Relentless by AViVA

Author:AViVA
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia
Published: 2022-06-23T02:27:33+00:00

twenty/five

‘Well, that was a weird first day,’ Hunter says, leaning against our marble kitchen counter. He’s wearing exercise pants, the only comfortable clothing that seems to exist in our wardrobe, which consists of three work suits each, underclothes, two pairs of exercise clothes each and two different Breakday outfits.

‘Do you think we’re bugged in here?’ I ask softly, leaning against the bench next to him. I pop a strawberry into my mouth. I didn’t know how much I had missed the food up here until I opened the fridge and was hit with the scent of fresh strawberries.

‘How would I know? You grew up here.’

‘My father was – is – a senior councilman, so he knew what was planted in the houses. I never really felt comfortable talking to him about things like that, he was too suspicious, but I overheard him talking to my mum one night. He told her there were no cameras inside residences, only community spaces.’ The familiar sensation of doubt slips into the back of my mind. ‘Even so, I remember the way Mum would run around to each window to check that the curtains were shut, sealing us into our private cocoon. Her eyes were always darting to the corners of the rooms, and the lights. So either she knew he wasn’t telling the whole truth, or she was just paranoid.’

‘So you don’t think there are any cameras up here?’ Hunter asks, jumping up and peering above the top cabinets.

‘I don’t think so.’

‘You seem very confident.’

‘I have to be, right? Otherwise my mother and I would have been as good as Sanitised. I was drawing, she was sneaking out to be a Sympathiser. If anything confirms the no-surveillance theory, that would be it.’

He nods thoughtfully for a second before shrugging.

‘You hungry?’ I ask, walking over to the fridge and pulling out a bag of sweet potatoes.

‘A bit. I can get myself something,’ he says.

‘No, you can’t. If there is a camera in here, they would find it very weird for a newly Partnered couple to be making separate meals. I think we should get into good habits.’

‘Why?’

‘Because we’re Partners, Hunter. I’m your . . . wife.’ My tongue catches on the word. ‘This is part of my role.’ His brows furrow and he takes a step forward, grabbing the bag from my hands.

‘What if you’re a terrible cook?’

I laugh. ‘Then you’ll lose a lot of weight, I guess.’ He smiles, the corners of his eyes crinkling a little. ‘If you’re worried about my culinary abilities, we could work together?’

Taking that as a win, he spurs into action and we work silently side by side, chopping vegetables and figuring out where everything is stored.

It’s been a long time since I’ve cooked, and I can’t shake the annoying feeling that I want to impress him. I slam the knife down into the board while I try to sort my thoughts out. After all, this is just a big ruse. I’m not here to impress anyone.

‘Are you talking to yourself?’ he asks, sidling up behind me with chopped carrots on a board.

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