The Genetic Code

Chapter 12

Juliette

I gasp when I hear the loud splash.

After a few seconds, he emerges from the water, hoisting himself out of the pool with his head pointed downwards.

Everyone's head has turned in his direction, watching with curious eyes as he doesn't even take a second to catch his breath before marching out of the swimming complex with his hand over his face.

The class starts chattering loudly, eyes on the entrance doors as they swing shut behind him. I stand rooted to my spot for a while, blinking a few times in dazed confusion.

What was that about? Sterling isn't the type to just walk out of a class for no reason. I start getting a bit worried, and tell the teacher that I'm going to check on him, leaving before he has a chance to respond.

On my way out, I run into Alex. He looks as shocked as I am, but I snap out of it first, and squeeze past him.

As I do so, I hear him say, "Wait, I want to talk to you—" but I quickly slip away and go after Sterling's form getting further in the distance.

I don't know where Sterling's going. He just seems to be getting further and further away from the swimming complex, past the basketball court, in the opposite direction from the main building. The whole time he has his head down and a hand shielding his face.

He turns, and heads toward a short small building isolated to the side, apart from the main building structure. I've never noticed it before, since it's mostly hidden by trees and foliage, even though its roof is a bright red color. There are barely any windows, and the few there are are covered by thick curtains. Sterling automatically reaches for a plant pot holding purple flowers, digging around for a while, and retrieves a key, which he used to unlock the front door before disappearing into the hut.

My eyes narrow in puzzlement. What is that place? And why does he know where the key is? He could've just dried off at the changing room and changed back into his uniform. But he came here instead...

Although my objective judgement warns me against it, my curiosity gets the better of me, and I move towards the hut. I repeat his actions, and use the key from the same flower pot to gain access into the hut.

It's dark, and cold. I walk gingerly through the space, and make out the shape of a couch and table in the darkness. The only source of luminance in the room is a narrow beam of yellow light creeping out from the sliver of space by a door left slightly ajar.

I hear the sound of a running sink, the sloshing of water. I move slowly, cautiously, towards the other side of the room, where the light is coming from. Once I reach the door, I peek in through the crack.

I see Sterling hunched over the sink, shirtless. His broad shoulders rise and fall in time with his breaths, tight muscles tensing with his movements. My eyes trail down his spine, to the blue and green splotches painting his back. He holds the left side of his body, where his tattoo is, and from between his fingers I can see the angry purple bruise marring his swelled skin. I can't help the sharp intake of breath from between my lips.

His entire body freezes, except for his twitching ears, and in the speed of light he snaps his head towards me, light eyes glinting dangerously.

I gasp loudly and cup both my hands over my agape mouth.

"Y... Your f-face..."

The right side of his face is swollen, skin red and blotchy. There are scratches and marks on his cheeks, bruises around his lips, and dark discoloration below his eyes. His jaw also looks swelled up.