Chapter 7: Broke and staring at tits

Parker’s face holds a small smile of victory as he walks out of the class with Tim, his newfound friend. The younger guy walks beside him timidly, and Parker keeps his hands in his empty pockets.

It feels nice to walk through these loud and busy hallways again.

Many people who are walking by him have no idea who he is, what happened to him the previous night, or what is going to happen to him in the next few days.

"Hey, Parker," Ben’s loud voice calls, and Parker stops in his tracks. He turns around slowly and finds Ben, surrounded by a group of friends. There are three guys from the football team and two other girls who are popular on campus.

"Y-yeah?" Parker stutters.

"You didn’t eat anything this morning, and we’re going for lunch. Do you want to hang out with us?" Ben asks, and Parker waits to see if the system will speak to him, but nothing shows up, just silence.

Has the system abandoned him?

"Are they your friends?" Tim asks quietly, and Ben answers for Parker. "Of course, we’re friends" Ben says.

The future landlord walks up to his future tenant, puts his arm around his shoulder, and gives him a smile that looks very predatory. "We’re friends, aren’t we Parker?" he asks teasingly.

"We’re not friends," Parker says boldly. He takes Ben’s hand off his shoulder and puts it down while Ben’s face morphs into a look of anger. There is no way in hell his loser friend just embarrassed him in public.

"What the hell?" he asks with a low voice, and Parker straightens his back.

"We are not friends, Ben" Parker says, and Ben slowly takes a step back. He’s wearing a small mocking smile on his face as he eyes Parker.

"You see, guys, this is what happens when you try being nice to dogs," Ben says loudly to attract the attention of almost everyone passing by.

It is embarrassing in every way possible, but Parker stands his ground and holds his chin up like the man he’s going to be in the near future. He wasn’t going to let Ben humiliate him, laugh, and say ’it’s just a silly prank’ like he used to do.

"Quit it, Ben," Parker says and turns around to leave Ben standing in the hallway.

[System: Look at that spine. It took you forty-three good years.]

[Stats: Confidence — Unlocked]

He didn’t expect anything like that to happen, but he feels pride as he nods to himself. He did it. He unlocked a part that he didn’t know existed. Parker and Tim leave the university building together without Ben’s shenanigans following.

"Woah, that was so cool. I never knew you could speak up for yourself that way. I want to be like you when I’m older." Tim gushes, and Parker hides his scoff.

If only Tim knew what Parker really was like, he wouldn’t say something like that.

"So, what do you want to do now that we’re almost done for the day" Tim asks and Parker looks around. Well, there was something he wanted to try...or rather, someone he wanted to see.

There is this hot older girl he has a crush on. Ada Justice is the most stunning lady Parker has ever seen. She is from another school and works at a convenience store part-time. She is the one Parker thinks of all the time when he feels horny.

He thinks of wrapping her soft hair around his fingers, of massaging her soft waist, and of living with her.

"Let’s go get some snacks at the store" Parker says eagerly and Tim agrees.

[System: wealth- 0]

Parker stops mid-step at the new message and his shoulders drop. Damn it. He forgot all about his brokenness. Maybe he could pretend to browse and just sneak peeks at her.

"I like these crisp chips they sell there" Tim says and they walk together to the store.

When they arrive, Parker finds Ada at the counter. And as always, she’s leaning forward and showing off her cleavage. He wants to bury his face in her tits and live there for life.

"Welcome to the store, feel free to look around" Ada drawls and Parker nods like a love struck idiot.

He and Tim walk around the store aimlessly, but Parker makes sure to keep watching Ada. She moves slightly and her cleavage presses together in an enticing sight. His mouth starts to water but he knows he still doesn’t stand a chance.

He’s still an unimpressive loser.

"Cool, I got what I wanted" Tim says and Parker eyes the bags of chips in his friends’ hands. He wanted one too, but he wouldn’t dare ask. He didn’t have the money to pay for it.

"Go pay, I’ll wait at the door" Parker says and heads for the door.

"Uh, system...you know I’d die of hunger if I stay without money, right?" he says under his breath and the system leaves him with no response.

Great.

Back in college, he used to wait for his parents to send pocket money, or he’d go to his part-time job at the restaurant.

"How am I going to feed?"

[System: same as before. But there is an upcoming opportunity to eat well]

Tim finally comes out of the store with the bag of chips and hands one over to Parker. Parker stares at the bright yellow pack in shock. He never had the chance to make real friends in his past, so the action means a lot to him.

"Thanks, man" he murmurs and opens the bag of chips.

Hopefully Tim is really as good as he’s acting to be.

"I’ll walk you to your apartment since I have time, and my mom is coming to get me later" Tim says and Parker accepts.

The two new friends start their walk to the building Parker lives in, and as they get closer, a memory flashes in Parkers mind.

On this same day twenty years ago, Ben had gone out to a wild party with the keys to their shared apartment, forcing Parker to sleep in school on a bench.

"Fuck, how did I forget something as important as that?" Parker asks himself and runs all the way to the elevator with Tim behind him.

He knocks on the door and checks for the keys under the flowerpot, but nothing was there. Ben deliberately did it back then, and now he has done it again.

Parker grabs his hair in frustration.

"Damn it, Ben!" he exclaims and Tim joins him in the hallway. The new guy looks confused as to why Parker is grabbing his hair at the doorway of his own apartment.

"What’s wrong?"

"My room mate locked me out of the apartment, and he won’t be back till tomorrow" Parker complains.

"Oh, that’s cool" Tim says without thinking and Parker glares at him murderously.

"How the hell is that cool?"

"You can come sleep over at my place. My mom won’t mind" Tim says and Parker sighs in defeat.

’I guess this is why the system said I would need Tim’ Parker thinks to himself before shoving his hands into his pocket.

"If you’re sure...then I guess I can go with you" he says and Tim grins at him happily.