he took it as teasing. Now he'd know now I could tell him. I was wearing a green baseball shirt and jeans. I thought about dressing girlier but I was showing cleavage so same difference. Well not really but honestly this was more comfortable. I took another deep breath and pushed the door open. It made kind of a windy effect and I knew I looked pretty hot as I stepped into the room catching his warm piercing eyes. They met mine with a smile. His face dropped in a "oh shit she's hot sort of way" and mine dropped in a "oh shit who the hell are you kind of way." It twitched in a "what's happening way "and I pulled up my shirt in an "I can't believe I'm showing this much cleavage to a stranger way".
Yup, a stranger. Admittedly a hot stranger. This guy had styled dark hair and a toned athletic body but it wasn't the toned body I expected. It was silent I looked surprised watching this vaguely familiar guy as he looked me up and down. Where the hell is Mitch?
"Hi." He said. He was sort of dressed up I was not at all.
"Who are you?" I questioned defensively. He laughed in an "I'm trying to ignore the snarl in your voice cuz we are supposed to fall in love, remember?" way. I pulled at my shirt feeling self-conscious.
"I don't have to ask who you are. Middle child of the Utonium family. Hurts you don't recognize me." He was smiling and it was stupid attractive I diverted my eyes so the full effect didn't harm me. I thought of Mitch. He got matched too. Who with if not me! He was probably kissing some other girl right now. He's given away the first kiss I wanted and left me with hottie mcstupid face here. "Hey!" I glanced at the guy. He looked super pissed off but was obviously trying to hide it. I didn't look at him I just felt my stomach knot up more thinking of Mitch.
"Can we do this another day." I mumbled moving to leave. I felt so stupid, I looked like a mess, and he probably thought I didn't care how I looked. Why didn't I check last night, why was the match different?
"Wait what?" He asked jumping to catch me. He wrapped a hand around my wrist. "Just let's talk." He urged. I knew it was unfair. I get paired with this hot guy and I ignore him.
"I'm not up to it. Sorry." I move and I hear "seriously!" in a real pissed off voice behind me. Then I just feel a rush of air and I'm on the ground with him leaning over me. I'm glad I didn't wear a dress because his knee is between my legs, my shirt has fallen so my lacey black bra is showing, and his hand is holding mine over my head.
"You just got here." He breathes seductively onto my neck. I've got that image of my cute first kiss in my head again and it's suddenly replaced by an image of steamy spit swapping on the floor. I struggle beneath him and I see him blush like he suddenly realizes how weird this is. He jumps off me and is blushing wildly. "I'm so sorry!" He pleaded. "I just didn't want you to go. are you okay?" He asked me. I fixed myself and tried not to meet his eyes. I can practically read his mind "Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" I turned away realizing I was staring now and I blushed.
"My name's Butch by the way." He told me.
"Buttercup but you already knew that didn't you." We laughed and it dawned on me why he was familiar. "You're Butch Jojo." He smirked.
"Yeah." I struggled not to think of Mitch as we moved from the floor to the table, where the tea lights lit up a couple of hotdogs. Not very romantic but I wouldn't have it any other way. I imagined sitting with Mitch we would have had something like ribs. I liked ribs but hot dogs are my favorite. I mentally slapped myself, I had known Butch for two seconds and already…. He had me acting like a, well a girl. I was swooning inside and bursts of giggles left my lips more than had escaped in months. But I guess I knew there was something to this algorithm before this; I just wondered whom had changed: me or Mitch? I had noticed no difference in our relationship.
