Chapter 1 The switch

Grace :

“You're going back to school tomorrow and that's final, stop looking for excuses for your bad results, you will never change school!” I heard my father's angry voice from the living room. I could tell who he was yelling at, it was no other person but my twin brother. 

My brother Great used to be a free spirited, carefree and happy boy who doesn't worry about anything except playing football and being happy, it was not until his senior year in high school when he changed drastically, my once carefree brother became withdrawn from everyone including me his twin sister who he usually clung to. 

He became a typical loner who barely talks and is always in his room, even when you walk in on him thinking he will be on his phone or reading his book you'll find out he's just staring into space and would barely notice that you walked in on him.

My twin brother's favorite sports used to be football, he was a good at it, he used to gist me about his football life whenever he's back from the boarding school, he normally talks about all the goals he scores and cannot wait to become a footballer, that was how close we are. 

My brother who troubles me all the time and can barely give me breathing space became so distant that I could no longer recognize him.

The one that got everyone's attention was my brother who was always ranking first in class and scoring A’s in all his subject became the reverse, he now comes last or second to the last with straight F’s that was what drew my parents attention, 

My parents has done everything they can to ask what the problem was but each time they asked him, the only thing he keeps on saying is that he wants to change school, he wants to quit, he doesn't want to go back to Elite Highschool, it was not just any regular high school, it was the school for the rich only.

Actually his grades were what my parents noticed and complained about but what I noticed that made me realize that something was wrong with my brother was when I went to check out his bag, and I noticed that most of his school clothes were torn and stained with chemicals.

My brother used to be an organized person who hates dirts, so when I saw that my brother's stuff were messed up I knew something was wrong, but what can I do, I'm about to leave for Canada, 

I've been an aspiring basketball player and now that I got the opportunity to join the women's basketball in Canada I cannot wait to grab this opportunity, and just like my brother will be leaving for school tomorrow in New Orleans, I'll be leaving for Canada, but I can't help worrying about my brother, I could tell that something was wrong with him, especially now that he's threatening my parents that he might kill himself if they insist on sending him back.

I was still contemplating on my brother's condition when a knock sounded on my door, I stood up from the bed and opened the door only to see my twin brother with tears in his eyes,

“Great” I called in surprise and he slowly looked up at me, tears rolled down my brother's cheeks, I held his hand and walked him inside, but instead of sitting on the bed, he shocked me by crumbling on his knees, 

“Great” I called immediately and tried to pull him up, but instead he shook his head,

“Sis help me, talk to mum and dad, please I don't want to go back to that school anymore” It was my first time seeing my lovely brother breakdown in front of me, he looked so exhausted, and it nearly brought tears to my eyes, my heart shattered into a million pieces watching my brother, I wanted so bad to know what the problem was, 

I suddenly felt a wave of possessiveness ran through me, remembering how he has always loved and cared for me all my life, remembering how he always fought for me while growing up, and most especially remembering that he has been the best and sweetest brother that the universe gave me, I suddenly felt like dealing with whoever that is responsible for his tears,

I crumbled down to my knees and cupped my brother's face, I pulled closer and wiped his tears, 

“How can I help you if I don't know what's wrong with you? Tell me, what are they doing to you in school that made you not want to go back?”

Instead of saying something he shook his head, I could tell he was holding back, I pulled him into my warmth embrace, comforting him while I patted his back

“I'm making you a promise that if you tell me whoever that is responsible for your tears, I promise I'm not going to allow you to go back to that school again and secondly I'm going to make them pay” 

I waited for my brother's response and when I didn't hear anything, I gently pulled away from the hug,

“Trust me Great, I'm your twin sister”

He stared at me for some time before he whispered,

“Promise?”

“Hmmm I promise” I muttered with my hand on my chest. He fiddled with his fingers for sometime, before he looked up at me, 

“I'm going to tell you’’ 

As soon as he said that, it felt like a heavy weight was lifted from my shoulder, after a long time I finally got my brother to talk. 

“It started in my senior year in high school when the School President’s son became my roommates, he wanted me to pack out of the room but there was no other empty room for me to pack into, he became angry and began to tease me but it got worse when his friends realized I was a scholarship student, they made the whole school to tease me and I was barely surviving, trust me sis it was hell for me” 

Great grabbed my hand crying, I could feel his whole body trembling like he was reminiscing on everything that happened to him,

“Calm down Great, I'm here now, calm down” I hugged him patting his back, minutes passed and he was finally calmed, I was holding onto my tears at this point, I don't want to break down in front of him, not when he's leaning on my shoulder and I'm his source of comfort.

“Those people that bullied you, can you give me their names, everyone of them including the school presidents son” I asked wiping my tears, but my eyes kept on watering, 

“Hmmm” He nodded, I pulled away from the hug, and turned away, I feel so bad right now, I felt like I failed him as a sister, but I need to be strong for the both of us so I sniffed back my tears and toughened 

“I'm listening tell me their names’’

“The School President's son is my roommate, his name is Edward Connor, he's also in my class, he’s not actually bad, he only teases me it was his friends that bullied me though he stops them sometimes. He's family is so powerful sis, his mum is the highest shareholder of Elite Highschool and his father is the President of America”

“He can be the son of whoever, I don't care, he messed with the wrong one, keep going, how many are his friends?”

“They are three plus Anton making them four, it's said that their parents are all top contributors of the school”

“Who cares just give me their names''

“Anton, he's father is the Governor of the state, he bullies me a lot, especially in front of the class”

“What does he do to you?”

“Sometimes he would ask me to stand in front of the class till the end of the day, sometimes he remove my locker and I won't have anywhere to sit during the class and sometimes he would make me work for him till the school is over”

“Copied, another person”

“Rick, he's the son of the School chairman he always stains my school uniform with paint, chemicals, and made me wear them to school”

“Is he responsible for your torn clothes too?” I gritted my teeth in anger,

“Yes he is”

“Copied who else?”

“Benny, his mother is the state  commissioner he forced me to quit the football and forced the school football team to never accept me again, but that was not all cause that same night that they made me quit football I was coming back from the bathroom and someone pushed me from the back, I fell down the stairs and that was how I got my knee injury and cannot be able to play football again, sis I can't play football again, I can't become a footballer anymore” He sobbed

“What?! Do you know the face of the person that pushed you?” 

“No” He mumbled calmly as he shook his head, I wiped his tears, but deep down I was shattered, how could they do this to my brother who can barely hurt a fly, he does not deserve this 

“Anyone else?” I asked, balling my fist at this point because so many ideas were already flowing in, ideas on how to kill those idiots.

“No, others are students I don't know their names”

“Cool, come closer let me tell you something” I whispered to him, and immediately he heard what I said

“You will?” He asked in shock

“Yes I'll take your place, is time I show them what it taste like to mess with my brother” 

“But you can't sis” He muttered with a terrified look 

“Why? You don't trust me?”

“No it's not that I don't trust you, it's just that it's going to be so dangerous, last session the only friend I have in school was suddenly found dead in the school rooftop no one knows what happened to him I'm still traumatized by it, they killed my only friend, my best friend they took him away from me.

I've lost everything sis!” He broke down in front of me and I saw a part of my brother that I've never seen before, he was shaking, sweating and traumatized and this is a side of him my parents never saw that I did, 

He's been holding back so much, wish my parents can see how much that school has destroyed my brother, he looked so damaged, yet he refused to show them this side of him

“What happened to your friend ? Was he bullied too, was it those bullies of yours?”

“No, no, I haven't seen them bullying him before” He stuttered in confusion

“Wait, why do you look scared, I'm the one going back this time not you” 

“No sis, you don't get it, before coming back this semester, I got an anonymous death note saying I'm Next”

“What!” I almost yelled but lowered my voice immediately 

“That's why I said you can't go sis, that school is more like a death zone, what do we do?” 

“Don't you think that's more reason I should go, someone needs to stop those bullies else student are going to keep on dying, have you forgotten I've been learning taekwondo since we were kids, remember how we both fought those group of boys that teased us back then in elementary school cause our parents were poor, 

Remember how I broke their front teeth and their parents reported to the police that two twin boys beat up their kids, back then everyone in the neighborhood was gossiping that I was a boy and not a girl remember?”

“That's true” My brother finally smiled, as his eyes lit up in remembrance

“See? I told you I can deal with them, since everyone is saying I act like a boy even dad keeps on nagging that I'm stubborn and never behaved like a girl, I think is time I practice my skill on those rich brats in your school and since I don't act like a girl no one will know”

“But it's still dangerous”

“Come on Great I'm not just going because of you, I'm also going because of the lives of other students, your friend that died, don't you want revenge for him?”

“But I should be the one protecting you”

I smiled and cupped his face,

“You have protected me all my life, let me protect you just this once okay?”

“Sis you're really going for my sake?” He asked in an emotional voice

“Of course I can't allow you to suffer anymore, is time someone teach them a lesson and don't worry I won't show them my aggressive side so they won't suspect anything, I'm still going to act like you, calm and sweet, and slowly I'm going to get them one after the other”

“What if they find out your identity?”

“Don't worry about that, if you do everything I say no one will know, not even mum and dad”

“So from now on….” 

“You're me and I am you” I smiled at him,