Sorry to all those — if there even are any — who are scolding me for my laziness in the Demigod fanfics, but I

had lost inspiration, okay? Don't worry, I'll be continuing them . . . someday.

As of now I have been doing other shiz and dug up this book from last summer in my not-so-vast shelf of tomes.

I remember how I obtained it from my old school's book fair, and decided to read it just 'cause.

Then I had an epic idea.

Disclaimer: "Matched" belongs to Ally Condie, and I own my thoughts . . . SO THERE.

.: begin :.

SUNLIGHT DIMLY LIT MY BEDROOM ON THE DAY OF MY TWENTY-FIRST BIRTHDAY.

Is this how it feels? I thought. Being twenty, I mean, not waking up. Everyone knows waking up is the worst part of the

day.

I roll out of bed, literally. Hitting the floor has no pain, with all the numbness.

As I got up I remembered what happened on this day, four years ago.

I stood there in front of the Matching screen, face a mask of no interest. I'd wanted to stay a Single, but my parents had

made sure I was in the Matching pool. The black screen flickered to life, displaying a boy's face. He had raven black hair,

luminous amber eyes , and an impish grin that seemed to go right through the screen to me, forming the smallest trace of

a smile on my face, despite my dislike for the whole Society.

"Faye Jane Harris of the Delta Province, the Society is pleased to present you with your Match, Dalian Darren Wright of the

Omega Province."

I dared look at him a bit longer before the screen blinked back to blackness and the Official handed me a silver box

containing a microcard with information on Dalian, my Match.

That night I creeped out of bed just to look at the microcard on the port.

Changing into black plainclothes, I thought, That's the past. There is another event today, almost as important. The

Marriage Contract. At City Hall.

I tie my hair up into its usual style. I never bother to brush it, it stays the same. Messy and spiky and brown. The

looks I get are as if someone is goingto cite me. I drag myself out for breakfast, holding my silver box. This day I did

not want to see my parents, though their presence was mandatory at the Marriage Contract signing.

The rumbling of the Nutrition Department truck fades away as Mother places the foilware in front of me which steams

the smell of bland oatmeal.

"Look alive, Faye," Father says from across the table, "It is an important day. And you get to skip your vocation

today."

I say, "Hmm," To show I'm not in the mood to talk, I stuff oatmeal in my mouth.

It would not be the first time I see my Match. Our first conversation was over the port, monitored by an Official. The

awkwardness of that memory still reddens my face today. I've never been the most social person, so I was glad

when I left Second School to my work at the Arboretum where there was no time to talk while sorting plants. I

remember his mischievous smile as he told bits of his life and amusing stories while I stayed quiet, listening. Then, a

few years later, came our First Meeting. When he hopped off the air train energetically, all my parents did was scowl,

apparently not pleased with the personality of their daughter's Match. I smiled at their displeasure.

But now, my mood was far from content, in fact I felt somewhat distraught. I finished the last of my oatmeal as my

Mother and Father roused me up to go to City Hall. We walked in silence. My parents and I had always had a sort of

feud, and it was expected between a quietly rebellious daughter and two high-ranked Officials of the Matching

Department, one of the most important Departments. We boarded the overflowing air train to City Hall, the site of all

Marriage Contract signings in the Delta Province. I boredly stared out the window at the passing buildings until saw

the white dome that was our City Hall.

When I got out into fresh air, I spotted Dalian immediately out of the crowd with his odd yellow eyes. He smiles and

waves. At his side, his parents also smile. "Hello, Faye," he grins as I walk to him.

I nod to acknowledge his greeting.

He moves closer and puts one arm around me as we walk up the stairs into the building. I blush but he is my Match,

no matter if I didn't want this or not. Our parents quietly converse, keeping their voices low.

"So," Dalian says, "the first two times we met you haven't told me much about yourself. Anything to say now?"

"Well . . ," I trail off. There is nothing really interesting about me. "Ask me a question."

"Where do you work?"

"Arboretum."

"Do you have siblings?"

"No."

"Favorite exercise?"

"Swimming."

" . . . Hobbies?"

"None, really."

As we climb the polished white stairs I notice an Official watching us closely, more specifically, watching Dalian. She

says something into her mouthpiece before walking away.

Another Official guides us to a gray side room with many alcoves in the wall containing scribes where he sits us down

on the rough chairs. "Now," he says, pointing to the Official scribe on the table in front of them, "Here is the Marriage

Contract. Each of the parents must sign next to their chid's name, while the two Matchees must sign next to each

other here. You may now read the Contract, and after you sign, the two Matched will receive the rings to put in their

silver boxes until the Contract Celebration." He sits and waits patiently while the two families cram to read the text.

It read:

By the Matching Departments of the Delta and Omega Provinces, Faye Jane Harris and Dalian Darren Wright,

have been officially Matched by the Society. The two families of the Matchees oblige to the terms and conditions

of the agreement, thus they will sign below, overseen by an Official from the Matching Department.

We passed the stylus between us as we tapped out their full names into designated spots. All the way at the bottom

of the scribe's screen, the Official typed in his name and took the scribe back. He walked to an alcove in the wall

where he left the scribe and came back with two gold ceremonial rings.

"Here. Put these in your silver boxes and safely keep them there until the Contract Celebration," he places one in my

hand and the other in Dalian's. I opened my silver box and carefully placed the ring next to the microcard, that I

would have to give up tomorrow at the Contract Celebration. Back when I was in School, I always like to read the

Hundred History Lessons. The Marriage Contract Celebration used to be called a "wedding". Things used to be so

different back then, when you could choose who to Match with, or "marry".

I looked up and saw Dalian grinning at me. I smiled back. Would this be so bad?

For the first time I noticed something different about his face. I'd seen him on the port enough, but there was

something else this time. It was only now that I realize that amber eyes are not genetically normal. Is that why the

Official outside was watching him? Just because he has a slight mutation? If anything, the color is prettier than the

normal shades.

My dislike for the world we live in grows.

Okay, how was that?

Good?

Bad?

Maybe?

Whatever, I had fun writing it.

I hope you had fun reading it.