Human: Paradigm (COMPLETED)

The principal gazes at the crowd.

"Thank you for coming. May all of you have a bright future ahead of yourselves. This ends the moving up ceremony of Batch 2027-2028. Thank you very much."

The music begins playing throughout the hall. Students stand. I do the same thing. Those who are sitting in the 1st row are supposed to lead the march.

"Good thing, our seat is in 3rd row. That's why we don't have to wait for too long." a girl in braids says.

"Huh? What are you saying?" a girl in a blue sweater asks. "We have to wait during the entrance march. My legs are already killing me earlier."

"Shush. It's our turn soon."

The last boy who's sitting in front of us passes the aisle, and this serves as the sign for us to walk. I follow what everybody is doing.

"Keep on walking straight ahead!" a bald teacher in a navy blue polo shirt says.

"Maintain the distance between the one you're following." a young lady in the same polo shirt says. "Cruz, you're walking too close to him."

I shudder. Looking ahead, the student I'm following is only a foot apart from me. I take smaller steps.

I need to concentrate.

The hallway is very spacious but pretty aged. Sliding wooden glass windows occupy throughout, while the floorboards have some discolorations.

Kachak

A bright light flashes in my peripheral vision. It's a camera flash. Suddenly, I feel a light touch on my shoulder.

Anne is standing along the rows of sliding windows.

"Hahaha... You're so stiff," she says, halfway laughing and halfway talking.

"I thought you're on the other side of the hall."

"No. I'm standing here the whole time. I watched everything."

"You saw me? "

"Of course. I'm keeping on guard. And besides, you're so tall that it's hard to not notice you."

She smiles. I look away

"Hahaha. It's alright. I know that you're adjusting to this environment."

"Yeah."

"Shall we go home?"

"I thought that there's still a practice after the break."

"It's fine. I got your advisor's permission. Unless you want to stay here longer?"

"Let's go now."

"Sure."

We walk outside.

"Are you hungry?" she asks.

"Not really."

"But it's better if we eat now because I'm not sure what time we'll arrive at the house. Do you want something in particular?"

"Anywhere is ok."

"Alright then. We're going drive-thru."

"I'm sorry, but I need to use the restroom first."

"Don't apologize."

"Ah. Yeah."

"Do you know where it is?"

"I went earlier so I should be fine."

"Alright." she waves her hand. "I'll be waiting at the car then."

"Thanks."

Trees are all around the school grounds, surrounded by the lines of cars. The concrete is pretty rough itself, but I can tell it's well maintained since there are no cracks visible.

So, this is my school? It's big.

Walking, I bump to something hard, which makes me stop. In front of me, a boy is standing.

"Sorry," I utter.

"Matt? Is that you?"

Hmm, he knows me?

"Yes?"

"Oh! Good thing that you're out of the hospital now."

"Thanks."

The boy keeps staring at me behind his glasses. This is weird.

"If you don't mind, can I ask you a question?"

"What's it?" he asks, still staring.

"Who are you?"

He raises his brows so high it creates wrinkles on his forehead. "Y-you don't remember me?"

"No." are we friends?

"I'm Louie. We are classmates."

"Louie? Sorry, I can't remember."

He rubs his chin. In a split second, he smirks. "Why? Could it be because of the incident?"

"Yeah, exactly. So I'm sorry if I ca—"

"So, you don't remember anything about your past?"

"Kinda everything. But I do remember basic skills like drawing, painting, and appreciating art."

"I see. So you've forgotten Dave?"

"Who's that?"

"Maybe your friend? I don't really know. But Dave is a popular guy here, and you're always— ah, no, most of the time, with him. Knowing you, you don't really stick around other people except for him."

"Is that so?"

"You really don't remember him?"

I open my mouth.

"Louie! There you are."

But a voice cuts me off. There's another boy approaching behind Louie. Coming closer, his gaze falls to me. He taps Louie on the shoulder.

"I'm sorry. We have to go," the boy says.

"No problem. It's fine," I say.

After my words, he drags Louie with great force. Although the distance between us is far, I can still hear what they're talking about.

"You spoke with him?" the boy asks.

Louie nods. "It seems like he has Retrograde Amnesia because he can't remember his past."

"Well, he must have forgotten about him too. Poor Dave."

"It looks like it."

Their backs fade away. I walk to the restroom shortly after that and return to the parking lot.

Several students head to the hall. Most of them gaze, however, they avert immediately whenever our eyes make contact with one another. Weird. Who are these people?

After some walking, I find the metallic red car under the shade.

The cold breeze of the air-conditioning runs on my skin.

"Is everything ready?" Anne asks.

"I didn't really bring anything with me," I say.

The car starts moving toward the exit. Upon passing the gate of the school signals a salute from the guard.

Clusters of different vehicles surround us. Trucks and buses stand tall among others while the 4-wheels seem to look so small. Running here and there are fast motorcycles.

Our car stops because of the congestion. Anne leans to her seat.

"It's traffic," she says.

"Is it always like this here?"

"It's always like this in Manila. I should be used to it by now, but I just can't."

"Is where we're going far from here?"

"Not really. But at this rate—!" she slams the wheel.

BEEEP!!!

"You've got to be kidding me. It's traffic, and we're stuck in here together with these stupid drivers," she says.

She proceeds to mumble other words, but I can't understand them anymore. I feel lightheaded. That's why I tilt my head to the window on the right and close my eyes, but an image crosses before me.

A little boy who's wearing an oversized shirt is pulling a wooden cart full of stacked garbage bags on the sidewalk. Poor him. He should be studying instead of working in the streets.

"Matt?"

I keep my eyes outside. "Hmm?"

"You can sleep. I'll just wake you up when we arrive there."

I nod, but I will not sleep because the boy outside piques my curiosity.

The boy picks up garbage bags and trashes that are scattered by the roadside. In his direction, another boy around his age, wearing nothing but only black shorts with patches, walks toward him.

The boy in the shorts is kinda similar to him. Same height; around 4 feet, same size; skin and bones, and the same haircut; shaven. He's carrying two sacks, but both of them are too worn out to be anything else but garbage. He throws them to the wooden cart. Then, puts his arm around the other shoulder of the other boy.

Are they friends? Maybe best friends.

Best friends?

Louie's words return to me.

"So you've forgotten Dave?"

Dave...

"Who's that?" I asked.

"Maybe your friend? I don't really know. But Dave is a popular guy here. And you're always— ah, no, most of the time, you're with him. And knowing you, you don't really stick around with other people except for him," Louie said.

My friend... And apparently, he's the only one who I hang out with. If that's true, I guess it does make him my best friend.

Where is him now anyway? If we're in the same school, why haven't I seen him in the practice nor has he approached me?

"Ahh. He's asleep," Anne speaks.

"I'm not."

"I thought you were because you haven't moved an inch since earlier."

"Are we at our destination yet?"

"No. But it's still traffic so you can sleep. I know that your mind and body are both tired from the practice."

"Say, Anne, do you know what I'm like at school? I mean the 'me' before the incident."

The car stops moving. On the side mirror, a motorcycle has occupied the spot on our right while a public bus trails behind.

"You're really quiet, not sociable, and got no friends. Those are your advisor's words."

I have no friends? "Do you know someone named Dave?"

"Dave?" she stops for a while. " I don't know much about him, but I think he's your childhood friend."

So it's true then. "Earlier, when I was on my way to the restroom, I saw a classmate. He asked me about Dave."

"Uh-huh."

"Of course I don't know him. I didn't even recognize you when you visited me at the hospital."

"At least now, you know he's your childhood friend."

"Is he going to the same school?"

"Dave?"

I nod.

"I don't think so."

"That's weird. Because my classmate said that Dave's studying in our school. In fact, he said that he's really popular."

"Really? You've never mentioned anything before except for him being your childhood friend. But if a student there had mentioned, it must be true."

This is getting much strange.

"I'm sorry if I'm not much of a help. You only talked of him once."

"It's fine. Really, I'm just wondering."

"About what?"

"If Dave and I are friends, how come he didn't approach me earlier?"

The empty silence takes over the whole car. The cold air lands against my skin.

"Maybe he didn't see you? Or he's not aware that you're here?"

That seems to be the only acceptable reason.

"Don't pressure yourself, Matt. Your memories will eventually return."

I keep my gaze outside. The vehicles around us start moving.

"Finally."

Anne continues on driving the car. On the other hand, I give in to rest.

Dave... Just who are you?