Incident at the gym

{Mission failed}

{Rewards: None}

The words flashed on the screen in front of Arlo, and for a moment, he just stared, surprised.

How could he have forgotten the mission? His goal had been clear, but in the heat of the moment, his desires had taken over.

He cursed under his breath. This failure hurt more because he knew it was his fault.

Anger quickly replaced his surprise. How could he let this happen?

He should have known better than to lose focus, especially for something so small.

He clenched his fists, feeling determined. "Never again," he muttered.

This mistake would not happen twice. From now on, the mission came first. His needs could wait.

With a deep breath, he pushed away his frustration. No point in thinking about it anymore.

He continued walking toward the classroom, putting it behind him.

Then, he remembered his daily quest—his workout. The teacher still probably thought he was at the principal's office, which meant he had time.

Time to do whatever he wanted.

A small grin crept onto his face as he turned away from the classroom, heading for the gym instead.

A good workout would help him clear his mind.

Besides, the teacher wouldn't even notice he was missing for a while.

Arlo slipped into the gym, ready to push through the exercises and get his focus back.

Arlo pushed open the gym door and found it completely empty.

A small wave of relief washed over him—he could complete his workout in peace.

Without wasting any time, he immediately got to work, running through his routine.

The familiar burn of sit ups grounded him, each movement helping him refocus after the strange day he'd had.

As he neared the end of his push-ups, the door creaked open.

A girl walked in.

Arlo glanced up, and their eyes met. They held awkward eye contact for a moment, neither sure what to do.

Normally, Arlo would've looked away, pretending not to notice.

But today, something was different.

Maybe it was the confidence he'd gained from the system, the feeling that he was becoming stronger. Something pushed him to act.

"Hi," he said, surprising even himself with how casual his voice sounded.

The girl looked shocked that he was talking to her. "Hello," she replied, her voice unsure, almost as if she couldn't believe it.

Arlo, trying to keep things light, asked, "How are you?"

She gave him a confused look, as if she wasn't sure why he was even asking, but she answered anyway. "I'm fine," she said, her tone still uncertain.

Arlo was about to say something else, maybe make a joke to ease the awkwardness, when the gym door slammed open.

A tall, muscular guy entered the room, his presence commanding attention.

He looked at the girl, then at Arlo, and immediately sensed the tension in the air. His jaw tightened.

"Is he bothering you?" the guy asked, his voice rough as he called her "babe."

The girl shook her head quickly. "No, he's not. He was just asking if I was fine."

That seemed to set the guy off. His eyes narrowed as he stepped toward Arlo, his frame casting a shadow over him. "So, you're asking my girl if she's fine, huh?" His voice was low, but there was a threat in it.

Arlo, still in the middle of his push-ups, looked up at the looming figure.

This situation could get bad fast. He needed to deescalate.

"No, man, I was just curious. I didn't mean anything by it," Arlo said, keeping his tone calm and non-confrontational.

But the guy wasn't buying it. He sneered and, before Arlo could react, kicked him hard in the chest.

The impact knocked the wind out of him, and he collapsed, groaning in pain.

His hands flew to his chest as he struggled to catch his breath.

"Stop doing your weak push-ups and stay still while I'm talking to you," the guy snarled, standing over Arlo as if daring him to move.

The girl rushed forward, grabbing the guy's arm to pull him back. "Leave him alone! I'm sure he didn't mean any harm," she pleaded, her voice urgent.

The guy seemed reluctant, his eyes still blazing with anger.

But she kept begging him, pulling at his arm until finally, he relented.

He wrapped his arm around her waist and started to walk away, but not before sending one last glare at Arlo.

"You're lucky she begged for you," he spat. "If you ever disturb her again, I'll make you regret your puny existence."

Arlo lay on the floor, still gasping for breath as they left the gym.

His chest ached, but even worse was the feeling of helplessness that washed over him.

"Well, joke's on you," Arlo thought bitterly, wincing from the pain in his chest. "I already regret my puny existence."

Lying there on the cold gym floor, he made a silent vow to himself.

He would get his revenge—not just on the guy who'd humiliated him, but on the girl too, simply for being part of it.

Arlo's mind swirled with anger and frustration.

But for now, he needed to focus on recovery.

He forced himself to take deep breaths, in and out, until the sharp pain in his chest dulled to an ache.

Once the worst of the pain had subsided, he resumed his workout.

Each push-up sent fresh waves of discomfort across his chest and sides, but he ignored it.

The pain was fuel now, pushing him harder.

Later that evening, back home, Arlo pulled out a notebook from under his desk.

It was brand new, with crisp pages that had never been written on.

He flipped it open and took a moment to inhale the scent of fresh paper.

He liked the smell. It calmed him, even though his thoughts were far from peaceful.

Sitting at his desk, he grabbed a pen and began to write.

The names of the people who had wronged him today flowed onto the page, one by one.

He started with the three girls who had snubbed him that morning, ignoring his attempts to talk to them.

Then came the guy who had kicked him, followed by the girl who had stood by and watched.

When he was done, Arlo closed the notebook and smiled to himself.

The satisfaction of recording their names brought him a sense of control, even if it was small.