Confrontation

"Did you miss me?" Thomas sneers at Jason.

'Fuck' is all Jason can think.

Thomas is standing between him and freedom; along with two of his lackeys. They make some snide comments but nothing Jason can focus on. Any sudden movement or comment could send Thomas off the deep end.

"I bet he was hiding in the Nurses again" says one of the lackey.

"Ha, or too scared to even leave the restroom." Says the other.

Each comment pushes Jason further back to the closed doors he just left out of. They inch forward. Their steps are purposeful cornering Jason more and more. His heart begins to race with every second. He knows what's happening. He just wants to go home, his eyes darting left and right finding a way to escape, but he can't. He knows he can't. His back is against the wall. There is nowhere to run. 

"Come on guys, let's give him a break," Thomas smiles looking to his lackeys. For a moment Jason thinks maybe he will be alright. Until Jason meets his eyes, "He hurt his lip pretty bad. Maybe we should take his mind off of it." Thomas subtly commands the two of them forward. Each word filled with condescension. 

Jason raises his hands trying to stop whatever is coming, "Please.." 

They each grab one of his arms and pull them out to his side. His skinny frame gives them no resistence. Jason's knees buckle and he falls to the ground. He tries to squirm out of the hold but they each weigh 50 lbs heavier than him. 'Why am I so weak?'

Jason tries get up but they shove him back down again. 

"Really and now you are trying to run. You know how this works." Thpmas stands right over him. 

"Please Thomas. I just want to go home." Jason says.

SMACK!

Thomas hits him across the face and grabs his hair pulling Jason's head back.

"Go home? Without saying good bye." Thomas laughs and so do the boys holding his arms back.

"I wish Ashley was here. The things she would do to you. You are lucky she wants me to wait, but for now I'll give you a little taste." Thomas slams his fist into Jason's gut sending him to the ground out of breath. Thomas' fist lands into his diaphram and Jason reaches for his stomach when the boys let him go. 

Jason gasps for the air that was knocked out of him. He can't think of anything besides the pain enveloping him. The pain and the embarrassement. The utter weakness he feels for having this happen to him and not being able to do anything. 

He reaches a hand up begging for them to stop. A please barley leaves his lips. 

"That's a good dog, lay there and take the beating. I can't have your disobedient eyes taint Ashley when she gets back." They all surround him and take turns to kick him in his stomach before leaving Jason there. He writhes in pain. Clawing at the floor to pick himself up, but his stomach is making it hard to even move. 

He can't move from just the aching pain of the beating. Jason feels weak. He is weak.

He stays on the ground for a moment letting the pain wash off of him. For a second he thinks of running to Carry, but he's tired of her seeing him like this. Every time he makes some excuse for the beatings. He is tired of the lies and of himself. 

He doesn't want to seem even more pathetic than he feels. 

He crawls to the wall outside of the school building and off the concrete. He picks himself up onto his butt and leans against the wall. The soft grass is a momentary comfort from the aches in his body.

Through the pain his resolve furthers. His pain and embarrasement turn into a cold rage. The taste of this system. The taste of potential fills his mind like a heavy fog and momentarily his weakness shudders under his thoughts.

'I'm going to make them suffer.'

A plan runs through his head. Something that can bring them down. Something tangible. Ashley returns in a few weeks. That would have to be enough time. Enough time to make this work. He will put it all into motion. 

'I need something that can prevent them from fighting back. Something that will really make them suffer. Ashley Cortez, Thomas Stain, Veron Hawk, and the Principal that protects them; Mr. Larry White. Each one of them deserves the same pain they've caused me.'

Jason slowly gets up, his cold calculating rage dulling the aches in his stomache, and heads home. He thinks of some excuse for when Kyle and Ana get home. He knows Kyle won't like him skipping school and they both can't handle hearing Jason is still being bullied. He will lie for now, but they will learn soon enough that he is changing. 

This system is infinite potential and his mind will bring it's raw power into the world. He will change his life and future. 

Jason will tell his family everything one day, but they can't know the truth now. Especially after everything that happened freshman year. The suffering that was caused then. He still remembers what his parents had to do and the consequences. His bullies, these monsters they are all connected to his pain and the list of their sins is long.

'That's when it all began. One day I'm going to end it. They think they are untouchable but they are far from it. I'll use anything to bring them down. I will ruin them.'

Jason seethes with rage as he walks into his home. For once after school he doesn't think of playing video games or read web novels. He can only think about the work he needs to do.

'Open System'

[Idle System: Lvl 1 Exp: 5/10]

[04:36:25-24:00:00]

[Slot 1: Speed Reading: Lvl 1 Exp: 16.75/25]

[Skills: Speed Reading: Lvl 1; Improved Memorization: Lvl 0; Gaming: Lvl 1]

'System have I met the requirements for increased exp bonus?'

[Wow, he speaks. Partly. If you want miracles, you need to work harder.]

'I don't know why I didn't think of asking before with your subtle jabs. How sentient are you?'

[Slightly. I'm your Idle A.I here to motivate your lazy ass and provide information]

'Well with how little of the information you've given, I'm assuming there's a limit'

[At least you have some thoughts behind your lifeless eyes. Make it to level 2 and I can answer with more... info. For now that is all you get. ]

'Hmm as helpful as usual. Thanks Idle A.I' Jason rolls his eyes. 

Jason could gather what he needed to do. He needs more skills. First he will develop the two skills he needs the most to make everything going forward easier. After that something tangible. Something that can destroy the people that have tortured him the last four years. 

For now. 

He just needs to Study. He is only two and half days away from leveling up and he would figure something out. Just two more days.

He grabs the three books he got from the library and starts reading.