26. Chat

Being looked at accusingly by everyone around, Paige wanted to go home; her fear of someone pulling her hair might come true if she stayed there. 

[So… the novel tags are altered anyway. Why not let Lance do what he wants and allow me to drop my missions? You had to calculate every conversation I had while playing a scene because I apparently can't act. Everything has already gone awry.] 

While she communicated with the system, Jace was already kneeling before the seated Natasha, moving her hand that covered her cheek away.

He gasped, seeing her injury. 

"Who did this?" He glanced between Lance and Paige. It was such a hard slap that it could very well have been from a man. 

Paige raised her hand, staring blankly at him. 

"Ha," Jace scoffed. 

"You want to disfigure her because you're jealous of her looks?" 

A few students whispered. 

"How could she?" and something like, "First the stairs, now this, only because of jealousy." 

"I'm going home." Paige didn't want to discuss it any further. 

She packed her bag and walked out of the classroom. She was truly too old for this. Reading about dog blood scenes was exciting and satisfying, but living through it and already knowing how it would end was utterly boring. 

Nobody could make her act this way anymore. 

'Go back to your internship.' She gave Jace an internal middle finger. 

The system didn't announce a problem as she left, so she just continued on her way. 

[As long as the creator is satisfied, the storyline continues, regardless of your objections.] The system's late response had come. 

She was already on the stairs when she stopped. 

[Is your creator watching us at the moment?] she asked. 

[Yes.] Paige raised her middle finger toward the ceiling. 

[He is not looking at you.] the system commented. 

[Then he is observing the dog blood drama in the classroom.] Paige walked further down. 

[Yes.] 

'What a creep.' 

When Paige left so abruptly, everyone was stunned. They all expected her to at least defend herself. Until now, the original Paige never let anything slide; she would bully people and take pride in it. When accused of something, she would force the accuser to his knees while simultaneously hurling insults.

Jace wanted to go after her, but Lance stood in his way. Between clenched teeth, Jace whispered,

"Why help Paige? She is the one who tormented your love."

"Does it matter to you?" Lance asked, grinning. He wanted to talk to his brother anyway.

"Why not go with me to the rooftop and chat a bit?"

Jace would decline, but this could only benefit him. If he were to be injured by Lance, he could hold him accountable. And if it really were just talking, then he could find out when the other was reborn, as well as his plans for the future.

Jace nodded and followed him there.

When they left the classroom, Natasha began sobbing louder again. 'Was she just forgotten?' Pigtail hugged her, and the rest of the girls talked badly about Paige, but when they wanted to insult Lance as well, they received disapproving glances from both the female lead and Pigtail. So they just continued to insult Paige behind her back.

On the rooftop stood two similar-looking men; however, the taller one appeared much more handsome.

"You were reborn too," Lance stated, looking at the shorter one. He thought pretending to be reborn was his best strategy.

"Yes... what are your plans? Going back home and letting me get kicked out again?"

"As if it had nothing to do with your actions," Lance answered randomly, with his hands in his pockets.

"I'm not going back if you pay me hush money." Jace's eyes shot up at him.

"What?"

"You heard right. A large sum of money, and I'm not going back until you stop paying."

"Heh... you want to buy drugs?" Jace scoffed.

"Why would I?" Lance tilted his head, looking more sober than anyone else on the planet.

"Then why..." It didn't make sense.

"I don't want to repeat all the messy things again in this life," Lance had thought it through. If he could alter the plotline, then he would simply make money.