January 13, 2017.
I won't die today. Niether will I live.
I am John Henric David. Just another eight grader who doesn't really know what to make out of my small life living in the skirts of a big town, Magalang.
Waking up coughing blood isn't peculiar at all. It's been weeks since I started every morning shedding blood through my cough.
My classmates often laugh at the sound of my cough. Or, are they laughing at my voice? Dory, a massive baby hippo always makes fun of my voice.
She says I sound like I am always squeaking out of fear. Well, being put under the mercy of Red, can she blame me?
Teacher CJ came up with this idea of grouping us into teams called "factions" where we are all expected to work with for an entire school. Well, not really an entire one if you are going to go factionless anyway.
By saying factionless, I being alone and out of every other faction when there are activities. You will be an outcast by yourself. You won't even gain any points that might land you with a good standing.
Teacher CJ is rude that way.
Today, as I fixed myself up, I tried to put on my best mood as usual. I walkes towards the High School building, Room 105, where the large Grade 8 Turquoise is housed. I saw familiar early birds there. Ysa, from Candor, who always looks annoyed by something, probably by Pat who is with her this morning, also a Candor. Pat is short for Patricia, which is a loud name for a loud girl. Seated next to them (and apparently, he's always sitting on his wheelchair) is Steven.
He's a fun guy.
I walked towards them and it seems like they're just keeping up with the "everyday is a normal day" ambiance. They don't even know something is happening today.
At least, for me.
Last night, I accepted my medallion since I turned 13. It was sort of a fortune cookie that dictates whether or not you will be given a blessing or a curse.
Long story short, I got a curse.
It weighs me down even to just be normal. Yeah Pat, so much of a normal day.
Teacher Nova dismissed us off our Math class. She was 10 minutes late, but Teacher CJ doesn't seem to be annoyd by that.
Probably because it happends almost everytime that he doesn't give it a damn thing anymore. Or maybe because they're good friends? I am not sure.
He went inside our room bring his usual stuff: TLE book, notebook, a pencil and a green tumbler that he borrowed from Teacher Melvin and never returned.
We will be cooking today in his class a chicken thigh recipe which I don't know of. I rose up with Red, Dhane, Ethan and the rest of Dauntless and went out of the room to prepare our stuff at the Home Economics room. As I leave, I heard Dannah Mae, from Amity, talking to Teacher CJ about their recipe, while Kat quickly erases the board to gain some faction points for Erudite. Well, we all do that most of the time. We do errands and be good kids for faction points.
Dauntless will not be good with this. I can see that. We're all males ... and we don't know how to cook. Not especially Red.
He took out our kitchen supplies and the ingredients out of his paper bag into the table and started rummaging about whatever he wants to do with thigh.
I turned towards the stove and tried it on. It didn't light up.
"Is this thing working?", I asked Adrian.
"It won't unless you ignite it with a lighter," said he, while helping Red arrange our things.
I looked at the cabinet and checked for lighters of matches. Thank God. I found one box with four decent sticks.
I tried to ignite the stove with the first stick but it immediately died out. The second is no good.
I tried the last one when Teacher CJ went in the room to check on how are we doing so far. I turned to see him and I guess he was expecting me to do so because he's looking straight at me.
"Light that up, Henric," he commanded.
"Yes, cher," I replied, going back to business. I struck the stick against the box ... then I ignited.
I mean, I really ignited.
I woke up with a start at the Grade 10 Jade room. Teacher CJ is teaching something about genes. I can't understand why.
I looked at my hands, and my clothes, they're different from what I have. My stomach is quite bigger, and my skin is fairer.
On my right is Kate, president of Grade 10, ans Erudite. I am in their Science 10 class. I raised my hand.
"Cher, may I pee?" I asked.
"Yes, Vince," Teacher CJ answered, mot looking at me.
I was about to ask why did he call me Vince, but I stopped because I felt like there's nothing odd about that. I am Vince Sinamban. I am 15 years old, Grade 10, Erudite.
But I am also John Henric!
I went outside and ran towards the male comfort room. I looked at my reflection at the mirror. Crap.
I am Vince. I can't understand! I entered one of the cubicles, locked the door and sat on the toilet bowl. This can't be right!
When I started back to our room (Grade 10) I decided to change my directin, I headed to Grade 8 Turquoise instead to check on something.
Teacher Nova just dismissed her class. I quickly peeked inside, acting like I am looking for Mike to ask about the basketball ball we used yesterday afternoon. But that is really not what I wanted to see. It's not Mike.
I checked on whether or not I am there at the room. Then, next to Red, sits Henric, me, talking to Adrian. I looked at him, hoping he wont look back.
He didn't, which made things worse.
I ran back to our room upstairs when I saw Teacher CJ walking to my direction, looking at me with a smile.
"Well done, Vince," he said, then started to walk down the flight of stairs.
I am left there not knowing what the hell he means.
