chapter nine

The tension in the hallway thickened as Ethan’s smug grin deepened, his words sending a ripple of excitement through the gathered students. Jason paused, his thumb hovering over the screen. He glanced at his grandmother, her fragile form trembling, her tear-filled eyes silently begging him to reconsider. But Jason had gone too far to back down now. His pride—and his grandmother’s dignity—were at stake.

“More interesting, huh?” Jason’s voice was low, filled with barely contained fury. He straightened, turning his cold gaze toward Ethan. “Alright. What’s your game, Matthews?”

Ethan wiped the blood from his lips, his smile never faltering despite the pain. "Simple. If the transfer fails, you strip down and run around the school naked. And don’t worry—Linda here will make sure it’s all recorded for posterity." He gestured to Linda, who was grinning wickedly, her phone still recording every second of the encounter. She was ready to make Jason a laughing stock for the whole school

Gasps echoed through the crowd. Some students exchanged excited glances while others murmured in disbelief. Jason clenched his fists at his sides, his heart pounding. He could feel the weight of their laughter, their expectation of his humiliation. This was exactly the kind of twisted spectacle they wanted to see.

Ethan continued, "And if it succeeds, well, I’ll do the same. But let’s be real here—we both know you’re not going to pull this off." He chuckled darkly, and Linda joined in, her laughter cutting through the heavy atmosphere.

Jason’s grandmother weakly shook her head. "Jason, please don’t. This is madness. You don’t need to prove anything to them."

But Jason’s mind was made up. He turned to his grandmother, his expression softening for just a moment. "I’m not doing this for them, Grandma. I’m doing this for you." He then turned his attention back to Ethan and the director. "I accept your terms."

A wave of murmurs washed over the crowd. Linda’s smirk grew wider, and Ethan’s eyes gleamed with triumph.

"Good luck, Walkers," Ethan sneered.

Jason took a deep breath, pulling out a sleek, black card from his wallet. It was a card his grandfather had given him, one he’d never thought he’d need to use. But with Ethan breathing down in his neck, he knew he had to do something to make him know he was no longer the Jason he knew.

Linda let out a mocking laugh. "That’s the card you’re going to use? Did you steal it from someone, or is it just a worthless prop you found in the trash?"

The crowd roared with laughter, and even the director couldn’t help but snicker, shaking his head in disbelief. "Are you really going to go through with this, Jason? It’s only going to end in more embarrassment."

Jason ignored their taunts, his fingers moving swiftly over his phone as he entered the details for the transfer. His heart raced as he waited for the confirmation screen to load. For a brief moment, the world around him seemed to slow. Every pair of eyes was locked onto him, anticipating his defeat.

Then, the screen blinked. Transfer Failed.

Silence.

The message hit Jason like a punch to the gut. His stomach lurched as a wave of panic threatened to consume him. He stared at the words on the screen, unable to process what had just happened. This can't be real.

The silence was broken by Linda’s shrill laughter. "I knew it! I knew you were bluffing!"

Ethan burst into hysterical laughter, doubling over as he pointed at Jason. "What did I say? You’re just a pathetic loser, Walkers. Now you’re going to give us the show of a lifetime!"

The students erupted in laughter, their voices rising in a chaotic chorus of mockery. Jason’s face burned with humiliation, but before he could say anything, his grandmother stepped forward, placing a trembling hand on his arm. "Jason, let’s go. You don’t need to do this. Let them say what they want—it doesn’t matter."

But Jason wasn’t listening. His gaze remained fixed on the screen, his mind racing. Why did the transfer fail? The card should work… unless…

Suddenly, it hit him. The card had a security protocol—a password, one his grandfather had mentioned in passing but never explained fully. Jason cursed under his breath. He had one last chance to fix this, and it was a long shot.

Before Ethan could revel in his victory any further, Jason turned back toward the crowd, his expression unreadable. "I’m not done yet."

Ethan’s laughter slowed, replaced by a look of mild confusion. "What are you talking about? The transfer failed, Jason. You lost. Time to pay up."

Jason’s jaw tightened, his voice cold. "The transfer didn’t fail because I don’t have the money. It failed because of a security feature. I’ll enter the correct passcode, and the transfer will go through."

The hallway went quiet again, the mocking laughter replaced by uncertainty. Jason’s grandmother tugged at his arm, pleading softly, "Jason, don’t—"

But Jason pulled away gently, focusing on the task at hand. He closed his eyes, recalling the cryptic phrase his grandfather had told him long ago: Family above all. He typed it into the required field, his fingers trembling ever so slightly.

For a few agonizing seconds, nothing happened. The entire hallway held its breath.

And then—Transfer failed

The message glared back at Jason like a mockery of his desperation: Transfer Failed. His heart sank deeper into his chest, and the heavy laughter from Ethan, Linda, and the surrounding crowd crashed over him like waves of shame. For a brief moment, he felt the ground shift beneath him, a cruel reality setting in—he had failed again.

Ethan’s smirk widened as he took a step closer, his voice laced with venom. “Looks like you’re all out of chances, Walkers. I guess it's time to see that streak of yours in full display.”

Linda’s phone hovered, ready to capture every second of Jason’s impending humiliation. “Oh, this is going to be good,” she sneered, eyes gleaming.

Jason’s fists clenched at his sides. He wanted to disappear, to hide from the judging eyes of his peers, but he knew that wasn’t an option. His grandmother's weak voice broke through the chaos, shaking with fear. “Jason… please, let’s go. This isn’t worth it. These people, they… they don’t matter.”

He looked at her—her frail hand still gripping his arm, her face etched with worry. He didn’t want her to see him like this, to feel the same shame he was drowning in. But deep inside, Jason wasn’t ready to give up. Not yet. His pride refused to let him bow down to someone like Ethan, not while there was still a sliver of hope.

His phone buzzed in his hand. Jason glanced down, barely registering the message at first, but then his eyes widened:

Bank Notice: Please activate your card before proceeding with the transfer.

He blinked, his mind racing to process the sudden realization. Activate the card… That’s why it had failed! His grandfather’s card wasn’t a regular one; it required activation through a special process. Relief coursed through him, followed by a renewed sense of determination. He wasn’t finished yet.

Jason looked up at Ethan, his face hardening, masking the nervous energy coursing through him. “I told you… I’m not done.”

Ethan’s smug expression faltered for a second. “What now, Walkers? Another excuse?”