The morning sun poured in through the classroom windows, casting a warm golden glow over the creaking wooden desks and the blackboard smeared with chalk. Outside, the din of traffic and the hum of city life produced only a dim echo within the room, a jarring disruption to the thick quietness inside. The bell rang, signaling yet another tedious day at school.
Seated in his usual position close to the back of the room, Elon Wayne stared out the window with a detached look. He was but part of the scenery, just another face among the many—unnoticed, unheard, and forgotten. His clothes were tattered, his boots worn flat from all the traveling back and forth from work to his homeless shelter. The buzz of the fluorescent lights overhead seemed to harmonize with the worry within his heart.
But now, as his eyes roved the room, something caught his attention.
In the window seat, across the room, sat a girl he'd never really met before. But there was something that was different about her. Something which made Elon's heart beat for just a moment.
Her name was Evelyn Carter.
She was the subdued one—never looking to cause a scene, never part of the groups of people. She didn't look to impress. Instead, she stayed to herself, nose buried in a book most daylight hours. Her face wasn't highly chiseled, not flashy at first sight, but when Elon caught glimpses of her up close, there was a elegance to her that caught him off guard.
She wore thin-framed glasses that framed her bright, intelligent eyes. Her silky, long hair was pulled back into a tidy ponytail that swung to every subtle movement. There was an unobtrusive confidence to the way she moved, even though she was reserved. It was a restrained kind of beauty, one that did not cry out for attention but insisted on it.
Elon had always viewed her from afar. Unlike the other girls, who were so obsessed with status and popularity, Evelyn remained untouched by the shallowness of high school life. But today was different. His head had been spinning since the previous night, trying to rationalize the bizarre encounter at the riverbank, trying to figure out how he could use this new power the system had bestowed upon him.
He did not know why, but today his stare lingered across Evelyn a fraction of a second longer than usual.
Ding!
The system chimed suddenly in his head.
"Target identified. Name: Evelyn Carter."
"Favorability toward host: 40/100."
Elon blinked in surprise.
"40 points? Even without speaking to her?"
The system voice was echoing what he himself was thinking.
"Right. Favorability has already been computed on subconscious grounds. Proceed to interact."
Elon felt a mix of thrill and intrigue. He had only ever talked to a handful of girls so far, and they were either disinterested or out of his league. But Evelyn was different. She was not one of those girls who were just gold diggers or shallow wealth-hungry individuals. She was—real.
Without hesitation, Elon shoved his chair away and walked towards her desk. His heart pounded a bit more uncertain of what he was doing; all he knew for certain was that he had been engulfed in the glamour that the system had to offer.
As he approached her, Evelyn looked up, surprised by his sudden appearance. He opened her eyes a bit wider while gripping the book she held on to very tightly. She seemed to have been caught off guard, but Elon did smile warmly.
"Hey, Evelyn," he said, trying to be casual. "You always seem to be reading something interesting. What book is it?"
Evelyn blinked, her hands still clutching the book tightly, and hesitated before responding.
"Oh… um, it's a historical novel," she said quietly but firmly. She added quickly, "Nothing special, really."
But even as she tried to downplay it, Elon could sense the glint of genuine interest in her eyes. There was more to her than the shy, reserved individual she appeared to be.
Ding!
Favorability toward host increased: +5.
Elon was surprised.
"Wait, what? I just asked for a book, and she likes me five points more? That's a good sign."
He smiled to himself. "I think historical novels are fascinating. They've always had a way of making history come alive, don't you think?"
Evelyn blinked, her eyes a little wide as the casual chat changed the air around her in such a slight, quietly dramatic way that her fingers slowly untensed their hold on the book, and for a moment, lost in the conversation.
Elon's words seemed to have an effect on her that he didn't quite understand. The pale flush that spread to her cheeks, the slight stiffness in her posture—he could feel it. He'd seen it before, in girls who weren't sure of their feelings or awed by someone they didn't quite understand.
Abruptly, Evelyn stood up from her chair, scraped it across the floor, and mumbled something about having to go to the restroom before dashing out of the classroom. Elon just stood there, watching as she made her escape, his head spinning from what had just happened.
The system beeped again.
Ding!
"Target's heart rate increased. Emotional response initiated. Favorability concealed increase: ?????"
Elon's smile grew.
"I knew she was interested. I could tell. That's step one."
The Familiar Betrayal
As Elon was about to head back to his seat, he noticed something—or someone.
At the end of the hall, by the lockers, stood Lana—his old crush, the woman he had fantasized about for years.
And this time, she wasn't alone.
Her arm was wrapped around the waist of Blake Rutherford, the richest, most conceited guy in school. He was tall, impeccably dressed in his suit, and with a smug grin plastered on his face.
Elon's stomach churned.
He had expected this, but seeing it happen in real life was something else.
Lana—his Lana—was laughing up at Blake, her hand resting on his chest as if nothing had ever happened between them. Blake's fingers traced her hip, pulling her closer to him as he whispered something in her ear.
She wasn't even trying to hide it.
Elon clenched his fists.
This was not the Lana he had spent so many years trying to impress. This was not the Lana who had used him for homework, for favors, for money. This was another Lana—the Lana who had sold herself out to the highest bidder.
A bitter wave swept over him. He spun around, his back tight with rage.
"It's okay," he said to himself. "I don't need her. I'll teach her what it is to tease a person."
But as he turned away, Lana's voice was heard.
"Why are you stalking me, Elon?" she snarled, her tone dripping with contempt.
Elon came to a halt. The hallway fell silent, everyone's gaze fixed on them. The laughter, the whispers—it was all aimed at him.
Lana smirked, glancing back at Blake before leaning into him, as if daring Elon to say something.
"It's over, okay? Stop bothering me," she continued, her voice condescending. "I have someone else now."
Blake chuckled, his arm holding her closer. "Yeah, man. It's kinda pathetic, you know? Pining after a girl who's out of your league."
A couple of students snickered, their eyes sparkling with amusement at Elon's expense.
Lana tossed her hair over her shoulder and leaned into Blake, as if underscoring the point for everyone in the area to catch. "Just accept it, Elon. We are different worlds. I don't date losers."
Elon flinched at their words, the mocking in their voices. His heart thudded in his chest, but he refused to let them see him break down.
He turned, walking away without a word. But Lana's voice followed him.
"You really are pathetic. A poor, unattractive nobody. Just get lost."
The mocking laughter echoed in his ears.
"Fine," Elon thought bitterly. "Laugh now. Mock me now."
"Just wait. You'll see what happens when you push me too far."
In that moment, Elon made a vow to himself.
He would make them all regret this. Especially Lana.
And he would start with Evelyn.