Ariana and I grew up next door. Inseparable. Went to the same school, the government let us get the same jobs, and we still live with our parents until a match can be found.

Except last night Ariana told me she isn’t waiting for a match. Here’s how it went.

“Daisy, I’m not waiting for some stupid machine to tell me who to marry,” Ari shouted in an outburst during our scheduled break.

“What do you mean? You can’t just marry whoever you want. Who would you even marry?” I replied hastily, not even taking time to breath. Secretly I had been hoping for this.

“I sure can. Just because we are nurses doesn’t mean we can’t rent law books at the library. What I want isn’t covered in the law, and according to Statute 224, I can do it,” she whispered as our coworker passed by.

“Men and women have to get matched. It’s law,” I told her, shaking my head. Ariana roughly grabbed my hand, pulling me into the hallway.

“Men and women. Not two women. And I think you knew what you were saying when you pointed out genders,” Ariana explained.

“I know,” I replied, looping my fingers through hers.

What happened after that ended in a secret engagement and that’s all you need to know.

—————— 1 Month Later ——————

We left a letter on each of our parent’s kitchen tables. Telling them we are going to apply for a marriage license together. And one letter to our good friend Alan, he works for the government approved newsletter. We both wanted to tell them to their faces, with respect.

I know it’s the right thing to do, but I can’t bring myself. Ariana is more confident than I am and even she is afraid they’ll push against our plans.

The steps to the courthouse are a shiny marble, and the sun is glaring at us like society would.

“Hello, how can we apply for a marriage license?” Ariana asked more loudly than I would have liked.

“Oh ma’am you and your boyfriend both need to show your mate card for a proof of match,” the secretary said while juggling a phone and a notepad.

“Well my girlfriend and I aren’t legally required to do so, and are also not breaking any laws by getting married,” Ariana replied.

“Your WHAT?” the secretary questioned, whipping her head up so fast that the loose bun on her head fell out. A blood vessel in her forehead popped up, along with an eyebrow.

“I’m her girlfriend, and we aren’t breaking any laws so please help us get this license,” I piped up hopefully.

“O-ok. Follow me right this way,” the woman replied, leading us through multiple doors and conference rooms, all while phoning someone about our “situation”.

Pushing open a black door, a large empty room welcomed us more than its occupants. A tall, bald man in a suit and someone behind him frowned at us.

“Mr. President, I’m so sorry I didn’t know you’d be attending today,” the secretary said.

The President nodded at her and flicked his hand, and the bald man shoved her out of the door speedily.

“Ladies. Sit.”

We sat, obviously.

“You can meet your match right now and forget this ever happened, or you can face the punishment of your actions. Rules are in place for a reason. You cannot break them,” the President explained to us.

After digesting the fact that I was talking to the President, Ariana’s voice rang through my ears.

“We will face whatever consequences toy bigots want.” she spat at the men.

“Miss.... Daisy Mattingly, how about you?” he asked.

“I think my fiancé summed it up perfectly,” I said, grabbing Ariana’s hand for support.

“Oh well, Bruce you know what to do,” he said to the bald man. Quickly the man tore Ariana away from me, and I ran towards her as she wrestled free of his grasp. The doors were locked, so I pulled her into a deep embrace, lips intertwining.

Then she fell to the ground at the sound of a gunshot.

OH MY GOD NO. The screams I hear are all mine, blood covering my hands as I shake her lifeless body. NO NO NO.

And then they get me too. But the letters we left. People will know. We aren’t really gone.