Chapter 1: Jake
"Jake!" a beautiful girl screamed my name as she entered the hospital room.
"Hey, Alicia, why so sad?" I said weakly. My illness was already taking all my strength.
"At least I managed to fulfill my wish," I forced a smile.
"Solving the Langlands Program..." she murmured.
"No! I was talking about taking all your first times!" I smirked at her. "Even taking the backdo-"
She quickly put her hand over my mouth. "If you finish that sentence, I'll make sure you die early," she warned, shooting me a murderous glare.
We laughed, but soon she collapsed onto my chest and began to cry.
"How can you joke at a time like this?" she asked between sobs.
"What choice do I have?" I replied, a hint of resignation in my tone. "Still, I don't regret it. But maybe I could've enjoyed life a bit more."
"I was luckier than Évariste Galois - that guy died at twenty," I added.
"Wasn't he the idiot who died in a duel? Because of a woman?" Alicia asked.
"Yep. You can be a genius and still do stupid things," I confirmed.
"Like reading the entire Twilight saga to impress a girl?" she teased, flashing a sly smile.
"Hey! I was ten - I thought it was a great idea! And it actually worked!" I protested. "Besides, I was the only MIT graduate who had never kissed anyone. The college with the highest concentration of nerds per square meter!"
I was a genius, but my maturity back then wasn't much different from a kid's. And she was twelve.
Alicia made a stone face. "You were ten! It was just a peck on the lips, barely counts."
"And she turned lesbian," she burst out laughing.
The lighthearted mood didn't last long.
"Hey, Licia, just bury some of my books, please," I said softly.
"The kids' ones? Percy Jackson, Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, Divergent... you really have a childish side," she smiled faintly.
Feeling consciousness slip away, I struggled to speak a few final words. "Don't miss me, Alicia. I'll be happy with the angels in heaven," I lightly smirk. "But do put my name on the group home (orphanage)."
I had left a wallet with 10,000 Bitcoins and a letter hidden among the books. Alicia was a lucky girl - though she'd gave me memories worth far more.
-----------------------------
I woke up groggy in a hospital.
"Huh, I'm still alive?" I murmured.
But I quickly realized it wasn't the same hospital room I had been in
Even without my photographic memory, anyone (who wasn't a complete idiot) would have noticed the difference.
The room looked like it had gone back a few decades - even the TV was one of those old tube models.
Before I could make sense of it, a flood of memories crashed into my mind. I collapsed onto the bed, gasping for air.
"Holy crap!" I breathed. "I was reborn in another body - Francis Jacob Pritchett!"
When the dizziness subsided, I realized my body was in perfect condition. I hadn't felt that in months. I walked to the mirror and studied my reflection.
"Kiddo, you seem a little older than sixteen years old," I told myself in the mirror
No wonder - with the rebellious life this Francis lived, it's not surprising that he looks older.
Acetaldehyde and ethanol (present in alcoholic drinks), as well as nicotine, free radicals, and tar (present in cigarettes), can make someone's appearance age faster
"Nothing that a healthier lifestyle and some decent cosmetics can't fix," I said, unconcerned. As for internal damage - lungs, kidneys, whatsoever - unlikely. A sixteen-year-old body is a machine, capable of fast recovery. Still, I'd request a full check-up, especially since I was already in a hospital.
Fragments of memory surfaced again. Francis's mother had just died in the car accident that brought him here. He never even knew his father.
An orphan. Nothing new to me.
"And he tried to take his own life with an overdose of medication..." I sighed. Maybe he succeeded, and that's why I'm here.
"Life is ironic. I wished so much for a healthy life, and he gave up his," I reflected quietly.
"I just hope he's in a better place - because I intend to make the most of this second chance."
I looked back at the mirror. "I have an incredible resemblance to Charlie Sheen - the guy who played Charlie Harper in Two and a Half Men." Not that I ever watched it; I barely watched TV series at all.
Lifting my shirt, I grinned. "Six-pack. Nice!"
Hearing the door open, I quickly returned to the bed.
"Francis, you have visitors," a nurse said, gesturing to three people.
An older man, a gorgeous Latina, and a chubby kid entered the room.
"You might not remember me, Francis, but I'm your uncle," the man began, hesitant, clearly unsure how to approach me. The woman beside him placed a gentle hand on his arm, urging him on.
"Jason Pritchett," I said, recalling the name. "I remember one of the photos my mother showed me." I made sure my voice sounded frail and grieving.
My 'mom' had just died - I had to look heartbroken. Still, my mind was racing.
Jay, Gloria, and Manny. They were straight out of Modern Family - another sitcom I'd only heard about but never actually watched.
I shouted inwardly, Gauss balls! Holy Scarlett!
"Jaay," Gloria said softly. Even that one word revealed her thick accent - definitely not American.
"Francis, your mother left me as your legal guardian," Jay continued. "I'd like to offer you to live with me, my wife Gloria, and my son Manny in Los Angeles."
I nodded slightly. "Can I answer after the funeral? It's a lot to think about."
After all, we were in Delaware - on the other side of the country.
"Sure, kid. Take your time," Jay said, placing a firm hand on my shoulder. "But know this - you're not alone."