The Genetic Code

Chapter 18

The music pounds loudly in a steady rhythm, bodies sway in orderly alignment to the beat. I can't deny that the eclectic song selection is impeccably excellent, but the fact that it's too impeccably excellent makes me feel uncomfortable. Every melody, every harmony, every note, every beat, it's like they were all meticulously calculated towards creating pieces of symphonic perfection.

The sun is just starting to set, casting the ground in a radiant purple glow, throwing long shadows across the evenly cut grass. The palm trees are also of similar heights in a pattern of one tall, one short, repeated all the way down beach. They were probably grown using genetically-modified seeds just for this event. Identically-sized multi-colored balloons are suspended in the air, moving gently with the breeze, but not straying too far out of their positions in a fixed grid arrangement.

All of this wouldn't have affected me before, but it does now.

At least it's slightly foggy, and mildly chilly.

I'd be pissed if even the weather was Perfect when I'm not.

I sit slumped on my foldable chair at the far-most right of the section nearest to the stage, sulking. Well, no, not sulking, because that would imply being at an inferior position, which I'm not. More like... agitated pondering.

Yes, agitated pondering.

After the song ends Suzy comes bumbling back to me from the front of the stage in all her bimbotic splendor.

"Your hair looks like a bird made a nest in it."

"It's called letting loose, Kera. You've been sitting there sulking the whole evening. Come on! Dance with me to the next song!"

"It's agitated pondering! I don't sulk. I'm Kera Rosamund!"

"You're too high-strung. You need a little something to help you relax."

Suzy reaches into the cooler box beside me and gets out two bottles, shaking them excitedly in her hands.

"Tequila or vodka?"

I just stare at her deadpan with my arms crossed.

"Neither. I actually want to enjoy the music, not jump around like a buzzed bunny doing things I know I'll regret the whole night then conveniently forget tomorrow morning."

"Oh come on, Kera. Just one drink! What about a glass of champagne, then? You love champagne."

I sigh heavily, thinking of relenting just to get her to leave me alone so I can have some peace, but as my eyes drift, they land on something, someone, that makes me instantly sit upright in my chair and go rigid.

"No. I don't want tequila, or vodka, or champagne. I don't want any drinks. Just get them away from me and leave me alone," I say stiffly, keeping my eyes locked on the set of green ones across the lawn.

"A little champagne won't hurt—"

I snap my eyes to Suzy's and raise my voice, "God, Suzy, I know you're not the sharpest knife in the drawer but do you not even understand what I'm saying? You don't speak English?"

Suzy blinks a few times, dumbfounded. "I was just..."

"You were just being a dumb bitch who can't take a hint, as usual."

She visibly recoils at my words. "Kera..."

"What, do you think that I'm lying? Trust me, I'm not. I'm being painfully honest here." I scoff, folding my arms tighter across my chest to make it less obvious that my hands are shivering slightly. "What kind of Perfect prances around drunk all the time? You might as well just be a damn Invalid with alcohol addiction."