Everything written in italics is a flashback scene. I hope you enjoy this chapter! And please remember to comment, vote, and tell your friends about Dreamscope! (:

Songs for this chapter:

Gone by Lucy Schwartz

Eleven days have passed since Alec proposed his idea. Eleven days have passed since Harry kissed me in my room.

Staring at my reflection, I can see that I don't resemble a woman who has recently been partnered. My eyes should be brighter. My smile should be widespread and taking permanent residence on my face. There shouldn't be dark circles under my eyes or a crease in my forehead. This is all wrong.

I've hardly gotten any sleep, tossing and turning all night, thinking about my new partnership with Logan. If I'm honest with myself, I know that part of the reason I've had sleepless nights is because I've been waiting for Harry to climb up the side of my house again and walk through my balcony doors. When I wake up, I don't want to open my eyes because I know I won't be feeling Harry's fingertips caressing my forehead or see his jade green eyes staring intensely into mine.

The partnership happened all too fast. But I suppose it would've seemed fast to me even if Logan had waited fifty years to ask me. Once I was unwillingly forced to go along with Alec's plan, he spoke with Logan and set the whole partnership into motion.

I had waited for Harry to come and tell me what to do - to tell me how to get out of this mess and leave Amberly with him. I waited five nights before I knew I couldn't put off facing Logan any longer. Harry was right; We wouldn't be able to run away and have a happy ending. It didn't work like that and he wasn't here to help me escape my impending prison in the form of my partnership. I would have to do this completely on my own.

Logan took my hand, leading me over to a small table beneath the trees in my backyard. Cade had persuaded me earlier to wear my white lace dress, which also happened to be my only dress. It cut off right above my knees and I nervously played with the hem.

I imagined that I was a different girl, living a different life, and I wondered if I was someone else, if I would have the same ending in my life. Maybe endings are inevitable and we can't escape what we are destined to do. Maybe I was destined to spend my days working underground in a meaningless work program and coming home at night to a partner who doesn't really know me at all.

"Nya," Logan started in a shaky voice. He looked at me and I noticed that his eyes were a watery blue - too watery to really be considered pretty. It was a muddled color and I found myself missing the clear green gaze of the boy who couldn't show up when I needed him.

"I know we've been together for a couple years now," he continued. "And that really says something that two kids could stay together that long. I think it means something. Don't you?"

I hated the way he referred to us as kids. I hated the way he thought two years was a long time. Maybe I was naïve, but I couldn't shake the thought that if you loved someone, two years should be one grain of sand in the hourglass. I wanted to be with someone who didn't mark the time that has passed, but instead, tried to grasp all the hours and minutes and seconds just so we could have more time together.

But I couldn't say any of this to him, so I breathed in through my nose and gave Logan a convincing smile. "Yeah, I know what you mean."

"Good." He let out a breath he had been holding in and flashed a contented smile. "I was really hoping you'd agree. Because I know in the past you haven't been so keen on thinking about our future- "

"Well, we're getting older," I interrupted him, worried that he might realize this was all a façade on my part if he put the pieces together. "I guess getting my work program really put things into perspective for me. There's no better time to start thinking about our future lives." The words burnt my tongue as I said them.

"I'm really glad you think so." His face lit up and part of me actually felt a little guilty. "Speaking of that, what work program did you get into? I got into the technical design program. Which is surprising, now that I think about it. I was expecting to be a writer like Cade, but I guess they saw potential for me elsewhere."

Shit. I shouldn't have brought up the one topic that I needed to avoid.

"I'm so happy for you." I continued smiling, hoping he'd forget his question, but he raised his eyebrows as if waiting for an answer. "I don't think it's the best time to talk about this, you know? It seems like we have more important things to discuss."

If he didn't see right through my act, he really didn't know me.

"You're right, I'm sorry. I got carried away. But really I should be focusing on us." He paused and I smiled encouragingly at him, even though my tight-lipped smile began to make my cheeks hurt. "I just want you to know that I want you to be part of my future. I want to take care of you and raise a child with you. When I think about my life, I see you in it. I can't picture it any other way."

His words should have made my heart beat rapidly in my chest. They should've caused a genuine smile to form on my face. They should've made me want to grab him and kiss him on the spot. But they had quite the opposite effect on me.

I didn't want him to take care of me. And I certainly didn't want to think about bringing a child into this web of lies I had created for our future.

"Nya," he said, taking my hands in his. "Honesty. Love. Commitment. I promise these things if you will take me as your partner."

These three things were what the citizens of Amberly had to declare in order to be recognized as partners. If I accepted, the next step would be taking our vows before the leaders and our families.

No matter how much I didn't want to repeat the words, Alec's warning rang clear in my head. He was right. This was the only way.

"Honesty. Love. Commitment. I promise these things as well because I will take you as my partner." I had to force the words to leave my lips and I tried to keep my eyes from spilling the tears that I knew would fall as soon as I was alone.

Logan crashed his lips to mine and I didn't feel anything inside. I was hollow.