Kyra looked at herself in the iron framed mirror, twisting and twirling to see different sides of herself. She had traded her usual outfit - black jeans, grey shirt and polished leather boots - for a grey dress that flared out at the waist and black flats. Her usual dark curls were straight for the occasion and fell below her shoulders, tickling the skin her dress left exposed. Only her outfit had changed, but somehow she looked so different, grown up almost.

Her heart was beating rapidly, so hard that she could actually see it. If she wasn't right next to a wall, Kyra probably would have collapsed; she doubted her trembling knees would have supported her. There was no hiding her fear. It demanded to be seen, front and centre, to show everyone how weak she truly was. And it would work. Today was results day, the final day of the Vinctures. The mere thought of it made her stomach twist in knots and her face scrunch up into a grimace.

"You remind me of him in so many ways."

Kyra jumped at the sound of her mother's voice. It was soft and fast, the tone she reserved for talking about her husband. Sure, she talked about him a lot, but when she really opened up about him, Kyra had to listen carefully in order to catch all the little details.

"When he was worried he did the strangest little things, like playing with his hands, chewing his nails, biting his lip." Faye sighed and walked towards her daughter. There was something about the way she moved, a smoothness about it that made you stop and stare, and wish you could move like that. Kyra had been blessed with her mother's slim frame, narrow hips and swiftness, but it made her feel frail, not elegant.

Faye stopped behind Kyra and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm proud to be your mother, Kyra. And he would be proud of you too."

Kyra smiled, not knowing what to say. There were two sides to her mother; the soft, sensitive side from her past, and the pompous, confident side that drove Kyra insane. She never knew which side she was going to get, and it wasn't the kind of mystery she wanted to solve, but today she didn't mind. She just needed a mother, and she didn't care which kind she got.

Don't be late, Citizen.

"The boys are downstairs, we shouldn't leave them waiting." Faye smiled and headed for the hall, leaving Kyra frowning in her wake - it was as though their commands were in sync. Perhaps they were. The Controller in charge of her commands would surely have other citizens under their control. How strange it must be, she thought, controlling someone else's life.

After a few moments, Kyra followed her mother, taking the stairs two at a time. The house looked as it always did - white, grey, clean and familiar - which in itself was a relief. Nothing had changed from the day before - nothing except Kyra. Danny and James were standing in the doorway, lips barely moving as they spoke. Though Kyra couldn't hear their words, their tense postures said enough. Whatever they were discussing, it wasn't good. They stopped talking abruptly as the girls approached, each plastering a fake smile on their lips.

"Jackson," James remarked with a smirk, nodding his head at her. Despite the playfulness of his tone, there was something about the way he looked at her, a seriousness to it, that made her arms cross. "You look great."

"You don't dress up too bad yourself." She wasn't lying; he looked dashing in a suit of pale grey, one that made his light gold skin stand out, and his hair shine like a halo of sunlight. The only thing out of place was the purple bags under his eyes - she wasn't the only one who'd tossed and turned all night.

"How are you feeling?" she asked quietly, linking her arm through his as they strolled down the street; though there were people all around, over the babble and laughs, Kyra was sure no one would be able to hear them. After their conversation yesterday she wasn't sure what would trigger that side of him again or where they stood. If he had spoken like that around other people, or with his bracelet on, it would have ended in punishment.

As they strolled, Kyra leading and James lagging behind, the scenery never changed. It was identical house connected to identical house, with the occasional tree now and then. Kyra stared at them, transfixed by the perfection of their flaws. Where was the colour? The overgrown gardens? The backyard swing sets - backyards at all, for that matter? That's what the author of her favourite book described the past to be like. Colourful, peaceful and bright. A little unorganized and a bit dirty, but beautiful all the same. All Kyra could see was a maze of grey; a concrete graveyard of perfection.

Be thankful, Citizen. You are lucky.

"I'm fine. At least about the Vinctures," James added.

"You could tell me if you're not." As she looked at him sideways he glanced away.

James didn't seem to be listening. They had reached the entrance to the underground train, one of the only things from the past that hadn't been taken out of the city. The only thing they'd done to improve it was to run it on solar power. James looked away from the entrance, his eyes set on something past the fence that Kyra couldn't see. It reminded her of her test. James' crime had been trying to escape. Was he thinking about it now? About how easy it would be to leave and live out there in the wild, with no one telling him what to do, or how to act? Was he wishing it could happen?

"Come on, we can't be late." The edge to his voice made her look up. It was only then, in the bright morning light, that she realised how frail he looked. She had seen the bags under his eyes, but not the weak boy underneath. Her grip on his arm tightened.

James pulled Kyra gently and led her down the steps, her family's footsteps clanging on the stairs behind them. Now that Danny and her mother had caught up it would be impossible to talk about what had happened the night before, especially on such an important day; the Controllers would be working overtime.

The station was filled to the brim with men, women and children, all of which were dressed in their finest gowns and suits. Their sector housed the doctors, scientists, and the council members; the faces Kyra saw plastered all over posters and campaigns, the ones she was supposed to look up to. The next section had Enforcers, and the one after that had the Maintainers; cooks, cleaners, farmers, factory workers and builders.

With a faint hum, the train came around the corner, emitting an electronic beep as it did so. It moved so fast it was a blur, worrying Kyra that it might miss them entirely and keep on going, but it stopped at the last second. At once people began filing in, smiles breaking out on their faces as they spotted people they knew from other sections of the city. Despite the differences in housing over the city, there had never been any strife between the citizens. Maybe it was the bracelets, or maybe it was just them being nice - Arabel had always been peaceful.

James led the way to a free bench in the train. Sighing, Kyra followed. Danny shuffled away, shouldering through the crowd in an attempt to find his friends or Evaleen, no doubt.

Faye took the empty seat next to James. "Where are your parents today?"

"There's another city council meeting. It's the 400th anniversary of Arabel." He stared down at his clenched hands as he spoke, eyes narrowed and jaw taut. Kyra didn't know what was worse; having only one parent, or having parents that were too busy to look after you. Being on the city council, James' parents rarely had a free moment. Their idea of family bonding was a weekly review of James' behaviour.

"I'm sorry they won't be here to see your result ceremony." Faye gripped James' hand. He smiled tightly at her, and though it wasn't a very good attempt, Kyra knew he was trying his hardest. Unlike James' parents, Faye had always been there for him; she patched him up after punishments, called to make sure he was alright during storms, and was always there to give him advice. It was hard to see how anyone could hate her - but then again they weren't raised by her for the last eighteen years, they didn't have the same pressure to succeed.

Kyra glanced at James' face, trying to see what was on his mind. His parents possibly. Ashley definitely. Or maybe, just maybe, he was worried about his results. Kyra rested her head on his shoulder. It seemed to help. As he returned the gesture, she let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. There was something comforting about his skin against hers.

The train glided along smoothly, turning this way and that without the citizens feeling so much as a bump. Although she was sure the cabin was alive with noise, Kyra couldn't hear anything over the pounding of her heart.

To distract herself, she ran her hands along the wall behind her, tracing pictures along its smooth exterior. The texture reminded her of her collection of old leather bound books at home. In the summer time, she and James would lie down in the grass patch between their houses and read them together, discussing the deeper meaning behind every character action or literary device. James claimed to do it only for her sake, but she'd caught him slipping books into his pockets more than once, a fact that never failed to make her smile.

Those memories were almost enough to take the weight off of her shoulders. Almost.

Dazzling sunlight fell through the windows as the train left the tunnel. A rail ran across the surface of the city river; how it worked, Kyra wasn't sure, but somehow the train managed to get to the other side without disturbing the water at all. As they rushed by the river it was as smooth as ever, not even a single crease breaking the calm. If Kyra stretched her neck, she would have been able to look up and see all of the towers, but in a second they had entered the tunnel on the other side, and were engulfed in dim, artificial light once more.

Just as Kyra was adjusting to the dim light, the train hurled to a stop, flinging her sideways into James. Citizens flooded to exit in a herd as they fought their way out into the station. Kyra stuck close to the rail, James' hand catching on hers as they climbed up the steps and emerged into the bright sunlight. They were met with the river on one side and the city hall on the other; even from a distance she could see the city flags and marble chairs, enough to seat over a hundred thousand citizens.

Flags covered the exposed marble walls, and the stage was exactly the same, only this time a set of raised seats had been placed next to the president's podium. A faint breeze came off the river, cooling the nervous sweat that had formed at the nape of her neck as they joined the herd of citizens leaving the boardwalk.

As they reached the fence surrounding the hall Danny pulled Kyra to a stop. "Well," he said, and as he smiled - a smile so much like their father's - Kyra had to push back the ache settling in her chest. "Good luck, Kye. Not that you'll need it," he added with a grin.

He pulled Kyra into a tight hug, wrapping his strong arms around her waist as he whispered encouragements into her ear - she wasn't sure exactly what he said, but she picked out the words 'kick', 'ass', and 'love', which were enough to make her laugh. Faye kissed both Kyra and James on the cheek, tears swimming in her eyes. Kyra squeezed Faye's hand lightly, not wanting to hug her mother as it felt too much like a goodbye. I will see her again in an hour, right after the ceremony, and we'll all be together to celebrate. Or plan my death, depending on the outcome.

The test is fair, citizen. You will get a fitting result.

Kyra watched her family walk away with a shaky breath. It was the first time she'd really noticed how different they looked without her father there. She'd always been with them, a part of them, but without her they were two members short. Soon it would be like that permanently; Kyra had almost forgotten that Danny would be moving out in a few weeks, and a year after that it would just be her mother. The thought of it made her eyes prickle, so much so that she had to force herself to look away.

"All Testers to the stage." The president stepped up to the podium, his midnight blue suit hiding the wrinkles around his eyes but deepening the dark circles. It was unlike him to look so tired. But, Kyra supposed, being a president had to take a lot out of you, especially when there were issues like the one involving Alexia Ruth.

James grabbed Kyra's wrist, holding onto it tightly as he stumbled up the steps to their row, making Kyra frown; James never stumbled. He was always so sure of what he was doing, so sure of everything in his life. Kyra looked down at his hands, which were clenched in his lap, and took one of them. It was shaking and tensed, but she managed to force his palm open. She drew small circles across it, like her father used to do to her when she was nervous.

"You know we're going to be fine, right?" The sentence came out in a whisper as Kyra watched him, her hands still ensnaring one of his. The tensing of his knuckles was the only sign of response he showed.

He looked towards the river in the distance, his eyes crinkled and his jaw set; if Kyra didn't know what to look for, she'd never know he was nervous. "Yeah," he said, though his voice was distant, as though his mind was set on more important matters. "It's just... I don't know what's going to happen. What are we going to be?"

"Us. The Vinctures change our social status and how we spend our time five days a week, not us or our choices. We'll still be us, James, nothing can change that."

James managed a smile, though he shuffled slightly in his seat - Kyra suspected that, unlike her, he wasn't trying his hardest to avoid being zapped, and using words like those was the perfect way to enrage a Controller. Kyra patted his back lightly, trying to reassure him with the light touch, but it only made her stomach squirm; how could I tell him that when I don't believe it myself? "You'll be you, and I'll be me. Best friends forever," she added with a grin.

James turned towards her with his brows slightly raised and his usual smolder back in place. "That was the cringiest thing I have heard in my entire existence," he said, leaning in so close she could smell the mint toothpaste on his breath. "And keep in mind I've been to every single city function since I was born, that's what you're competing with."

Kyra laughed - a true laugh, something she had thought would be impossible - and James joined in, showing off his famous lopsided grin. It was cut short by a sharp thud and the sound of someone clearing their throat. Kyra turned to watch the president as he stared at the crowd, waiting with a clenched jaw for silence to fall.

"Welcome back, Citizens." The president's impatient glare was quickly replaced by a friendly one as he gave the crowd his usual dazzling smile. "Yesterday, the Testers before me fought valiantly. They showed bravery, respect and integrity, as well as intelligence: the things our society values most. And today, they will stand, like the many great citizens who came before them, and receive their fate."

The way he talked made it sound as though they'd fought in the war, or done something that actually mattered, something a truly brave person would do. Anyone could do a fake test and pretend to kill the people they loved, but Kyra doubted anyone in Arabel would be brave enough to actually kill someone if it came down to their survival or someone else's. They were too kind for that, and far too smart. They'd find another way.

Kyra barely listened as he droned on with his usual speech, his words and phrases blurring together so that they didn't make sense anymore. Were his lips supposed to move so fast? Was the crowd supposed to look so restless? Yesterday, the world had been in slow motion, but today, it was on fast forward. She didn't even get a chance to look for her family in the crowd.

Listen to the president, Citizen.

"We will now proceed to the 400th result ceremony in Arabel. Good luck, Citizens."

Kyra's breath came in a sharp inhale as her hand tightened around James'. The crowd was silent, empty of the whispers and occasional coughs that usually accompanied it. It was as though someone had pressed mute on the audience. All Kyra could hear was her heart beating in her chest, someone's foot tapping an uneven rhythm and unsteady breathing from all around.

She remembered from previous years that a citizen would be called up and given their job, then their partner would stand up and receive their own. Standing up at the same time was supposed to show unity between the two, and mark the beginning of their marriage. What a way to meet, she thought, on a stage with everyone you know watching, with no opportunity to show how much you hated them already.

Pay attention, Citizen.

"Arthur Abbey." A short boy with glasses stood up and walked to the centre of the stage. His hands moved automatically towards his legs, as though to stop them from shaking, but it didn't help in the slightest - Kyra felt a sharp pang of sympathy for the boy. "Science sector."

The boy let out a shaky breath and smiled, before letting his face fall slack – he still had to find out his partner. Whether it was a nervous habit, or just because his face was sweaty, the boy constantly attempted to push his spectacles back up his nose.

"Clare Green." True to her name, a petite girl with bright emerald eyes - so much so that they shone like a beacon and lit up her whole face - got to her feet. She raised her head fearlessly and waited for her fate. It was strange, seeing her stand next to her shaking partner. Almost as though they were exact opposites. "Supply sector."

She breathed a sigh of relief, which was visible even from where Kyra sat. It was one of the safest jobs in Arabel. All she had to do was box up foods and deliver them, and because of her husband's job, she would probably be living in the nicest part of Arabel. She wasn't like those chosen to be Enforcers or Controllers, whose lives depended on their strength and ruthlessness. Clare smiled up at her new partner, wrapped an arm around his waist and led him off the stage.

The rest of the ceremony passed in a blur. Kyra tried to listen to what was going on, to take notice of the people and things happening around her, but all she could think about was herself. The possibilities of what could happen were endless. Would she get a good job? Who would her partner be? Would she like them?

Her gaze wandered to the back of the crowd. The last few rows were mainly the elderly, who didn't look nearly as worried as the families before them. It must have been great not to worry, to not be afraid.

As Kyra's eyes continued roving, they landed on something bizarre. A boy. Probably the strangest one she'd ever seen. It wasn't that he was unattractive; from what Kyra could see, he was rather good looking, with cropped black hair and dimples in his smile. He was tall and lean, his skin a light tawny brown warmed by the sun. But it was everything else about him that unsettled her.

Unlike the citizens before her, he wasn't dressed to impress in grey. In fact, he was wearing a pale blue shirt that hugged the faint muscles of his arms, and a pair of khaki shorts that almost blended into the shadows. Kyra wondered how he had slipped past the gate in that ensemble, or whether she was simply imagining him. He grinned at her and saluted, and before Kyra could help herself, she smiled back. It was too bizarre not to.

Kyra was snapped out of her trance by the clapping of the crowd. A pair walked off the stage shakily, leaning on each other as they stumbled down the steps and out of sight. Kyra looked back to find the boy, but he was already gone. Something nagged at her chest as she put her focus back on the president, but all she could think about was what would happen next.

"James Henderson."

Kyra's breath jammed in her throat as the boy next to her got to his feet. James crossed to the centre of the stage with a set jaw, all the while standing up straight. If it weren't for the balled fists, Kyra might not have known he was nervous, but she knew him better than that; that knowledge didn't help her though. All it did was fill her with dread.

"Be kind to him, give him everything he deserves and more. Give him happiness." Kyra stifled the whisper with her hand, and narrowed her eyes, unable to bear what was about to happen - whether the outcome was good or bad.

"Enforcing sector."

James' face didn't falter as his job was read out. He didn't even wince. He was an Enforcer. His safety wasn't ensured. He could die if he was sent outside, just as Kyra's father had - she could lose them both to the same job. Lifting her chin up, she pushed away the emotion inside of her that made her want to cry, scream and vomit all at the same time, and instead listened to the president as he read out James' partner in a clear, ringing voice.

"Kyra Jackson."

— author's note —

Hey guys! How's it going? Thanks again for taking the time to read my work, it's four years in the making so your feedback means the world to me.

What do you think about James' results? What result do you think Kyra will get?

Please leave a comment or vote if you enjoyed the chapter!