The Privileged and the Pig

Leaving the cafe with the coffee and bagel, I had just enough time to reach the front gate without being late. 

But as I walked down the sidewalk, I thought about the inconsistencies of this memory that I've just relived. 

Ria's strange behavior was hot on my mind, it sizzled like eggs--

What a weird metaphor. 

Ahem, moving on.

Maybe she just didn't find it on herself the first time around? It happens.

Still... I can't shake that face she made at me when I was talking about my past life. Or as I should now call, Lee Lozer. 

I felt a sense of dread as I thought about my old self. He had left earlier, so I didn't see him walking on the sidewalk leading up to school. 

But disregarding that for now, I was now at the foot of the school. 

It was a massive gate, with Lockhart engraved into a brass plaque at its head. Some students were hanging out at the front, they were crowded around something...

I felt nervous, I never liked walking past clusters of students as they always had something to say about me as I'd walk past. 

I looked at my watch, it was 7:20 AM. There were ten minutes left before the first toll of the bell; a warning for the tardies still in the halls. Regardless of how I felt, I had to push on through; I didn't want to be late. 

As I braced myself to walk past these students, I felt the hair on my neck stand as my knees went rigid overhearing the shrill jeer of a particular person. 

"Are you gonna do it, fatass? Or do you want me to MAKE you do it?" 

It was Eric Graves, he was bullying someone. 

Relax, breathe, it isn't you anymore. I felt my heart rate skyrocket as I circled around the group, none of them noticed me as I caught a glimpse of the victim. 

No, no no no...

It was Lee, he was the victim. 

"Huff... h-huff..." Lee was panting on the ground, he had a coffee stain on his pants as his cup was smashed down near his crotch. 

What the hell happened!?

I don't remember this happening on the first day of school. I hadn't even met Eric yet, it wasn't until a week after that he had begun picking on me. 

I felt lightheaded seeing my old self be in this position. A heavy pit sat nauseatingly in my stomach; I couldn't bear to see what would happen next. 

But I didn't have a chance to tear my eyes away, as Eric crouched down to Lee's eye level and began to speak. 

"This little fatass dared to bump into me, and thinks he's above saying sorry," Eric projected to the crowd. 

"I think, as it's only right, he should oink like a pig now; don't you agree?" He said with a twisted smile. 

I was witnessing myself earn the brand of 'Piggy' right before my eyes. This was torture, I have to go... 

But just as I took a step away, I noticed that from the crowd, the other students began to cheer. 

"Yeah, serves him right!" One boy said with a snicker. 

"Show him some manners!" A girl demanded. 

More similar jeers came from the crowd as Lee cowered where he sat. 

It was-- it was madness. Like a frenzy, a swarm of flies, they all agreed about treating my old self so cruelly. 

But what sickened me the most, what made this pit in my stomach double in size wasn't the cruelty of it all. 

It was the feeling of relief that I felt, the joy that I engulfed myself in knowing that it wasn't me who was on the ground right now. 

My eyes felt hot, I blinked away the bitter tears as I willed myself to take another step away from the crowd. 

I'm sorry, Lee, but... 

"You're pathetic, you know that?" A voice spoke to me, surprising me as I stopped my half-step away. 

It was the voice from before, the 'helper' that the mysterious being had assigned to me. 

I said nothing as my tongue stiffened like a rock in my mouth; I didn't have the nerve to speak. 

"Are you really gonna leave your old self like this?" She spoke again. 

"I'm aware you're a coward, but to see that you're so spineless-- I think it's a mistake that I've been given to you," 

Her words cut like glass, they were all true.

There was no one else in the world who would stand up for the old me here. 

But... but I don't think I'm brave enough to do what I should do. Especially with how many people are here on Eric's side.

"Sigh, I'm surprised you haven't noticed yet," 

"H-Huh?" I whispered, making sure no one else in the crowd heard me. 

"What do you mean by 'haven't noticed'?" I asked her. 

"So the ex-pig does have a tongue, what a miracle," She jeered, I felt my cheeks run hot. 

"Look at their eyes, you'll know once you see," 

Eyes? What did she mean by eyes?

...!

As I glanced over into the crowd, I managed to peek at some of the student's faces. As I looked at their eyes, I noticed something strange; it was as if they were all in a daze. 

"What's with them!?" I muttered under my breath. 

"They're under the effects of another [System]," The voice explained. 

"A [System]? Like what you are?" I asked. 

"Yes,"

"But, from who...?" I asked. 

"Who else? It's obviously the meathead at the center, geez you're as blind as you are stupid," 

Eric Graves had a System!?

My sudden revelation however was abrupted by Eric speaking once more to the crowd. 

"Looks like Piggy won't oink, no matter how nicely I ask. Well, if that's the case, I think it's time to up the punishment now, shouldn't we?" Eric said as the crowd cheered. 

"Punishment! Punishment!" They chanted. 

"Okay, Piggy, I think the only way you're going to get out of this is to do the following--" 

I felt my head run fuzzy as I heard Eric proclaim the following:

"Because you've made a mess of yourself, Piggy, I think you should take a bath. Why not strip down and go take a mud bath over there? Do it, and all is forgiven," Eric decreed with a sneer.

I felt my legs turn into lead. 

How the hell is Lee going to get out of this now!?