5 Chapter 5: Ripples

"Silly, Micella. I'll never want to lose you too." He hugged me and said, "Let's go back to pick the rest."

We got to the home supply office again to pick up the remaining boxes. We got the near gas station. I swiped the card in a nearby gas station and Arodelf fueled the car full tank.

When we got home, we noticed that there was a camera posited near the doorstep, just like in everybody's home. We both know what we should do. Arodelf held me in front of the camera, "I'm sorry I have to do this."

He placed a hand on my chin and kissed my lips aggresively. His hands were placed on my side. I was going to be driven into something surreal when I felt a jolt of pain.

"Ouch." He should have felt my pain from the scars of my operation.

"Oh sorry." He was searching for the origin of the pain. "What? Was it your jaw?"

"No. My stitches aren't that quite that healed near my abdomen you know."

"Sorry. Let's take a seat. I have scars too. Especially this one." He gestured on his jaws as we sat on a couch.

The couch was very soft and it could have been worth thousands.

His jaws have little seamless scars on each side. "Oh. I did not notice it until now. Your jaw is bigger."

"They told me its the female's preference."

"My jaw is operated too as I told you earlier, right?"

"Yes. It was in one of the group of features presented to me for selection and I never thought it's going to be you."

"I had a clue though but I never thought it was you. They told me that I have an IQ of 136 and they told me I am to be paired to a 135. I thought it was my previous boyfriend. He had an IQ of 135."

I grabbed the cloth of my skirt to wipe the sweat teeming in my palms.

"Oh. I have my preferences too." He stood and was at the doorway carrying the boxes towards the kitchen. I helped him carry the boxes to their designated places.

"I see. So...your preferences are a slim jawline and a petite body?" I opened the boxes and arranged the condiments in the countertop.

"Two of many preferences." He said as he placed the soap and detergents in a cabinet.

"Did I matched any of them now?" I looked at him.

He laughed and put the box aside and sat on a chair, "Of course they do." He smiled at me and gestured me to sit on the chair beside him.

"So..." I sat on the chair opposite of him.

"Did you requested for someone like your previous?"

"No. Don't get me wrong Micella. I was given plenty of options. We were given twenty-six group of qualities to choose from. I tapped onto the screen and that's it. I thought you undergone the same process too?"

"I was only given thirteen. I don't have much of a choice. I choose what I really like for a partner."

"Well, since the war struck, the male population decreased. Women doesn't have many men to choose from. Do you mind telling me what are those characteristics?"

"Is that illegal?"

"Not anymore. We're married, aren't we?"

I got the little receipt in my bag and read it to him. "Just to remind you I had no choice when it comes to physique! Physical: H-M-9 above average to tall height; S-9 fair skintone; F-C-3 broad jawline; M-M-456 apparent back muscles; M-M-334 apparent abdominal muscles (optional), A-6 above average to handsome looks; GEN-7 no abnormalities, GEN-5 no physical defects, S-66 and you know what."

"You know what?" He inquired and I looked down and he eventually got it.

"Oh." He blushed. "Wait, we have a choice on emotional and affective traits are we? What did you pick?"

"Mentality, Sociability, and Skills: A4-34 smart (high inclination of introvertism); B6-93 creative (high inclination for innovation); E4-289 sociable (high inclination towards bluntness); C4-134 dependable (low iclination for polar episodes); E4-69 thoughtful; A9-31 artistic (low inclination for musical interpretation; high inclination for visual arts); E4-234 good sense of humor (high inclination towards a positive discussion and interaction); B7-90 sound judgement; A1-2 High inclination towards ethics and utilitarianism; and A1-5 noble character (Type B: refer to code B311156-F)."

"You were given those qualities to choose from? They really thought of me of having those capabilities?"

We fell silent.

"Well, Micella. If you would ask me, I don't think so. Are you sure I have that 'you know what'?" He smirked and we both laughed.

"What were your choices?" I asked him reluctantly.

He grabbed his receipt too and exclaimed: "A-4 pretty; proportioned or sexy body (specified vital stats *-*-*); F-C-8 slim jawline; S-9 fair skintone, H-F-7 average height; GEN-7 no abnormalities; GEN-5 no physical defects (specified e.g. blemishes, skin discoloration or other unnecessary features); and M-F-38 big breast (optional)."

"You're blunt."

"I know. Next! A4-34 smart (high inclination of introvertism); B6-93 creative (high inclination for innovation); E4-223 sociable (high inclination towards verbosity); D7-33 enthusiastic and positive; C4-154 thoughtful (high iclination for self-doubt); A9-54 artisitic (high inclination to general knowledge of arts); D3-33 inclination to a bubbly personality; B9-67 serious (a high inclination towards wisdom); E3-55 caring; E3-49 lovable and loving, A9-1 high inclination towards social justice; and A1-6 noble character (Type C: refer to code B311356-A)."

"That was specified? I don't think I matched any of them."

"I thought so too. You were just pretending to be mean and all, is it? I know you had undergone plenty procedures too. It's devastating. They are creating a perfect world out of preferences."

"The pairings are predestined after all." I told him as I was fixing my hair.

"Yes and I really don't like the sound of that." Arodelf made an indecision of saying that.

"Don't say that." I held his hand, "We have each other after all." He gestured me to come close to him and I sighed.

"Kiss me, Micella." It was a bit sudden. He kissed me as if he never kissed me before. I thought this was it, but he let go swiftly. "I'm sorry. I didn't…know what I was doing."