Page 20 of Falling Double: The Mating Grounds

My sister squeals and pushes me forward as Reid stands up.

“Yes, very serious, and very sure,” he breathes, taking my hands and pulling me close. “Everything on that wall is the truth. I’m infatuated with you. This entire experience was over for me the second you walked through the door. It has only ever been you for me.”

I turn back to look at Imani, shocked and unable to get any words out. She isn’t even looking at us but doing a little victory dance instead. I feel a laugh bubble up and release it, curling into Reid’s arms as I let the wave of emotion wash over me.

“That sounds pretty perfect to me, Reid.”

When the caravan arrives a few weeks later, each pairing that hasn't been declared steps forward one by one, leaving Parker and Imani for last.

The look on the governor’s face as they do the quick problem solving to determine who is left, and what it means, is priceless. I have never felt so cheeky and cheerful.

I managed to snag a romantic, beautiful, sexy guy. Who has eyes only for me. And my sister gets to be with Parker, the little scheming scamps. Romancing each other right under everyone’s noses!

Chapter 15

7 Months After The Choosing

Parker

I don’t know how he did it, but Reid pulled it off. He actually pulled it off.

Everyone agreed to his absolutely unhinged plan to help Imani and I stay together for good. They all declared their pairings to the government, leaving us for last, and by doing so, made it impossible for the government to intervene and force us to choose partners from other zones as per the mandates.

I have never felt so light and free and so nervous at the same time. When the final caravan of supplies was delivered and the last few couples all declared at once, the governor in charge of the caravan immediately realized what we had done and advised us to hold our celebrations until the ruling zone had their say.

The ruling zone. Our zone. Kedua.

My nerves are shot as I continuously run scenarios in my mind, contemplating what decisions might be made.

They could punish us in so many ways. Separating us, imprisoning us for our defiance, sending one of us back here for the next Choosing.

Sweat runs down my back and dampens my shirt in patches. Imani is thrilled, looking on the bright side, in her usual way. But I just cannot breathe easily yet.

My parents are going to either be furious or thrilled with our choice. Selfishly, I hope they are thrilled and plead our case. Their pull in our zone as former Chosen might be the last thing that can tip the scales in our favor.

I don’t know our governor all that well, even with the increased exposure from being my parents’ child, but I sincerely hope she shows us mercy in light of our tragic, forbidden love story. I mean, we couldn’t be more star-crossed if we tried.

Imani

I try to maintain my typical chipper attitude after the caravan governor’s warning. Parker shows visible distress, but everyone else is cautiously optimistic that we may have accomplished what was thought to be impossible. A true love rebellion here in Cria.

Now that it’s a possible—if not definite—option that Parker and I could truly spend our lives together, I can’t keep myself from imagining it.

Going back to Kedua together, living down the street from each of our parents and even my sister and Reid. My entire heart in one place.

The idyllic scenario playing out in my mind is enough to give me, a very placid person by nature, reason to consider truly drastic actions if Parker were to be taken away.

Am I hard enough to be a real rebel, truly?

Dominique

Now that everything is settled, and I know my sister's happiness is mostly secured, I feel the weight lifting from my shoulders. I’m still like ten percent worried, but I can’t let it eat me alive anymore. We’ve all done our best, and the rest is truly out of our hands.

Reid brushes an eyelash off my cheek as I rest my head in his lap, lazing about in the grass outside the compound, trying to enjoy the peace and quiet while we can.

“What are you thinking about?” I ask, as he gazes down at me with a small smile tugging at his lips.

“What a shame it is that you were in such a hurry that day in the shower. It’s all I can think about,” he admits, his eyes turning hungry.

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