Perfection

The Main Square of Tay was the center of the town. Though there was a considerable amount of grass and trees separating the patio-like Square from the other more commercial buildings, it was where everything met up. All the roads in the town eventually led to the Square and all of the surrounding buildings had a clear view of it. Back when the town was only just starting up, there was never a dull moment at the Square. Parties were always being held and pleasant music was always being played. But then it all changed when the Initial Seven arrived; when they changed every aspect of merry-making Tay had ever known to become ghost of what it used to be.

Aria, Tama, and Linda walked the one hundred yards or so from Tama's modest home to the Main Square. By the time they had arrived, twilight had just settled over the horizon, giving the huge white tent and tall lit candles a romantic feeling; a feeling Tama never had the chance to enjoy before.

"Don't look now, but there's Finn." Tama teased Aria. And there he was. He was the tall and golden-haired Finn. The kind of guy girls, typical of Aria's class, swoon and trip over. He smiled at something a stranger said and Tama thought about why Aria doesn't like him; doesn't even care for him. Even Tama had to admit that he was handsome and Finn wasn't usually the type that she would pursue. Then again, Tama had no idea what her type would be because she never bothered with that stuff. She had planned her life to be the single one. She planned, secretly, to just fade away from public eye until not a single person knew, recognized, or remembered her. She figured it would be the best way to leave the village and never return.

"I should probably go." Aria said, waving a few fingers at the boy now that he spotted her. "I'll see you around." she said to Tama and received only a nod in return.

"I'm going to see if there's something to drink." Linda said, making her way to the white tent. "Why don't you find a boy worthwhile?" she added with a wink. Tama grimaced but smiled a little to her mother before she left. The girl didn't want to go at first. She didn't want to be noticed. After a thought, however, she thought it best to blend in with the now truly forming crowd of her peers. Maybe she could look like everyone else there.

It didn't take long for Tama to be sorry that she showed up. She was asked to dance once by a boy who clearly only asked so that he wouldn't look like a fool either. Yet when another girl, a tall red-head, sauntered by, Tama became only a passing thought to the nameless boy as he prowled for the more appealing girl. She tried to sway to the music, only feeling awkward. An hour into it, she walked away from the makeshift dance floor to find her mother, typically by the fountain, away from the Square and the lights, with a bottle in one hand.

"Hi Mom." Tama mumbled as she sat beside Linda.

"Hey, kiddo." she said back. "Is this Celebration not doing anything for you?"

Tama shook her head. "It's stupid."

"You know. . ." Linda sat up, a bit straighter, and said, "When I was your age, things used to be fun. Things used to be easy. We had rules, sure. But not like today. Today, you've got to jump when they tell you to and if you don't subordinate, you get chewed out." Linda's voice started to get less care-free and more serious. "It's tortuous, what they're doing to you." She stood up straight for a second but Tama pulled on her sleeve to make her sit back down.

"Mom, what does that have to do with this?" she asked softly.

"They're making you decide your whole life right here, Tama. Don't you see? When was the last time you saw a marriage not government-approved or that sprung up from outside of this village? Or this dance, even?"

Tama didn't know the answer. "Mom, I don't want to think about that right now."

"Well-" but Linda stopped, sobering a little. She saw the way Tama's eyes looked and wrapped her arm around her. "Hey. Hey, I'm sorry. Don't mind me. It's- it's okay."

"But Mom, I don't think it is okay. There's no one here for me. Nobody wants me."

"Shh, shh. Huh-honey don't say-

"It's true!" Tama said, a little louder. "It's true and you-"

"Hey."

Linda and Tama turned to the sound of the voice, only seeing Aria once again.

"Hi." Tama whispered then looked down and away.

"I'll be leaving, now." Linda said, patting her daughter's head and giving Aria a sad smile before she left.

Aria waited a little before she sat next to Tama on the edge of the fountain. Tama was sure that Aria felt awkward but she couldn't tell because she herself felt better that the girl beside her was there.

"Some party, huh?" Aria asked, sarcastically.

At that, Tama laughed a little, making a tear roll down that she wiped with her sleeve. "Yeah. I'm having a blast. What about you and Prince Charming?"

"He's talking to some other girls. I can't say that I'm jealous, though."

Tama looked Aria in the eye. "Why don't you like him? Is he mean, or something?"

"No, no. It's not that. We're just not . . . clicking, I guess. We never did."

"You mean you've courted before?"

"No." Aria answered. "But our grandparents tried to get us to like each other. But we didn't. Couldn't, really. At least I couldn't."

"Why not?" Tama asked, now fully calm and dry-eye.

"Because. . . I liked someone else. Still do, too."

Tama smiled mischievously and asked, only half-kidding, "Well, well, well. Who could Aria, granddaughter of Doro, daughter of well-esteemed Edward, possibly like? Because, as we all know now, her standards are extremely high and-"

But Tama didn't get to finish her sentence. She was stopped by a kiss from Aria and was too shocked to say a word. She was frozen in place, her body filling with heat as Aria whispered, "You."