[Welcome]
"What the…" Alex mumbled under his breath.
His alarm clock was still beeping.
"Alex! Are you up?" Alex's father shouted.
"Yes! I am up!" Alex answered his father.
"Great, breakfast is ready in a couple of minutes."
Alex, who now sat on his bed shutting off his alarm clock, he looked at the blue screen which still had the words 'Welcome' written on it.
Taking a closer look at the screen, he saw a small circle which was a shade darker than the screen and blinking.
Alex pressed the dark blinking circle and at the same time the text vanished and new text began to appear.
Surprised, the thirteen year old took one step back.
[You have been chosen as an 'User'. Your job is to help the world. You need to complete challenges and beat monsters.
To continue please speak out loud the word 'Status'.]
"Chosen…Help the world…Monsters… What the hell?" He repeated.
Before he could say something Alex's father entered his room; Looking like an older version of his son, only with shorter hair, wearing his pajamas.
"Alex, are you alright? I called you several times."
Surprised by his father's intrusion, Alex turned around.
"…"
"Are you alright, son?" His father said with a concerned voice
"Can you see this?" Alex pointed behind him
"Your bed?" Alex's father replied
"No! I mean this thing." Turning his head around, Alex saw that the blue screen vanished.
'What the… was I hallucinating?'
"Sorry, it's nothing." Alex said, concerned that he was hallucinating. "Dad, why are you awake right now? You have five hours before your shift starts."
"I wanted to make sure you get up, it's the first day of regular school and I don't want you to be late." Alex's father answered
Going to the kitchen and eating his breakfast, Alex got up packed his school bag for the day.
'English, Maths, double P.E., Chemistry and History. This should be everything.'
Changing into his green school Uniform, and taking his school bag with an additional sports bag, he left the room and went to the house door.
"Did you pack everything for the day?" His Father asked
"Yes."
Handing him a tupperware Alex could see that inside of it was sandwich
"Incase you get hungry and need some Energy." His father said as he handed Alex the tupperware.
Putting the tupperware inside his school bag Alex hugged his Dad
"Thanks, Goodbye."
"Have a great day. Before I forget, tell Thomas that he is always welcome in this house."
Leaving his Home Alex went to the nearest bus station.
While waiting for the bus, Alex scrolled through his phone. The bus arrived and Alex got in scanning his student travel ticket.
---
Outside on the schoolyard, Alex walked towards the building entrance.
"Good morning, Alex." Thomas said, who was just behind Alex.
"Morning." Alex answered with a low voice.
"Are you ready for the day, my friend?" Thomas asked with a cheerful expression.
"What should I get ready for? It's only the first school day, and a short school day, so school ends at 12:50 PM." Alex answered with a slight grin.
Just before the lesson began, both boys sat down on their respective seats. At the same time Mr. Heart entered the room.
*Ding Dang Dong*
"Good morning Class 3A! Before we begin our English lesson, I want to talk about your holidays, because we didn't have any time yesterday to talk about it." Mr. Heart announced with a cheerful tone.
'Perfect the perfect time to day dream.'
---
"Alex! Hey Alex!" someone said loudly behind Alex.
Alex, waking up from daydreaming, looked behind and saw that his friend Thomas was calling out to him.
"… yeah?" Alex looked at blue eyed friend with a confused expression.
"What were you thinking about? It's almost the third period. We have P.E."
Alex looked at his friend with disappointed eyes.
"Let's go to the gymnasium." Thomas tapped Alex on the shoulder before going out of the classroom.
---
In the gymnasium, the students were standing in a half circle infront of the P.E. teacher, who was facing the students.
"Good morning. I am Mr. Smith, I suggest we play a ball game today, because it's your first regular school day. So, what do you want to play?"
After Mr. Smith asked the students what to play several Students shouted different games.
Mr. Smith decided it was for the best if the class played dodgeball.
Going around the half circle Mr. Smith decided the teams. Luckily, Alex was on a team with his blue eyed friend.
"Lucky us, right?" Thomas said in a cheerful tone.
"Yeah right, I hope that P.E. finishes fast. I hate sports." Alex exclaimed
"You hate everything about school. In the future you would probably be a stay at home dad, right?" Thomas asked his friend
"I would rather be a stay at home guy, no partner, no children, but maybe a cat." Alex answered in a serious tone.
*tweet*
Just after Mr. Smith whistled, a ball barely misses Alex.
'Whoa, what is their problem?'
Finishing his thought Alex looked to the opposing side to see who threw the ball, but he instead was hit on the head.
While Alex tried to walk to the side, where people go who are out of the game, Mr. Smith loudly anounced that headshots don't count.
He may not be as fit and athletic as his blond friend, but Alex is still able to dodge some thrown balls.
Dodging for some time, a ball rolled right in front of his feet. The thirteen year old takes the ball.
He aims at a classmate of his, got ready and right before he threw, he takes a step forward trips and threw the ball.
The ball flew through the air with no speed. The classmate who was in Alex's crosshairs caught the ball with ease, scoffing at Alex.
"Alex you are out!" Was the the only thing Alex heared while lying on the ground.
'I hate my life'
After playing several rounds Alex's team won most of the matches, thanks to Thomas.
"Are you alright, Alex?" Thomas asked Alex with a teasing smile.
"Why are you asking?" Alex asked, confused
"Just because, you were pretty early out in the games we played, not to mention your faceplant in the first round."
"Leave me alone, Sportacus." Alex said, annoyed.
By asking if Alex is okay, Alex remembered what his father said this morning.
"Before I forget, my father said that you are always welcome at our house."
"Man, I love your father, he's so nice and always let's us do anything when I am over, but I have to turn down your invitation for the time being."
"Why?"
"My parents say I have to focus more on school, because last year I didn't meet their expectations."
"What?, you only had A's only one B and that is because Mr. Brown doesn't give A's." Alex protested.
"You know my Parents."
Thomas saying that let's Alex remember the last time he visited. Thomas' parents had berated him, saying that people like Alex, who only has B's and C's, are a bad influence.
Shuddering a little, Alex doesn't say anything about that topic.
Finishing P.E. Alex daydreamed through Chemistry and tried it on History too, but got interrupted.
"Alexander, is there a studnet with the name Alexander Dawn?" The history teacher asked, as she was a new teacher at the school.
"Present! Alex is fine, Mrs. August."
Finishing the attendance, Mrs. August began to explain how history isn't a linear story, but several events that lead to one future.
Alex, getting bored with the lecture already thought about what he should do at home, watching a new series or playing a game he got in the holidays.
'I think I will continue to play 'Light Spirits'.'
---
*Ding Dang Dong*
Hearing the bell, Alex shot up from his seat and before he could walk out of the classroom, he was stopped.
"Alex, wait. Let's check out the club activities. Before you pout let us look, maybe you can find a new Hobby."
"Eugh, alright let's go to the stupid basketball club." Alex said, defeated.
Going to the gymnasium, which had three big sections, on epart was used by the basketball Club.
Thomas immediately signed up and before he could ask Alex, he had already left the gymnasium.
Walking on the schoolyard a girl suddenly stood in front of the boys.
The girl, who looked like she was one or two years above the two third years, was wearing the classic school uniform for girls: a white shirt, a green bow tie and a green skirt which ended at the knees.
"Do you guys believe in Monsters?" The girl asked with an enthusiastic smile.
Both boys looked at her with a confused faces.
"If you do, why don't you join our Monster Research Club?"
"Sorry, but I don't believe in monsters and I am already in the basketball club, but he." Thomas pointed at Alex."He still hasn't joined a club."
"Yeah… no thank you." Alex answered and began to walk away.
After gaining some distance, the boys heared:
"If you have a change of heart, our club meetings are on the third Floor in room 2.09 on the short school days; Monday, Thursday and Friday." The girl shouted after the boys.
Alex went to the bus station and while waiting he remembered the blue screen mentioning Monsters.
Not putting any weight on this he scrolled through his phone and rode home.
Arriving he went inside his house, leaving his stuff in the living room.
He opened his tupperware and ate the sandwich which his father packed him for school. He started his console and began to play 'Light Spirits'.
After playing for several Hours, he made little to no progress. He shut down the console.
Going to his room Alex remembered something while looking at his bed.
'To continue please speak out loud the word 'Status'.'
Alex, not because he was believing his illusions, but just because he saw many series and comics about something like a system appearing, says the word:
"Status."