Chapter 2: 02: The Beginning (2)
CHAPTER 2
"Hey shithead, I'm talking to you." Jason picked up the book Alex was reading and threw it far from him.
That gesture got Alex trembling. Jason was a psycho in every sense of the word and having a father as the city's mayor gave him the impression that he could do whatever he wanted to anyone in the school and get away with it. Including Alex. While Jason had a tall muscular figure, Alex was a little above average and was as skinny as a toothpick.
"P-please Jason I-I need t-t-to study," he stuttered, already uncomfortable from Jason's proximity.
"Come on. Can't we have some fun? It's not like one little test is going to ruin your perfect grades." Jason's voice came out sharp and piercing. He had a maniacal smile on his face.
Alex was silent. Things usually got painful for him whenever Jason started smiling. He turned to the entrance of the library when he heard the door open. His eyes widened at the sight of the male middle-aged librarian.
"Mister Collins," Alex called out to him.
The librarian took a step towards him but when he saw the warning glare in Jason's eyes, he turned away as if nothing was happening. Jason gave a nod to the boy by his right and he left to go shut the doors.
"You're starting to get on my nerves Lexy," Jason got hold of Alex's shoulder and pressed hard on a weak spot.
Alex tried not to look angered. He had been through this long enough to know that acting up only makes it worse.
"How about this? I have five-hundred-page chemistry homework I need to submit tomorrow morning. Daddy wants my science grades high and you know I don't give a shit about atoms." Jason took his hand off Alex and sat down beside him.
"The chemistry teacher won't fake my grades so your smartass brain is my only option at getting a grade that'll make daddy happy. Happy enough to buy me a new car. If you agree to get it done by tomorrow morning, I'll consider giving you more alone time for the rest of the term." Again, he smiled.
No.
As tempting as the offer was, Alex couldn't. He knew the assignment Jason was talking about. It was given at the beginning of the school year, and it had taken him a week to complete it. The fact that every student's workbook had a different set of questions meant he couldn't even copy from his.
Even if skipped his rest classes for today, Alex still wouldn't be able to get it done by tomorrow morning. The only way he could finish up was if he started working on it now till tomorrow morning. No breaks in between. That'll mean failing the test and most importantly, missing his afterschool shifts.
"I won't do it!" Alex said, confidently. He stood up to get his book, but Jason yanked him back down to the chair.
"What do you fucking mean you won't do it?" Jason asked as he gripped Alex's neck. "Do I have to motivate you first?"
"I won't do it!!" Jason managed to say. For the first time in a long time, he was willing to stand up to Jason.
There was no way Alex was going to risk losing his pay for this. Laura's need for her medications outweighed his desire for peace with Jason.
Jason hated the look in Alex's eyes and the seriousness of his tone. He sent a firm punch to his gut.
"NO!"
"Fine. Motivation it is."
Jason held Alex by his collar and dragged him out of the chair to the open floor. He and his squad took turns beating the hell out of Alex, but each time they stopped to ask him if he had enough, his answer was the same. 'I won't do it.'
"Is it money? Fine. How does five grand sound? I'll get you the money tomorrow morning, just bloody agree to do my homework."
For a second, the thought of accepting the offer swept through Alex's mind but he waved it away. His body was covered in wounds and he was deep in pain but still, Alex didn't trust that Jason would keep to his word.
"I won't do it. There's nothing you can do to change my mind. Get someone else to do it," Alex said, clenching his hurting belly.
"Why?" Jason asked for the first time. "I doubt you always enjoy me punching you in the fucking face, and clearly, an orphan like you needs the money so why wouldn't you take what I'm offering?"
"Give me ten grand cash right now then I'll agree. As much as you want that car, I equally want something. Give me what I want and I'll make sure Daddy sees a grade high enough to buy you a yacht." Alex bargained, sitting up on the hard ground with his eyes on Jason.
Jason's lips curved into a bow and he started laughing. The four others with him joined him to laugh at Alex's words.
"I like the way you think, but you're meant to be smart, not crazy. Did you really think I was going to waste a dollar on a filth like you? Even the least expensive item in my house is worth more than everything in that dump you call a house put together." Jason kicked him hard between his legs and turned to leave. "You're not the only smartass in the school."
Alex groaned as he lay on the ground. He was wounded all over and his uniform was ruined.
Jason stopped at the door of the library and said, "A little piece of advice. When coming to school from now on, have a breastplate on and avoid places with less than twenty people. This isn't over."
Alex was left in no state to write a test. He looked at his watch. He had only a few minutes until the test began. He dragged his body to get his books and struggled on the ground to get out of the library. Spotting one of the popular girls in his class coming towards him, he decided to ask her for help to get to the infirmary. She was the only one in the hallway. He managed to stand, leaning on a locker.
"Racheal could you please…"
Before he could complete his statement, he felt electricity surge into him making him fall to the hard ground.
What? Did she just tase him?
"Touch me again orphan, and I'll up the voltage." She hissed and Alex heard moving footsteps.
Alex jerked for some seconds from the shock of the voltage. When he opened his eyes, she was gone. Tears gathered in his black eye but he held it in. After all, he was used to being treated like trash everywhere he went. No girl wanted to associate with him, but he never thought he would get tased just because he had touched her arm. He pulled himself together and gathered strength to drag himself to the infirmary. A lot of thoughts flashed through his mind as he made his way to the infirmary. Alex was used to everyone calling him 'orphan'. He wondered if anyone actually knew that his name was Alex.
After examining him, the nurse sent a word to his physics teacher that he be permitted to miss the test, and on account of his previous grades, he agreed. Alex spent three hours recovering, then he was strong enough to go to class. Luckily for him, Jason and his gang hadn't inflicted any major injury on him. Nothing special happened to him for the rest of the day. He was already used to the stares and heart-piercing comments of those in his class.
After a long day at school, he returned home to prepare for his afterschool shifts at a restaurant and late-night café. He checked up on Laura who was still asleep and had lunch with the other orphan kids. Just when he stepped out of the orphanage's gates to leave for the restaurant, a man in an all-black suit approached him.
"Hello, young man. How would you like to earn three thousand dollars every week by playing video games?"
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone