2 Chapter 2 • Umbrella

"Vicerra?" He was astounded. His eyes were round and discriminate.

The scene was tense. There I was trying to recall his name. He was a schoolmate before in the university. He was a consistent A-student and we talked a bit since we have the same club and affiliation. His girlfriend, who passed away in the war, was one of my closest friends. We met again before when he was filing forms and here he was now with a smile plastered all over his face. God knows how much guilt I had when he entered. Nieva, I'm sorry. I'm paired with your boyfriend. I never knew it would spiral into this mess. I tried recalling his name. What was it? I can't remember. I can't recall it. Was the state of shock hindered my memory? I couldn't possibly forgot his name all of a sudden. I then remembered it.

"Aldred?" I was shocked too. Something is different about him. His features changed and I can't say that he looked different but his features are better. "I thought I'll never..."

"Make I request your silence please. Given names are not to be spoken during this ceremony. You must forget them now." The presiding officer commanded and she continued. "You will be given ten minutes to evaluate your partner as you wish to decide whether you will stick to the partner given to you."

It only took one minute for Aldred to speak up, "I'm okay with her." Aldred told the presiding officer.

What? Why did you decided too fast?

"How about the female?" The officer was keenly observing me and noted something in her laptop.

"I'm just going to talk to him for some minutes." I begged. I turned to look at him. "I can't believe it. How in the world I got paired with you?"

Aldred's brows furrowed. "I don't know either. Look at your code. It's 136 right?"

"Yes. Yours are 135."

"I think it's about…"

"IQ." The presiding officer told us, "Although intelligence is not passed down by the father, it's a great factor for a child to be raised by an intelligent father."

"Female?" The officer grew impatient.

"I'll use the remaining minutes." I saw a look of disbelief in the eyes of the officer as I told her that. What was wrong in using the allotted time?

"Ms. Presider, how did I get matched up with a person with L instead of Q?"

"Regionalism is not what we're here after. After the ceremony, we will assign you your temporary home and in that place, you will consummate your marriage."

"Consummate?" I was at the edge of my seat. What's with the rush? Can we just get to know each other more before getting comfortable with one another? I saw Aldred looking at me as if I was a fool. Oh. No. Now I get it.

Aldred grabbed my hand and told me, "Do you not know anything?"

He then looked at her, "Yes, ma'am. I'm okay with her. That's my decision. I have decided to accept what my country blessed me with." The grip of his hand was tight and he was sweating profusely. It seems we need to keep our act believable.

I get his idea. Questioning the country's policies will not only get me into trouble, but also my and his family.

"Female?"

It took me a few more seconds for the words to be actually spoken, "Yes ma'am. I have decided to accept what my country has blessed me with."

I felt his breath loosen up and his grip also. His face was a total frown.

"It's decided. Who will be the head of the family? Who would take the surname of the other?"

Aldred exclaimed and raised his hand, "I will accept her surname. She will be the head of the family." His hand travelled to my shoulders.

"May I know the cause?" The woman was doubtful.

"It's simply because her code is higher than mine. We live in a new world now. There is no use to cling on to useless traditions." There was an air of confidence in him. I was deeply awed.

I was speechless by the turn of events. How could I possibly react to that?

The officer smiled at the two of us and began typing something in her laptop. She was looking at Delf seriously.

"You may converse." The officer just watched us.

"I can't believe you got paired with me." He asked. He put a hand on his nape.

"Me either." I sighed and wished harder to the heavens that it was just my previous lover.

"At least, it will be easier for the two of us?" He winked at me. It was an awkward fake wink. I can feel it.

"What?" The idea sunk in my brain, "Oh yeah. Yes. It will be easier to work things out with you. I'm truly blessed by this state." I smiled.

"Good thing that you get along. Your genes are compatible too. Your genetic tree intercepted twice and it's good. Your lines are families of geniuses. Okay but before we assign you anything…" She spoke devoid of emotions and gave us a form each and directed with her finger the things we need to accomplish.

"Male please sign in here and leave a thumb mark." Delf quickly put his thumb in the ink and pressed it hard on the paper.

"Female sign in here and leave a thumb mark."

I signed mine and the stroke of my signature was not right.

Aldred noticed that and told the woman, "The stroke of her signature is not right." Hey. Why does Aldred know that?

"It's okay but be sure to write the characters right next time okay? Even if she signed it wrong, she still signed it. Everything is recorded here."

"Yes ma'am." I passed the document as I left a thumb mark.

"It's decided. Female grab his left hand with your left hand and each of you must place your right hand on the part of your chest where your heart is located and say these words, I take in the Male Code as a member of my lineage, my family, my home, and a part of my life. Give him his new name, a name that you may only call him because he is part of your life now."

I take "I take in 4aL:M135-0003 as a member of my lineage, my family, my home, and a part of my life…" It took me a few seconds to think of a name suitable for him, "Arodelf."

"Settled. Male please give the female a name that you can only call her because she is part of your life now."

"Micella." He looked at me intensely. Good acting, Delf. It really rhymed with Vicerra. He just replaced my name with some letters for it to look different.

The presiding officer sighed, "I will not ask you to kiss since that act is very traditional but if you want to you may."

I tried protesting but he already uttered four words: "It's fine for us."

He winked, "Is it?"

I nodded and he kissed me slightly on the lips. It was brief but it was unlike any kiss I had before.

"Very well." The officer typed in some details in her laptop and after a minute the officer presented us three cards, one for me, one for Delf and one for a house.

"Use these cards. Hand me your citizen cards that you have acquired three years ago and I shall destroy them here. Use the codes presented to you and these cards will be a proof of your identity, citizenship, marriage and other things. You can use your new names but sparringly. You will never ever utter your past names or there will be consequences. Uttering it by accident is forgivable and humans sometimes act on impulse but if the court deemed that you uttered it on purpose, a rightful punishment will be given."

We handed our old cards and she put them in a device equivalent of a paper shredder. The sound was making us cringe. The scent of shredded plastic filled up the room in an instant. Our identities as Vicerra and Aldred are now gone.

"Please proceed to Desk 26 of the Participant Hall to give you the necessary cards and accounts you need. An important reminder, consummate your marriage immediately. The health services will come to your house for a month or earlier to see signs of the female's pregnancy. Is it clear?"

"Yes ma'am." We chorused.

"4aQ:F136-0001 and 4aL:M135-0003 are citizens in this country and therefore must abide with the laws and consider this ceremony obligatory and as your lifetime responsibility. Consider the consequences of not abiding with the state. You can no longer request for a reshuffle. Consider this person beside you as your half for all of your life. Bear in mind that we seek compatibility whether it be for your intelligence quotient, emotional quotient, heredity, and fertility. We know the struggles you may face. We apologize in advance. You may go now."

We both stood up. "Yes ma'am." I speak to his behalf.

Up until this moment, Delf did not let go of my hand.

We were directed to a door at the back of the presider's desk and gestured for the two of us to go ahead. I heard the rings of the cloth slide against the curtain rod. The woman arranged the cloth once again.

I swiped my card and the door opened. Delf lets go of my hand and hugged me, "Good thing I'm not with a stranger." I can sense that he was genuinely happy that I got paired with him. Should I feel the same?

"Should I say that I felt a little awkward about this." I looked at his eyes.

"It's a little awkward but at least we've got someone to lean on." I can smell his familiar perfume. He was too close for comfort. It was my favorite scent. It was so odd.

"Okay... " He pulled me in tighter. The sound of my mouth is muffled since my lips are literally touching his chest. "I'm suffocating." I laughed a bit.

"Don't be silly." I can feel his heart racing.

"I'm afraid of what's going to happen next." His breath intensifies as I uttered those words.

"Don't be." His hug was tighter than ever. I can feel that he was more afraid than I was.

"Don't be afraid, Delf. I know you are." I hugged back.

I did not realize that two guards were looking at us and quickly noted something.

"We're sorry about that," Delf muttered and dragged me away.

We laughed our hearts out, giggling and racing through the dull hallway until we see the door through the Participant Hall. We walked happily until we see Desk 26. The atmosphere of the place seemed dull and lifeless.

The woman on Desk 26 gave us the pamphlet we need to go around town to get what we need. The woman's eyes were on Delf's clothes stained with my red lipstick.

He saw me that I was looking at the woman that was looking at his ruined shirt.

"Oh. This one. We just couldn't get enough of each other. I hug her all the time." He winked at the woman.

"You have options." The woman said. "Do not worry. You can get your supplies and things or you can also visit your house first for a while."

Delf laughed while I was getting the pamphlets and additional documents.

"The lady is getting the wrong idea." I muttered to him.

"No, she doesn't." He edged closer to my neck and breathed. He looked at the maps and directions.

I tensed and was still for some time as his breath tickled my neck.

I quickly put my thumbmark in the papers, "Thank you very much, 4aQ:F136-0001. You may go outside or return to the center's front desk to ask some questions," We were allowed to go now.

The air was cold and the rain is soft but it won't just stop pouring. We were already outside the Participant Hall when I realize that I left my umbrella in the front hall.

"Oh come on!" Delf said in dismay, "Stay here, I'll get it for you."

"No. I'll come with you." I said when he was already walking towards the front area. He quickly stopped and held my hand. His grip was tight, holding on for life.

We were walking in a rapid pace. Hands tightly gripped by the other, that is when I saw my ex-boyfriend.