As Paulina rested peacefully on the bed, her sleeping face looked even more beautiful than I always knew. In the luxurious VIP suite, surrounded by plush decor and soft lighting, I felt a strange blend of tranquility and anxiety. I wandered over to the mirrored table where the ring I had bought on credit from that Enigmatic System sparkled softly in the glow. Holding it up, I couldn’t help but admire its detailed craftsmanship. The ring was so shiny and seemed transparent, capable of absorbing light. The several beautiful and unfamiliar stones around it made it more beautiful. My eyes sparkled with admiration, but the silence from the Enigmatic System was palpable and a bit unsettling. Not a single word or sound all day, which felt odd. Was it giving me space because I was with Paulina and it understood my plight? Or had my time with it somehow made it feel... more human? That thought left me feeling both intrigued and cautious.I shook off those thoughts; there were more urgent iss
After we got ready, we strolled hand in hand, with Paulina playfully urging me to spill the beans, but I just couldn’t do it. It was a surprise, and I wanted to keep it that way. We left the VIP room, and a staff member gave me a knowing look before leading us down a hidden hallway. Paulina’s eyes were wide with curiosity as we moved away from the usual crowd. At the end of the corridor, we passed through a sleek, unmarked door that opened up to a private elevator.Paulina squeezed my hand, her eyebrows shooting up in excitement. “Jason, what’s happening? This feels like something out of a movie!”I just smiled and stayed quiet, relishing the suspense that was making her even more curious. As the elevator doors closed, I could feel her gaze on me, searching for hints I wasn’t ready to give away.When the doors finally opened, we stepped out onto the rooftop, and there it was—a stunning black helicopter waiting for us, its blades shimmering in the sunlight, with the pilot already on st
The last ten months with Paulina have been incredible, way beyond what I ever imagined. Every day feels like a new adventure, and even our quiet times are filled with happiness.Still, I can’t help but worry about the Enigmatic System being gone and whether I played a part in that. It was the reason I got to where I am now, and I feel a real connection to it. It’s tough knowing I couldn’t help it, but can a system really be more than just a bunch of codes?I’m not the only one feeling this way; the whole team is mourning the loss since their systems shut down around the same time. No matter how cutting-edge our tech is, it just can’t match the unique intelligence of the system.As I sat in the living room, I opened up to Paulina, who was snuggled up next to me, really listening."I can’t shake this feeling, Paulina," I confessed. "I know it sounds odd, but it feels like I’ve lost a piece of myself. You get it; you were part of it too."She gave my arm a comforting squeeze. "I totally
"Come here!" Dominic bellowed as I hobbled over to his side. "Have you done my assignment?" he demanded, eyeing me expectantly. I nodded and handed him the papers I had prepared. He grinned, saying, "Good boy," and smacked my face.Zane, his sidekick, glared at me. "What are you staring at, you bastard? Keep your eyes on the floor," he snarled. I quickly obeyed, knowing better than to make a scene. It seemed like I was invisible to most students on campus, or perhaps they just didn't care about someone like me. As Dominic and his cronies sauntered away, I collapsed to the ground, struggling to catch my breath. The last time Dominic had summoned me had been a nightmare—I ended up wetting my pants.Gathering my bag pack, I trudged toward the school building, my head bowed. Thoughts of transferring out of the school raced through my mind. I was prey to many bullies who exploited me for their own gain. Adjusting my spectacles, I made my way to class, remembering that I needed to drop off
I got up and looked around to see where I was, I was bleeding fast and I found myself near a trash can. I got up and my vision felt blurry and hazy. I looked at my injury and I saw I was still bleeding. I tried crossing the road like some maniac. " hey! If you feel like dying why don't you find somewhere to die or drink a poison and save us all the trouble." I heard a man shout out from his car and I looked back. I collided with the person right in from of me. I bent my head slowly to the floor " I am sorry." I said repeatedly trying to avoid the man's gaze. Many looked at me and wondered where I was coming from, some avoided me like I was a plague while some just looked at me in awe and wondered what was going on.My head throb from the punches Dominic has melted out to me but nothing outweighs the pain I was feeling in my heart. I clenched my side and dragged my legs on the floor like I was some zombie. I was near, I saw the building painted white with a cross on it. " is that a ho
I laughed gently seeing the look on Sophia and Dominic's faces. I knew they thought I should be dead but here I am standing in flesh and blood before them. I went to one of the vacant seats and asked the attendees to serve me a meal. Dominic and Sophia looked at me and wondered how I was able to afford one of the richest eating restaurants in town. " Can you choose from the order menu, please?" A young beautiful lady stood before me. She gave me a menu and I looked at it. With a smile on my face " Can I have everything on this list?" She looked at me and smiled " I am not sure you understand what you are asking for. Do you mean every food on this menu" she asked again to be sure and I nodded in understanding of her fears.My looks says I couldn't afford it, not with the way I was dressed. But an adage says not to judge a book by its cover. She walked away to tend to my offer while I sat down anticipating her arrival. Sophia stole a glance at me and wondered what I was doing here. T
I watched as she drove out of sight. I wonder how I was going to see her again if we had struck a bargain. I looked at the clothes she picked up for me and a card fell off from it. I looked at it and saw her phone number. I looked a little puzzled. Did Paulina know I was going to ask for her help?I waved down a taxi and went back to my dorm. I was still the same loner who ran school errands for the school bullies, nothing changed. I looked at my time the following day and my eyes opened in shock. I was five minutes late for my class. I rushed into the bathroom and hurriedly took my bath. I looked at the scatter and rumpled clothes inside my closet and I decided to wear something nice. I picked a cloth from the one I bought at the boutique and styled my hair. I looked at the full-length mirror standing in front of me and I couldn't believe I was staring back at myself. I hummed as I slung my bag to my back. I walked out and was almost getting to class when I was stopped by both Carlos
I couldn't help but wonder what the weekend had in store. "Is that Jason?" someone exclaimed. "He looks different."Turning around, I noticed several female students eyeing me curiously. I couldn't quite grasp what was so different about me.I stepped into my dorm room and closed the door behind me. Panic surged through me as I couldn't find the gaming app on my phone anymore. Beads of sweat formed on my forehead as I frantically scrolled through the screen, searching for it like a madman. "Where is it?" I shouted, my hands trembling with agitation.The thought of reverting back to my old self terrified me. I recalled the smug expression on my face as I squandered the money I'd received from the system, relishing in rubbing it in Dominic and Sophia's faces. Tears welled up in my eyes as I remembered the deal I had with Paulina, knowing it would require me to spend some money.I collapsed onto my bed, shutting my eyes tightly in an attempt to find solace in sleep. The chirping of a bir