Unmarked
Chapter Two
Soft music flowed through the large reception hall. Toasts had been made, and countless rounds of applause had been given. Camilla sat at one of the small round tables, nibbling on various appetizers she had selected from the buffet table that had been set up at one end of the room. Her parents were mingling with other adults throughout the room. Cam kept mostly to herself, only speaking when prompted. She figured her silence was her best defense against the questions from the adults about her future wedding plans.
Cam’s gaze flitted about the reception hall. The wedding attendees stood in small groups about the room. A handful of women stood with the bride, giggling at something amid the conversation. A few couples were dancing slowly around the small dance floor. One could always spot the married couples from the unmarried ones. Whereas married couples danced with their bodies close to one another, unmarried couples offered space between their bodies, making dancing a somewhat awkward act for them.
Even though the concept of dating did not actually occur outside of mark-matches, teenagers around Cam’s age enjoyed getting to know various persons of the opposite sex who were unmatched. This gave them the opportunity to possibly build up a basic relationship with their intended match. The downside was the secrecy of the marks. Not being able to see, or even talk about, the marks made it more difficult to positively find one’s match before their presentation.
From Cam’s estimates, there were about sixty people in her class being presented with her. Add in the ones that have yet to be matched, (Cam estimated around 20), and the possibility that a match could have a younger age….it was just too many people that Cam did not want to get to know all that well. Cam didn't see a point in getting a guy’s hopes up that she was going to be his match. She pretended to flirt enough to keep up her facade, but didn't go any further. Truth be told, she had no interest in finding a significant other. Even if she had a mark, she didn't think she would be looking for a significant other.
Cam wished to travel, to learn. She wanted to use her experiences to make a better person of herself. These things weren't totally unheard of in society, but other duties were expected from its members first. Young adults were expected to find their match and produce children. These children would be expected to go to school, and then learn their future trade. Sons learned their trades from their fathers, and daughters from their mothers. Careers were passed through bloodlines, chosen as soon as the sex of a couple’s child was revealed. Then, when those children came of age, the whole cycle repeated itself. Anyone who deviated from the expected path was unofficially shunned from everyone else in the community; cut off from family and friends.
Cam’s father worked as a plumber for an architectural company, and her mother was a seamstress for a small dress shop. A lifetime of needle-poked fingers and the endless hum of Singer sewing machines were in Camilla’s future. Just the idea of it made her groan.
“Care to dance?” A masculine voice pulled Cam from her inner musings. She looked up to see a man in a suit standing next to her. She slightly recognized him from around town. She thought he graduated from her high school a few years before. He smiled at her as he held out his hand to her. Cam had to admit, even though she didn't find herself attracted to him, he was handsome. She smiled gently at him and accepted his offered hand. She hoped the dancing would distract her enough to make the rest of the celebration pass by quickly.
Cam’s gaze flitted about the reception hall. The wedding attendees stood in small groups about the room. A handful of women stood with the bride, giggling at something amid the conversation. A few couples were dancing slowly around the small dance floor. One could always spot the married couples from the unmarried ones. Whereas married couples danced with their bodies close to one another, unmarried couples offered space between their bodies, making dancing a somewhat awkward act for them.
Even though the concept of dating did not actually occur outside of mark-matches, teenagers around Cam’s age enjoyed getting to know various persons of the opposite sex who were unmatched. This gave them the opportunity to possibly build up a basic relationship with their intended match. The downside was the secrecy of the marks. Not being able to see, or even talk about, the marks made it more difficult to positively find one’s match before their presentation.
From Cam’s estimates, there were about sixty people in her class being presented with her. Add in the ones that have yet to be matched, (Cam estimated around 20), and the possibility that a match could have a younger age….it was just too many people that Cam did not want to get to know all that well. Cam didn't see a point in getting a guy’s hopes up that she was going to be his match. She pretended to flirt enough to keep up her facade, but didn't go any further. Truth be told, she had no interest in finding a significant other. Even if she had a mark, she didn't think she would be looking for a significant other.
Cam wished to travel, to learn. She wanted to use her experiences to make a better person of herself. These things weren't totally unheard of in society, but other duties were expected from its members first. Young adults were expected to find their match and produce children. These children would be expected to go to school, and then learn their future trade. Sons learned their trades from their fathers, and daughters from their mothers. Careers were passed through bloodlines, chosen as soon as the sex of a couple’s child was revealed. Then, when those children came of age, the whole cycle repeated itself. Anyone who deviated from the expected path was unofficially shunned from everyone else in the community; cut off from family and friends.
Cam’s father worked as a plumber for an architectural company, and her mother was a seamstress for a small dress shop. A lifetime of needle-poked fingers and the endless hum of Singer sewing machines were in Camilla’s future. Just the idea of it made her groan.
“Care to dance?” A masculine voice pulled Cam from her inner musings. She looked up to see a man in a suit standing next to her. She slightly recognized him from around town. She thought he graduated from her high school a few years before. He smiled at her as he held out his hand to her. Cam had to admit, even though she didn't find herself attracted to him, he was handsome. She smiled gently at him and accepted his offered hand. She hoped the dancing would distract her enough to make the rest of the celebration pass by quickly.