The Genetic Code

Chapter 4

For the rest of the day I walked the halls like a ghost; no face, no spirit. It was as if I had left those things in that office, as that vixen prodded and pried into my past. At my point of most vulnerability, she closed in and snatched them in one fell swoop. Now it's like she's holding a crystal ball of my fate in the palm of her hand — My lies and secrets all appear transparent. She can see right through me. Even I'm not sure what lies on the other side.

I have to do everything in my volition to keep her off the trail of breadcrumbs back to my past. There shouldn't be any distinct tracks to follow though, I had made sure of that in the past eleven years. I can't give her a reason to dig for one. Staying under the radar would be the top priority. Maybe I should dye my hair white to blend in with the walls.

But as I'm walking out of the school compound something slams through the silence and shocks me awake — the realization that, even if I can make sure Mrs Bancroft doesn't catch on to my game of life charades, it can only last for two days more. I can't run away from the truth that is living in my blood, and it's going to the revealed to the world in two days time.

"Juliette!"

Alex runs up to me from the main building of the school, down the stone steps. His bag is slung carelessly over his shoulder, bobbing up and down with each step he takes. He stumbles onto the pathway and catches up to me.

"What's up with the Principal's office? When your name was announced over the PA system, I thought I heard wrong. Innocent little Julie, sent to Lucinda's Lair? Even I haven't been. And you don't even dare to skip class."

I bite back my bitterness and muster the most convincing smile I can on my cheeks. Assuming a sarcastic tone, I gripe in my usual way, "Oh, you know. I wear a diamond necklace... must have been stolen... I'm a horrible person... Yada yada yada. The usual you would expect from Lucinda Bancroft," I roll my eyes, spitting out the last two words like expelling poison on my tongue.

"The necklace your grand-aunt gave you? You've been wearing that thing since middle school. Why bring it up now?"

I shrug, raising my eyebrows and pouting my lips, pretending to be completely oblivious to the palpable inequity that runs our society, being the prime culprit for majority of the problems that we have. Alex couldn't really understand this on the same level.

"Ah, that Ban-bitch really has all the time on her hands, doesn't she?"

"She has to do something other than online shop with our tuition funds," I quip back. "Speaking of which, having you noticed her new purse? It has to cost at least half the Regular cohort's monthly fees. Or five Perfects'." The validity of these statements makes us both laugh wryly.

Alex appears glad that I seem to have forgotten about that struggle we had in the cafeteria. That's how we get over most of our spats: by avoiding each other for a while then pretending nothing happened afterwards, going back to our usual chaffing selves. Both of us suck at apologizing and we don't like things to be weird between us, so this is our strange solution.

As we walk down the pathway leading out of the school compound, I hear whispers left and right, choruses of high-pitched giggling, sensing the poorly disguised stares and pointing. This time, it brings me relief to know that I'm not the source of ogling.

"They're all staring at you," I state what we both notice but Alex is trying to evade.

"How do you know they're looking at me? Maybe they're trying to sneak a peak at the girl who incited Lucinda's wrath."

"I doubt it. I'd be a little creeped out if I was the one they're blowing kisses at," I cringe as I observe the cries for attention by the girls on the front of the school compound. "All your die-hard fangirls who probably have your nationals meet photo as the lock screen on their phone."

He smiles awkwardly. This new attention he's been receiving since his win is something he's still getting used to.

"Well, you've been my number one fan since I first touched the water." He slings his arm around my shoulder, long enough to reach over and squeeze my cheek. "You have to follow me to all my swim meets. Around the world, if you must."

I act unamused. "What if I get a boyfriend? And he doesn't want me to follow around another guy?"

His footsteps abruptly stop, pulling me to a halt. A pair of wide blue eyes looks over to my hazel ones.

"You won't get a boyfriend." My face is abruptly squashed together by two large palms to my cheeks. "You're too ugly."

I thwack him hard in the stomach. He doesn't even flinch, instead giving me that damn smile of his. If it were anyone else, I would probably have taken it to heart and gotten upset. But from Alex, it's more like what I imagine getting a compliment from an annoying brother would be like. I flash him a steely side stare, drawing my lips into a pout.

"And with that temper of yours..." I raise my hand again and he pretends to shield himself from my attack. My scoff just makes him laugh more. He swings his arm back around my shoulders as we continue walking down the pathway. "Don't worry, you can be part of my permanent fan club. I don't need any other fans as long as you're there cheering me on."

"And what if I don't want to be there?"

"Then I won't be getting any more gold medals."

"Then you won't be recognized outside and get free stuff anymore."

"Damn. You're right. Guess I'll have to win even without you."

"So you're saying that you don't need me anymore..."

"Seems not."

"I'll be there." This satisfies him, as his face holds a triumphant grin. A smile grows on my face as well, as I roll my eyes and shake my head.

And for that moment, I actually forget the fact of how my life has the potential to capsize before my very eyes with the pronouncement of the word "Invalid".