I just had a weird dream.
I caught a windfall, dealing with some scary-looking guys, hit and hummiliate Carl, then almost... kissed a girl (?).
Duh. That's an embarrassing fantasy for a wet dream.
I checked my bottom, it didn't feel damp, let alone sticky. So it was just a silly sleeping flower.
Am I that desperate, huh?
Yes ... I was indeed in that phase, and last night's dream indicates that my puberty is in its prime, but still...
But what if it wasn't a dream? At least the part where I got a wad of money.
I picked up my mobile phone, intending to check Mum's m-banking, but immediately decided against it.
What the hell was I doing? Hadn't I stopped expecting those delusions?
What I needed to do now was work harder and more effectively to pay Mum's operation.
That's when the mobile phone notification came, a text message from my colleague Fletcher. It wasn't just one.
William Fletcher
Hey, dickhead, did you rat me out to Liz? I'll forgive you this time, but there will be no free dinner,William Fletcher
Where the fuck are you? Your shift is about to end. The boss keeps asking me where you are. If you're not here in ten minutes, I'll come and beat you up myself.William Fletcher
Playtime is over. You'll be done after this.William Fletcher
Hey, hey. Why is there no answer? Not brave enough to admit your mistake? Huh, it's too late for that. I've reported you, the boss is furious, you'll be fired!William Fletcher
Okay, okay. You can answer now. I'll listen. Where exactly are you? Liz is rambling on and on about you and making the atmosphere of the resaturant unpleasant.William Fletcher
Is the news about you dealing with those thugs true? You bastard. Why do kids like you like to get into trouble so much? Tell me where you are now. Everyone is worried about you.And there were several other messages. Then there were those from Liz, even Mr. Sandler.
Huh? Dealing with thugs? Skipping work? I've never been absent, though.
Wait, dealing with thugs?
Huh?
No way, right.
*#*
As I walked through the hallways of the school, I kept thinking about all the probabilities.
It felt like last night went like a normal day. I went to work, cleaned up the shop, visited Mum, and then went home.
And on that trip, no trouble like a thug ambush happened.
Or did it really happen? But, in a dream. But what if it wasn't a dream?
As I was about to close my locker and turn around, I accidentally bumped into someone. While groaning, I was surprised by what I saw. It was Carl. I hurriedly apologised.
"What did you mean just now, huh?" snapped Carl fiercely while cornering me into the locker. "Don't get complacent just yet! You attacked me when I wasn't ready! That's not a fair fight, you know!" Carl babbled nonsensically.
What the hell was that he was ranting about? A fight? What have I done to him?
"Pfft..." That's when we heard an unfamiliar voice from the side.
When I turned my head, I saw Susan Becker who was trying to hold back her laughter.
"Geez, aren't you embarrassed, Wilson?" Becker said with a grin.
"Stay out of it, Becker," Carl replied nonchalantly.
"I'm just trying to save you, you know. You wouldn't want to be humiliated by the same person a second time, would you," Becker exclaimed while gesturing around us.
Without us realising it, almost every pair of eyes in the hallway was watching our argument.
It made me gulp. Carl's grip on my collar was also getting stronger. He must have been furious.
However, instead of punching me, he just threw me against my locker, turned around, and stomped away.
What happened?
I felt my shoulder being elbowed lightly. I looked over again.
"You can't be lax with someone like him. He's scared of you now, but he's still trying to find ways to prove you wrong," Becker said with a smile, tapped my shoulder repeatedly, and waved as she left.
Again, what just happened?
*#*
I was the class president, but that didn't mean I could get along with all my classmates, let alone control their behaviour. Because of this, my position was hardly considered. They looked up to Jason more as a leader.
Even when it came to submitting assignments, I had to work extra hard to remind everyone so that I wouldn't get sprayed by the homeroom teacher.
However, today was completely different.
Having just entered the classroom, I was already greeted with a good morning greeting. A group of boys came up to me, invited me to join a club, invited me to their house to play video games, and had lunch together.
In Biology class, there was group work. It's something I'm not too keen on. It's a problem that plagues every unpopular person, I guess.
However, the problem at the time wasn't so much the fear of not getting one.
Susan Becker invited me to join her group.
By the way, she was the belle of the ball, and probably the school. With her toned Latin American face, petitie red lips, and those two precious assets between her above-average breasts; she was always the target of every guy in school. Not to mention the selection of trendy clothes that always managed to maximise her elegance.However, like any other beautiful girl, Susan was known to be a picky person. Sure, she had dated a few guys, but all of them had impressive records, as well as being eccentric.
From a basketball captain who led the school to win the city competition, to a troublemaking alumnus who was even worse than Jason.
Whatever I did, it must have been so amazing that it impressed her.
It made me question the reality I was living in again.
Moreover, Jason's entourage didn't bother me at all today.
This feels too good to be true.
Or is it never the case?
These too-smooth things are making me feel uneasy. I feel like I'm falling into a deadly trap so slick and inviting that it seems like a gift. A trap... that I don't know who set up.
"Hey, McKane," someone called from behind as I was about to leave. "The kids are gathering at Ian's place today, are you sure you don't want to come? There'll be a lot of people coming."
It was Klay Richards. The tall, reddish-haired man who I had somehow grown close to since today.
If I'm not mistaken, he used to be in trouble with Jason. I heard he was even bullied. I reported the incident to Mr Henderson, and Jason was (thankfully) disciplined immediately.
I'm not trying to be a hero. Jason can do whatever he wants, it's a variable that even the teachers can't prevent. But, also for the sake of my future comfort, people like him should be warned about boundaries.
After that, I heard nothing. There were conflicting reports, but I trusted what I could see. "No, thank you. I have some business after this."
Richards's steps paused and his gaze emitted an overly complicated emotion, pointing ahead. "Was that business ... got to do something with those people over there?" said Richards as he pointed ahead, behind the crowd of returning students and passers-by, there were three burly men who were chest to chest in front of a black limousine.
Their facial lines were all stern and their gaze swiftly scanned the entire school.
"Um... what did you say just now?" I asked as I turned to Richards again, or at least the place where he used to stand.
By then Richards was already moving away, waving, and squealing in the distance. "See you tomorrow, good luck."
I gulped. Why does this feel nostalgic? Oh well, never mind.
Maybe, when he was bullied, Jason hit him too hard and made his brain function not run as optimally as it used to. I guess that's why Richards came to such a strange conclusion.
After all, what business do I have with a bunch of bodyguards, mobsters, gangsters, and whatever those creeps call themselves.
Wait, gangsters?
Fletcher's message echoed back and it made my hair stand on end.
Feigning ignorance, I looked away, blended in with the few students walking together, and passed through the gate.
I made it out! They didn't realise!
"Hey!"
Just then my shoulder was grabbed, no, gripped.
I looked back. One of the three people was coming towards me, throwing me a look that seemed to strip me naked.
I gulped.
The man opened his mouth, "Come with us."
At that moment, I knew that there was no way out.
*#*
"I think there's a bit of a misunderstanding here."
I really don't know what happened. Did we know each other before?
In the car, there were only the three men, and the driver who I had never met before either.
I did have some unique ways of disciplining dangerous people like Jason, but even then I was consumed with fear. There was always a chance that I would get caught, and Jason would turn around and hurt me in such a cruel way. Let alone theese people .
I recalled Flecher's message, connected it to this, and then came to only one conclusion that sounded quite reasonable.
I have multiple personalities.
Well, yes, it's a very rare thing, and my family doesn't have a history of mental illness (I guess, but it happens in films and mystery stories anyway). The other personality commits a crime, and the original personality takes the fall.
I need to straighten it out, but what do I do? I don't even pay attention, I don't even think about it.
If left unchecked, I don't know where I'll be taken. A dungeon complete with instruments of torture or smuggled to another country to be sold at a low price?
I need to get out! I need to leave!
Perhaps by opening the door and rolling over? Even someone as strong as them wouldn't be prepared for sudden movements, but ...
When I saw the rocky road we were travelling on at speed, I decided not to go back.
Look, it's not a matter of me being too cowardly, but rather basic human instinct.
After all, zero plus zero is zero. If I died trying to save myself, it would all be for nothing anyway.
Just then the car stopped.
Have we arrived?
One of the three burly men shifted slightly, looked out the window, and seemed to feel awkward.
"Hey, we're not there yet--"
The glass was broken by something (or someone), and a suspicious object entered. I thought I had seen that thing somewhere, but immediately dismissed it as impossible.
Stupid decision.
It was exactly what I expected.
It was a smoke bomb!
An intoxicating shade of grey soon filled the entire car, leaving us coughing and disoriented.
What was it again this time?
Someone opened the door. This time involuntarily. Just as a large supply of clear air seeped in from outside, I immediately reached out. Someone pulled my head further and further away.
It wasn't until three seconds later that I realised I'd been led further away. From the dimness in my eyes that was beginning to clear, I saw someone throw several burning bottles near the car.
The bottles exploded. The car exploded.
It was a powerful explosion that brought my consciousness fully back, my eyes bulging, my breathing ragged.
The new stranger who took me away seemed to realise that too.
I looked at him.
I swore I had never seen him, let alone recognised him. But, for some reason, when I saw his crooked nose, I felt like I was swimming in an old memory.
His hand was raised, my nose punched. It was the kind of fatal blow that seemed to make my brain shift and slam into the ground. I could even hear the sound of bone cracking (my nose bone). The top of my mouth tasted moist, and salty. My vision blurred again, then disappeared completely.
It was a vague vision of something that never existed, or at least I tried to pretend it did.I saw my father wearing a white robe approaching me bound. I was only four years old and felt so scared. Father's eyes were like a hungry wolf ready to pounce on me at any moment.In his hand was a syringe. It was shiny, sharp, and looked painful.I struggled, screamed, and begged for mercy; but Father didn't stop. He buried the needle deep into my skin.I even remember the pain and the instant goose bumps ran down my body. My hands ached again, I felt so much pain in the back of my head. My tongue was even accidentally bitten off in the painful process, but I felt no pain. It seemed like these overlapping sensations were making me half-numb.Another vision came, this time I saw the current me. Each time it came, it was like a dagger lodged in the brain. But each time, I finally understood more. I finally knew what was going on.I got my memories back.*#*"See? You hit him too hard! What if
As expected, right after school, one of the two would come.And now it was a group of burly men, again.As I approached them, I heard whispers from behind. Huft... just when I had a good reputation at school, now I'm bound to get dragged into bad rumours again.I gulped, and nodded obediently when ordered to enter. This time they even brought up to three cars and more guards. As soon as I got into one of the biggest cars, I was soon joined by a strapping man in a suit with a sharp gaze and a woman in a white coat looking at me enthusiastically."Are you the guy?" the man said.I gaped upwards. This can't be! They... they...[PROFILE]NAME: (Unknown)AGE : (Unknown)LEVEL : (Unknown)[PROFILE]NAME : (Unknown)AGE : (Unknown)LEVEL : (Unknown)Perhaps they are just like Hudson. Or maybe they work for her?Damn. I should have anticipated this too."I said, are you the guy?" the man said again, this time in a snapping tone.I gulped. Okay, calm down. Maybe this was all unrelated. Maybe
"Yes, yes. I'll transfer it tomorrow during my holiday." I chuckled and checked my watch for who knows how many times. How long does it take for people to want to call?"But ..., really, are you okay?"It's okay? Seriously.I'm also struggling here, you know.Every month I get a mediocre salary, sleep irregularly, work overtime, my apartment rent is exorbitant, and that ugly boss is always looking at me with a look that makes me uncomfortable.However, I just sighed uneasily. "Yeah, it's okay."A moment later, the call was paused by a long silence. Was it already closed? However, just as I was about to check, Mum spoke up again."Nad, I'm sorry. Mum and Dad were supposed to be happy for you, to help you, but instead we're the ones who are bothered. Mum and Dad never gave you what you wanted, but now you're struggling because of us." Mum's voice hung for a moment, when it finally came out, her voice trembling. "But I don't know who else to ask for help. I promise, I promise this is the
Okay.Before we continue, I'll discuss the essence of a novel's existence.What is it that makes people love works of fiction?The characters? Conflict? The setting? Themes?Nerds who take themselves too seriously.What? Mandate? Better go to a motivational seminar instead.What matters is a 'bias'.The boundary between the real world and the imaginary world.No one wants to read about acceleration equations in fantasy stories or chemical compound formulas in romance stories - I swear, who started this stupid trend? You think this is the periodic table?Great writers are those who manage to create a fun world that everyone can enjoy.Those who assume the element of realism in the world of novels are idealistic morons.And damn it, I'm one of those morons-at least I used to be.Even in a world where power and bloodlines are everything, we still have to go to school.And so, here I am. Stuck in the company of elite women. Doing the mundane agenda that seems to be a written obligation e
Actually, I have a chronic affliction: unlucky luck.And if I have a relapse, I'll have at least three misfortunes in a day.Starting from being thrown into the realm of delusions that I should have buried, buried deep, and forgotten years ago.Transforming into a spiteful, lethargic girl whose only orientation in life is to be a lackey for female criminals.Then get a quicker chance to become a living punching bag.What happens after this? Suddenly lightning strikes or become paralysed for life?I gulped every time I tried to look closely at this.The walls were grey and seemed unforgiving. With two unlit torches perched on each of the cardinal points.The floor was mostly filled with sand, but there was a flat surface as well, so I didn't have to worry about not getting a bump or not getting enough bumps."Ladies, there's no need to be scared or worried, I'll try not to be too hard during the fight," said the voice in front of me so presumptuously.Hah!"Te-thank you, Mr Panger-""D
From the time I was born, I was blessed with a father who wasn't very useful.A man who could only brag about his cleverness and strange insights to everyone-yes, even if it was proven in writing, anyway-and never made any significant discoveries.That's why, when he failed and went bankrupt, all he did was brood. Complaining. Cursing.Cursing all the people who betrayed him. Cursing the people who left him alone behind.What a pathetic coward!"Dad ...." Lucian stood up. Putting on a smile. His suit was more formal in a black suit. His hair was pulled back in a dwarf clump like a small bun.I stand up and pay my respects as well.The figure waltzed gracefully to the dining table. Everyone bowed respectfully as he passed.When my eyes met with the Dawve clan's piercing purple eyes, I realised that I had finally found her.<
Whisper.Whispers.And scornful stares.When I stepped back into the classroom, I felt like I had set foot in a foreign place that I had never reached until now.Like a superstar and a frog in a shell.Famous-in a not-so-favourable way-but also alone.Really. It reminds me of when I used to be.Damn! That's why I often say that school is a portable hell - make of it what you will.Yeah... not that I care.After all, this isn't my life either.One day, I'll open my eyes and realise that all of this is just a dream flower that I'll quickly forget-wow, wow, ah!I almost fell over.Fortunately, my movements were quite swift. Before actually falling, I managed to keep myself standing... for a few seconds.This damn body was eve
It was like walking into a room that was a mix between a library, a shipwreck deck, and a pigsty.Many things were scattered on the floor.Parchments with obscure inscriptions, glass tubes with cracked surfaces, and even pieces of clay that seemed to have once been pottery or ornaments.I picked up one shard of pottery.It was shiny. Carefully polished. I'm sure this was once an expensive, aesthetically pleasing item.But, what's more striking here is the smell.The sourness of sweat. The stench of rot. And the biggest smell of all: hopelessness.Among the mountains of junk furniture that resembled ancient ruins, Lucian was still engrossed in another piece of parchment - in a brighter colour, I guessed this one was new - and a new glass tube."Nope," he said briefly when I told him what I was here for.This time, surprisingly, he willin