Caz stayed over last night, in the room a couple of doors away from me. I've been told that he'll be staying here for a while; or at least, that's the impression I've been given.

I think he's cool, if you ask me. He's always smiling and I asked him to keep my interaction with Victor, a secret from the Guardian and James until I could confront the idea of telling them myself, which might be never.

But, why was Victor looking at me... Perhaps, it was just a coincidence?

Surely he didn't recognize me?!

Even though I wish I could keep it a secret for a bit longer, I need to tell them. They'll find out sooner or later anyway. But, just maybe, it's not that important?

An automated message on the disc-shaped device next to my bed told me that I have a morning session with Gunner, James and Caspian in the sports hall. I assume we'll be continuing the tests from the other day.

Yesterday, as expected I had to wake up at 7. Apart from that, the day was quite relaxed. So, I took the opportunity to get to know Caz better; to know what his hobbies are, his favorite foods, anything that wasn't too deep.

On my way to the sports hall, I saw Caz and walked down with him. It's quite early in the morning and he's smiling? He really is something.

"How are you both this morning?" James pronounced it clearly so that Caspian could make it out.

"Good." I replied, while Caz still smiles, maybe just a little bit more.

"Then we'll start on the activity to make sure that you didn't lose out on any progress." He pulled out two blocks of Styrofoam about the size of a brick, from a large plastic box.

"What's with that?"

"We want to work out how strong you are, starting off with the easy stuff. Now that we've got this Caspian here too, we'll be able to make more reasonable comparisons. Instead of comparing your fitness to someone as old as me we can compare it to someone who's much closer to your age. Therefore, the results will be more accurate." Gunner speaks as if he's elderly, but he doesn't look any older than 40.

"So you want us both to break the blocks of foam?"

"Yes, but with only one hand." James gave one to myself and the other to Caspian.

What a strange way of testing strength...

I noticed Caspian turning the block in his hand, using his ring finger and thumb to pinch the block in various places before it finally breaks.

"Good work Caspian. (signed)." James picked up the split styrofoam block from the floor and put it back in the box. "You still haven't broken yours, Sam."

"Does it matter how I break it?"

"Not at all."

"Okay then."

Caspian silently chuckled as he watched me copy his technique exactly, splitting it in two.

"A bit boring." Gunner mocked.

"Never mind, I think the next test will result in something different." James reached into the box a second time, bringing out two wooden blocks.

"You expect us to break a block of wood with one hand?!"

"We expect you to at least try, Sam. It's an assessment, so we only expect you to do what you're capable of."

Ridiculous as the request sounds, Caz tries the same technique as he did on the last block, but after about 20 seconds, gives up.

I guess the same technique won't work for me either. Why don't I try this-

"Wow..." James stood with his jaw-dropped, while Gunner's clipboard fell to the floor.

I looked at my hand; the wooden block had crumbled to splinters.

"Is that even possible?! (signed)". Caspian's eyes fixate on my somewhat unbothered hand. I don't know how it happened...

"That is exactly what we were hoping for. But we weren't expecting you to break it so easily. However, it's a good surprise and it makes me even more sure that, with time and focus on your technique, you can become a great sports man." Gunner picked up his clipboard.

"Why does it matter if I'm a good sportsman or not?"

"Your body was pretty much made for sports, don't you think? So it would be a shame to waste its talent." James picked up the box and took it to the storage room at the side of the hall.

"I need to talk to you about something; my office? I'll take you there; you should know where you can find me if you need me anyway." Gunner clipped the pen to the top of his clipboard and lead Caz and I out of the sports hall.

He stopped outside a slightly smaller pair of doors in comparison to the ones at the entrance of the sports hall, which I assume to be the doors to his office.

"Tell Caspian, that I need to talk to you alone, so he needs to stay outside."

"I'm sorry Caz, we won't be a minute, but Gunner needs to talk privately with me for a moment. Would you mind waiting outside the office? I promise we won't be long. (signed)".

"Sure. I'll wait here. (signed)". He said, still smiling.

"Thank you. (signed)".

Mr Gunner ushered me to a seat while he sat at his desk, with the door closed behind us.

This room had the typical office vibes; polished wood, bookshelves filled with dozens of confusing literature, desk, lamp, swivel chair and more books.

"So you need to talk to me about something? Is it serious?"

"I think it's important that you know and have an input in what's going on around you. That's why I want to talk to you." He unlocked the desk drawer with a dainty looking key and pulled out a folder. From that folder, he unleashed ad various number of documents onto the table.

I watch him search through each paper with his veiny hands until they reach a certain sheet which notably catches his attention. "Here. There's no subtle way of putting this, but we think it's best for you to leave Samuel Park behind and become Edward King."

Edward King. A boy's name printed at the top of the paper alongside a passport photo of my face; but a different date of birth to mine.

For this to work, I need to go as far as changing my identity?!

"Do I get the final say on this?"

"Of course you do."

"Can I let you know tomorrow and have this evening to think it through?"

"I don't see why not. Take the documents with you if you want, just don't lose them." I felt Gunner's eyes on my back as I got up and stumbled out of the room.

"Why would they need me to change my identity? I don't get it. (signed)". I let my shoulders drop as my hands fumbled a language that they were suddenly unfamiliar with.

"They were probably thinking that this would make it easier for you. (signed)". His eyes opened with genuine concern.

"How would that make it easier for me? (signed)".

"You were bullied, weren't you? (signed)".

"I guess you could call it that... (signed)".

"But you weren't. That was Samuel Park; Edward King is a popular, wealthy and untouched kid. So, you don't have to be the bullied one anymore. Instead, you can start anew and forget about Victor Reeds. (signed)". Just the mention of that name sets me on edge; a shiver down my spine.

After sitting on my bed for a good couple of hours, I realised that it wasn't a decision I couldn't make without someone else's opinion. I knew that James and Gunner would be bias, so I asked Caspian. It's been the key topic of conversation since walking back from the office. But, it seems Caz thinks the same too...

"So, I should forget about everything that Victor did to me? Is that what you mean? (signed)."

"Or you could take revenge for your old self? But I don't think that's such a good idea... (signed)."

Perhaps this is why I have a new body. This is my opportunity to take my revenge; to take back all those years that he made hell for me, and make them hell for him. Isn't this what Arthur wanted me to do?

"What the hell are you thinking Sam?!(signed)."

"Nothing. Why? (signed)."

"You just broke that mug!! (signed)." He hurriedly began picking up the porcelain pieces before they became lost in my bedsheets.

I broke that mug, with just one hand... And almost no effort whatsoever.

"Stop!" I pressed his shoulder. "You're going to injure yourself! (signed)."

He ignored me; too focused on the task in front of him.

The fragment dug deeply into the skin; so deeply that blood had already started warming to the gaps between the fingers, and painting his palm with its sticky red.

I instantly reach for the towel beside me and think about holding it against his hand, but remembered that the shard was still in his finger and if I push it in further, he might need it to be operated on.

Tweezers.

I grab the first aid kit from beside my bedroom door, which thankfully had a pair tweezers amongst it's contents.

"I'm sorry if I hurt you. (signed)." I pinched the skin around the wound to bring the porcelain to the surface and after a couple of attempts, was able to pull it out. I then held a hand towel against his wound, to prevent anymore bleeding.

Now that he wasn't bleeding everywhere, we took to the kitchen where we found a maid loading the dishwasher.

As soon as she saw the injury, it was like a light switch, and she knew exactly what she had to do.

Surprisingly though, the cut is smaller now that it's cleaned up, but the amount of blood that had been gushing out, would suggest otherwise.

"What happened?" Gunner walked in casually, his first objective probably being dinner.

"Caspian cut his hand on a broken mug."

"How did he do that?" Gunner's brows meshed as he frowned.

"I may have accidentally broken the mug."

"Do I have to beg you, Sam? I'm not in the mood for games."

"Okay, I'm sorry. I don't know how, but while Caspian and I were talking, I subconsciously crushed the mug with my hand."

"What were you talking about?"

"I don't think it was anything important."

Caspian then hit me with his uninjured hand.

"Victor. (signed)." He mouthed the name which forced my teeth to grit and chip at each other in frustration. I can't control this anger.

"Right... Victor came up." I crossed my arms and stared at the floor.

"This is more serious than I thought." Gunner paused. "I assumed that you were just scared of him but it's worse than that. You have a phobia-fuelled hatred towards him..."

I partially collapsed against a kitchen stool.

He's probably right.

Victor is my phobia...

"I'm sorry Sam, you can't go back to your old school. We're going to have to send you somewhere different."

"Why?!"

"If you can't control your frustration when someone mentions his name, how are you going to be, if you meet him face-to-face, again? You might just beat him up and send him off to hospital, if no one stops you."

"It would be for the good of mankind." I mumbled.

"You have to change that mindset kid. If you can't control your emotions, you won't be of any help to anybody."

"So I have to change schools?"

"Yes."

"And my identity?"

"It's for the best." The Guardian shrugged.

"Okay."

"Are you sure? I don't want to be blamed for pressuring you into deciding anything."

"You've given me all day. I've decided. This is what I want."

To be honest, I really don't know what I want... but I think, in this body I can protect people: mum, Yuri, the pretty piano girl and anyone who's vulnerable. I want protect them all, and I can't protect anyone as the weak Samuel Park; only as Edward King.

"Okay, Sam. If you take the documents I gave you earlier and go to James' office, which is opposite mine. He can officially document your new identity and get you into a new school for next week. I'll message him, so that he knows you're going over."

I hope I'm making the right decision.

Subconsciously, I find my palms sweating like rain clouds, making the papers damp in patches.

Nerves make me hesitant to turn the the handle leading through to the dreaded room, where I'll find James. But, I can't avoid this.

"Hello Samuel. I didn't realise you'd make the decision so quickly. If you'd just sit down, I'd like you to sign a couple of documents and then you can go."

I sat down and wearily pushed the papers towards him.

"You aren't usually this shy Sam." He picked up the papers before I could take them back. "I've found you a good college, by the way. It specialises in sport, which is perfect for you, just try not to outshine the other kids, yeah?" He joked, but I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable.

I know I'm doing this to protect mum? But will it hurt her to do this?

The pen nib scratched the paper as I finished each signature.

But it suddenly scorched my mind!

"Wait! What about Samuel Park?! What happens to me?"

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"Now that Edward King lives, Samuel Park doesn't exist; he's dead."
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Author's note:

My ponytail is a bit tight.