The woman screams as she is dragged away from the man. Two strong men known as ' the keepers of the tower' pull them apart as their love is deemed 'not enough'. This might just be the tenth case I've seen this month. Her lover, a man with black hair and light stubble on his face screamed for her and as I stood there I was wowed by their speech.

"Wait for me my love... I'll increase my affection" he screamed.

The woman, a beautiful blue eyed maiden fell to the ground weeping and at the same time a sad smile decorated her beautiful face and I watched with my eyebrows raised as she dramatically pulled herself away from the keeper to run to her lover arms flailing and tears flowing. I licked the icecream I was holding due to the hot weather and just because I need a snack to watch the soap opera called " other peoples lives".

Many couples have gone through the same and some throw such a tantrum that you, the watcher find yourself defending their love. I watch with pure amazement as they run towards one another , defying the strength of the keepers by pulling away and I find myself clapping.

No one has ever been able to get away.

People start congregating the area to watch what most of us will go through and as some shake their heads in disappointment, others shed tears and gi home with their eyes cast downwards never realy having any hope at marriage.

This is a city where, a love measure sits at the tower I'm currently standing in front of and at this tower, the fate of lovers is decided. Marriage will not be possible unless the man loves the woman more and how do they know that??? Well, the item that sits atop the tower measures the love they have for one another and a decision whether you will go out to town with a smile or strangle your lover in a bear hug as this two are doing due to the sadness is made.

The keepers try and pull them apart once again but these two prove to be more difficult.

Why dont they just use hugging as a measure??

These two could definitely win. The woman refuses to let go and the man, well he is currently trying hard to breathe from the suffocation of the bear hug his lover has trapped him in. Now I understand why they failed, she obviously loves him more. As ridiculous as it sounds, this is the life we live and yes we are controlled by a machine, that measures love.

The keepers finally remove the woman from the man and he coughs, trying to catch his breath. The faces of the keepers were a sight, with their mouths wide open and their eyebrows furrowed, they regarded the woman.

"Is this why you failed??" one of the keepers asked.

"He wouldn't survive a day with you" the other said.

I held in a laugh at that moment and covered my mouth with my hand as the woman made a horrified expression on her face.

"How dare you. We love one another" she replied after which she looked at her lover " right, my love??" she asked.

He looked at her and nodded, his eyes teary due to the coughing.

"ofcourse " he rasped.

The woman started going towards her lover once again but this time on all fours and in stead of running the other way, the man just sat there waiting for another one of those chocking hugs. Her face and her personality are two totally different things. if one looked at her face, they would think she was an innocent girl but just let her give you a " friendly hug" and you'll know.

Before she could reach him, she was suddenly carried up by one of the keepers as he shook his head at her. He looked at her as if she was a crazy woman and who wouldn't. Her brown hair was in a mess, her make up smudged with the mascara forming black lines on her cheeks and her dress was dirty.

"You are going to kill the man, now go home and wait for him to increase his affection as he said" the keeper told her.

She shook her head aggressively.

"No!! Stop trying to came between us. I'm sure you have no one to love you and that's why you want to get between us" she huffed, crossing her hands in front of her.

The keeper smirked and she furrowed her eyes in confusion. He leaned so that he could be on her level.

"Unlike you, I'm already married" he flashed the ring that sat on his finger and she gasped.

"I passed this a long time ago, so stop disturbing us and let your husband revise for the next time you are here for the test" he finished.

That shut her right up as she slowly stood up and started passing a hand through her hair to reduce the mess and dusting her clothes.

" Revise". Her husband is going to have to love her more than he already does and I started walking home repeating to myself " it's because of the bear hugs", " its because of the bear hugs".

This is why I dont want to fall in love. Love is a feeling that is put on the test and even though that woman seemed a bit crazy, I'm sure she's hurting inside. it must be much more painful than falling down and I can't take pain more than that. I sit at the park and I watch as those who have passed the test of love play with their children and spot beautiful smiles.

There is a woman seated near a tree to my left and I identify her immediately. She is one of those who have failed the test and I remember that she started hitting the keepers of the tower with her slipper after she was given the notice. She was one of the hilarious ones that made my day.

Once the love they share is measured, the lovers are issued a notice that one has to show to the priest or wherever people get married in order to be eligible for marriage. Without it, one stays single whether they like it or not.

"Where have you been??" I shouted at my friend through the phone making her hiss.

"Why?? What happened?" She asked.

Fiona and I have been friends since high school began. We are on our third year of friendship as we are in high school. I walked towards home with the phone on my ear.

"You just missed a drama" I said, vague.

There was silence for a moment after which I heard her curse loudly making me smirk. She spoke once again, her tone soft and full of curiosity.

"Tell me what happened and I promise I'll buy you a bar of chocolate" she said.

What a daredevil.

Chocolate is the one thing I love. I grit my teeth.

"Are you bribing me?? Aren't you the daughter of a policeman??" I tsked as I shook my head slowly, mock disappointment dripping from my tone.

She let out a laugh and I smiled.

"You drive a hard bargain, okay I'll give you two chocolate bars" she offered.

A juicy deal, one that anyone in their right mind wouldn't pass up, although a box of chocolate would be better but I dont extort friends.

Or do I??

A cheeky grin forms on my face and before I could juice another chocolate bar or two from her, she cut me off.

"Dont you dare try and get more from me. I can literally see the mischievous grin on your face" she said.

"What.. noo" I said, pulling the o longer than I should have.

"Tell me the drama and take two chocolate bars as payment. Accept while I'm being nice" she said with a firm tone.

"What is this, a business deal?? I'm I supposed to be the new guy in town and you the biker gang leader??" I asked, incredulity in my tone.

"Oh hun if that were the case, I wouldn't even pay you" she replied.

I should just tell her before she decides to get it out of me face to face. She has the ability to make me spill and I don't want to lose the chocolate.

"Alright fine. I'll tell you, my God you are scary" I said as I faked a shudder.

She just laughed as I narrated to her the incident in front of the tower I had just witnessed. Fiona and I also come together to the tower, either to just watch or to remind ourselves why falling in love would be a big mistake. People date one another but with a love measure that decides marriage, they tread lightly to prevent from falling in love but whose to say you won't fall in love??

I don't think one can control the heart and I believe we don't have any power when it comes to our feelings so landing my self in a position where my emotions are measured is a situation I'm not ready for. I don't think I will ever be ready. I don't feel the need to prove my feelings to anyone except the one I might fall in love with.

Might?? What am I thinking?? Never, I mean never.

To become the one and only to the person you love, all you need is to get married and in order to get married, one needs to hold the permit from the tower. The entire process is a lot of work and if it fails, you just end up with a broken heart and no dreams or hopes.

"What?? He showed her his ring??" Fiona shouted, making me hold the phone away from my ear for a moment.

"Yes and honestly I never knew he was married" I answered.

I had told her about the keeper showing the blue eyed maiden his ring, shutting her up completely and she was freaking out.

"The keepers are not to be messed with. Cant believe he passed the test" she said.

That only means he loves her more. What a lucky woman she is, whoever she is. The keeper didn't cross me as someone who would love so dearly and I believe that's why the proverb "don't judge a book by its cover" exists.

"Me neither. I was wide eyed when I saw his ring" I said, as the house came to view.

"Arrgh I should have been there" she complained.

"Yes, you should have. This should teach you to never ditch your friends" I scolded.

"I promise never to do homework due tomorrow again" she said, making me laugh.

"Tomorrow is your sister's testing right??" She asked and the blood drained from my face.

Tomorrow my sister and her long term boyfriend are going to undergo the test at the tower and I am beyond afraid. Marriage has always been her dream and she loves Brandon, her boyfriend a lot. That is what bothers me and even if Brandon has made it clear that he loves her more, showing it multiple times and caring for her, the fear is still there. I dont want to see my sister break down from sadness and I dont want to see her cry from grief.

I walked up the stairs to our home when I saw Brandon and my sister chatting animatedly to one another, smiles covering their faces. I want to see those smiles for the rest of my life as I dont want either of them in pain. Brandon has grown on me over the years and I am very fond of him as he is of me so both their happiness matter and as i look at them, the confidence on his face slightly eases the worry that has overtaken my heart.

"Hey.. you there??" Fiona calls out and I break out of my thoughts.

"Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow??" I said.

"Alright. See you soon" she said and hung up.

I walked over to them and they hadn't noticed me yet so I heard a bit of their conversation. They were competing in words as to who loves the other more, completely forgetting that he should love her more or they just didn't care.

"I love you more" Brandon said.

"You better" I said with a smile.

Brandon looked my way, returned the smile and ruffled my hair.

"Believe me, I do" he said, confidence marring his features.

I nodded, my heart still worried for these two wonderful human beings. I have seen many people get separated because of the man's love not being enough and I dont want them to be one of them. I faced my sister to find her looking at him with affection in her eyes after which she directed her eyes to me.

"Mom has been looking for you all day. Where have you been??" She asked.

I looked anywhere but at her eyes as I tried to scramble for something to say.

" At the park" I chirped.

She narrowed her eyes at me and I glanced at her, my eyebrows raised as my face morphed in to a tight smile. Brandon chuckled and I narrowed my eyes at him.

"You were at the tower, weren't you??" She asked, her tone sharp.

I breathed out a laugh, knowing I was in big trouble if my mom found out. She was all for marriage and she said that going there would only make me not want to get married. If she found out that I still go there, she will beat me up and pinch my ears.

"Don't tell mom" I said, passing a finger from her to Brandon, my eyes narrowed.

Hayley, my sister, hit my finger with her hand and bit her lower lip to glower at me after which her face slowly morphed in to a smile.

"I won't. Dad wants to talk to you too. You should go inside" she said.

"Alright. Bye" I waved at both of them and Brandon waved back.

"See you later, mischievous" he said, making me smile.

That's the nickname he used for me. I walked up the steps and opened the door to our house. My father sat on one of the couches and I assumed the noise in the kitchen to be my mother. I walked over to my father, landing a kiss on his cheek and he regarded me with a smile.

"Hello sweetie, where have you been??" He asked.

"The park" I said as I sat down near him.

"Your chemistry teacher called" he said, making my eyes go wide. Chemistry had became a problem these days, eating up most of my time. I didn't want to fail it but now, a teacher called.

That should be the worst thing, right??

My father reached in to his shirt pocket to retrieve a mint chocolate and I smiled widely.

"Here you go. Good job" he said.

Those words did something that nothing has ever done before.

They already tasted sweeter than the chocolate in my hands.