Cyto
The moment had arrived for me to find my match. The sterile white room hummed with anticipation as the Helix Algorithm processed my DNA data. The screen flickered, revealing a name and a face.
“Cyto Helixton, you have been matched with…” the robotic voice echoed through the speaker, “Genie Zygus. Age 20 years 5 months.”
I let out a sharp gasp. I knew that name anywhere. Genie Zygus—the girl who sat across from me in the Learning Nexus, her eyes always alight with curiosity. She was the one who questioned the Helix’s infallibility, who dared to dream beyond predetermined paths.
Why does she not trust the Algorithm, you ask? You’re not the first one.
As far as I know, her parents are happy with their matches, and according to the DNA Chain Networks, looked insanely happy as they recorded different entertaining short videos at home, earning themselves millions of followers. So their unhappiness couldn’t be the reason she didn’t trust it. She had no elder siblings either — she was the oldest one.
Most people believed it was because she herself was not satisfied with her match. Including me.
And now, I have even more of a reason to believe that. She never talked to me, unless it was absolutely necessary. But now, the Helix Algorithm had spoken. It had matched me with Genie Zygus, the girl who defied its very essence. I was at a loss for words. The sterile white room seemed to close in on me, the hum of anticipation now a deafening roar in my ears.
I had always trusted the Algorithm, believed in its infallibility. But now, I was matched with someone who didn’t. Did the Algorithm make a mistake? Or was this its way of proving its point, by pairing two opposites together?
I left the room, my mind a whirlwind of thoughts. I had to talk to Genie, had to know what she thought about this. Would she reject the match, defy the Algorithm once again? Or would she accept it, accept me?
As I walked away from the building, test report in hand, my heart pounded in my chest. This was it. The moment of truth. I was about to face Genie Zygus, my predetermined partner, and I had no idea what to expect. But one thing was certain, our lives were about to change forever.
As I approached the Learning Nexus, I saw her. Genie Zygus, engrossed in a book, her face illuminated by the soft glow of the reading lamp. I took a deep breath and walked towards her.
“Genie,” I began, my voice barely above a whisper. She looked up, her eyes meeting mine. There was a moment of silence as I gathered my thoughts. “The Algorithm… it matched us.”
Her eyes widened, and for a moment, she was silent. Then, she let out a soft laugh. “The infallible Helix Algorithm, huh?” she said, her voice laced with sarcasm. But then her expression softened. “I always wondered what it would feel like, to be matched. To have your life decided by a piece of code.”
I nodded, understanding her sentiments. “It’s strange, isn’t it? But it’s not just a piece of code, Genie. It’s our DNA, our essence. And it chose us for each other.”
She was silent for a moment, her gaze thoughtful. “Yeah, I know…” she said.
“How?” I asked.
She let out a soft chuckle. “I’m older than you by a few months. So of course I got my report first. I’ve known all along, but decided to keep it to myself.”
“Why, though? Couldn’t you have told me?”
“Nah, why spoil the surprise, Cyto?” she asked. “But I really don’t know. This whole thing is weird, and honestly, I want no part in it…”
I was taken aback by her words. “But Genie,” I said, my voice barely a whisper, “We don’t have to follow the path set by the Algorithm. We can make our own.”
She looked at me, her eyes wide with surprise. “You mean… defy the Algorithm?”
I nodded. “Why not? It’s our lives, after all. We should be the ones deciding our fate, not some piece of code.”
For a moment, she was silent. Then, she let out a soft laugh. “You know, Cyto,” she said, her voice filled with warmth, “I never thought I’d hear you of all people say something like that. But you’re right. We should be the ones deciding our fate. Screw the Algorithm!”
“What do you mean by ‘me of all people’?”
“Like, you’re really quiet in class. I didn’t expect you to be so outspoken.” she said, a sheepish grin on her face.
“I guess,” I shrugged. “Anyway, I have to go read this thing in-depth now,” I replied, waving the report file in my hand.
“Meh, I just doodled all over mine.” she said, trying to suppress a chuckle. “I’ll see you around then, Cyto.”
“Bye,” I replied with a smile as I walked away. I couldn’t help but turn around and glance at the girl I was going to spend the rest of my life with. She was fairly pretty, with her slightly tanned skin and hazel, curly hair. Her dark brown eyes were always calm and composed, yet full of life. She seemed nice enough, but I just wasn’t feeling it. Correct me if I’m wrong, but once you meet your Helix-destined soulmate, you two are supposed to feel the ‘chemistry’ instantly. But I’m really not feeling it, to be honest.
I retreated to my room, the test report still clutched in my hand. The sterile walls seemed to close in, suffocating me. I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the name: Genie Zygus. She was my predetermined partner, my match. But what did that even mean?
The Helix Algorithm had always been my compass, guiding me through the labyrinth of existence. It had chosen Genie for me, but why? Was it a cosmic joke, or did it see something beyond our genetic sequences?
I opened the report, scanning the details. Genie’s DNA—her essence—encoded in those letters and base pairs. Her rebellious spirit, her laughter, her eyes that held galaxies within. Could the Algorithm capture all that?
And then, there was Allelea Genetique. Her name wasn’t highlighted by the Helix Algorithm, but it was etched in my mind. Allelea—quiet, thoughtful, with a smile that spoke volumes. She was the one who’d helped me with my research, who’d listened to my thoughts about the Helix without judgment.
The more I thought about it — subconsciously or not — the more I realized that the Algorithm had not accounted for her whatsoever. It was just analyzing my DNA — the intricate double helix, made of pairs of Adenine with Thymine and Cytosine with Guanine. It was how it was. A can’t pair with C, or T with G. It is how it is, and I couldn’t change that if I tried.
I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the report. Genie Zygus—the girl who defied the Algorithm—was my match. But what if the Algorithm had missed the mark? What if I feel differently?
I had a choice: follow the path laid out by the Helix, live a fairly happy, law-abiding life with Genie, or defy the Helix with Allelea. The Algorithm had spoken, but my feelings had other plans which the Algorithm did not authorize.
I opened my communicator, fingers trembling. “Allelea,” I typed, “meet me at the Nexus. There’s something we need to discuss.”
Minutes later, she appeared, her hazel eyes curious. “Cyto,” she said, “what’s wrong?”
I hesitated, then blurted it out as. “The Algorithm matched me with Genie Zygus, but I don’t know… I don’t like her that way” I paused, searching for the right words. “Because I like someone else.”
Her expression shifted from surprise to contemplation. “Cyto,” she said softly, “Wow… who is it?”
Allelea’s hazel eyes held galaxies of understanding. She leaned against the wall, her expression a mix of curiosity and empathy. “Someone else?” she echoed, her voice soft.
I nodded, my heart racing. If I didn’t do this now, when else should I? “Allelea,” I began, “it’s you. I’ve felt it for a while now. The Algorithm missed us, didn’t it?”
She studied me, her gaze unwavering. “Cyto,” she said, “I’ve felt it too… but… I- I don’t know, I…-”
I took a deep breath, cutting her off before she continued doubting. “Allelea, will you defy the code with me? Rewrite our narrative?”
Her warm smile felt like the sun breaking through storm clouds to me. “Screw the Algorithm,” she replied, a hint of determination in her voice. “Let’s make our own chemistry.”
A gentle smile was all I intended, a calm acknowledgment of the moment we shared. Yet, as I met Allelea’s gaze, my lips betrayed me, stretching into a broad grin that revealed the full measure of my happiness. It was a smile too radiant, too filled with elation for the quiet understanding we had reached, but it was honest—it was me in the purest form, unable to contain the happiness that overflowed up from within.
“Cyto!” I heard a voice distract me from my thoughts on what to say next to her. My gaze shifted from her eyes to the doorway. It was Aden, the boy who lived in the other, messier side of our dorm room. He was a walking contradiction: messy yet brilliant, always late for class yet acing exams. His hair forever looked like it had been styled by a tornado, and his enthusiasm for late-night coding sessions bordered on obsessive.
“Oh, hey Aden, what’s up?” I asked, stretching my hand in a small wave.
He bounded in, laptop bag slung over one shoulder. “Cyto, my man!” he exclaimed, as if he’d just discovered the cure for procrastination. “Guess what? I cracked the encryption on the university’s WiFi network. We’re talking lightning-fast speeds now!” He turned around and noticed Allelea seated on the bed beside me, and wondering what was wrong with my roommate. “Hey Allelea,”
I raised an eyebrow. “Aden, we’re not supposed to—”
“Rules are meant to be broken, my friend!” He plopped down on his bed, kicking off his sneakers. “Besides, it’s all about optimizing efficiency. You know, like how our DNA codes for proteins.”
“Wow, that’s a lot to process…” I replied, nodding.
“Nah, this is nothing…” he chirped, clapping a hand on my shoulder. “How was your DNA test?”
“Good,” I replied, glancing at the report sitting on my desk. “I got matched with Genie, a girl in our class. What’s new with you?”
“Wait— then… why is Allelea here?” he asked. “Thought you’d be with Genie, if you were matched with her.”
“Allelea and I were just discussing the results,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. “Turns out, the Algorithm isn’t as infallible as we thought.”
Aden raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued. “Oh? Spill!”
I glanced at Allelea, who gave me a small nod. Taking a deep breath, I said, “The Algorithm matched me with Genie, but… I don’t feel anything for her but respect. Instead, I… I have feelings for Allelea.”
Aden’s eyes widened, and he let out a low whistle. “Wow, Cyto, that’s… that’s big. Defying the Algorithm, huh?”
I nodded. “Yeah. It’s our lives, after all. We should be the ones deciding our fate, not some piece of code.”
Aden was silent for a moment, then he let out a soft laugh. “You know, Cyto,” he said, his voice filled with warmth, “I never thought I’d hear you of all people say something like that. But you’re right. Screw the Algorithm!”
I couldn’t help but smile at his words. It felt good to have someone else understand, to have someone else on our side. “Thanks, Aden,” I said, my voice filled with gratitude.
“Of course. I’m happy for you, bud.” he replied, leaving all our doubts be.
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As the days turned into weeks, Allelea and I grew closer. We spent countless hours discussing our dreams, our fears, and our defiance of the Algorithm. We were two souls, bound by a shared understanding, a shared rebellion against the predetermined paths of our lives.
But as we reveled in our newfound freedom, the world around us began to change. The Helix Algorithm, once hailed as the peak of human achievement, was now under scrutiny. People began to question its infallibility, its control over their lives. And as the whispers of dissent grew louder, so did the consequences.
One day, Aden burst into our room, his face pale. “Cyto, Allelea,” he gasped, “The authorities… they know.”
My heart pounded in my chest. “Know what?” I asked, although I already knew the answer.
“They know about us,” Aden replied, “About your defiance of the Algorithm. They’re coming for you.”
I felt a chill run down my spine. We had known this day would come, but we weren’t prepared for it. Not yet.
“We need to leave,” Allelea said, her voice steady despite the fear in her eyes. “We need to get as far away from here as possible.”
And so, we ran. We left behind our lives, our identities, everything we had ever known. We became fugitives, running from an authority that sought to control our destinies. As we ventured into the unknown, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread. We had defied the Algorithm, but at what cost?
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