Chosen

Chapter 2

 Keenan and Sarah hadn’t been going out long, but she had been crazy about him for months before that. They had initially met at a mutual friend's house and had only talked because she had pursued it. Sarah had insisted he was too attractive to pass up the chance. He had only come around when they had gradually started a conversation about an art show they had both been miraculously interested in. That was their first date.

He was quiet and thoughtful, and nothing of what I had imagined she would be interested in. I had only talked to him a few times, but I had seen him more times than I could count in the halls, in the art room poring over his latest masterpiece when Sarah forced me to tag along to pick him up from his all-boys prep school. Which was strange to begin with but I guess his parent's were willing to shell out the money for him to go to a school where he wore a uniform every day without ever seeing a girl in the hallways.

Personally, I didn’t trust him, thought he was stuck up. It could have been my prejudice against pretty boys, or it could have been the fact that I was always wary when it came to Sarah. She was fragile in relationships and he seemed like trouble. It took her months to get over boyfriends that were losers to begin with. You know the type, the ones that slouch around and hang around "the boys" all day talking about their "personal" escapades with their girlfriends.

I didn’t know Keenan very well, he just seemed withdrawn and calculating to me. Too much like myself in fact. The fact that we were both chosen was extremely bizarre. I couldn’t remember a time that two contestants had been chosen from the same state before let alone the same city but I suppose nothing was impossible with the government the way it was.

Nut jobs and control freaks. It was just scary to think that no one was willing to change anything about it. Seven men and one woman ruled from The Office now. They were the ones that set up this whole reality, scary factor, survival, freak show. In complete control and no one dared raise a finger in protest as they took over everything from health care to entertainment. It was terrifying to think about, which is why I didn't...most of the time.  Now I was faced with the reality of it and there was no escaping.

God, what was I going to do? I couldn't even take much comfort in the fact someone I knew would be there with me. Keenan and I had never been on good terms to begin with and that certainly wasn't about to change just because of this challenge set in front of us. Sarah was still blubbering on and on, on the phone and suddenly I could feel no sympathy for her and her relationship in jeopardy. "He'll be fine." I interrupted curtly. "Oh and just in case you were wondering, I'm leaving tomorrow too." I slammed the phone down before I could hear her response and sighed.

Sarah had always been overly concerned about Keenan, always uncertain as to whether he really liked her or not, she mentioned it all the time. But it still hurt she seemed to be more concerned with that than anything. Not like I could entirely blame her, she had no idea (as far as I know) that I was chosen too but it just added the cherry on top of my doubts about our friendship. Was a half-year relationship really cause to cry her eyes out anyway? I had to stop thinking about her. It wasn't worth my time.

I turned to look at my parents. Both of them were discussing something in hushed tones, something about me. I didn't want to know. I slid into my room and sat on the floor against the door. It isn't so bad, I thought to myself, I get to travel the globe. That's one perk. I ran my fingers through my long hair and glanced around the room I wouldn't inhabit after tomorrow. My twin-sized bed, still unmade, was pushed against the wall right underneath the only window next to my squat chest of drawers where I shoved all of my clothes.

The top was crammed with knick knacks, souvenirs, and hair products. There was a dusty mirror on the far wall of the room, a twisted octopus lamp in the corner, and a small pink, faded rug in the middle of the room. Most of my clothes were scattered around my room, covering ever surface. I'll have to pack most of those soon, I thought vaguely. It seemed too great of a weight just now though.