School is a ground for conflict

Jason opens the system right after he gets to school. He mindlessly wanders through the crowded hallways barely registering the conversations around him. The sneers not stinging for once. The long old brick corridors meander until he arrives at his first class.

He sets his bag down and with one fell swoop, opens up the system. 

[24:00:00-24:00:00]

Jason sits down in his first class and opens the slightly transparent window.

'System allocate total time'

[Continuous use has made clear current pitfalls of skill usage. 1.5x EXP bonus. 24 hours allocated]

[Idle system: Lvl 1] [EXP: 5/10]

[Slot 1: Speed reading: Lvl 1] [EXP: 16.7/25]

As Jason passes the half way mark in one go more information downloads into his brain. Subtle shifts in how to move his eye, grouping words, and even how his brain processes information all change. His mastery improves. He feels he can read a little faster now. He's close to reaching 500 wpm. Nothing as dramatic as moving from level zero to level one but just enough to be noticeable. 

In his excitement he forgets what school he goes to and the trouble that invites. The voices in the classroom are roudy. Some voices he carelessly forgets to pay attention to. 

"Look at him showing up in those rags." A voice says just above a whisper. 

'Let's see how it feels reading the history textbook.' Jason's thoughts race in excitement. 

Jason gets up to grab one of the school books to go over today's reading before class starts. The book shelf is at the other side of classroom next to people he would rather not go next to. Jason has never been this excited before. He doesn't show it not here. His steps quicken right before he reaches for it. 

Jason feels a swift thud against his foot. 

His hands fling forward and he tries to catch anything. The only thing in front of him is the bookshelves he was reaching for. The old wooden shelves buckle quickly under his weight combined with all the books. Each book stings as it hits his back and he lands hard on the carpeted floor. He can taste blood as his lip is cut open from his teeth.

Laughs resound throughout the classroom. 

He pushes the books off of him and looks up to see who did it.

Of course.

Thomas Stain. Son of Vergil Stain and Mary Stain. His mother is head of the education board and his father owns a manufacturing company that has worked with the city for generations.

He is old money. Old money that goes to public schools so his Mother's career can continue without too much controversy.

"What? You wanna call Mommy and Daddy" Thomas sneers at him. He is one of many of Jason's bullies. No one likes Thomas but it's not like they can say anything. The've seen what will happen. Nothing.

A slap on the wrist every time. Everyone is too scared of retaliation to do anything . They don't want another Sam Higgins. Poor Sam Higgins can barely walk straight now.

Jason looks up for just a second longer and then shakes his head.

"No. I'm sorry." Jason stays on the floor in shame. How much longer does he have to wait. He's tired of people like Thomas.

"Sorry? Haha everyone he's sorry. How cute." Some of his friends start laughing with him.

"Alright class it's time to begin." The teacher walks in and ignores the obvious situation. He slightly makes eye contact with Jason as he sits down, pitiful. "Don't just stay on the floor all day Jason. Pick up those books and get back to your seat. Don't make a scene. God Jason, You really should be more like Thomas. Always on time and in his seat."

Jason rushes to pick up the books and lay them below the now broken shelf. The soft laughs sting as every eye is on him.

"Hurry up now." Mr. Penn urges him. 

Jason grabs a textbook and walks to his desk. Jason's eyes can't leave the floor out of fear he might look into another students eyes and see pity. That disgusting pity that eats at him. The eyes he has looked into every day as they do nothing and he is beaten further down. Why should he try? That thought pushes him even further into himself. 

He sits down and burries his head into the book pretending to read but his mind; he isn't there anymore. 

The class drags on and he lays his head down like he always does as his life passes him on. He is idle in his own life and for a moment it makes sense why he got this system. It's not just that he is lazy. He lets his life pass him by, an idle character, A.F.K in his own world.

'Fuck! I thought this system changed something but what am I doing?'

The pit in his stomache aches. The emptiness that seems to always be there and eats at him like a starving abyss. For once, he rangles with it. He grabs that feeling by it's neck and crushes it underneath a force he didn't know he had. 

Ms. Gold. She could help. She always helped when he felt like this. 

'Maybe she would let me stay in there and figure some stuff out. At least she treats me like a human being.'

Jason quickly raises his head, startling most of the class, even Mr. Penn pauses his lecture for a second before continuing on. 

Thomas silently glares at him. Anyone can see the thoughts lurking behind his beady crystal blue eyes.

Jason gets to work in the meantime and starts reading. He knows Thomas hates anything he does, but he can only do so much in front of everyone. However the little resilience Jason was putting up was enough to enrage Thomas.

The bell rings, saving Jason from Thomas' wrathful gaze for now.

Jason pushes his way through the sea of bodies right to the nurses office. He hesitates for a moment. Although it's only been a couple days. He was unconcious in here not too long ago afterwall. He opens the door and he walks in nonchalantly as he has done a million times. His silence gives him away. Ms. Gold is currently helping a student with a scrape but it doesn't look all that bad.

"Oh, Jason one moment. We are almost done" She chirps up from one of the curtained off rest areas. Jason isn't sure how she was able to tell it was him but he didn't pay it too much mind.

She quickly finishes up and let's the student leave. He can hear her steps heading to where he is sitting.

"Jason what can i-," before she can finish her question she rushes over to him grabbing his face and examining his lip,"What happened!" She squeezes his face getting a good look at his wound. 

His face at her mercy he looks deep into her eyes. 

"Its nothing. I tripped. I wasn't even here for this." Each word falls out of his squished mouth. He doesn't mean to cover up the truth it's just second nature at this point.

She eyes him,"Did your trip happen because of Thomas?" Although Jason doesn't say anything she knows. She stomps her foot. "I'll run up to that boy right now i swear-"

Jason grabs her arm.

"Please don't. Can I just stay with you today?" 

Ms. Gold sighs. She knows she would lose her job faster than she could actually do something about what Jason goes through. So she does what she can. 

"Of course. Just stay in my office." He is always grateful for her kindness. She tries not to give special priviledges but she relates to him. Too much. 

Jason sits down at her desk and begins reading. He times himself and tries to read faster and faster using the techniques downloaded into his brain. At first it was the same 400 wpm but soon he could see the improvement. Half a second shaved off, a second, two seconds and then plateau. He can tell thats the most he can do. 

His stomach starts growling loudly. He quickly looks at the time. It's already noon. 

"I could hear you out there," Ms. Gold comes in with a lunch box and sets it down on her desk between them. "You are lucky I made a lot, gotta keep this stellar figure." 

Jason chuckles. He can't deny her figure for sure. "Thanks Ms.Gold" 

"Just Carry is fine, at least around us. Here you go some home cooked carbonara." 

Jason grabs a fork and takes a bite. Better than he eats at home. None of them can cook that well even if Kyle tries. 

"Thanks Carry, you are too nice for this place." Jason remarks. 

Carry sighs. "Probably, but someone has to be. No one would take care of anyone here if I wasn't here. This is already a play ground for the rich to pretend to be normal people. It's tiring but I gotta protect at least some of you." She takes a bite and moans slightly. Her lips sucking the noodles like they were the most delicious thing in the world. 

"I went here when I was your age. It might be crazy to come back to this hell but I had to." 

Jason smiles, "It is crazy but I guess that's why I'm here and not in class." 

She laughs in this way that highlights every beautiful feature of her face. Jason can't help but admire her. 

"Maybe that's why I let you stay."

They both smile for a moment forgetting the lives they are both forced to live. Forced by identity and environment, unable to break the confines of their reality. Except Jason had a way to change that. 

"Thank you Carry for being you. It's been so hard since my parents.. but you've helped so much." She smiles and nods of course.

They sit and talk. She rants about her wasted Doctorate, but how much she cares about helping children. She talks about her plans to work at a children's hospital and then asks about him. 

Jason can't help talk about the things he's studying.

"I don't want to wallow anymore. I'm going to change and I'm not letting people like Thomas get in my way anymore. I'll face them when I'm ready, but for now I think it will be best if I leave." Jason declares. 

"As a faculty member, I can't condone truency but I get it. Just don't take too long." Carry feigns sterness. 

"A week.. okay maybe two." He says somewhat confidently. 

"Alright, get out of here, but if I don't hear from you. Don't be suprised if I come check on you." She gives a sly wink. 

He thanks her for the food and starts leaving.

Before Jason could leave the school doors.

He runs into him. 

"Oh look what we have here. Was wondering where you are. Missed you in class." Thomas' taunting tone rang in his ears.