Jelo's heart thumped loudly in his chest, and he was scared it would burst out of his ribcage.
He stepped forwadr shakily, glancing at Angie in front of him. She looked beautiful, with the sun painting her jade skin golden.
Every day for the past two months, he had rehearsede what to say to her, but now that it was time to actually do it, he was frightened.
"Angie… please…" he pleaded. "Just… give me a chance. I can make you happy, I swear."
Angie lookd over at him, with an eyebrow arched in surprise. She scoffed loudly. "Hah, you? Jelo… really?"
Her tone was very amused. She pushed her umbrella to him. "Hold this properly. Don't let the sun touch me, my skin mustn't get burned."
Jelo quickly reached out to take the handle, his arm trembled as he grabbed it.
He gritted his teeth, trying not to let his embarrassmnt show.
This was a test he had to pass, right? All he had to do was hold her umbrella, right? Keep her safe from the sun and prove he could protect her and be useful.
He nodded quickly. "Of course! I'll hold it steady. Don't worry!"
Angie rolled her eyes but said nothing. She was looking into the distance as if he weren't even there.
Jelo exhaled quietly as he felt relief washing over him. It seemed he had played his cards right; maybe this was the opening he needed.
But commotion soon interrupted his train of thoughts, and a loud, deep voice yelled at him.
"Well, well, what's this? Trying to steal my girl, huh?"
Jelo's stomach dropped, and he looked up.
Walking toward him with exaggerated confidence and a sneer that screamed trouble was one of the bigger boys from the academy.
He was huge, and his biceps stretchde out his clothes.
His hair was slicked back in perfect gel, and his eyes were full of mischief and arrogance. He glared at Jelo.
"You think you can just waltz in, holding her umbrella like some hero, and steal her away? Think again, loser."
Jelo's blood boiled. How dare this guy accuse him? How dare he come here and act like he had any claim?
He squared his shoulders, trying to make himself appear taller and stronger.
"You're… ugly," Jelo said bluntly, surprising himself with the sharpness in his voice. "And you don't stand a chance. None at all."
For a brief moment, the courtyard seemed to freeze. Even the leaves in the courtyadr seemed to pause mid-rustle.
Angie tilted her head, brow furrowed, her lips parting slightly in amusement and mild surprise.
Jelo swallowed. He knew he could be in much trouble, but he didn't care anymore.
He had worked hard toward this day; he wasn't about to let some huge guy ruin it for him.
The bigger boy's face turned crimson, and veins popped out of his neck.
Rage flashed behind his eyes. "What did you just say?" he spat, taking a menacing step forward.
Before Jelo could react, the air around him seemed to explod. A sharp, cutting wind surged from the bully's outstretched hand.
Jelo barely had time to scream as the wind strukc him square in the chest.
He felt his body lift off the ground; the impact drove him, and he slamed into a tree behind him.
"Arghh!" Jelo yelled as pain shot throughh his body, and one contact lens flew out of his eye and landed on the ground.
By the time the dust had settled, a small crowd of student had gathered, wihspering and pointing as they watched the scene before them.
Most found it funny and laughed, smirked, or giggled, while some looked concerned. Jelo took in steadying breaths and then pushed himself up slowly.
When his vision finally cleared enough, his stomach dropped as he saw the sight in front of him.
The bully was now standing beside Angie, and that wasnt the worst thing, he had his arm draped around her.
She was even leaning into it. This sight hit Jelo like a fist to the chest, and he clutchde his chest.
"No, no, that can't be…" he muttered, gripping the tree trunk for support.
His knuckles went white, and his mind raced, tryin to deny what he was seeing, but there was no mistakign it.
The bully's face twisted into a smug grin. "I can't believe you actualy let him near you," he said in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "Seriously, Angie… what were you thinking?"
Angie pushed slightly against him. Her expressoin was still neutral, but the slight narrowing of her eyes showed her irritation. "I didn't… I had no choice," she said, her voice calm, almostt bored. "It's not like I wanted him near me."
Jelo felt something inside him crack, he felt emptiness spread through his gut.
As they walked away, Jelo couldn't bring himself to look away.
He stood there for several minutes, frozen, watching Angie's figure disappaer around the corner, wrapped in the arm of someone stronger and better than him.
Finally, he turned and went home sadly.
The streets were empty, the afternoon sun harsh against his skin, and Jelo asked himself questions.
Why am I so weak? Why does it always seem like the strong get everything they want without hesitation? Why do I have to scrape and beg just to be noticed, only to see it wasted on someone else?
He walked up the narrow staircase to his apartment, the dull ache in his chest from earlier still simmering.
The small space smelled faintly of laundry and his mom's cooking, which was comforting, though it did little to ease the sting in his pride.
"Jelo! Don't forget to go to the store!" his mom called from the tiny kitchen as she stirred the pot.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm going," he mumbled, dropping his bag by the door. He barely looked at her. Right now, the last thing he wanted was conversation.
The errand was simple enough. All he had to do was pick up a few items from the corner store and be back before the sun set.
But with each step down the street, his thoughts kept drifting back to the courtyard, to Angie, to the boy who had crushed him in front of everyone.
He was halfway to the corner store when there was a sudden, sharp cry. "Help! Someone, please help me!"
Jelo stopped in his tracks. The voice sounded like it came from a young boy. He hesitated only a little before rushing toward the direction of the sound.
After coming out of a bend, the street opened up into a steep ravine. It was from that direction the cry was coming.
Jelo walked up to the edge of the ravine cautiously.
When he reached the edge and looked down, he was surprised to see a small boy, not older than ten, hanging by a low branch. His eyes were wide with panic, and his hand trembled as his strength reduced slowly.
"How did you even end up in this scenario?" Jelo asked, and then cautioned himself. Right now, the boy needed help, not an interview.
"Hold on, I've got you!" he yelled, and lay on his chest. Quickly, he stretched his hand down, straining to his limits to grab the boy's arm.
"I'm crazy," Jelo thought as he held the boy's hand and began to pull him up. The weight almost pulled him back.
However, Jelo had picked his spot perfectly. He had seen a stone wedged firmly into the ground, and so he knew he could use it as an anchor. He hooked his feet around it and began to pull firmly. After a while of straining, he managed to pull the boy to the edge.
With one final yank, he pulled the boy to safe ground, but this yank would prove to be detrimental. The stone had not been wedged as firmly as he thougth, and therefore, the yanking made it free.
Jelo found himself slipping toward the edge of the ravine. "Ahh!" he yelled and tried to stop his momentum, but it wasn't enough. Even the boy's attempt to grab him were futile.
Jelo was soon falling off the ravine. The world flipped, the ground rushing toward him faster than he could process.
The wind whooshed past his ears, and he landed on his back with a bone-jarring thud, pain exploding across his shoulders and spine.
His vision went white for a moment, and he grunted in pain. Then, through the pain, Jelo noticed something: the walls of the ravine were covered in strange carvings that glowed faintly in the fading light. They pulsed like they were alive.
Jelo's eyes widened, pain clouding his brain, curiosity battling the dizziness. Then he heard a voice.
"Congratulations… you have awakend the Dragon System…"
And then he passed out.