Justine stood outside the pub, her hands in her pockets as she surveyed the other state-mandated couples milling about the entrance. She chewed her gum with a bit more force than necessary, jaw clenched. Fucking ridiculous, she thought, watching a pair engage in painfully awkward small talk. Forced relationships... what's next, mandatory friendships, church attendance or orgies? That last one might not be that horrible, but those bastards in the cabinet have no creativity.

She sighed, blowing a large bubble that popped loudly. Around her, the air buzzed with stilted conversation and nervous laughter. The couples looked like they'd rather be anywhere else. Justine couldn't blame them. Being told who to date, when, and for how long... it was demeaning. Degrading. A gross violation of personal freedom.

But hey, what choice do we have? Justine shrugged philosophically. Resist and risk being labeled a troublemaker. Or comply and play along until it's over. She opted for the latter, though it galled her to do so. Better to keep a low profile, bide her time until she could find a way to strike back against this oppressive system.

Her eyes flicked to her watch impatiently. Where was this guy anyway? Not that she cared. It was just another name on the list, another face to put on for appearances' sake. She had no intention of actually getting close to any of them. That way lay only heartache and disappointment.

Just then, a figure approached - her date, presumably. Justine straightened up, pasting on a neutral expression as he drew near. Time to play nice and pretend to be something she wasn't. Another fucking night in paradise.