Chaos Theory by Penelope Fletcher

startling and difficult to avoid
staring at, so what? He was dangerously attractive in a seraphic
way. Was silent yet intense. Strong. Something within him
compelled. She did not see his uniqueness as something to avoid or
be afraid of.
    For what seemed the thousandth time, Kali checked herself over
in the five-foot hallway VidSee.
    One thing she was proud not to have hang-ups about was her
body. It was the definition of hourglass. All she had to do was
wear clean lines and complimentary colours to look good. Kali wore
a knee-length manila tunic that moulded to her small waist and
flared hips. The scooped-neck showed off her broad shoulders and
graceful neck. Underneath she wore black leggings that tucked into
chunky moon boots. The clothes regulated body temperature and
offered protection from traces of radiation that occasionally got
past the decontamination checkpoints. The dusky colours made Kali’s
skin glow and offset the golden tones. Humming to herself, she
looped the specially made holes on her long sleeves over her
thumbs, and pulled on a sleeveless cloak that reached her
ankles.
    Max gaped. “You’re wearing your cloak?”
    “ Looks good on me, doesn’t it?” Snorting, she adjusted the deep
hood so it fell across her shoulders and back. “I wish I got to
wear it more.”
    “ The Virgin help us, she’s not hearing me.” He rubbed his face.
“I’ve tried to be nice, but subtly isn’t working. Time for tough
love.”
    “ Declaring you don’t approve of my choice and saying outright
that I shouldn’t go on this date is subtle to you?”
    “ His genetics are fuxed, Kal. It’s painfully
obvious.”
    “ And I’m caring about that because…?”
    “ You can’t see this as a potential match. I thought you were
just having some fun, but–”
    “ But what, Maximilian August Vox the Third?” She turned to face
him, body stiff. “You date LoCaste girls all the time.”
    “ Yeah, but even if I thought one might be the girl for me, I
would never bring her home to meet my mother, or consider giving
her my family name.”
    “ I can’t believe you said that out loud.”
    “ It’s the reality of who we are. I know it’s bad, but your
social standing compared to his is too different. Our Caste will
never see him as equal, will never accept you if you
do–”
    “ Accept me? Look at me, Max.” In a society that pandered to the
old age dictum that pale porcelain skin equalled wealth and beauty,
she was a colourful splash of genetic disharmony that contradicted
everything they believed in. Her prominent Delphi genes demoted her
LoCaste, but her adoptive family made her the most eligible
debutant the Alliance had to offer. Most girls of similar standing
had droves of engagement requests by the time they received their
adulthood licence. Despite her rich prospects, Kali had none. “They
don’t accept me, and never will because of something I can’t
change. Guess what? I don’t give a quark anymore.”
    “ Standard, but that doesn’t mean you should settle for less
than you deserve.”
    “ Trust me, I’m not settling for anything. He’s
breathtaking.”
    “ Bloodcurdling, you mean.”
    “ I like him, I’m dating him, and I’m wearing my ceremonial
cloak because he’s special, and deserves that honour.” She tugged
roughly on the toggles running down the front of her cloak as she
did them up. The expensive material suddenly felt oppressive. “Get
over it already.”
    Pushing the wearisome saga of her Caste aside, Kali twirled,
and gave her reflection a high five, because Max refused to show
love.
    Kali had taken such care with her appearance, and that told
her a lot. She was hoping for the beginning of a real relationship
with Blue – something that was non-existent in nearly all HiCaste
family units.
    They were cold and dysfunctional.
    Kali craved the kind of love her parents had. Most HiCaste
unions were of convenience, but she’d seen a love match in action,
and knew it was possible have