Finally Not a Romance.....or is it?

Callie didn't understand. 

She had a perfectly happy life in the community, and Jonas just going away? He was the Giver, and yet he fled from his own community? She wanted to put her feeling into words, for her family unit to hear, but found that she couldn't. How frustrating. 

"Susannah!" She called for her sister. Deep down, Callie wanted so much to call Susannah Sue, because her name was so long. But everyone called Susannah Susannah, so she kept with it. The last time she called her sister Sue, Father had told her to "Callie, please use proper language" How boring. 

Maybe her world wasn't so perfect after all.

"You asked for me?" Susannah appeared from the other room, wearing a nightgown and carrying a teddy bear. 

"Yes, Susannah. I only wanted to kiss you goodnight." Callie pecked her sister on the cheek and Susannah pecked back, smiling.

"Good night, Callie."

All the eleven year olds have to go to bed at exactly nine, but Callie, being fourteen, could go to bed at ten.

When Susannah went back to bed, Callie opened a photo album. She saw herself and her parents at the park, feeding pigeons. Other family units were in the background, doing other things. It was, in a word, boring. She deeply wanted to yell and play with the other children, but she had forced herself to smile and wave to the camera. Tomorrow she would have to go to work again. 

She had a job as a carer, taking care of the threes. She loved the little kids, being patient and kind and made sure they were all healthy and happy. When someone had to be "freed", she knew she would never see them again, and always let the other to the freeing. 

She pondered this untill Mother came into the room.

"Hello, Callie, what are you doing?"

"Hello, Mother, I am thinking about life." She replied. It was needed that she replied in perfect grammer and choice of words, and she was used to it. Mother sat down beside her.

"Callie, you should be going to bed in fifteen minutes. Please wash and brush your teeth."

"Yes, Mother." Callie got up. She exited the room and went to the bathroom, grabbing her nightgown and a towel. She took a short shower, letting her hair get wet. It didn't matter, because she had a hair dryer and she was supposed to wash her hair. 

She brushed her teeth and cleaned the bathroom, finally leaving and saying goodnight to everyone, she got in bed and pulled the covers over herself. 

In the morning, she found colors.

When she woke up, sunlight danced through the window, lighting up the room. The video camera was off, and she jumped out of bed. She quickly changed and headed downstairs. 

"Mother, good morning. Father, good morning. Can you see colors?" She asked.

"Yes, Callie, we don't know what's going on, but please go ahead and help youself to some bread and milk."

"Thank you, Father, where is Susannah?"

"I am here, Callie! I can see colors!" her sister danced down the steps, smiling happily. 

"Susannah, you are supposed to say good morning." Mother scolded.

"I'm sorry, Mother. Good morning, Mother, good morning, Father, good morning, Callie." Susannah sulked a bit, but quickly smiled and asked, "May we start breakfast?"

They ate in silence but after a while someone knocked on the door.

It was Jonas.

"Morning, everyone! I herby announce that you can use free language now!" He shouted.

"Yes!" Susannah, no, Sue, jumped up. Mother and Father looked surprised. Callie suddenly realised that her hair was lighter then haer parents' and Sue's. Their hair were brown, but her hair was a weird carmel brown, lighter then theirs.

"I also announce that when I get old, there will be no more Givers. This community will change!" Jonas said.

What? No Givers? Then there will be no more job choices, either, or caring centers. No! Her job! 

"Carers like Callie could teach the kids to read and write and have fun!" he countiuned. Whew!

Maybe this wasn't so bad after all. Callie took a deep breath. Get used to it, she thought.

"If people want to marry, they can choose their partner, and if they have kids they don't have to give them to the caring center, but the children will be sent to a place where they can learn after they turn six years old, and will study untill they're twelve. Then, they an either go on studying in other communities or settle down to their own right.

They can choose their partners! That is great! Callie always had a fondness for a boy she met at the caring center, Jasper. Maybe if he agreed, they could marry, have kids, everything they wanted to. She was over twelve, but she also wanted to study in other communities if she had the chance. She's only twelve, it isn't too late.....

That night, she got her first taste of a cell phone. Jonas had given everyone above thirteen one, and showed them how to use it from a manuel. He'd also given permission for a library  and for people to have much more books. 

Callie sat on her bed as she scanned through her phone. Now she could go to bed as early or late as she liked, but Mom and Dad still made her go to bed before eleven for her own health. Suddenly, and message popped up. It was from Jasper.

"Will you marry me someday? After we finish studying?" 

Callie's heart pummled. She quickly replied, sending the message as fast as she can.

"Yes, of course."

She would have to tell her parents, but at least she had something to look forward to.

Okay, IT IS STILL A ROMANCE I'M SORRY. But I had to make the changes more obvious so I did it. It's also a bit long, but I hope you'll understand. 

Annabeth