The Genetic Code

Chapter 4

I'm standing at the skytrain station holding onto the straps of my backpack, relieved to finally be getting far away from that prison they call a school. What a day it's been. Never had six hours felt that deathly long. I can't even begin to imagine returning to that place , and the next day, and the day after next...

Thank goodness for the new station opposite school. My ride home will now take twenty minutes instead of forty-five. Escaping from that hellhole of doom will be so much quicker and more convenient.

The skytrain arrives at the platform. As soon as I step in I'm greeted by a cool blast of air to the face, refreshing against my flushed cheeks. Even though the summer's over the heat hasn't subsided yet. Doesn't look like it's gonna cool down anytime soon.

I choose a spot close the door, beside a pole I can hold onto. The dangling hand grips are too high up for me to hold comfortably the entire journey.

I survey the students in the carriage, and most of them are wearing the same uniform as me. I recognize some of them, who used to be my classmates what feels like a lifetime ago, before the results of a single Gene Test changed everything.

One or two of them discreetly snap photos of me, before realizing with dread that their phones weren't on silent, and the sound of the photo being snapped chirped loudly for everyone to hear.

I clear my throat uncomfortably, then decide to move to another carriage that isn't so packed with Trinity students.

A few carriages down, I find a relatively empty carriage, with some vacant seats. There is only one Trinity student sitting alone quietly listening to music from his iPod.

Without even having to see his face, I know it's Alex. The shoes are already a telltale sign — that same pair of black Nike Air sneakers, with the blue gradated swish. Looks like some things don't change. Even if the boy himself has, his taste in shoes still remains exclusive to that one pair.

I sway as the train starts moving again, keeping my feet planted to the ground so I don't fall. There's a few empty seats in this carriage, but my eyes are fixed on the one next to him.

I take a deep breath, gathering up my courage. This will take a much stronger will than standing up to Kera. Why is there a knot of nerves in my stomach? Alex and I have been friends for almost nine years now — he's seen me cry, been present at my most embarrassing moments, and even held my hand — I shouldn't feel uncomfortable with simply sitting next to him on the train.

Yet I am, and I know very well why. I can't exactly say we've been friends for nine years, either. I should change that to known each other for nine years. Seven years of friendship with another two years of... I don't even know what to call it. Distance? Hiatus? I'm sure he has many other words to describe it. And I can bet on the fact that none of them are nice.

Nonetheless, the first step to reconciliation is communication, and the first step to communication is contact... as Mom used to tell me.

I take a trembling step forward. Sitting down slowly, I lay my hands on my lap and keep my back straight. Inch by inch, I lower my head to the left, until my ear touches his shoulder. I notice him flinch slightly, removing his right earpiece and staring at me in shock. I don't look at him, keeping my head facing forward. I'd resorted to the thing I did as a kid when silence wasn't enough to resolve our spats.

"Don't be upset," I say quietly. I'm sorry, I mean, I was wrong, please don't hate me. But those words can't seem to find their way out of my mouth. He doesn't respond, which I'm thankful for. I'd rather not know what's going through his mind right now.