Long story short, Jack failed in the race.
"I got fifth, Dex. I'd hardly call that a fail." She assured me, after I'd said that same sentance to her. "Fifth isn't even in the top three," I pointed out. "how is that a victory?"
Jack rolled her eyes-a personal favorite reaction of hers. "There was seventy other fifteen year olds in the race. That's a pretty good score."
"That's hardly fair," I remarked, "that they let you race with the fifteen year olds considering your birthday being tomorrow."
She simply shrugged, "It wouldn't be fair for the sixteen year olds, either. They wouldn't want me in that group without them getting an early warning." She grinned cheekily. "I did enjoy your cheering, by the way. Even if you didn't wear the skirt." She teased.
"Maybe next month." I told her, patting her back. Of course, there was no way either of us were coming back here to run in a race next time. We'll have our hands full at Storm training.
Probably.
I split up with Jack an hour later so I could go birthday shopping. Birthdays aren't really a big deal up here like they are down on earth. Most people that grew up here don't even understand why you would give presents to someone, and make them a cake..
But I'm just such a caring friend, and I didn't grow up here. The first seven years of my life, I grew up getting those very things every year. How could I not give them to Jack, my best friend?
Especially considering that the 16th birthday is the most dreaded birthday here on Storm. Even more than the 40th.
Because of that stupid test. That stupid, terrifying test. That's why I had to get her something, and it had to be something perfect.
So, naturally, I made my way to the pet shop. She loves dogs, maybe even more than picking on me.

Haventown has one square of buildings. That's it. For all three sections. They have like, one of every kind of store. Like, instead of having a Target and a Walmart, they'll just have Walmart. So there's not much of a variety. But the pet shop has a pretty good selection.
The first animal you saw when you walked into the shop was birds. All different breeds, all chirping loudly. I walked past them, plugging my ears. I walked past several more spectacular animal exhibits before I finally reached the dogs.
Or more specifically, the puppies.
I stood in front of the cages for about an hour. I couldn't decide which one to get her.. The basset hound was beautiful. And so was the German Shepard... But then my eyes landed on the pug. It was so small.. Jack would love it. I knelt down to look into the cage. It was a girl. I smiled, getting an employee before returning to the cage. She got out the squirming dog, handing her to me... She was perfect.
I bought her, and accessories, like a collar and a leash, and then I went home. How I would keep her under covers until tomorrow? I didn't know.

Tip for the future; Don't hide a pug in your closet. Apparently this dog is not house broke. I figured as long as I took it out few times a day it would be okay.... Nope. My closet is going to be smelling for a long, long time.
Of course, I didn't notice this until the next day. The day Jack was over. It was a bit of a surprise for her too, as I just opened the closet to show her...

"I love her!" She said, after I had cleaned out the closet with every disinfectant I could find. "I love her so much, thank you Dex! I'm going to call her Sierra!" She planted about twenty kisses on the pup's head.
I smiled, "I'm just glad you like her." I was applying Germ-X to my hands over and over again..
"Dex, I adore her! She may not get a ton of attention during Storm training, but I'm sure she'll be a perfect pet.... Once I get her house broken, I mean." Jack said with a soft laugh.
"Well, happy Birthday." I said. "I didn't make a cake. I have a pizza though." Jack smiled, "That's good enough for me."
I opened my mini fridge, pulling out a slice of cold pizza. I set it on a plate and lit a match, sticking it in the center. "Now hurry and make a wish before it burns out!" I said quickly, and watched her. She closed her eyes, pausing a moment... And then she blew it out, just in time too. The flame had been pretty far down on the match.
"There!" Jack exclaimed, "Now I simply must try this cake.." She said jokingly, running her finger on top of the cheese, then she stuck her finger in her mouth. "The frosting is suburb!"
We both laughed.
It was a good Birthday, for the both of us. Even if it was really just hers...

The next day, I jogged up from the bus to the doors of the Auxilium Center. I was so excited to see Jack. I walked inside and sat down on one of the benches with the other familys and friends of the kids going through testing. I talked to a few of them but none of our conversations lasted long. I very much noticed the wariness in their voices as they spoke even a simple hello. They were so shook. And I couldn't blame them. There would be at least a hundred kids leaving this facility as rejects.. how could you not be worried?

I waited for roughly two hours. It took forever just to get the people sorted when I went.. but the time seems to be just dragging on more so than with my test... I heard a few soft screams when the two hours neared their end. I couldn't help but flinch at every one...
I saw a few people through the crack from the door being slightly ajar. Luckily, I didn't have to face the rejects like I did during my test.. That was horrible. I could just imagine Jack's face if she had to see one.. She might be brave as heck, but she can't handle a sight like that. She could barely look at me when I'd gotten in a fist fight a few years back...
I was on the edge of my seat, tilting my head to peek through the doorway, trying to catch a glimpse of Jack's golden hair...

I heard one last scream and my mind shut down. My ears rang slightly-I was on my feet, running to the door. I couldn't control it-I kept moving. I heard muffled yells behind me, probably from guards, but it didn't matter. I knew that scream.. It was the same scream I remembered from four years ago, when Jack's little brother was taken away from her... The hall seemed to last forever as I ran, now hearing only my breath and my heartbeat. I slipped into the doorway, running right into one of the guards that were dragging a reject away. I looked down at the reject.
That wasn't Jack. I glanced down the hall, ignoring the stares. I had to find her. Maybe it was just one of the rejects that scared her... but she didn't scream like that for nothing. I felt people grab my arms, but I didn't turn to look as they started dragging me. And then I saw her. I yelled her name, and she looked.
My stomach twisted in a tight knot. Her mouth hung slightly ajar, and her eyes were black. Charred and smoking. I looked away. With how my gut felt, I didn't think she would have to wear magenta for me to puke... And I might've just done that had the guards not pulled my out of that hall.

Last thing I remember from being at the center was lying on the floor while the guards questioned me, on what I was doing.. why I was doing it... I was just there, on the floor, while my best friend was being dragged to her deathbed... more or less. Trust me, you don't know how awful of a feeling that is...

I pressed my head down hard against my pillow. Jack was getting cubed? My mind just didn't work all too well after that whole scene. There had to be something I could do to stop it. But it's not like I could just hide her, if I could even find her, then after everyone forgets about her, bring her back. No. She's been marked for death. Her eyes... her eyes were marked. I shook the thought away, along with the image lingering in my mind.

A robotic female voice boomed through the speakers located everywhere. "Will subjects 65,790 through 66,790 please make their way to the Auxilium Center in section 235? Thank you." I glanced down at my wrist, where my number used to be located. The thought of my surgery still gives me the willies. Not just the pain, but also seeing all of those rejects get marked.. There's usually around one to two hundred in each batch. I don't really know what makes them rejects. But I almost wish I was the defective one. Everyone liked Jack. Everyone. Even Devan, and usually the only reason he speaks to anyone is to be a jerk.
Anyway.
It's not fair. And don't go all 'life isn't fair' on me. This is just wrong. What makes me better then her? How could she not pass, but yet, I did?
I sat up, then leaned against my bed frame. I guess I never thought any of my friends would be rejects... I felt my eyes glaze over as tiny drops of salt water gathered in them, its like they were aching to wet my cheeks. I turned over on my stomach and grabbed my sketch book from under my pillow. I opened to the page where I sketched Jack. We were pretty young then, 11 years. Even though it was a grey, pencil drawing, her eyes seemed full of color.. full of life. And now.. well those eyes are gone. Forever.

I tilted my head to one side, staring out the window at the dark starry sky, thinking about the first time I met Jack. It was actually when I first came to this planet. I was horrified. My family was back on Earth and I had just been shot into space in a tiny pod with four kids I didn't know. Here's the list of names that I had collected on the trip; Daniel, Samantha, Jacob, and Jack.
Jacob [or 'Jakey', as Daniel kept annoying calling him] was pretty much silent the whole way. Samantha was flirting with Daniel the whole time, and he was flirting right back, so it was just me and Jack. We started the conversation with small talk, but eventually it got into something at least a little more meaningful. Hopes, wishes, and regrets. Like not hugging our parents one last time, or not sneaking her puppy in with us. For hopes and wishes.. well that was about Storm. I sighed softly at the thought of Jack's old puppy.. It reminded me of her new one. What was going to happen to her? I suppose she would want me to take care of her...

I heard a light knock on my door. "Who is it?" I uttered. I heard a loud creak and looked towards my door. "Hello?" I said.
The creaking stopped. A short silhouette  of a person stood inside of my door frame I couldn't see him, although my eyes were adjusted to the darkness. "Hello?" I repeated. The person flicked the light switch, making my eyes burn. I squinted at them "What the heck.." I muttered. A familiar boy stood there. He had black hair that seemed to had frozen into place. He had dark, brown eyes that blended with his dark skin. For his clothes, he wore a black jumpsuit that fit snugly on his thin body. He walked to my bed, and pressed an envelope into my hand. I opened it, and I immediately knew what it was; an invitation to the rejection ceremony. "Thanks, Jacob.." I said, hopefully not sounding as deflated as I felt. He left, shutting the light off. I set my alarm to 6:00 and crawled under my covers, waiting for this sleepless night to pass..