Memory Girl Read Online Free PDF Page B

eye the gray hemper, a paper used commonly for youth lessons. “What’s this about?”
    He glances up and down the hall, then even though no one else is near, he lowers his voice. “I’ve wanted to … um … talk to you, but Lorelei is always around.”
    â€œThere’s nothing you can’t say to me in front of her.”
    â€œOh, there is.” The paper rustles in his hand. “Remember when you asked me to climb the Fence with you?”
    I stiffen, hurt feelings rushing back. “Two years ago.” I press my lips together. “You refused.”
    â€œI wanted to go but couldn’t break an important rule. Still, I kept your secret.”
    â€œI know, and I’m grateful,” I say softly.
    â€œRules are important to me, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to have fun too. My best memory is of carrying boards with you and Lorelei into a tree and making a platform andwatching a bird build a nest. After that you started collecting feathers.”
    I laugh. “I wanted to fly and thought I only needed to build big wings.”
    â€œI believed you could do it,” he says solemnly. “You always surprise me with things you say and do. I’m ready to join a Family, but it makes me sad because I’ll miss you.”
    â€œYou’ll miss Lorelei too,” I add.
    â€œYes, but not the same way.” He clears his throat. “Lorelei isn’t you.”
    I suck a sharp breath, aware of Marcus as if we were strangers meeting for the first time. Do I truly know him? I’d never guessed he favored me over Lorelei, especially after that awkward “kissing” moment when we were younger that he pretended never happened. I didn’t even tell Lorelei, embarrassed and heart-stung.
    â€œI’ll miss you too,” I finally say, swallowing a lump in my throat. “I dread leaving here and going to different Families. We won’t spend days together.”
    â€œMaybe we can,” Marcus says mysteriously. “I’ve put much thought on this and researched the relationships in Families. In retro-century, Family relationships were a product of DNA and age. A youth couldn’t care for itself, so the parents took a nurturing role and the responsibility for their children. As the parents aged, roles reversed—children caring for their parents. Family structure was a means of survival, the stronger caring for the weak.”
    â€œBut no one grows old in ShareHaven,” I say with the same pride for community I hear every day from our Instructors. “Everyone, except founders and youths like us, are age twenty-five.”
    â€œExactly. Our roles have changed—and so have the rules. In retro-century, it would be illegal for a brother and sister to marry. But now any unmarried person has the freedom to marry a Family member. Edward Salazar, a youth from three groups ago, married his own mother. There have even been allowances for unmarried people to marry into another Family if the Leaders approve. So it’s important to belong to a Family with a forward-thinking Leader. There are ways for us to stay close, but it depends on the Family you join.”
    â€œWhich I have no control over,” I remind him.
    â€œSo you need to be ready with the best Name.”
    I stare down at a floor tile with a scrape mark like someone slid to a sudden stop. “You know I’m not ready. I’ve barely studied.”
    â€œThat’s why I studied for you.” Marcus pushes the rolled paper into my hand, his proud smile reaching deep inside of me. “Here’s a list of suitable Names from the three Families most likely to Choose you.”
    â€œOh, Marcus,” I say, humbled that he broke a rule to help me. “You shouldn’t have.”
    â€œI wanted to … for you,” he adds softly.
    â€œBut how could you know which Families to study?”
    â€œThere are patterns in the