Jack took a deep breath as he looked out at the college campus. It was almost surreal to be here. Behind him, his parents help collect his luggage, asking him excitedly. "What apartment did they put you in?" Glancing down at his folder, he answered with shaking hands. "Apartment Twenty-Six. Building one." His mom patted his back, sweetly informing him. "Come on. Let's get you settled in. You'll be fine." Following his parents who were already familiar with this college, having gone to it in their youth, he rambled aloud nervously. "What if they pair me up with someone who is... incompatible? What if we just don't get along?" His dad chuckled, looking to his wife before answering over his shoulder. "We all think that, but you'll be fine. They match you with a partner based on all the morals, priorities, life skills you've shown and the grades you got in high school. You'll have plenty of time to get to know your partner and if there are problems the matchmakers will handle it. They haven't failed to match up couples yet."

Jack rolled his eyes, mumbling out nervously. "There is a first for everything." His mom stroked his arm and led him past hordes of men and women his age. Everyone was excited to be moving out of their parents' homes and finding out who their life partners would be. As excited as he was to move out... he really didn't like the idea of being forced to find a partner. However, it was how the government had done things for years and it worked. Everyone he knew had gone through it and loved it. Now it was his turn. As he made his way to the elevator in the crowded halls of building one, Jack noticed that every room had a matchmaking teacher stationed by the doors. He overheard a few talking to the paired couples and their parents. Which only made his own heart race. The people he'd seen so far looked happy with those who had been paired with them. All the ones he'd seen so far where boy/girl couples and they clearly had similar interests. Giving him hope for his own pairing.

Getting into the elevator, he made it up to his floor that was quieter and approached his room. The matchmaking teacher straightened up at the sight of him. Giving him a bright smile, she introduced herself. "Hello. My name Georgia Wilson. I'll be your teacher for the semester. I'll give you a quick tour of the apartment and give you a rundown on what to expect this year. Which one are you?" Jack extended his hand, shaking hers as he told her. "Jack McLoughlin." Georgia smiled, opening the door to the apartment as she told him excitedly. "Nice to meet you, Jack. I've heard wonderful things about you. An A plus student. Good attendance record. Solid moral standing. We're proud to have you." Entering the room, she pointed to the kitchen and living room, telling him openly. "You'll be sharing a kitchen, living room, laundry room, and bathroom. However, you both will be given separate bedrooms. The bedroom doors are programed to recognize you and you alone. This is to deter any unwanted physical contact. Should you feel unsafe, just inform me."

Jack opened the bedroom door with his name on it to let his parents in. Allowing them to put his luggage down, while Georgia showed him the strange LED strip that ran throughout the house and partly hidden along the top of the ceiling, informing him seriously. "That is Cortana. She is the A.I. that will be monitoring you both for this whole semester. She is programed to watch for any dangers and report them to me. As well as monitoring your score as a couple. The more you do things together, the higher your score will get. The more you seem to be dysfunctional, the lower it will get. If your score sits in the negative at the end of the semester, or you reach the negative max limit... you both will fail." Jack hugged himself as she clarified for him. "If you fail, you will be sent home, and you'll have to be reassigned next semester. Where you will go through this again, until we find the person fit for you." Raising an eyebrow, Jack asked suspiciously. "How many times can a person go through this?" Giving him a small smile, she warned him coolly. "Indefinitely. Our longest offender was eight years, but we rarely have repeaters."

Jack nodded, hugging his ribs tightly. Georgia moved to the wall by the tv to type in a keycode that switched on the scoring panel. Then informed him sweetly. "Remember. We are training you on how to be a responsible adult and how to live long and happy lives. If you have any questions, call me day or night. Or simply as Cortana." Taking a seat on the couch, he let his parents chat with her, before they said their goodbyes to him and told me to call them later. When his parents had left, Georgia turned to him to say a bit anxiously. "There is one more thing that you need to be aware of. During your doctor physical it was shown that you... don't have a high probability for kids. So, due to the school's lack of woman this year... you'll be paired with a man." Jack's whole world shattered across the floor as he blurted out in distress. "WHAT?!" Georgia shrugged, telling him honestly. "You can decline this pairing but that means you'll sit out this semester and will have to hope for a better pairing next year. Or... if you can prove to be a very suitable partner. When you reach a one-hundred percent score, you and your partner can attempt to switch with someone else's willing partner if they are struggling in their score for semester two."

Giving him a sympathetic shrug, she informed him. "Your partner has already agreed to go through with this. You can discuss it with him and let me know your answer. He's just inside." Jack blinked, turning to look at the empty room. When she whispered over his shoulder with a chuckle and slipped him the keys to the apartment. "He's in his room. I think you'll like him. He was paired for you like all the other couples." Jack turned to argue with her, but she closed the door on him. Banging a hand on the counter of the kitchen in frustration, he decided to check the cabinets and fridge for food. Empty. He'd have to go shopping. Heading into the living room, he dropped onto the couch and mumbled out. "I knew something like this would happen. I just knew it." Inhaling slow and deep, he asked himself nervously. "What am I going to tell my parents...?" Anxiously, glancing at the other bedroom door, Jack gulped. Why hadn't he come out to meet him? Was he mad about this too?

Easing up to his feet, he moved to the door and raised his hand but froze. He couldn't convince himself to knock. He didn't want to make him angry. So, stepping away, he slipped into his own room and began to unpack. When he finished, he took a seat on the bed and stared at the clock above his door. It was almost dinnertime. He couldn't hide in this room forever. Reluctantly getting up, he inched to the door and held his breath when he opened it up. Peeking out, he froze in place. His roommate was standing in the kitchen with his back to him. He was stirring something in a pot and swaying to something playing in his earbuds. He was wearing only a pair of ripped up black jean shorts. Revealing his broad bare shoulders and toned muscular body. The guy didn't appear to be at all like him. Creeping out of his room, he called out softly. "Hello...?" He was pretty sure the guy couldn't hear him, but he didn't want to raise his voice just to introduce himself. As he suspected, the man didn't hear him.

Carefully making his way into the small kitchen, he glanced at the score pad on the wall. The score sat at a daunting zero. Placing a hand on the counter, Jack tried again. This time, the man looked over and jumped. Instinctively, Jack jumped back away from him. The man tugged out his earbuds, chuckling out to him in a deep welcoming tone of voice. "Oh, hi. Hungry?" Jack looked at the pot, inhaling the enticing contents. He wasn't familiar with the smell, but it smelled good. However, he couldn't resist asking. "I just want to put this out there. I'm not... I've never been..." When he struggled to say it, the man huffed and sarcastically blurted out. "Attracted to men?" Jack nodded, causing the man to tell him with light seriousness. "Well, I'm Bisexual." Raising an eyebrow, Jack asked suspiciously. "I guess that is why you were willing to go through with this? You were hoping I'd be the same? Or you plan to convert me to your side?"

The man took a moment to really look him over, before chuckling out. "How presumptuous of you. I'm not willing to wait another year and get another year older before doing this again. I want to get on with my life. Not be stuck in relationship hell." Returning his attention back to stirring the pot, the man added curtly. "Besides. You academic types are not up to my standards." The comment hurt, prompting Jack to snap back. "Ya? The brainless more your speed?" Removing the spoon from the pot, the man pointed it at Jack, answering with a wicked grin. "Experienced is my type. And boys like you... You can't handle yourselves without blushing." All the fight drained from Jack as his cheeks burned a bright pink. The man lowered the spoon, telling him quickly through that same wicked smile. "My name is Mark. I'm a little hungover and hungry. I'm not attracted to you, but I want a good score to switch with someone that I am. Take me as I am... or walk out that door and wait for next year, Virgin. I'm not putting my score and happiness at risk over a portentous prude like you. Got it? Now I say again. Hungry?"

Jack's jaw dropped. He couldn't believe he'd gotten paired with this guy. There had to of been a mistake. Jack started to turn away, only to notice the score panel now read negative three. A small gasp left him, causing Mark to follow his eyes to the panel. When he saw it, his smile faded, and he uttered under his breath. "Fuck..." Exhaling heavily, Mark turned back to the pot, informing him with disappointment. "We reach negative one hundred and we'll both be sent packing until next year." Biting his lip, Jack shrugged out nervously. "I can't be something that I'm not. I don't know how to..." Mark began ladling a vegetable liquid over two bowls of rice, retorting with light humor. "Well, we're here to learn Home Education. Or are you telling me that you don't know how to even be nice?" Picking up a bowl, Mark handed it to him, adding with a charming smirk. "We just have to act like a married couple to show we are capable of such a thing. Relax, Virgin. Fucking doesn't raise the score... but it can lower it. I thought you were smart. Didn't you read the College Transcript?"

Jack rolled his eyes, stating back. "I am! I've NEVER had grades below an A plus in all my classes. I read my Student Transcript but... I was..." Jack didn't want to tell him how much he'd been stressing over coming here. He loved learning and studying, but he wasn't very good at socializing with people. He was more worried about getting a great job and being financially stable for the rest of his life. The marriage part... he'd been avoiding. Accepting the bowl from Mark, he thanked him in a sudden mousey voice. Mark carefully slid his fingers out from under his as he took the weight of the bowl. Then his hand moved to tap his index finger under his chin, before sweetly telling him. "I won't step on your toes, if you don't step on my mine. I'm actually pretty good at this kind of stuff. So... I'll help you, but only if you're willing to help me raise this score." Mark moved away to sit at the little dining table and Jack gawked at the score panel. It had changed to a negative one! Maybe Mark was good at this stuff.

Carrying the bowl over to the table, Jack slid into the other chair across from him nervously. Although, his nervousness faded a bit when Mark just smirked at him and asked casually. "So? Where are you from?" Mixing the contents of his bowl, he answered. "I'm a transfer student from Ireland. Had better prospects for the job I wanted here. You?" Swallowing his mouthful, Mark answered in return. "Born and bred in a small town in Ohio. Rode a scholarship here. It's why I've got to make this work. My mom can't afford to pay for this place." Smirking to himself, Jack started to eat as he said honestly. "You don't strike me as a small town kind of guy." Smiling in return, Mark teased back as he pointed to what Jack was wearing. "Well... you certainly strike me as the academic type. Why the suit? Wanted to make a good impression?" Sliding his hand over the white silk of his shirt, Jack informed him honestly. "They are comfortable and professional. I always wear them. It's not a crime to look nice."

Jack caught Mark staring, before he casually told him. "The academic women here will be all over you. Maybe some gold-diggers too. You'll need to be careful." Jack snorted with sarcastic doubt. He had never been hit on in his high school, but he'd only started wearing suits this year for college. He hoped it would make him look more distinguished and give him an edge with his score. Finishing up his bowl, Mark told him confidently. "I'm gonna take a shower and go meet up with some friends." Jack nodded with slight relief. It meant he could do some studying while he was away. Leaning over his bowl a bit, he took his time eating the food. It was a little spicier than he was used to, but he really liked how it warmed his insides and burst with flavor over his tongue. He'd been so enraptured by it that he didn't realize Mark had moved closer to his side. His warm lips pressing to his cheek in a brief tender kiss. Dropping his spoon into his bowl, Jack froze in place until Mark pulled away.

Breathing heavily, Jack was about to ask why he'd done that, but Mark stopped him with the touch of his fingers to his lips. In that moment, Jack's heart stopped, before Mark removed his fingers to point at the score panel. Speaking in a deep whisper that made Jack's core melt, Mark told him with a smile. "That should hold us for a few hours. Don't you think?" Without another word, Mark walked off toward the bathroom and Jack shifted in his seat to see the score panel now. It was sitting at a solid fifteen. As much as he wanted to be happy about that... Mark's kiss left him shaking.  To Be Continued...