Chapter Thirty Two - Engagements and Matchmakers

The poorest performing schools could be found near ground levels, the most prestigious in the upper levels, this was perhaps only natural when it was considered that the poorest schools tended to cater for students who were unable to afford to go to a higher level school and the prestigious schools were located in areas wear the wealthy reside.  In the name of 'equal opportunity' and 'fairness', scholarships were available, but these were few and there was much competition for them.  Thus prestigious schools could sit back and watch money and brains walk into their hallowed halls, while looking literally down on lesser schools that had to struggle.  And it was not only students that were attracted there for want of a better life, so the education provided was also the best.

Kez did not go to the best high school in the sector, but he did go to a renowned one.  His natural academic talents kept his grades within the top five of his year and top one hundred in the whole sector.  Unfortunately, an academic class was not the class he was currently taking.

He placed his paintbrush down and pretended to listen attentively as his teacher criticised his painting.  The colours were too vivid, the scene not pleasing, and certain elements looked far too realistic, like a photograph.  "I need to know what I am looking at is a painting, not a screenshot, Mr Manning."  Kez tilted his head to the side and tried to look at the picture from the teacher's point of view.  It was of a green space with small arrangements of flowers and untamed trees.  There were small black seating areas and people in strange clothes walking together with gentle expressions.

"I can't really see what's wrong with it," a female student near to him whispered.

"Are you kidding," her friend retorted.  "What's with all the green?  And are they actually walking on the ground? Gross!"

Kez sighed.  It was true that his picture didn't resemble anything that existed in the controlled environments of skyscrapers.  But the image had just come to him one day and he had simply wanted to paint it.  His steady hand, he thought, gave him an advantage, but instead he produced something that looked too real and made people nervous.  I wonder if Leilei would like it, he thought to himself.

"Hey," one of the two girls chirped. "So what is your class doing for the festival?"

"A haunted house," the girl replied.

Ugh, it was that time of year, although this would be his first school festival in high school.  It was meant to be a time when students could show off their talents to outsiders, to perhaps increase further connections or employment opportunities.  Certain high powered families might even research compatibility charts of students for their precious offspring.  The festival lasted three days and on the last day, outsiders would stop attending and the students would go a little wild.  The school felt it was best to let the students blow off steam inside the school once in a while, less they be tempted outside and cause irreparable damage to their reputations.

Kez didn't like crowds and he didn't like it when his parents came to the school; especially if they were just going to bicker like the time in front of his middle school headmaster.  He had wanted to transfer schools there and then, but that would have meant attending a lower level school and his parents were not about to allow that.  The other problem was the third day tended to become a day of pranks amongst the students and he was always seen as easy prey.

Shaking off the sinking feeling within his stomach, he returned his attention to the painting and began adding a little more detail to the tall elegant figure, wearing a black top hat and an expression of loving amusement.

***

Honor rang the doorbell to the condominium, before adjusting the tight mini-dress that hugged her curves. Her heart beat loudly within her chest as she clutched the large rectangular package beside her. Seconds passed, flowing into minutes and she frowned. She knew her fiancé was in, the wall panel clearly stated the condo had an occupant in residence. Ugh why would he just not alter the finger plate to accept her prints, already? It's not like they won't be married in a few months after all.

Finally, the door clicked open and in rising temper, she did not wait to push through into the condominium. Rush rolled his eyes heavenward over her impatience. "Come in," he muttered, belatedly.

Honor took a deep breath and adjusted her mood, plastering a deep smile upon her face before turning to face her man. "I bought you a little something," she offered, gleefully, passing him the package.

"You shouldn't have," Rush said, amicably. Really, you shouldn't have, he thought as he tore off the brown paper covering the picture.

"It was nothing, really." The painting, a simple still life picture of a rectangular, glass vase holding two leafless white lilies had cost her a fair sum at the auction. It was by an artist who was very popular right now.

Rush was nothing if not honest. "I don't like it," he stated, bluntly and handed back to her before retreating to the open kitchen to grab a drink of bottled water.

"What's wrong with it?" Honor asked, tempering the frustration in her heart.

"It's boring," Rush advised. He suddenly began tossing vegetables onto the side along with a slab of synthetic meat. The man had a tendency to cook whenever he felt irritated, annoyed, restless... whenever really. However, Honor thought he was doing it to slight her.

With a slight huff, she took the framed picture to a wall in the living area, placed it upon it and held it as the frame automatically attached itself. Then the woman stood back and admired her handwork.

"Hi honey, I'm home!" a familiar voice called out as he burst into the room.

"Don't you ever get tired of that?" Rush asked the man.

"Nope!"

Honor turned, eyes narrowed. So her husband to be allowed his manager access to his private quarters, but not her? It was inconceivable! So red was the edges of her vision, that she failed to notice the boy who appeared next to her. "New painting?" He said, glancing at the wall behind her. Rush nodded once. "It's a bit boring.." and then as if he had just noticed her presence; "Oh my God! You're Honor Harlow! Wow! It's an honour Miss Harlow! I'm Xavier!" The boy stuck out his hand, but the actress just looked at it with distain before ignoring him.

"Stop fan girling, Xavier," North told him before stealing a piece of chopped carrot and popping it in his mouth before Rush could stop him. He received a cold glare for his troubles.

"I'm not," Xavier said, blushing and staring at his feet.

Honor coughed in attempt to regain Rush's attention. "Well, it's been.. I have to go, I am meeting daddy for lunch. See me out."

"Why? You know where the door is," Rush told her, his concentration centred on the stew he was throwing together. With an anger huff, she stomped out of the condo, slamming the door behind her.

"I don't like her," Xavier said, decisively.

"Neither do I," Rush admitted.

North groaned, thinking of all the backlash he would receive if the truth of the power couples relationship got out. "You should give her a chance," North suggested. "She can't be all that bad, the company approved the engagement after all."

"Pfft," Xavier laughed. "It's not like her daddy had nothing to do with it, at all!"

"Not helping."

"You're just pissed that Mrs Patterson is on your case again," Xavier teased. North groaned at the thought of his mother, who had handed him another batch of files on women and one young man, who the matchmakers thought were compatible with his own profile. He had honestly tried meeting a couple of women in the past, but the first had her heart set on another man (her mother had chosen North due to his career prospects) and the second had rejected him as soon as she realised that he had no intention of introducing her to the celebrities he managed (namely Rush).

"You don't know how lucky you are to already be engaged," North muttered.

"Then you marry her," Rush offered.

Xavier chuckled before digging out his handheld, tugging it on and waving it towards Rush. "Want to see the latest Wish video?" Rush nodded with enthusiasm and after throwing a few spices into the simmering stew, came over to view. North felt a headache coming on.

***

"I won't be able to come around so often," Kez called out as he changed back into his boy clothes inside the tiny closet.

"Why?" Leilei asked, biting her nails while editing their latest video.

Kez sighed. "Exams are coming up," he stated, "so mum's increased the time she expects me to study. There's also the school festival coming up, so I have to stay at school late to help prepare."

"Ooo, should I come?" Leilei asked, jokingly.

"Don't." They would likely take one look at Leilei in her old, non-conformist clothes and kick her off of the building. Higher Levels did not take well to Grounders. He sighed as he left the closet and murmured quietly; "I think mum and dad will divorce soon. Dad is staying later and later at work and mum has her hopes set on me moving to the upper levels so she can join me."

"Aw sweetie," Leilei enveloped him in a warm hug. After a while she chuckled, even though the moment didn't really call for it. "I wonder what your future spouse would have to say about that!"

"I doubt mum would ever let me wed someone she couldn't manipulate," it was one more bitter pill to swallow about the whole matchmaking thing.

"Wouldn't that rule out your whole manly man requirement?" Leilei asked. Kez nodded and sighed, before waving at the flexi-acrylic sheets upon her bed, each one containing a photo and information of an individual. These were used when files by email 'failed'.

"What about you?"

Leilei groaned when she saw what he was indicating.  Although she was only 18, Matchmakers seemed to think it was best to marry off Grounders early, especially pretty ones like Leilei, who could likely get a match from a mid level. "Did you know Social Services dropped them by when dad refused to?" Her father did not trust matchmakers, he felt they had completely failed him when his wife of a year divorced him and disappeared, leaving him with a two month old baby girl and no hope of remarriage. He had decided to let Leilei pick her own match amongst the Grounders, as was gaining popularity down here. It was another reason Social Services had begun to step in, to prevent potential social anarchy. Leilei picked the flexi-acrylic files up and tossed them into the bin. "And there was not a single female in the bunch."