(8 years later...)
Crap. My birthday’s in five days.
Those words repeat in my head over and over as I stare at the calendar open on my WallPaper. I press the box July 14th is labeled in. Once it lights up, I say in a loud, clear voice, “Delete.”
“This item cannot be deleted. Please try again later.”
“Delete.”
“This item cannot be deleted. Please—”
“Delete.”
“This item—”
“What are you up to, honey?” the chirpy voice jolts me out of my ongoing argument with the soon-to-be-punched device attached to the wall. I peek over my right shoulder, irritated, to find my mother’s ear-to-ear grin just inches from my face. She’s swaying back and forth with her arms behind her back like a kindergartner eager to show what they colored in class. “Excited about the big day, I see.”
I glance back at the calendar still open on the Paper, wishing my reflexes were a lot faster. Oh well. Excitement was definitely a better explanation than what I was really thinking. “Uh, anxious, yes. What’s that you’re holding?”
She lets out a giggle and whips out a small, dark blue envelope with silver lining—already open nice and neat so not to ruin the fine paper—and waves it in front of my face. “Surprise! Can you believe it? When I saw it lying there on the counter, I just couldn’t wait to open it!”
I can see that, Alexia, I think bitterly. Before I’m able to respond, she shoves the envelope into my hand and claps her hands together. “Go on, read it!”
I slowly flip it around in my hands to stall, pretending to admire it. It looks exactly like my mother’s and father’s—both of which I’ve seen more than enough times—right down to the font of my name and address. Seeing my own name printed on it, however, sends a chill down my spine. So it really is mine. It’s actually happening.
I look up at my mother, and she urges me on. I take a shaky breath, pull out the letter, and read it aloud.
Dear Miss Teeri Rayka,
Congratulations on your upcoming seventeenth birthday. We are sure you are looking forward to your approaching appointment with Rooming Facility number 114 located in Austin, Texas. There you will be introduced to your roommate, who has been patiently waiting for your birthday to arrive. We have already shown him your file, making him aware of your identity. However, as procedure, you will not learn his until your appointment. Your meeting will take place on Wednesday, July 14th at 10 AM sharp. Rest assured that your roommate was chosen from the compatibility test originally created by Cerene Allen herself.
The second page of this letter lists the materials you will need during your stay at the Rooming Facility. We encourage you to make all necessary goodbyes to friends and family before your appointment, for this process could take months at a time. The Doctor you have been assigned to is named Reese Kyler and she will be there researching your relationship’s progress as well as assisting you whenever appropriate.
We wish you an early Happy Birthday, as well as a happy marriage when the time is to come. Our faculty will see you and your future roommate soon.
The second the last word escapes my lips, my mother snatches the letter back and starts squealing. Her child-like behavior is really starting to get under my skin. “Oh, Teeri, I’m so happy for you! It’s finally happening!”
