The Mating Game

Making Friends

We all walk in complete silence with Aaron leading the way through the lush forest. It doesn’t take long before the silence starts to get to me, and I can’t take it anymore.

“So,” I say motioning towards the redhead. “I missed your name during the ceremony.”

“Katie,” she says curtly.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Addison. I’m 20 years old. How old are you?” I try to encourage her to further communicate with me.

I sound like a toddler trying to make a new friend.

“31” Okay is that all she’s going to say.

“What kind of things do you like to do?” Katie doesn’t answer me.

“Do you like fishing? Fishing was one of my favorite hobbies in containment.”

Still nothing “Alrighty, not a problem I understand some people aren’t very chit-chatty when first meeting new people. I, on the other hand, talk a lot when I meet new people because it helps me get rid of my nerves. Sometimes people say I talk too much. I hope I’m not doing that right now.” I say with a big smile on my face and trying to seem completely genuine and nice.

“I’m sure we’ll get to know each other over the next year, and we’ll have lots of long conversations together.”

Katie shakes her head slightly, and I can barely see a grin cracking on her face. I turn my attention to Laura.

“So you’re Laura right, and you have been with Aaron before. Did you have a little girl? I think I remember seeing you in the containment camp during your succulent year. So that must have been the little one that you had with Aaron. ” I hear quiet, just the sounds of our footsteps and cracking branches echo through the forest. “She was gorgeous. I remember thinking how pretty she was.”

“ENOUGH” the line stops moving abruptly as I run into Katie who is walking in front of me.

Aaron comes back to stand in front of me with anger burning in his eyes and repeats what he just said with slightly less anger this time but with a great deal more sarcasm.

“Enough with the talking. Can’t you walk quietly without asking all of these damn questions? We aren’t going to a f*****g party.”

I’m in shock. My eyes open wide in surprise, and my mouth forms an o.

“I’m sorry I was just trying to be nice” looking down at the ground I feel like a child being scolded by a nonviable from camp.

“Well, how about we just try walking without any talking. Okay? Do you think you can do that” I nod?

Aaron turns and walks to the front of the line, and we begin moving once more but at a much-hurried pace. Feeling like a complete i***t and burning with rage inside I feel like giving Aaron a piece of my mind, but I decided that it wouldn’t be the best thing to do on the first day of meeting my new mate who I will have to spend the next year with. Yippie, I get to live with mute 1 and mute 2 and asshole number 3 who gives orders and expects me to follow them. Yay! I sure did win the lottery.

After walking for another short distance, we arrive at a small creek.

“We’ll stop here for a short rest and then continue on. We have another hour’s walk ahead of us. There will be some uphill climbs so make sure you are all well hydrated.”

Well, at least the asshole cares enough to make sure we all stay well hydrated. I guess he doesn’t want us to die before he gets to perform his duty on us. I walk a few yards away from the group and kneel to dip my hands into the water for a drink. That feels so good. I didn’t even realize I was that thirsty; I guess because I was so focused on my asshole mate and the fact that I’m not allowed to talk. As I wondered absentmindedly if he allows me to breathe, I felt a warm hand on my shoulder. Startled, I look up to find Laura standing there. YAY! NOT. Oh God, what could she possibly want?

Kneeling beside me Laura begins to talk “I know that right now it seems like Aaron is a giant asshole, but he really isn’t.”

I roll my eyes to the sky and nod lightly. Sure!

“No really, it’s just because you were talking about the baby. Aaron or any of the other men for that fact never get to see their children. As soon as a woman gets pregnant, you know that we are instantly taken to containment for constant care and nourishment. Aaron has had two children with me, and he doesn’t even like to talk to me about them because it is too difficult. Even for me.”

She starts to get teary-eyed as her voice cracks. “To think of my babies, it breaks my heart to be away from them. I’ll never see them again unless I become pregnant and see my girl in the camp. But I’ll never see my boy again. Some other nonviable woman will raise him in the male containment camp, and all I’ll have to remember him by is how he felt in my arms.”

She’s crying now. Oh god, I’m a complete i***t. I brought up the most painful memory to my new mate on day one. Wow, I’m a winner.

“I’m so sorry. That was so inconsiderate and stupid of me to bring her up. I don’t know what I was thinking. I wasn’t thinking at all. Of course, it would be difficult to talk about the children you were forced to leave behind. I’m a complete moron.” I reach out my hand to place it on Laura’s arm. “I really am sorry” My eyes meet her crystal blue ones.

“You didn’t know, but I don’t want you to hate Aaron. I have been with fifteen different males, and Aaron is by far the kindest, most caring, and most endearing males I have ever been with. He’s very dear to me, and I don’t want you to think poorly of him. It’s just a very touchy subject.”

“I understand” giving Laura a small smile and thanking her for explaining things to me. So he’s not the asshole, I am… Go, Addison. After Laura finishes speaking with me, Aaron soon begins leading us through the greenery again. The vegetation is becoming thicker as we continue our steep climb. At the top of the hill, Aaron halts the group.

“Katie and Addison if you look over there you will see the homestead.” Following Aaron’s finger, I looked over the valley and spot a few buildings which are built by the edge of the forest. He continues speaking to us.

“Just over there is the ocean and over here is where we keep the livestock.” Katie and I nod in understanding, and the group continues moving on. It seems like a beautiful place for a home, and it covers a much larger space than camp. At least it’s next to the coast, I’ve got that going for me.