STEEL (The Aurum Trilogy Book 1)

Chapter 15

FIFTEEN

Daniel

            I dressed up as casually and simply as I can, putting on a crisp white shirt over plain-looking jeans. I tousled my dark hair and took one last look at mirror and smiled. I had to look unsuspicious and as much as possible, I have to blend in. I have to look as if I belonged in the poorer divisions. I have to temporarily say goodbye to all the glamor and pretend I was one of them. It would be difficult, not knowing anyone inhabiting those places at all. But then, I was lucky because I’d blend in very well. I’m not as popular as Jonathan and I preferred to avoid the limelight of being a son of a Control officer. I was unlike Jonathan who sometimes, although he won’t admit it, could be such an attention whore. I was momentarily startled at how different the both of us are. Jonathan was rebellious, loud and sarcastic. I was timid, quiet, always following orders and serious. He never committed to anything. He usually toyed around with everything including girls who would line up just to meet him or talk to him even if they knew that The Control will set a probable match for him in the near future. But still, they hoped that they’d get picked as his match. Every girl in town simply dreamt of having him as a husband when they reach twenty. After all, he was the most eligible bachelor in the whole of Aurum. He mastered the art of lying and deceiving. He could charm you with his words and make you believe in the most obvious of lies. He had talent. I’ve heard him sing a few times and he wasn’t much of a lousy dancer. Everybody adored him even if he went his own ways against The Control’s rules. He had it all while I remained his sidekick and best friend. To the public, I am unknown. I’m Jonathan’s shadow. I was shy and silent. I always abided by the rules imposed by The Control. I’ve never committed to anybody or anyone as I was waiting for the right time when The Control would hand me my evaluation results including the girl they’ve picked for me to be with for the rest of my life. I’ve spent my seventeen years preparing myself for her. I wanted to become the best husband she would get. I didn’t want to fail the Control even in that aspect. I lied sometimes, but I was pretty bad at it. Jonathan told me I sucked that even an old man with poor memory would’ve caught me off-guard. I had no talent. I was plain and normal like everybody else. I loved music but I didn’t sing. I danced but not too much. I admit, sometimes I envied the life Jonathan Kress had. He was the perfect guy. He had a new car every month and a walk-in closet filled with million-dollar clothes. His house had touch screens everywhere and obeyed to his voice commands. Everybody loved his personality and girls swooned over his bewitching looks. He had friends like me to accompany him along the way. He was even matched to the daughter of Aurum’s president. His future was secure and sealed. To cut the long list short, Jonathan had it all on the palm of his hands. He was lucky but he didn’t realize it. I shook my head. If only Jonathan yielded to The Control, he would have the future everyone has dreamt of having.  If only he listened to my warnings on the eve of his birthday, things wouldn’t have been more complicated. If only I did my very best to stop him instead of consenting his actions, things wouldn’t have gotten worse. But I have him to thank for in this mission. This is what I just needed to prove to The Control that I am worthy of their trust, that my loyalty will always belong to them, that I would give up anything to serve them. It was clear that my friendship with Jonathan was over. We would never had that same brotherly trust anymore. I touched my cheek and felt the small bruise and winced. I remembered the way he punched me when I told him that Lauren left her. He wouldn’t do that to me if we remained friends, never in a million years. He wasn’t like this. I knew Jonathan. Usually, when he encountered a girl, he’d flirt with her and allow the girl to flirt with him as well. They’d play along, engage in long conversations, get drunk, and hook up in the middle of the night, knowing the odds are they aren’t going to be together in the future. When he woke up in the morning, he’d forget about the girl he mingled with last night. It was as if he’d encountered a ghost that vanished when the sun rose up. Those girls remained a distant past, a single twinkling star in the midst of a million other burning ones. But I sensed that Lauren was different. She had some effect towards Jonathan that nobody has ever given him before. He made Jonathan protective towards her even if he probably knew he was wrong. His fist landing on my jaw was a simple sign that confirmed my hunch. It was hard to believe that Jonathan could actually commit to something. It was as if, for the first time, my former best friend had something worth fighting for. No, not something, someone worth fighting for.