have liked,
and they seemed to have spent what seemed like hours looking around
the different levels. It all looked the same to Anais, but Dalla had
kept pointing out different computers and whispering excitedly what
model it was, and what kind of software it could run. She'd almost
fainted from excitement when one employee with a large orange quiff
had agreed to show her how to code a piece of software on his
computer. Anais suspected this was less to do with being helpful,
and more to do with Dalla's magnetic way of charming people into
doing what she wanted.
Now they were in Civitas' canteen, situated above the observation
deck. The only good thing to come out of this whole trip was that
the machines in the canteen thankfully didn't read their ID chips,
meaning Anais was allowed to order anything she wanted without the
need to bother about her protein levels. As she licked the
strawberry ice cream she'd coerced Dalla into buying for her, Anais
stood at the window staring out at the city as the sun began to set.
It would be dark earlier tonight. Already a few pinpricks of light
were being to appear as the city began to wind down for the evening.
It was strange – although she still felt hurt and angry over the
way she'd been treated, there was something soothing about looking
out over the city with it's spiralling skyscrapers and the winding
river. She might not agree with the way the city was run, but she
couldn't help but think how beautiful it was. In some ways, it gave
her hope that no matter how ugly her immediate future looked, there
was always something better and brighter to look forward to.
There were footsteps behind her and she turned to see Xander coming
towards her, now dressed in jeans and a dark t-shirt. He smiled as
he got nearer and planted a kiss on her cheek.
“ Hello
again,” he said cheerfully as he scooped the ice cream cone out of
her hands and licked it. “Mmm, that's nice.”
“ Hey,”
Anais laughed, trying to snatch it back, but he held it up high out
of her reach. “Give that back. I've had to follow Dalla all over
this stupid building today, I've earned it.”
“ Hmm,”
he pretended to think. “Okay. You can have it back. It'll cost
you, oh, two kisses though.”
Anais happily obliged, though she was secretly glad that there was
no one around to witness their display of affection. As they pulled
apart, Anais grabbed the ice cream back before Xander could change
his mind. She licked it happily as they both turned back to study
the view. Happiness swelled in her chest as she leant her head
against Xander's shoulder and he put an arm around her. They stood
for a moment, gazing out over the city, not needing to fill the
comfortable silence between them.
“ I'm
sorry,” Xander said in his quiet voice, and in an instant Anais'
happy mood deflated. She didn't need to ask him what he was sorry
for. She remained silent, unwilling to talk about her disastrous
career's advice again. She didn't want to think about it or discuss
it, she was sure she'd have enough grief from her parents about it
when she got home; all she wanted to do right now was eat her ice
cream, spend the night curled up with Xander and then enjoy her last
day of freedom tomorrow.
Anais shrugged her shoulders, stuffing the rest of her cone into
her mouth so she wouldn't have to talk.
“ It
won't be forever,” Xander said, and the words rankled.
“ Funny,”
Anais said as she swallowed. Her voice came out sharper than she
intended. “Dalla said the same thing. But I've never once heard of
anyone getting a transfer out of their career, have you?'
Xander was silent for a few seconds while he contemplated this.
“ True,
but just because we've never heard about it doesn't mean it doesn't
happen. Maybe the council likes to keep it quiet, in case everyone
decided to apply for a transfer,” Xander reasoned.
“ They
wouldn't have to apply for a transfer if the bloody council had
given them the job they wanted to
and they seemed to have spent what seemed like hours looking around
the different levels. It all looked the same to Anais, but Dalla had
kept pointing out different computers and whispering excitedly what
model it was, and what kind of software it could run. She'd almost
fainted from excitement when one employee with a large orange quiff
had agreed to show her how to code a piece of software on his
computer. Anais suspected this was less to do with being helpful,
and more to do with Dalla's magnetic way of charming people into
doing what she wanted.
Now they were in Civitas' canteen, situated above the observation
deck. The only good thing to come out of this whole trip was that
the machines in the canteen thankfully didn't read their ID chips,
meaning Anais was allowed to order anything she wanted without the
need to bother about her protein levels. As she licked the
strawberry ice cream she'd coerced Dalla into buying for her, Anais
stood at the window staring out at the city as the sun began to set.
It would be dark earlier tonight. Already a few pinpricks of light
were being to appear as the city began to wind down for the evening.
It was strange – although she still felt hurt and angry over the
way she'd been treated, there was something soothing about looking
out over the city with it's spiralling skyscrapers and the winding
river. She might not agree with the way the city was run, but she
couldn't help but think how beautiful it was. In some ways, it gave
her hope that no matter how ugly her immediate future looked, there
was always something better and brighter to look forward to.
There were footsteps behind her and she turned to see Xander coming
towards her, now dressed in jeans and a dark t-shirt. He smiled as
he got nearer and planted a kiss on her cheek.
“ Hello
again,” he said cheerfully as he scooped the ice cream cone out of
her hands and licked it. “Mmm, that's nice.”
“ Hey,”
Anais laughed, trying to snatch it back, but he held it up high out
of her reach. “Give that back. I've had to follow Dalla all over
this stupid building today, I've earned it.”
“ Hmm,”
he pretended to think. “Okay. You can have it back. It'll cost
you, oh, two kisses though.”
Anais happily obliged, though she was secretly glad that there was
no one around to witness their display of affection. As they pulled
apart, Anais grabbed the ice cream back before Xander could change
his mind. She licked it happily as they both turned back to study
the view. Happiness swelled in her chest as she leant her head
against Xander's shoulder and he put an arm around her. They stood
for a moment, gazing out over the city, not needing to fill the
comfortable silence between them.
“ I'm
sorry,” Xander said in his quiet voice, and in an instant Anais'
happy mood deflated. She didn't need to ask him what he was sorry
for. She remained silent, unwilling to talk about her disastrous
career's advice again. She didn't want to think about it or discuss
it, she was sure she'd have enough grief from her parents about it
when she got home; all she wanted to do right now was eat her ice
cream, spend the night curled up with Xander and then enjoy her last
day of freedom tomorrow.
Anais shrugged her shoulders, stuffing the rest of her cone into
her mouth so she wouldn't have to talk.
“ It
won't be forever,” Xander said, and the words rankled.
“ Funny,”
Anais said as she swallowed. Her voice came out sharper than she
intended. “Dalla said the same thing. But I've never once heard of
anyone getting a transfer out of their career, have you?'
Xander was silent for a few seconds while he contemplated this.
“ True,
but just because we've never heard about it doesn't mean it doesn't
happen. Maybe the council likes to keep it quiet, in case everyone
decided to apply for a transfer,” Xander reasoned.
“ They
wouldn't have to apply for a transfer if the bloody council had
given them the job they wanted to
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