THE OTHER ME

Episode 𝑭𝒐𝒖𝒓 : 𝑴𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝑴𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈

ETHAN WALKER

A Fresh Start

Monday morning arrived faster than I could have imagined. I stood in front of the mirror, my fingers lightly brushing the sides of my newly styled hair. I had gone for a low taper fade, a complete shift from the shaggy mess I used to sport. It was neat, sharp, and I dare say, it made me look... cute? For the first time in forever, my beauty felt like it wasn’t hidden beneath all that scruff. I couldn’t stop staring at my reflection. This was me, but somehow, I felt like a different person.

I spent a good chunk of time rehearsing in my room how I’d finally ask Jenna for her number today. I’d let the opportunity slip on Friday, and that had been eating at me all weekend. I couldn’t let that happen again. I ran through different scenarios in my head, imagining all the things I could say. "Hey Jenna, about your number..." or maybe I’d be more casual with, "So, I never got your digits on Friday." But each time I tried to say it aloud, it sounded ridiculous. I was wasting too much time overthinking when I should have been getting ready.

"Ethan!" my mom's voice rang through the door, snapping me out of my rehearsal. "What are you still doing in there? Your breakfast is getting cold!"

Shit. I hadn’t even taken my bath yet. Panic set in as I rushed into the bathroom, stripping off my clothes and hopping into the shower. I could already hear my mom calling again, wondering what was keeping me so long. I scrubbed faster than ever, mentally cursing myself for wasting time.

Finally, after rushing through breakfast and scrambling to get my things together, I headed out. Luck must have been on my side because our neighbor, Mr. Hargrove, offered me a ride to school. That saved me from the long bus ride, and I had a few more minutes to rehearse what I’d say to Jenna.

When I got to school, something strange happened. People stared. Not just my classmates, but people I didn’t even know. I couldn't place it—was it because they loved my new look or was it something awkward about it? I always had a tendency to think the worst, and my mind instantly jumped to the possibility that I looked ridiculous. The more eyes that followed me, the more uncomfortable I became. Maybe I should’ve just kept my old hairstyle.

But all those negative thoughts disappeared the moment Jenna came up to me. She smiled, her eyes flicking over my hair. "You look cool, Ethan."

I blinked. Wait, what? Did she just say I looked cool? I felt a warmth spread across my chest, and before I could reply, she added, "Let’s meet during break, okay?"

Those were the best words I’d heard all morning. Jenna wanted to meet during break? Was I dreaming? I pinched myself discreetly, and when I felt the slight sting, I knew this was real. I barely paid attention to the rest of the morning classes. My mind was focused on that moment—breaktime, when I’d finally get a chance to talk to Jenna.

When break finally arrived, Jenna found me as promised. "Let’s go get some snacks," she said, flashing me that same bright smile. As we walked together, she suddenly grabbed my hand, swinging it playfully as we made our way to the cafeteria. My heart felt like it might explode. Her hand was soft, and I was sweating through mine. I couldn’t believe this was happening.

But just as I was getting lost in the moment, we were interrupted. Jake. Of course, it had to be Jake. He stood right in front of us, flashing that cocky grin. "Hey Jenna!" he greeted her, ignoring me completely, as if I didn’t even exist.

I clenched my jaw, anger bubbling beneath the surface. Jake always had this way of making me feel small, of taking advantage of the fact that I had no self-esteem. But not today. Not this time. Before Jake could say anything else, I spoke up, surprising even myself. "We have plans, Jake. Can you stop delaying us?"

Jake’s face twisted in shock. He clearly hadn’t expected me to say anything. I didn’t even know what possessed me to speak up, but the words were already out there, and there was no taking them back. He stood there, stunned, while I pulled Jenna along, heart pounding like I had just sprinted a mile. I felt like I might pass out from the sheer effort of mustering that courage.

We arrived at the cafeteria, or as they call it in most American high schools, the lunchroom, where students grabbed their food trays. My heart was still racing, and my hands were trembling, but at least we were away from Jake. Jenna picked out some snacks and we found a table to sit at. As we sat down, she looked at me, her eyes twinkling with curiosity.

"Who gave you the idea to change your hairstyle?" she asked, tilting her head.

My heart skipped a beat. Was this where she was going to tell me it looked awful? I panicked. "Doesn’t fit me, right?" I asked, my voice sounding more insecure than I wanted it to.

But Jenna shook her head, smiling. "Actually, it fits you. You look cute."

I froze. My face turned red, and I could feel my brain short-circuiting. Cute. She had called me cute. What was I supposed to say to that? How does a guy even respond? Before I could figure it out, Jenna spoke again.

"You seem to have a lot to talk to me about, but..." She trailed off, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Do you have something on your mind to say?"

My heart pounded faster. Oh no, she knew. She knew I had feelings for her. But did she really? Or was I misinterpreting what she meant? Was she expecting me to confess? I had no idea how to respond. I could barely process my thoughts.

"Hey, Ethan." Jenna waved her hand in front of my face, snapping me back to reality. I blinked, realizing I had completely zoned out.

"Uhmm..." I stammered, trying to find the words. "Well... you know..." I began, but before I could say anything more, the bell rang, signaling the end of break. Saved by the bell.

"It's time for class!" Jenna said, standing up quickly. She flashed me one last smile. "See you later, Ethan!"

My heart was in my throat as I watched her walk away. "Jenna!" I called out, summoning every ounce of courage I had left. She turned to look at me, her cheeks flushing slightly. "You know what... there’s actually a lot I want to talk to you about, but... can we do it tomorrow?"

Jenna’s smile deepened, her cheeks turning a deeper shade of pink. "Promise." And with that, she walked off, leaving me standing there like an idiot. I nearly collapsed right there. Did I just say that? What the hell was I supposed to talk about tomorrow? Should I ask her out directly? What if I blow it?

I spent the entire English grammar class stuck in my head. The teacher, Mr. Hawthorne, was droning on about sentence structures, but I wasn’t paying attention. All I could think about was Jenna. How was I supposed to face her tomorrow? I knew I’d mess it up. My nerves were shot.

Just then, something popped into my mind. Mr. Thaddeus Krane’s theory. Could it actually be possible to clone myself? Could the other me be better at handling these situations? I got lost in my thoughts until Mr. Hawthorne called on me, asking me a simple question about prepositions. I had no idea what he was talking about and replied with complete nonsense.

The entire class erupted in laughter. Even Jenna couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing. I felt my face turn crimson. Embarrassed didn’t even begin to cover it.

As soon as the class ended, I knew what I had to do. I had to visit Mr. Thaddeus Krane and see if this cloning thing was real. If it was, maybe I could make a better version of myself—someone who wouldn’t flop in front of Jenna tomorrow. But as I gathered my things, I noticed Jake heading straight toward Jenna, already laughing and vibing with her. I clenched my fists, feeling the anger bubbling up again.

Tomorrow had to be different. I had to be perfect.