Raindrops began to pool on the hot asphalt, evaporating into a thin mist that made the air of Merdeka International High School feel stuffy and torturous. But for Luky Pratama, the heat of the day was not even comparable to the heat of shame that burned his cheeks.
"Listen up, guys!" shouted Kevin Wijaya, the Student Council President, in a loud voice that was deliberately aimed at the entire crowded hallway. "This is an example of a 'fake item' that you are forbidden to buy. See? After only wearing it for a week, the sole is already falling off!"
Kevin brandished a pair of worn-out sneakers. They were Luky's. The shoes that his mother had painstakingly bought for him at a flea market a month ago, and now, with one rough pull from Kevin, the soles had come off and were drooping pitifully.
Loud laughter erupted from a group of students who had been waiting. They were Kevin's gang, the children of wealthy people who saw Luky, the scholarship recipient, as their entertainment toy.
"Wow, it's a good thing Clarissa doesn't wear the same brand as Lucky! It would be a sin to catch poverty," one of them snapped, grinning.
Luky clasped his hands. Not Lucky. His name was Luky. But they always made fun of him, as if his poverty were a joke that needed constant reminders.
He tried to take a deep breath, swallowing all the insults like he always did. He looked down, hoping this storm would pass quickly. His eyes searched for Clarissa, his girlfriend. The girl who a week ago had still promised to always be with him through thick and thin. But Clarissa just stood aside, playing with her bangs, looking away as if she didn't know him.
"This is for your lesson, Lucky," Kevin said, throwing the shoe at Luky, which hit him in the chest and fell into a puddle of dirty water. "Don't force yourself to go to places that aren't your level. This school isn't for people like you."
With a satisfied nod to his men, Kevin turned and left, followed by laughter that slowly died down. The hallway was quiet again, leaving only Luky standing stiffly, staring at his shoes submerged in a puddle of murky water.
He bent down, picking them up. They were wet, muddy, and ruined. Just like his pride now.
"You're not retaliating, Luk? They're like that," said a voice beside him. Bima, his best friend, was already standing there with Dito. They were the only two who always defended him, even though it often resulted in their being ostracized as well.
"I'm fine," Luky muttered, his voice hoarse. That was his biggest lie of the day.
"Clarissa... she just kept quiet," Dito added in an annoyed tone.
Luky nodded slowly. That was what hurt the most. Not Kevin's taunt, but the betrayal of Clarissa's silence.
The next lesson felt like torture. Every stare felt like needles pricking his skin. He sat in the back, wishing he could blend into the wall. When the teacher asked someone to collect the assignment, several people instinctively pointed to Luky. "Just Lucky, ma'am! He needs the grades." And Luky did just that, gathering up a pile of papers from the desks of students who hadn't even smiled at him.
The last period ended. Luky rushed out, eager to disappear. He hoped Clarissa would chase after him, explain herself, apologize. But instead, he heard Clarissa's cheerful laughter from down the hall.
He turned around, and his heart stopped.
Clarissa didn't just laugh. She took Kevin's arm. And before Luky could process it, Kevin bent down and kissed her on the lips right in front of him, in front of everyone passing by. Clarissa didn't resist. Instead, she blushed and swatted Kevin's arm playfully.
Luky's world came crashing down in an instant.
He stood frozen, his broken shoe still clutched tightly. Clarissa finally looked at him. Her eyes widened for a moment, showing a hint of regret, before being replaced by an expression of indifference. He turned around, letting Kevin wrap his arms around his shoulders and lead him away.
Luky didn't chase. It was no use. His tears had dried before they could fall. All that was left was a deep, bitter emptiness.
The ride home on the public bus was long and tiring. Every jolt seemed to shake the wound in his heart. He got off at the end of the street, where the scenery changed from luxurious buildings to slums and chaos. His house, a small, tenement-like rental, hid at the end of an alley.
"Son, are you home?" his mother, Mrs. Nana, called from inside. She was ironing a pile of clothes that was almost as tall as her tiny body. The smell of hot cloth and camphor filled the cramped room.
"Yes, Mom," Luky replied, trying to hide his pain.
Mrs. Nana immediately caught him. Her sharp eyes saw the dirt on the uniform and the broken shoes that Luky still clutched. "What's going on? They bullied him again?"
"Just normal, Mom."
"Just normal? If he was normal, he wouldn't come home looking like he'd just gotten into a fight with a thug!" The mother stopped ironing and approached. "That kid Kevin again, huh? And Clarissa? She didn't defend you?"
Luky took a deep breath. "Clarissa... she's with Kevin now, Mom."
Mother Nana fell silent. Her face was wrinkled, a mixture of anger and sadness. She pulled Luky into a hug. "Come on, son. Don't think about it. A woman like that doesn't deserve you. You're a good, smart kid. I believe that there will be much greater fortune and happiness for you in the future. Bad people will get their comeuppance, trust me."
The hug was warm and comforting, but it couldn't mend what was broken inside Luky. He could only nod, holding back the sobs that wanted to come out.
That night, after a simple dinner, Luky locked himself in his room which was only big enough for a bed and a study table. He stared at the leaking ceiling, accompanied by the sound of the pouring rain. His mind was filled with images of Kevin's laughter, Clarissa's indifferent gaze, and his mother's words.
"Greater fortune? Where? Justice? Where?" he muttered to the darkness. "Is it because we're poor that we always have to be the butt of the jokes?"
He felt suffocated. He had to get out.
Without thinking, Luky jumped from his low bedroom window and ran outside, breaking through the heavy rain that poured down on the city. The rainwater soaked his body, disguising the tears that finally fell freely. He ran aimlessly, just wanting to release all the pain, anger, and sense of injustice that was eating away at his soul.
He ran until he reached a deserted city park. His breath was ragged, his body soaked and shivering with cold. He leaned on a concrete bench, looking down, with the rain pouring down on his back.
"WHY?!" he shouted softly into the night wind, his voice drowned out by the roar of the rain.
It was then, at the peak of his despair, something strange happened.
A dim bluish light suddenly appeared from the sky, moving fast like a small meteorite. It wasn't lightning. It was too calm and directed. The light shot out and before Luky could react, he felt something warm touch his forehead, then disappeared into his head.
Luky gasped, rubbing his forehead. There was nothing. No wound, no pain.
"Hallucinations from the rain and stress," he thought, trying to find a logical explanation.
He felt dizzy and tired. With the last of his strength, he made his way home, crawling in through the window again. He took off his wet clothes and immediately fell on the bed, his body limp and his mind in disarray.
Just as he was about to close his eyes, a voice, clear and mechanical, rang in his head. It wasn't his own voice, but a very distinct, foreign voice.
TING!
)Premium Wealth System detected...)
)Scanning host condition...)
)Body suitable... Mental strength meets minimum requirements...)
)Premium Wealth System activated!)
Luky opened his eyes wide. He sat up straight, looking around the dark, empty room.
"Who? Who's there?" he asked shakily.
There was no answer. All that remained was the mechanical voice speaking again in his mind, as if it had been implanted there.
)Congratulations, Luky Pratama. You have been selected!)
)Welcome to the Premium Wealth System!)
To be continued