The Grand System

Travis Lewis parked his old and cheapest electric bike in front of the Rose Garden store to buy a bouquet of 9 pink roses for Abigail, his pretty girlfriend.

As a delivery staff at the university, Travis had delivered the last parcel before Abigail called him, asking him to meet her inside the Mystique Peaks Hotel tonight, for she had a big surprise for him.

This was the first time Abigail would prepare a surprise for him. Overjoyed, Travis planned to surprise her with the roses first.

When Travis got to the Mystique Peaks Hotel, the security guard didn't allow him to park his bike nearby, and the doormen prevented him from entering because of his poor appearance.

Travis then dialed Abigail's phone number.

"I'm there already," Travis said

"Are those roses for me?" Abigail asked.

"How did you know? Where are you?"

Abigail laughed hysterically. "Look at your back."

Travis turned back, looking around.

Abigail got out from a black Chevrolet Equinox car with a scornful smile and walked towards Travis.

Travis raised his eyebrows as his brain couldn't express how gorgeous Abigail was tonight. He found it hard to take his attention off the expensive gown, shoes, and chains she wore.

"Wow!" Travis finally said. "Is this the surprise? Did you dress like this because of me?"

She shook his head. "No. I have something to tell you, Travis. I have a problem I must solve."

"What is wrong?"

"You! You are the biggest problem I ever had. I regret being your girlfriend and I don't want to regret it anymore. So, this should be the last time you call my phone."

The roses slipped down from Travis's hand as Abigail turned to leave. Travis quickly grabbed Abigail's hand. "Don't do this to me. You know I love you for real. I can't afford to lose you."

"Get your hand off me," Abigail said and pushed him down. "A love without money is fake. And if you dare to touch me again, my boyfriend will skin you alive. I called you here to let my boyfriend trust me that I broke up with you."

"It's not my fault I'm poor. And I've been taking care of you with the little I have. If I'm not rich today, I would be rich tomorrow. I thought you understood me all these years."

Abigail hissed. "I have suffered for being an understanding girlfriend for two years. Enough is enough."

A cute guy got out of the Chevrolet Equinox car and hurried to them. Travis recognized the guy as a playboy, and he had once caught him snorting cocaine with his friends.

"Is Calvin your new boyfriend?" Travis asked, pointing at Calvin Moore.

"Yes. I am proud to be his girlfriend. But you are a total asshole. I pity the girl that would accept you into her life."

"I don't say you shouldn't have another boyfriend better than me, but this Calvin is a playboy. He would ruin your life and abandon you in the end."

Abigail slapped Travis. "What do you know? It's easy for a riffraff like you to badmouth someone greater than you."

Calvin, who had been watching them in silence, held Abigail's hand and pecked her neck, but in response, Abigail kissed him. Travis kept his tears from dripping. No matter how hurtful it was, he would try not to show it in the presence of Calvin.

"You shouldn't have slapped him," Calvin said to Abigail. "He's already hurt about losing you."

"He deserved more than that for badmouthing you in my presence."

"Wait for me in the car. I want to speak with him for two minutes."

"Okay, honey. But if he wants to harm you, call for help," Abigail said, and then looked at Travis, saying, "If you don't want to spend the rest of your life in prison, don't try any shit with Calvin."

Calvin brought out some money as Abigail left. A proud countenance possessed his face.

"How much did you buy the roses?"

Travis furrowed his brow and got ready to leave. "I don't have any business with you."

Calvin blocked the way, preventing him from taking a step.

"You already have her. What else do you want?" Travis blurted out, trying to calm himself.

Calvin smirked gently and said, "Can you just imagine how I would enjoy her alone in my room?"

Travis's eyes reddened. He doesn't want to imagine it, but the more he tries, the more his imagination flows. He felt anger he couldn't resist. Grappling Calvin's neck, he pounced on his face.

The security guards from the hotel rushed to them and pulled Travis back forcefully. Calvin tasted the blood on his lips and swiftly used the opportunity to pounce on Travis's face and lips repeatedly till the security guards stopped him, but didn't hold him.

Calvin hurried to Travis's bike, destroying its tires when Travis was struggling to get off the holds.

It was too late for Travis when the security guards released him because Calvin was already driving his car away.

Travis ran after the car but couldn't catch it and then felt like destroying everything, but when he noticed many people were looking and laughing at him, he cooled down shamelessly and pushed his bike home.

He was tired when he reached home. He entered his house and sat on the floor, rested his back on his bed, and stared at the wall, hoping to see nothing. Staring at the wall is the last thing he can do to stop himself from dropping sorrowful tears.

No one loves him, no one. Not himself. What is the point of continuing to live in the world?

He didn't even realize he had been staring at the wall for almost thirty minutes. And he didn't want to stop, because if he stopped, he would cry. And if he intended to cry for every humiliation, and bad word he had experienced in his life, he would never stop crying.

Not long after, something suddenly emerged from the wall, rolling a yellowish light before his very eyes, and creating a circle symbol. Inside the symbol, two words were written. [Grand System]

The words didn't disappear, and when he realized he was not dreaming, he took steps backward. Then the yellowish light continues writing some words under the symbol.

[I am here to make you rich and famous.]

[Will you accept me?]

[Click *YES* or *NO*]

[15... 14... 13... 12... 11...]

He was scared by the fact that he would step close to the system and, at the same time, he was scared to lose the chance.

When the countdown was about to reach number 1, he cheered himself up and moved closer to the light, clicking on the words Yes.

His confusion was evident. The word he clicked wasn't an air at all. It was like his phone button. And the moment he clicked it, a loud sound entered his ears. He quickly closed his ears with his fingers, but the noise increased even more, and then some words appeared in front of him again.

[Warning!]

[Bear with the noise and win]

[The more you fight it, the more it increases its strength]

[Just accept it to realize the power of your acceptance.]

When the noise was about to deafen him, he removed his fingers and listened to the sound directly, then the noise abated immediately.

[Congratulations!]

[You have completely accepted the Grand System]