Chapter 2: Locked System (2)

"I won't slip again"

Lex whispered as the tears continued to fall from his face. He did not stop hugging his mother until he knew that there were no longer any tears that were coming out of it.

A full minute passed until he let go of his sobbing mother.

"Mother…", he said as he gently pushed his mother away, "Thank you for coming"

"Of course", her mother said as she held his hand, "When the school called us, your father and I quickly left our work and rushed here"

Lex could only let out a smile.

"Please forgive your father. He was more worried than me when we got here", her mother chuckled, "He was the first to cry when we saw you lying on the bed"

Lex shaked his head in response, "It is alright mother, I know. Shouldn't you get back to work?"

"Ah!", her mother quickly stood up and let go of his hand, "You're right!"

"Tell father I am sorry…", Lex said as he waved goodbye, "...and thank you for coming"

"I will. You take care of yourself from now on, okay?"

"Yes, mother"

"Also, your friends have been waiting for you outside for a long time now", her mother said as she walked away, "Let me call them in for you"

",,,friends?"

What friends?

He did not have any friends in this school… unless, "Wait, mother!"

His shout, however, was only heard by the school doctor as his mother was already outside.

And soon, five students entered the clinic.

Lex could only gulp as he stared at the 5 approaching students.

"Lex, you worried us", the tallest one of the group smiled as he held Lex's face.

"R-ray…"

"What's that!?", the grip on Lex's face tightened.

"S-sir... R-ray", a stuttered muffle came from Lex's mouth as he was finding it harder and harder to breathe because of Ray's hand covering his face.

"That's right", Ray laughed, "Don't do a stunt like that again, you hear me?"

Ray's grip tightened even more. Making it possible for Lex to breathe. Lex's whole body began to tremble as it craved for air.

Pain. Once again he was feeling pain. Nothing changed, he was back from where he started.

As his lung felt like it was about to burst, Ray took off his hand.

Lex could not help but cough vehemently as his lungs breathed in the air it sought for. He could only grip his chest to relieve the pain he was feeling.

"Because of this, we have a gift for you", Ray chuckled, "Isn't that right, boys?"

"Kekeke. That's right!"

The group laughed as they stared at the coughing Lex.

"All you need to do is follow us to the toilets", Ray said.

Once again, the group laughed. Garnering the attention of the school doctor, "Why are you guys so noisy there!?"

"Nothing, Miss! We are just so happy our friend has recovered!", Ray said in a happy tone. His expression then quickly returned to a frown once he looked at Lex.

"Now, follow us", he said in a threatening tone.

"I...I can't", Lex bit his lips, "I am... still not well"

"Of course you are", Lex chuckled, "Miss Agnes, Lex can be released from the clinic, right?"

"Hmm…", the school doctor stood up from her desk and approached them.

She then stared at Lex, her brown eyes lighting up in a blue color, and after a while, "Yes. He seems to be fully healed", said Dr. Agnes as she returned to her desk with a bored expression.

"Bu-"

Before Lex could talk, Ray once again covered his mouth. "Now now, don't push yourself too hard", he said mockingly. He then signaled his group to drag Lex from the bed.

Dr. Agnes saw them and she could not help but ask, "What are you guys doing?"

"We are just helping him walk back to his room, Miss Agnes", Ray smiled, "He told us that he is still feeling pain in his legs"

"That should just be phantom pain", said Dr. Agnes, "It will be gone soon"

She then nodded and went back to her papers, no longer caring for the group.

"Thank you, Miss Agnes", Ray said as they dragged Lex out of the clinic.

Lex's parents were no longer there, he didn't know if to feel relieved or disappointed. If his parents saw him being dragged like this, would they care? Or just tell him to persevere again?

He could not help but scoff as the group forcefully dragged him to one of the nearest lavatory.

And there, another student was waiting. It was a fat student, with his face bruised. He was also naked, showing the burnt marks that covered almost his entire stomach.

Lex instantly recognized who this was, it was one of the other students that were being bullied by Ray's group. A student named Arnold.