Opening my eyes to the possibilities
Meant I had to be open minded
And at least give things a chance
Even though I’d only been hurt by romance
But what I heard and what I saw
Made me wonder if I was done after all
My friends keep telling me
That I’ll find someone new
But I don’t know just yet
If that’s really what I want to do
Aurea ran through the spinning doors of the space port and weaved her way cautiously through the throngs of travelers, guests, and their friends and family. Occasionally protests were expressed as she darted between people. She slammed through the swinging door of the trade office and dropped her purse on her desk. Then she went over leaning her elbows on the higher desk top of Dillon’s desk, and looked her best friend straight in the eye.
“And today I’m on time!” She said victoriously as the clock began to chime the hour.
“Just barely.” Dillon said rubbing her temples and brushing some brilliant silver hair out of her ice blue eyes. “Not that I’ve ever tattled about you being late. That’d be the computer not me.”
“I do not rat anyone out!” Protested Amire as he started opening windows and put on the music.
“Computers… no sense of loyalty to their fellow workers.” Dillon said spitefully, knowing Amire found it frustrating that she talked like that. He was still an early model, so his system wasn’t as elaborate as the other systems that were available. But he did his job and did it well, even if he didn’t act quite “human.”
“Dillon, don’t pick on him today, please. We have bigger fish to fry.”
Dillon growled back playfully. “Must it always be fish; can’t we sometimes have a rabbit or two to fry?”
Aurea reached over the desk and scratched her best friend behind the ear. “We can have whatever it is you want. I really need to know…”
“Good morning Girls, I hope you’re ready for today’s assignment.” Their boss Caroline interrupted, standing like a giant looming over them. It was just an illusion of course… she simply wore extremely high heels.
Dillon and Aurea both straightened up and nodded. “Of course we are M’am.” Aurea said with a grin.
“Good. Discuss between the two of you which one of you is going to represent our office in the space ports Annual Date Auction. As soon as you’ve decided, please come to my office and fill me in, so that we can fill in the paperwork. Thank you.” Caroline smiled brightly and swept off. She smiled to herself; she knew that at least SHE couldn’t be in the auction. And that’s only because she got married the summer before.
Dillon looked at Aurea, and growled. “This is not good, you do realize that?”
“Why do you say that? I’ve never been to one of these things before.” Aurea replied in a curious tone. “How does it work?”
“They dress you up and auction you off to the highest bidder for a date.” Dillon said anger in her voice. “They auction off both girls and guys. The problem is you can end up having to spend a day with a real ass and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
“I take it you’ve dealt with it before?”
Dillon nodded. “I got roped into it last year. I didn’t like the experience. Therefore, I nominate you for the task.”
“Hey you can’t do that!”
“Actually she can.” Amire interrupted. “Office seniority compared to you. All in all.”
“But that doesn’t mean anything!” Aurea protested. “It’s not my fault she actually arrived here a year before I did! It’s not like I could do anything about it.”
“You could have come here with me when I asked you to in the first place.” Dillon said with a laugh. “But it doesn’t matter. I think that it might be just the thing for you to do. After all, I don’t think you’ve gotten out of your apartment to do anything except for what work you do for us.”
“Briggiet is very good company…”
“Yes but like me Aurea, Briggiet is a machine.” Amire inserted his two cents. “Therefore…the excuse is not usable.”
“And you can’t go on hiding from the real world Aurea.” Dillon added. “Just because Andre turned out to be a complete jerk off doesn’t mean that all guys are. Therefore, I think you should go be in the date auction. If it turns out to be a bad experience, you can write it off as having been sport. If it turns out to be something good…well… then we know what that means.” She finished the sentence with flourished tones, her eyes shining as she watched Aurea look at her with a helpless expression.
“After you just said it’s a horrible thing?” Aurea could feel that her body was starting to show her frustration, and she took her tail in her hands and began to wring it woefully. “Why would I want to do it if you already told me that it’s something that I wouldn’t want to do?”
“Because you’re a Sriytian, like me. You’ve got to stop hiding from this world, and learn to be more courageous. Besides one bad experience with a male don’t mean anything. As our mothers said, males might make money, but it’s the females that stretch it out.”
“And that has nothing to do with what we’re discussing!”
“So? You get your butt down the hall and in that office and fill in that paperwork, or am going to chew your tail off.” Dillon said barring her teeth so her sharp canines showed in a wolf like grin.
“HEY! I could scratch you to ribbons, even if you are my best friend!” Aurea replied in protest.
“Yes dear.” Dillon replied with a bark like laugh. “But I know you won’t. So get going. I appoint you for this adventure.”
“Fine.” Aurea said her voice quiet, defeated. “But you better at least be at the event…I don’t know how this works or nothing!”
“Go talk to Caroline. She’ll be more than happy to explain the mechanics of the event, as well as inform you of all the details.” Dillon replied smiling, victory was hers.
Aurea mumbled something, and headed to Caroline’s office…feeling a slight…foreboding deep inside her. This was not going to be fun.
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