August 21, 2017 / 10:37 a.m.

  The mocking laughter crashes into Asier's ears like hammer blows. He tries to block them out as much as possible, burying his face in the table in an attempt to hide his shame.

  "Stupid, you're so stupid!" he silently screams at himself as tears slide down his cheeks. "Did you seriously think you'd change so much in just a few months? Look at you! Everyone's probably staring, and you look like a fool."

  There's no word to describe how he feels at this moment. But he's angry—angry at himself for being so naive, for thinking he could be someone different, for believing his nerves wouldn’t betray him again. Yet, a new question suddenly arises.

  "Why does she look so much like her?"

  Is this just some cruel trick of fate? Or does God simply enjoy watching him suffer? It doesn’t matter. The damage is already done.

  But Asier doesn’t notice that someone nearby is watching him. The casual smile of the girl was all it took for his mind to start spinning stories.

  "Hey, Asier, are you okay?"

  Kelvin’s voice pulls him out of his refuge. He quickly dries his tears and turns his head slightly to look at his brother.

  "Weren’t you talking to your friend?"

  "No, he just stopped to say hi. I don’t even know him," Kelvin replies with a slight smile, sitting across from Asier. "Does your head still hurt?"

  "Not anymore. I just want to go home," Asier mutters, stretching his arms forward and finally lifting his head completely.

  Kelvin notices the signs that Asier had been crying moments earlier but chooses not to mention it to avoid making things uncomfortable.

  "Do you remember the twins who came to my birthday party?"

  Asier drifts, trying to recall who Kelvin is talking about.

  "Were they dressed alike?"

  "Yeah."

  "Sort of. Why?"

  "They told me they’re coming to this school too, but I don’t know which class they’re in."

  "So?" Asier asks, unable to figure out why Kelvin is bringing this up.

  "I want you to help me look for them during lunch."

  "I don’t want to," he replies with a sigh, slumping back onto the table.

  "Then what are you going to do at lunch? Yanil’s with her friends. She won’t pay attention to you."

  Asier stays silent. As much as he hates to admit it, Kelvin is right. Sitting alone at a table would be far more awkward than wandering around with him.

  "Fine…"

  Kelvin lights up at Asier’s response and immediately starts talking more than necessary, quickly overwhelming his brother.

  Moments later, Ms. Winslow restores order in the classroom before the bell rings a second time, starting with a simple introductory lesson. And so, the remaining hour before the twelve o’clock lunch break drags on like a snail.

  As soon as the teacher dismisses the class, Kelvin and Asier leave their seats and head toward the cafeteria. Though they feel overwhelmed by the crowd outside, they decide to follow the flow, which guides them to their destination without much trouble.

  "Okay, now we need to find them," Kelvin says, scanning the cafeteria. Despite being filled with dozens of students, it somehow looks empty.

  "This place is stupidly huge. How are we supposed to find them? What if they didn’t come?"

  "Impossible. I saw them during the ceremony, and knowing Josh, they’re probably somewhere less crowded."

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  Asier remains skeptical, but follows his brother, seeing no other viable options.

  "By the way, who was the girl you were talking to? Did you know her before?"

  "No, she just looked like someone I know, but I was wrong," Asier responds, clearly irritated by the question.

  Kelvin drops the subject.

  Three minutes later, their search yields no results. Asier starts getting fed up, but Kelvin remains determined. After about ten minutes, Asier reaches his limit, suggesting they grab something to eat and resume searching afterward. Kelvin initially refuses, but the growl of his stomach convinces him otherwise.

  While eating, neither of them speaks first, each lost in their own thoughts. That is, until a voice calls out to Kelvin.

  "Hey," says a boy approaching with another beside him.

  Kelvin stands up immediately, recognizing them at once. Asier watches from the table, wondering if they’re the ones. There’s hardly any room for doubt since the two are identical, save for their hairstyles.

  "See? I told you," Kelvin says, returning to the table with the twins in tow. "Where were you? We spent so much time looking for you," he adds, sitting next to Asier.

  "Your hair," one of them replies.

  Both sit across from Kelvin and Asier.

  "That gray hair of yours is actually useful for something," Asier teases.

  "Do you at least remember their names?" Kelvin asks mischievously, clearly trying to put his brother on the spot.

  Asier shakes his head.

  "The bald one is Jonathan, and the other is Joshua," Kelvin replies, trying to provoke his friends but getting ignored.

  "You’re Oscar, right? Their younger brother…"

  Asier looks confused. He and Oscar don’t look alike at all.

  "No, I’m Asier. I’m older than Kelvin."

  Jonathan and Joshua exchange puzzled glances, forcing Kelvin to clarify.

  "Oscar’s the one with green eyes. This is Asier, my other brother."

  "Didn’t you say the other one was David?" Jonathan asks, looking at his brother.

  "Yeah, I’m sure the other one was David, and the sister was Yanil," Joshua chimes in.

  Both look even more confused now. Kelvin sighs and takes a moment to explain the situation in detail while Asier quietly finishes his meal.

  "Oh, I get it now. Asier was adopted by your grandfather a few months ago," Jonathan concludes, turning to greet Asier again. Joshua does the same and apologizes. "By the way, have you guys decided which clubs to join yet?"

  Kelvin and Asier quickly shake their heads, each unsure of their plans.

  "Are you thinking of joining one?" Joshua asks Asier directly.

  "Uh… honestly, I’m only interested in track, swimming, and soccer."

  Joshua seems surprised and leans in with more enthusiasm. Asier, on the other hand, remains silent, focusing on his food.

  "So, are you thinking about joining the soccer club?" Joshua presses, addressing Asier.

  Asier looks up, still uncertain.

  "Yeah, I’ve been thinking about it. I’ve never played on a team before, just with my older brother. Maybe that’s why it caught my interest."

  Joshua nods, offering a reassuring smile.

  "You should give it a try. Jonathan and I have been playing since we were kids. Sometimes it can get intense, but I think you’d like it."

  Asier shows faint interest, but keeps his doubts to himself, following the conversation as time passes. Without realizing it, the bell rings, pulling them back to reality and cutting the discussion short. The intercom announces for groups 6-A and 6-B to gather in the main gym.

  August 21, 2017 / 1:02 p.m.

  Asier stands in line, half-listening to the PE teacher’s instructions in the background. He gazes in awe at the massive gymnasium. The four basketball courts and the ceiling three stories higher than normal disorient him. The polished wooden floor amplifies the squeak of the teacher’s footsteps, and the echoes make the walls and ceiling seem even farther away. A strange pressure hammers in his chest.

  Kelvin places a hand on Asier’s shoulder, repeating the teacher’s final words.

  “Come on, we need to head back to the locker room,” he says as the line begins to break apart.

  Still dizzy, Asier responds with a small nod and follows his brother. They both enter the locker room, and Kelvin seems more relaxed than before. The two head to their lockers. Kelvin, without a hint of shame, takes off his shirt and pants, while Asier only removes his shirt.

  “Aren’t you going to take off your undershirt?” asks Kelvin, pulling on his uniform pants.

  Feeling uncomfortable with so many people around, Asier shakes his head and pulls the uniform over his undershirt, doing the same with the pants.

  “Aren’t you hot?” Kelvin points at the long sleeves.

  Asier shakes his head again, motioning for Kelvin to hurry up and put on his shirt so they can leave. With a sigh, Kelvin puts on the shirt, grabs his sneakers, and shuts his locker. Asier mirrors him, and they both step out of the locker room, heading back to the gym. They sit by the door, putting on their sneakers.

  “We’re so lucky,” Kelvin says sarcastically as he ties his laces.

  “Why do you say that?” Asier asks, confused.

  “We have to take a physical fitness test on the first day of school,” Kelvin replies, standing up and bouncing lightly on his feet.

  “At least we’ll get it over with quickly,” Asier answers, rising to his feet as well.

  Kelvin stomps a few times, making the floor squeak and irritating Asier.

  “Hey, stop that,” he snaps, walking toward the teacher.

  “Does your head still hurt?” Kelvin asks, catching up with him.

  “Not much,” Asier says, cutting the conversation short.

  Little by little, students from both groups start gathering where they had lined up earlier. The teacher divides the boys and girls into mixed teams and then explains the first exercise: shuttle runs.

  Each time the teacher blows the whistle, footsteps echo through the gym. Asier’s heart begins to race. He tries to calm his breathing as he inches closer to the front of the line. When it’s finally his turn, he feels the air left behind by the person who just finished.

  The whistle blows, and Asier immediately starts running, but something’s wrong. His foot slips, and he reacts too late, crashing onto the floor.

  He quickly scrambles back up, using his hands for support, and sits down, turning halfway to face the teacher. The coach approaches and tells him not to stand up, evaluating his condition. Asier answers each question honestly—except one.

  “Can you continue?”

  “Yes.”

  The teacher calls the other boy back to repeat the sprint since the fall prevented an accurate time. As the boy walks past Asier, he notices the tension in his expression and the anger in his eyes but says nothing. The race resumes without further incidents.

  Asier heads over to drink water, but Yanil interrupts him.

  “Are you okay?” she asks, worried.

  Asier glances at her sideways while taking a sip.

  “Yeah,” he replies, closing his bottle.

  Kelvin doesn’t take long to show up.

  “You did great, Asier,” he says immediately, patting his back.

  Asier nods with a small smile, handing over the bottle and saying he’s going to the bathroom.

  As he moves away from his siblings, he opens and closes his hands, noticing the scrapes on his palms from the fall. He exhales, relieved that he won the race, but the strange pressure in his chest lingers.

  He enters the bathroom, lost in thought. After washing his face, he realizes he forgot his towel. With no other option, he uses his shirt to dry off.

  He turns around and, just as he lifts his head, sees a fist coming straight at his face.

  Too late to defend himself, he takes the hit directly on his nose.