Isaac drowsily trudged through his day. During classes, his eyelids were lidded, and he tuned out whenever his 'friends' talked to him. He grunted between the natural pauses of their sentences, pretending he was listening.
And during the day's last class, he lazily stared at the teacher at the front of the room. The woman droned on and on, pointing to messy scribbles on the board that Isaac couldn't be bothered to comprehend.
His body felt heavy—glued to the seat almost. His heart sunk to the floor when he remembered he had to stream today.
Isaac cringed as he remembered his earlier promise to his viewers. "Ten hour stream tomorrow!" he grinned on camera.
Tendrils of regret squeezed his brain, but it was too late to go back on his promise.
"Isaac," the teacher called. "Why don't you read the passage aloud."
Isaac instantly became alert as he stood up and pushed his chair back. He looked down at the workbook in his hands.
Had she asked him to read the passage aloud? What math workbook had a passage to read aloud?
As Isaac gazed around the room, he noticed something amiss. Instead of math workbooks, there were English workbooks laying on desks.
Isaac internally groaned as he peered over the shoulder of the student in front of him.
"Madilyn… likes go… run," he fibbed, attempting to decipher the English letters on the paper.
"That's enough," the teacher said, shaking her head.
Relieved, Isaac sat back down, counting the minutes until the day ended.
When the bell rang, Isaac was the last to leave his classroom. Begrudgingly, he looked up at the student ID scanner, which scanned his face before allowing the school building's sliding doors to open.
As Isaac approached the school gates, he noticed an oddly familiar figure, which made him frown. What was King doing here?
Beside the gate stood King in his out-of-place school uniform. He leaned against the gate, examining each passing student's faces, almost as if he were looking for someone.
Isaac turned to leave through the back entrance. Preferably, he wanted to avoid coming into contact with a White Snake member. But most importantly, he wanted to avoid King, who made a name for himself in the school district for his unique fighting style.
But before he could scamper away, King's watchful eyes took note of his tall figure.
"Isaac!" King called out as he approached him from behind.
Isaac inwardly groaned and slowly but surely turned to face King. He ignored the frown tugging at the corner of the lips and the sigh that resided in his chest.
"Thales." Isaac nodded.
King grinned, extending his arm out for a bro hug. "Long time no see, man."
"Yeah." Isaac placed his hand in his, pulling him in for a hug. "How's it going?"
Isaac had a hunch about what King sought him out for. News about M High School had spread rather fast.
"Good, and you? You look as great as ever."
Isaac smiled in amusement. If only Thales knew. "Yeah, I've been doing great. What are you here for?"
"Straight to the point, aren't ya?" Thales rubbed his chin as though it pained him to say the following words. "I'm going to have to ask you to repay that favor."
"You're going to beat that M High School girl?"
"That's right."
Isaac's eyes narrowed as he sought out an opportunity. "Pay me, and I'll bring some extra guys. Surely that won't be a problem for you, Mr. Nouveau Riche."
A smile flickered across King's face. He was one of the few who was well-aware of Isaac's lust for money. And Isaac was one of the few who knew just how well Thales's family was.
Although King's family was nouveau riche, King never transferred to a better school. He opted to attend classes with low-income students who'd never live as lavishly as him.
Isaac didn't know why he stayed. Maybe it was ego, and he enjoyed seeing all the poor students struggle.
"How much are we talking about." King stuffed his hand into his pocket.
"100 for each man." Isaac examined King's face, seeking out a reaction.
But as expected, King's face remained the same. A few hundred bucks was nothing to him but everything to Isaac.
King chuckled and fished out a wad of cash from his uniform pocket. "Had a feeling you'd ask for that much. Nine hundred should do, no?" King discreetly pressed the wad of cash into Isaac's palm. "Your boys better be good."
Isaac quickly shoved the thick 100 dollars bills into his pocket and stifled the smile that threatened to raise the corner of his lips.
His fingertips brushed the paper in his pockets. This would be enough for rent.
"It's a deal." Isaac nodded as he walked past Thales and to the front gate.
King called from behind him, "No goodbye?"
"Nope," Isaac echoed.
"Where are you off to?"
"The arcade." After all, Isaac had a 10-hour stream planned for today.
***
Isaac was one of the few left in the 24/7 arcade. Dark, ugly bags hung beneath his lower lashes, and his skin was pale, making him look almost ghost-like.
But although the lack of sleep slammed into him like a truck and danced before his eyes, Isaac continued to act for his viewers.
He couldn't drop the hyperactive and talkative online facade in front of his viewers. Or more accurately, he couldn't risk losing the viewers that watched him because of his 'personality'.
Bang!
'Headshot!'
Isaac sloppily grinned and cheered. For a brief second, he looked to the side where the only opening in the Mortal Strike module was.
Beside his module was the arcade's window, which one could see out of, but no one could see into.
And as Isaac looked outside the window, his heart stopped. His mask very nearly slipped from his face.
Immediately, Isaac turned to quit the game. "Sorry, guys. I need to take a dump. It's an emergency."
Without another word, he slipped away from the camera and ran outside, looking for the familiar figure he could have sworn.
But by the time he exited the arcade, the man he was looking for was nowhere to be found. Few people walked the streets in the dead of night. And the only sound echoed through the road was the whir of machines and the chirping of cicadas.
Isaac frowned. His mask had slipped off his features entirely, revealing a much uglier expression underneath.
He'd sworn he had seen him—that man. Isaac would have never mistaken the man's unmistakable aura for someone else.
Isaac took one last look up and down the street before defeatedly retreating into the arcade to return to his stream.
Maybe he had just been hallucinating, and that man was never there all along. Isaac nodded to himself. That sounded accurate.
After all, why would that man come back? He had left for a better life. He wouldn't come back without reason.
***
A few days later, a group of boys huddled together outside the entrance of M High School. All had ditched the classes of the day to come.
"Let's split up. Make sure the girl can't get out of the building," King instructed the group of 21 boys—10 Immortals and 11 White Snakes. Ordinarily, the two gangs wouldn't dare to work together, but today was an exception.
The White Snakes shed their pride and paid the Immortals for their help.
By now, people had realized the rebellious newcomer at M High School was Rem, not Cheng Lei.
On the contrary, however, Rem had no idea so many people were out to drag her down.
The boys split up, patiently waiting for when Rem would exit from those school doors.
They held their breaths as the bell rang, and students poured off the building in waves. And amid a wave of students stood Rem with her lackeys closely tailing her.
Isaac wasn't sure how Rem had managed to bring the Grimm Brothers to her side. Had she paid them? Sold them her body? Just how had she done it?
At the sight of her, Isaac popped his knuckles reveling in the satisfying cracks. She'd be going down today.
The group of Immortals and White Snakes regrouped by the main gate. This time, Mad Dog, Jackal, and Black Dog had joined their side.
Ashamed, they stood near the back of the group. They would never have imagined they would have to go as far as to ask an enemy gang for help. It was shameful.
"Ready, boys?" Isaac questioned.
In unison, a "Ready!" erupted from the group.
Isaac nodded. "Let's go teach this bitch a lesson."
After the stunt she pulled the last time they met, Isaac was desperate for vengeance.