I stood at the edge of the driveway, my backpack slung over one shoulder, staring at the closed door of the house I used to call home. The finality of the click echoed in my ears, louder than any words my parents had said to me. High school was over, and with it, their obligation, as they saw it, to take care of me.

"You're an adult now, Jayce," My father had said, his tone flat and uninterested. "Time to fend for yourself."

I didn't argue. What was the point? My parents had always treated me as an afterthought. Summers were spent in my room, the walls my only companions. I had no friends, thanks to the constant bullying at school. Each day of school was a struggle, a relentless barrage of insults and isolation. My parents never cared and just told me to deal with it myself.

With no money, no job, and no plan, I turned away from the house and started walking. The night was cool, the air crisp with the promise of fall. The streets were quiet, only the distant hum of traffic breaking the silence. I had no destination, just a vague sense of moving forward, away from the life that no longer wanted me. At least they had given me most of the summer and my basic legal identification—enough to prove I existed and, hopefully, enough to find a job.

As I walked, I couldn't help but feel a pang of envy for the people in the houses I passed. They had warmth, security, a place to belong. I had none of that. I was alone, adrift in a world that suddenly felt much larger and more unforgiving than it had just hours ago.

I found a wooden bench in a small park and sat down, my mind racing with a thousand thoughts. How was I supposed to survive with nothing? Where would I sleep? What would I eat? The reality of my situation settled over me like a heavy blanket, suffocating and relentless.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my head, making me gasp. I clutched my temples, squeezing my eyes shut against the sudden agony. Then, just as quickly as it had come, the pain faded, replaced by a strange sense of clarity.

A message appeared before my eyes, like something out of a video game: "Skill Acquired: Natural Eye."

I blinked, half-convinced I was hallucinating from the stress. But the message remained, hovering in my vision. Tentatively, I looked around, my eyes landing on a late-night jogger passing by. Instantly, information flooded my mind:

Strength: 4.2 Endurance: 6.6 Agility: 5.8 Intelligence: 5.4 Charisma: 6

I stared, stunned. I had just learned this random jogger's basic attributes as if they were stats on a character sheet. The jogger continued on, oblivious to my newfound ability.

I looked down at my own hands, wondering. The same information appeared, this time about myself:

Strength: 1.6 Endurance: 0.9 Agility: 2.1 Intelligence: 6.7 Charisma: 1.3

I slumped back on the bench, overwhelmed. My attributes were embarrassingly low, a reflection of my lack of training, both physically and mentally, and my inability to connect with others. But to be honest, it all made sense considering I was 6 feet tall and 120 pounds soaking wet.

But still, this skill—this Natural Eye—was something. It was a glimmer of hope in the darkness, a tool I could use to navigate this new, terrifying reality.

I didn't know how or why I had received this ability, but I knew one thing for certain: I had to figure out how to survive. And maybe, just maybe, this skill would be the key to doing that.

As I sat on the bench, I knew I had to come up with a plan for now. It didn't have to be long term, I just needed something that'll get me through the upcoming weeks. I thought for about 15 minutes and came up with a short-term plan. First, I would go out to some of the nearest retail and fast-food restaurants and mass apply to them. Luckily, I still had my phone and charger. It also seemed as though my parents still had me on the phone bill line for now, but I don't know how much longer before they cut me off, so I need to get a job quick. Second, is have enough money for a small apartment in the city. Third, will be to join a martial arts gym to help my confidence and maybe increase my stats.

With my short-term plan engraved in my mind, I laid down on the bench and closed my eyes. My chest started feeling heavy and my face was beginning to scrunch up. I was extremely depressed at my situation, but I fought back the tears and punched my stomach.

I don't have time for self-pity. What I need is to get the best quality of sleep this bench can offer me. I need the energy for tomorrow morning. I forced my eyes shut, hugged my backpack tight, and steeled my mind. Soon I felt the cool breeze through the late summer night and swiftly fell asleep.

I woke up to the sound of birds chirping and the gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze. The bench I had chosen in the park was hard and uncomfortable, but it had served its purpose for the night. I stretched, feeling the stiffness in my muscles, and rubbed my eyes. The sun was just starting to rise, casting a soft glow over the park.

A familiar message appeared before my eyes: "Mission: Apply for at least 5 jobs today. Reward: +1 stat point to any stat of your choosing."

I stared at the message, blinking a few times to make sure I was fully awake. The system had given me a mission? I wasn't sure whether to be excited or terrified, but the reward was too tempting to ignore. A single stat point could make a significant difference in my otherwise pathetic stats.

With a sense of determination, I gathered my things and headed towards the park's public restroom.

My bladder was protesting after a night of holding it in, and I needed to freshen up if I was going to be applying for jobs all day. Inside the restroom, the harsh fluorescent lights flickered to life. I took care of my immediate needs and then pulled out my toothbrush. As I brushed my teeth, I glanced up at the mirror and froze.

My eyes were white.

I leaned closer to the mirror, my toothbrush dangling from my mouth. Both of my eyes were an unnatural white. The change was startling and left me feeling disoriented. Was this another effect of the system? I had no idea, but I couldn't afford to dwell on it now.

I finished brushing my teeth and rinsed my mouth, trying to calm my racing thoughts. The strange eye color was just one more thing to add to the growing list of mysteries in my life. I had more immediate concerns, like finding a job and a place to stay.

Stepping out of the restroom, I took a deep breath of the cool morning air. My mind was made up. I would complete the mission, get that stat point, and start figuring out how to use this skill to my advantage. I needed all the help I could get if I was going to survive on my own.

The first step was to find places that were hiring. I pulled out my phone, grateful for the small bit of battery left, and started searching for job listings nearby. It was time to put myself out there, strange eyes and all.