Chapter 8
Jacob Wick stared at the system interface, his annoyance growing with each passing second. The screen, usually a calm blue expanse, was now a chaotic storm of flashing lights and notifications. A new set of rewards had appeared, this time valued at hundreds of millions.
"What the heck is going on?" he muttered, rubbing his temples. This wasn't the first time the system had gone crazy, showering him with extravagant gifts. A mansion, a fleet of luxury cars – it was all great, but the lack of explanation was driving him mad.
He'd long given up trying to figure out what triggered these rewards. Was it his actions? His thoughts? Some random algorithm only the system's creators understood? It was maddening; he did not believe the system's given reason at all.
Still, who was he to complain? Hundreds of millions worth of free stuff wasn't something to sneeze at. With a sigh, he decided not to dive into much.
Jacob sighed as he finished his lunch, the familiar dread of returning to class settling in. He'd always hated school, but now, as an adult, it felt even more pointless. Why did he need to ask permission to use the bathroom? Why did he have to sit through lectures on subjects he already knew?
School was a prison, and he was ready to break free. When he could learn anything he wanted online, at his own pace. Why waste his time in a classroom?
With a newfound determination, Jacob decided to skip the rest of the day. He knew that the school would eventually give students an extra month to prepare for exams, and he wasn't going to be a part of it. There was nothing he couldn't learn on his own, and he was done with this come-back-to-school fantasy.
Jacob trudged back towards his classroom, the weight of the day's boredom already starting to settle in. He knew he was likely to fall asleep during the lecture, which seemed like a reliable way to pass the time. As he descended the stairs, his gaze fell on the closed school gate and the security guard sitting nearby.
A wave of frustration washed over him. If he could, he'd leave right now. But this school seemed determined to be a military academy, with its multiple fields for physical activity and multiple sports classes in a day. It was clear that the rules here were strict, and leaving without a valid reason was probably out of the question.
Jacob was jolted out of his thoughts as he rounded a corner and nearly collided with a classmate. The girl, who he didn't recognize, looked up at him with a surprised expression.
"Hey, you're Jacob, right?" she asked. "Going back to class so soon? There's still like twenty minutes left."
Jacob was taken aback. He'd never spoken to this girl before. How did she know him? They did go to the same school, so she might have heard of him somehow. But he couldn't figure out how.
"Yeah," he replied, trying to sound casual. "But I've got some homework to finish up. Might as well get a head start."
He was lying through his teeth. He'd already decided to skip doing any more homework. It was boring, and he had enough credits to pass without it. But he wasn't going to let this girl know that.
The girl smiled. "Your class is still getting homework? It's almost the end of the school year."
Jacob shrugged. "Yeah, it's annoying. Hopefully, it's the last of it."
He didn't care if she believed him or not. She wasn't in his class, so it didn't matter. The key to lying was to do it with confidence. If you acted like you believed what you were saying, others were more likely to believe you too.
Sophia chuckled and looked at Jacob with a playful smile. "Too bad my class stopped homework a few days ago."
"Sophia" Sophia extended her arm
"Jacob Wick," he replied, shaking Sophia's hand. "Nice to meet you."
"I saw you at the racing competition," she said excitedly. "You were amazing!"
Jacob returned her smile, although it was a bit forced. He couldn't remember ever entering a racing competition. Maybe it was something his previous body had done. He wracked his brain for any memories, but nothing came up.
Jacob's smile faded slightly. He had no idea what she was talking about. But he didn't want to look like a fool, so he just nodded and said, "Thanks."
As Sophia's eyes lit up with excitement, Jacob couldn't help but feel a little weird. Something about her reaction seemed off.
Sophia continued, "Do you want to study together after school today?"
Jacob hesitated. He'd felt weird enough already. But Sophia was already looking at her watch, clearly expecting an immediate answer.
"Sure," he said, hoping that he wouldn't regret it. "Meet me at the cafe near school at four."
With that, Sophia turned and walked away, leaving Jacob to ponder his decision. He wasn't sure why he'd agreed, but it was too late to back out now.
Jacob Wick trudged back into his empty classroom. The school's strict rules usually allowed students to play outside during lunch, but Jacob's reputation had kept him indoors. His sister's boundary-less behaviour alienated him from his peers, and the blame always fell on him.
He couldn't help but wonder how different his life would've been if he'd had normal parents like in his previous life. At least he had friends then. Now, he was stuck in this seemingly random world, isolated and alone.
Jacob thought about the infinite possibilities of parallel worlds. Maybe this was the best outcome he could've gotten. Maybe there were even worse fates out there. But dwelling on it was pointless. The answer was destined to remain a mystery.
The rest of Jacob's day was a blur of boredom. He dozed off during his next class, only waking up when the bell rang. During sports class, most of his classmates chose to play football. Jacob, despite being a loner, wasn't completely ostracized. He could still participate in class activities and games, and he was on speaking terms with everyone. However, the difference was that no one ever initiated a conversation with him. If he wanted to talk, he had to be the one to start it.
As Jacob walked towards the ground floor, a notification popped up on his system. His maid was bringing a new car to school so they could go and see the mansion together. Jacob remembered the study session he'd planned with the girl from earlier.
This reminds him he still does not remember when he participated in any running competition. Then he shrugged it off. "Just go with the flow," he muttered to himself. The crazy things happening around him were starting to become the norm. The only way to stay sane was to shut down his brain and let the current carry him away.
Author---------------
Hello everyone sorry for the delay well something happened on my side and I was in no condition to write anything and today I have a fever and suddenly I just need to write again until now was not writing because I am in no condition to write now I am writing to get my head out of my life a little sorry I am in messy currently I will try writing more from now