Lucas Holden sat in the back of the classroom, the chatter of students filling the air around him. The colorful posters on the wall had faded from years of neglect, and the hum of the fluorescent lights buzzed overhead. Beams of sunlight cast long shadows through the windows, giving the room a dim, hazy atmosphere.
His introverted friends, Jeremy and Nick, were oblivious to it all, lost in their conversation about Kingdoms & Knights.
Lucas was of medium height and had a lanky build, with shaggy, unkempt brown hair that fell into his eyes and a patchy stubble trying to grow on his chin. His acne-covered face, combined with his worn-out t-shirt and jeans, made him blend into the background of the classroom.
Jeremy was thin, with unruly curly hair and glasses that always seemed a little too big for his face. Nick, the more talkative of the two, sported a mop of shaggy blonde hair and wore graphic t-shirts with obscure sci-fi references. While Jeremy excitedly speculated on hidden quests in the game, Nick argued about the best character classes.
Lucas had a thoughtful, distant expression as he listened. (Another RPG game, huh... Can't say I'm not interested, but aren't RPG games all kind of the same with different characters and missions? Is it really worth it leveling your character, even though there will always be hardcore players who'll ruin the game every time? It's only fun playing against the NPCs, though.)
He glanced across the room at another group of students gathered around the more popular kids.
They laughed and joked loudly, with the guys flirting with the girls in their circle. Emily, one of the smarter girls in the class, stood with her wavy brown hair neatly tied in a ponytail and a bright smile that made her eyes crinkle. Jake, her boyfriend, a tall, athletic guy with perfectly styled hair, stood close to her. Beside him was Amanda, a cheerleader with blonde curls and a penchant for tight clothing, leaning into Jake's best friend, Tyler, who played on the football team.
(Ugh, yeah, I know, we look lame to you popular assholes. Come on, at least try it once before saying shit... Who am I kidding, you only have brains for looking so damn perfect, partying, boozing, and screwing.)
Lucas caught a glimpse of Amanda's underwear as she leaned over to whisper something to Tyler, and jealousy twisted in his gut.
In that moment, Lucas couldn't help but remember the past. Back in middle school, he had his own circle of friends, and life seemed easier. He used to joke around with cute girls who were interested in him, but back then, he didn't care.
Flashback:
A younger Lucas, with short-cropped hair and a rounder face, stood at the front of a small group, cracking jokes and laughing with his friends as they played basketball on the neighborhood court.
"You should totally come to the dance with me," a freckled girl named Sophie said shyly, twirling her hair around her finger.
"I'll think about it," Lucas replied with a grin, too caught up in the game to take her seriously.
(Fuck, how innocent was I back then.)
Everything changed after his mom remarried and they moved to this new city. At his new school, he became more withdrawn, and overwhelmed by the social cues of city life. After some time, acne covered his face, and video games became his primary source of comfort.
(Maybe things would be different if Mom never married Jason.)
Lucas snapped out of his daydream when he noticed a group of popular students laughing at something.
"Hey, Jeremy!" called Jake from across the room. "Come over here!"
Jeremy looked up from his conversation with Nick, hesitant but curious. He walked over to the group and stood awkwardly among them. Jake leaned in close to him and whispered something, and a moment later, the entire group burst out laughing. Jeremy's face reddened as he quickly turned back to his friends.
"Assholes," Nick muttered, shaking his head. "Ignore them, man. Let's play Kingdoms & Knights tonight."
"Yeah, sure," Jeremy replied absently, his shoulders slumping.
Lucas put a hand on Jeremy's shoulder and smiled. "Don't let them get to you, man. They just think they're better than everyone else."
Jeremy sighed. "I know, but it sucks being the punchline every day."
"I know it does," Lucas said, forcing a smile, but deep down, he felt guilty for not standing up for his friend.
After the final bell, students filtered out of the classroom. Lucas overheard snippets of conversations as the other groups made their evening plans.
"Let's hit the gym and then study for the bio exam together," Amanda suggested.
"Meet at my place, and we'll head out from there," Jake said to Tyler, who nodded.
Meanwhile, Nick nudged Lucas. "You coming online tonight?"
"Yeah, I'll be there," Lucas replied with a nod, but he felt a pang of something missing inside.
He boarded the bus home and found himself sitting next to Emily. Her wavy brown hair framed her face perfectly, and her light floral scent filled the air between them. She wore a simple green sweater and jeans, but her natural beauty stood out effortlessly.
(Shit, what should I say to her!? Okay, let's try something related to school.)
"Uh, hey, Emily," he stammered, his voice cracking slightly.
"Hi, Lucas," she replied with a polite smile before turning back to her phone.
"So, uh, are you… um, going to, like, study for—"
She looked up, misunderstanding his mumbled question. "Oh, do you need to get off? Here, let me move."
Before Lucas could clarify, she shifted away, and he awkwardly got off the bus a few stops earlier than planned, silently cursing himself.
(WHAT THE FUUUUUCK!? Why am I so shy, damn it!)
At home, he sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the blank wall as he reflected on how his life had turned out. (I'm pathetic. I can't even talk to a girl properly. What's wrong with me?)
He wandered into the living room, only to see his stepsister, Chloe, laughing on the phone. She was effortlessly popular, having secured her place in the high school social hierarchy. He remembered when she first tried to befriend him.
Flashback:
Chloe, younger and in high school, leaned against the doorframe of Lucas's new room, a bright smile on her face. "Hey, step-brother! Want to watch a movie or something? I've got The Princess Bride."
"Uh, maybe later," Lucas replied, keeping his eyes on the game screen.
Chloe sighed but didn't push further.
Now, she looked at him with little more than disdain.
"So, anyway, Ashley, I'll meet you at Jake's place, and we'll head to the party together. Yeah, Lucas is still being a weirdo. I tried talking to him when he first moved in, but all he wanted to do was play video games."
"Sounds good, babe. See ya!" Chloe hung up and turned to Lucas, her eyes narrowing.
"What are you staring at?"
Lucas noticed her little clothing. Her tank top revealed her toned midriff, and shorts rode high on her hips.
"Nothing," he muttered, walking away.
"Right."
In his bedroom, Lucas fired up his gaming console and played with Jeremy and Nick for a while, but something felt off.
"Guys, I'm tired. Gonna call it a night," he said.
"Aw, come on!" Jeremy protested.
"Yeah, just one more match," Nick chimed in.
"Nah, not tonight," Lucas said, shutting down his console.
He turned off the console and walked to the mirror, scrutinizing his reflection. His face was marked with acne, his bushy hair was a tangled mess, and his body was skinny and undefined. His clothes were outdated and unfashionable.
(Man, I really look ugly as fuck. Is this really me?)
He couldn't live like this anymore.
He thought about Emily on the bus and how different things would be if he were more confident. Maybe if he transformed himself, people would notice him differently, and he could finally make a meaningful change. With two months left before summer vacation and one and a half during vacations, Lucas set himself a goal to completely reinvent himself before the final year began.
(Okay, let's see. First, fix the hair. I need something that doesn't look like a bush. Then clear up the acne… maybe those creams Nick mentioned will help. And I gotta get stronger. I'm too damn skinny.)
The very next day after school, he started a rigorous workout regimen, eating better and using anti-acne creams every night. The exercises left him sore and exhausted, but he kept pushing forward every day.
A week before summer vacation began, two female classmates, Jessica and Sarah, were chatting when Jessica suddenly stepped back and nearly tripped over Lucas. He caught her by the arm, steadying her.
"Oh, thank you, Lucas!" Jessica said, smiling. "I didn't know you were stronger than you look."
Sarah, noticing the subtle changes in his appearance, said, "Hey, Lucas. You look good. Been working out?"
Lucas's tongue felt like it was tied in knots, and he struggled to keep up the conversation. But the interaction made him realize that once he completed his transformation, he'd be confident enough to talk to her and others like her.
Jeremy and Nick noticed Lucas playing fewer games with them, and one evening, they confronted him online.
"Dude, where have you been?" Nick asked.
"Yeah, we barely see you anymore," Jeremy added.
"I'm just, you know, working on myself," Lucas replied.
"Working on yourself?" Jeremy snorted.
"Man, you sound delusional if you think that's gonna change anything."
"You're not gonna magically become popular or anything," Nick chimed in.
(Maybe I won't become popular overnight, but I'll be damned if I'm stuck being an ugly loser forever.)
Summer vacation started, and Lucas maintained his training while reading books on socializing.
He felt his confidence slowly building as he noticed his body becoming more defined and his acne clearing up.
Finally, he got his braces off and admired his new smile in the mirror.
One night, Chloe mentioned a party just before she started college, a week before the new school year began for Lucas.
"Yeah, everyone's gonna be there," she said. "It's gonna be epic."
Lucas thought of playing online for the night because Jeremy was always stalking what the popular kids did.
Later that night, while playing online with Jeremy and Nick, they casually mentioned the party as well.
"Yeah, I heard Jake's throwing it at his uncle's place," Nick said. "Some college kids are gonna be there too."
Jeremy added, "Think we could get in?"
"Not a chance," Nick replied. "We're not exactly on their VIP list."
The mention of the party intrigued Lucas, and the next day, he approached Chloe about it.
"Hey, Chloe," he said nervously. "Do you think I could come with you to the party?"
"Absolutely not," she scoffed. "You're just going to embarrass me."
"Come on, I really want to go. Please?"
She rolled her eyes. "Fine, but only if you do all my chores and errands until the party."
Lucas spent the next few weeks doing her laundry, running errands, and helping her with homework. He even vacuumed her room, cleaned the bathroom, and took out the trash every night.
"I swear I'm gonna punch something if this litter box stinks again," he muttered to himself one day as Chloe breezed past him.
Chloe chuckled and replied, "Maybe if you clean it right for once, it won't stink!"
Lucas whispered under his breath, "Bitch."
On the day of the party, Chloe left early to hang out with her friends and told Lucas to meet her there.
(Of course, she's not gonna wait for me. Typical.)
He stood in front of the mirror, admiring his new look. His acne was nearly gone, his braces were off, and his teeth were perfectly white. His stylish haircut framed his face, and he had grown slightly taller. His lean body was now more muscular, and he even had the beginnings of abs. He wore a sharp-looking outfit that highlighted his new physique.
(This is it. This is the night I finally prove myself.)
He boarded the bus and got off near the park that lay between the bus stop and the party. The evening air was cool, and the streetlights cast long shadows on the pathway as he walked. As he crossed through the park, he heard a commotion up ahead.
Three men were harassing a girl, pushing her around and taunting her. She had raven-black hair, and pale skin, and wore a short leather jacket over a red dress that hugged her curves. Her beautiful light blue eyes were wide with fear, and her voice trembled as she tried to push them away.
"Come on, sweetheart," one of them said, slurring his words. "Just gimme your number."
"Yeah, don't be like that," another chimed in. "We just wanna have some fun."
The third man, tall and muscular with a buzz cut, sneered at her. "Hey, babe, why don't you drop the attitude and show us what you got under that jacket?"
"Yeah, you're acting all high and mighty, but deep down, you're just a slut, aren't you?" the first man said, grabbing her arm.
"Let go of me!" she cried, yanking her arm back.
The man with the buzz cut stepped closer and poked her in the chest. "We're not asking, sweetheart."
Lucas felt a pang of fear and thought about walking away, but something inside him had changed. He couldn't ignore it anymore.
"Hey! Leave her alone!" he shouted, stepping forward.
The three men turned, smirking at the sight of Lucas.
One of them approached him, his breath reeking of alcohol. "Get the fuck out of here, pussy."
"You think you're gonna play hero? Kid, this is not a fucking TV show," said the second man.
"Yeah, she's ours tonight," the third man chimed in, cracking his knuckles.
Lucas quickly assessed the situation and decided to strike first. He swung at the nearest man, catching him on the jaw and sending him sprawling. But the second attacker brought the bat down hard on Lucas's head. He stumbled backward, dazed, before being overpowered by the three men.
"Nice try, dipshit," said the first man as he kicked Lucas in the ribs.
The third man laughed, picking up the bat. "You know what happens to heroes, right?"
They kicked and punched Lucas until he lost consciousness, blood pooling on the cold ground before his life escaped from him.
(This is it. I'm gonna die here… just when I thought I had changed…)
The last thing he heard was a series of horrific screams, slashing sounds, and breaking bones.
When Lucas woke up, his vision was blurry, and he could barely make out a girl standing over him, her raven-black hair flowing down her shoulders. She looked down at him, smiling enigmatically. His body ached terribly, and when he tried to move, pain shot up his broken legs. He glanced around and noticed the lifeless bodies of his attackers scattered across the ground.
He felt a churning in his stomach, and he vomited on the grass.
"What… happened?" he croaked, his voice barely a whisper.
"You're awake. It's about time, stupid simp," she replied, her voice cold yet melodic.
"I… died?"
"Yep, and you're lucky I decided to bring you back."
"Why?"
"Because I could," she said with a smirk. "And because I needed a new toy."
"Who… are you?"
The girl's smile widened into a smirk. "Hmm, I'd been called a shit ton of stuff, maybe a witch why not. Just call me Lilith."
Lucas shook his head, trying to make sense of it all. "I don't believe any of this. This must be a dream."
Lilith chuckled, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "Oh, but I'm very real. And powerful. Let me guess… Lucas Holden, right? Just finished your junior year and think a new haircut will make you less of a loser?"
Lucas's eyes widened. "How do you know my name?"
"I know a lot of things, little fucker. I've been around a long time. A witch never forgets."
She leaned closer, her breath warm on his cheek. "You thought saving a girl in distress would get you under a girl's panties, huh? Pathetic."
Lilith crouched next to one of the bodies, muttered something in a language Lucas didn't understand, and watched as the man drew in a sudden, gasping breath. He blinked in terror for only a moment before she whispered again, and his head lolled to the side, lifeless once more.
"Is this enough proof, little fucker?" she said with a smirk.
Lucas recoiled in horror. (What the fuck is she? Is she really a witch? Fuck, fuck, fuck…)
"W-What do you want from me?"
"Entertainment. When you live as long as me, I have to find new toys to play with," she said, standing up and brushing her dress. "You've been given a second chance, Lucas, but it won't come for free."
He tried to crawl away, but the pain in his legs held him still. "I don't understand."
Lilith smiled and knelt beside him again, placing a hand on his chest. Her low-cut dress revealed her cleavage, and Lucas couldn't help but glance.
"Oh, like what you see, huh?" she teased. "A little pervert, aren't you?"
A warmth spread through his body, and slowly, the pain ebbed away.
"I saved you, Lucas. Now, you'll entertain me by doing some things that will be fun for me to watch. Don't worry, I'll reward you kindly, like those games you love to play" she said, tracing a finger along his jaw. "The higher the risk, the higher the reward."
"Like what?" he asked nervously.
"Oh, you know, maybe steal a car, prank a police officer, or seduce your stepsister," she said with a wicked grin. "This may also help you seek what you wanted."
Lucas swallowed hard, his stomach churning with a mix of fear and uncertainty.
(This is bullshit, she can kill me at any time, do I even have a choice?… This is fucking ridiculous.)
He could hardly refuse. "Okay," he whispered. "I'll do it."
Lilith smiled. "Good. Welcome to your second life, my little puppy."
"Fucking witch" Thought Lucas to himself.
-Mission Complete!-