Restarting Life as the Protagonist of a Fantasy Dating Sim-Chapter 38: First Day Success
The locker room smelled like sweat.
Nick tugged the clean jeans over his hips, zipped up, then pulled a plain black hoodie over his head.
The bruises on his ribs throbbed in dull waves, but the ache felt good... like proof he didn’t give up and actually chose to try today rather than get bullied.
It was a start.
He raked damp black hair back with his fingers, checked the mirror once, and decided that was it.
This game avatar didn’t need hair products.
"Heh. Looks good as alwa—"
A heavy palm hit his back.
"Goddamn, pretty boy!"
"You sent my ass flying like crazy. Good shit."
It was his teammates who tried to "kill" him.
Another slap but lighter, from the kicker.
"Insane arm, bro. Welcome to the show."
Random hands kept finding his back.
Guys he barely knew grinned like they’d been brothers forever. Nick didn’t have words ready; he just flashed the small, crooked smile that always worked when he didn’t know what to say.
It seemed to be enough.
They laughed, nodded, went back to mirrors and deodorant sticks.
He grabbed his bag and headed for the door.
A hand clamped his forearm just before he reached it.
Connor.
Nick’s brows dropped instantly.
"Man, I’m dead on my feet. Can you save the drama for tomorrow, hm?"
Connor didn’t squeeze or posture.
He gave Nick two solid pats on the shoulder.
"Relax."
Connor said with a smile.
"I’m not here to swing. You looked good out there today even when I... well, tried to... hehe. All I’m saying is that it’s the first time since Jason anybody’s made Coach Hardman look so happy on day one."
Nick blinked.
The frown stayed, but you could tell he’s still pissed.
Connor stuck out his hand.
"Friends?"
"No."
"Fair enough. Teammates, then?"
Nick stared at the offered hand for half a second, then took it as to finalize a contract.
Grip firm, quick shake.
No smile from Nick, just a nod.
Then he walked out.
Behind him, Connor strolled over to the bench where Jason sat lacing his shoes as his green eyes burned holes in the spot Nick had just left.
Jace didn’t even look up.
"So you’re riding with the enemy now?"
Connor snorted, dropped beside him.
"I could never be friends with that idiot. Chill. We’ll throw a party—invite the whole team, make sure golden boy shows like the fucking idiot he is. Then we deal with him however we want to. Does that work?"
He held up a fist.
Jace bumped it without hesitation. "Bet."
Outside, the hallways were mostly empty.
Football royalty got away with murder when it came to skipping class, so nobody batted an eye that half the team was still here past five.
Nick rounded the corner and almost walked straight into Coach Hardman.
The big man grinned like a wolf who’d just eaten the neighbor’s dog.
"There’s my guy!"
Hardman punched Nick in the shoulder.
The same spot he’d taken so many hits on.
Nick hissed and rolled it.
"Ow—Coach, come on—"
"You looked good out there today, kid. Real good."
Hardman’s palm-clapped Nick’s back hard enough to jolt his spine.
"We’ve got a big game in three weeks. Better get used to bleeding for the badge."
He shoved a thick brown paper bag into Nick’s chest and was already power-walking away like he was in a race before Nick could answer.
Nick watched the man’s back disappear around the corner then peered inside the bag.
"Ohohoooo, shit!"
Blue and white.
Crestwood letters across the chest.
His last name stitched in proud script on the side.
He pulled the letterman jacket out, slid his arms in.
The weight of it felt... right.
By the time he pushed through the front doors into the evening light, he was grinning like an idiot as his fingers brushed the embroidered "AARDEN" over and over.
[Notice! A powerful magic signature detected on school grounds. Source unknown!]
Before he could read the panel a loud wolf-whistle sliced through the quiet.
"Damn, quarterback. Looking good."
Nadine leaned against the stone railing at the bottom of the steps, white crop top riding just high enough to flash smooth caramel skin and the faint cut of abs. Black sweatpants hung low on her hips as the drawstrings swung.
And as usual she wore her backpack on one of her slender beautiful shoulders.
Nadine has short blonde hair like a tomboy but because she’s so beautiful it was hard to call her one.
But whenever she dressed like this even other girls in school desperately wanted to date her.
She’s a huge school idol in her sophomore year!
She jogged up the steps and gave him a playful punch in the arm.
"So you made the team. Great."
Nick adjusted the jacket collar as he tried and failed not to notice the sexy V line disappearing into the waistband that barely hung on her wide hips.
If he looked a little harder he could get a glimpse of her black and gray panties.
Heat crawled up his neck.
『Why the hell does she look like that? I really thought I was immune. Merlin threw that naked at me so many times and I didn’t even blink. What the fuck.』
He shook his head hard.
『No. Nope. You’re just grateful she and Susan cheered you on when you lost your head. That’s all. She used to bully the shit out of you, remember?』
He glanced away.
It wasn’t like she ever bullied him the way kids usually did in school. It was more playful, back when he used to visit Susan’s house. Nadine would be there too, and the three of them would hang out and play together.
But after he stopped going to Susan’s place, he and Nadine just... stopped talking.
Their friendship was only because of Susan, so once that link was gone, everything faded.
Then he transferred to Crestwood High and ran into Nadine again... but to him, the little childhood bond they had was completely gone.
They weren’t really friends anymore, just two people who used to know each other.
Nadine squinted as her smile faltered for a second.
『Why isn’t he staring at my stomach? I wore this crop top for a reason, dude! Look at me, damn it!』
Outside, though, she was pure sunshine.
Angelic smile dialed to eleven.
Nick actually leaned back a little.
"Whoa—careful!"
She grabbed his sleeve like he might topple.
"I’m not falling. I’m just surprised you can smile like you’ve got a heart, that’s all."
Nadine folded her arms and cocked her hip.
"Excuse me?"
Nick huffed a laugh.
"Oh come on. You don’t remember putting rotten fish in my mac and cheese when we were nine? I shit my brains out for a month, yunno."
Nadine’s face went blank.
"...You sure that was me?"
The cute little brow lift she gave him almost killed the mood entirely.
Nick scratched the back of his neck, smile fading.
Maybe she really forgot.
Nadine’s arms dropped.
She sighed through her nose, looking off to the side.
『Rotten fish? Even demon-child me wasn’t that extra. The only kid I’d prank like that was...』
Her eyes flicked back to him, softer.
『...Nick Aarden. Because I thought if I teased him he’d notice me. Dumb, right?』
That’s how most of her life had been.
Trying desperately to be noticed.
But all that’s in the past! she told herself.
She cleared her throat, stepped closer, and looped both arms around his right one.
Her chest pressed warm and soft against his bicep.
"So!"
She spoke with a sugary voice.
"You busy? Or you coming with me?"
Nick lifted a brow.
"Uhm... with you where?"
Nadine beamed as she squeezed into him tighter.
"On a date, silly!"
[Nadine Hodges is now a romanceable character!]
Nick’s brain short-circuited.
『In the real world too?』
Meanwhile, inside the west hallway.
Bree Hoffman slammed her locker shut as her ponytail flicked like a whip.
The other cheerleaders were gone.
"Susan Fox. Nadine Hodges. They’re one of the two biggest idols in the school who have super-rich dads who can get them anything they want. Their families are swimming in so much money yet they’re throwing themselves at Nick like thirsty instagram models."
She punched the metal beside her hard.
The locker rattled.
"Not fair. I saw him first. I deserve—"
Something clattered down from the top of the locker row and landed in her waiting hands.
A small glass vial full of shimmering pink powder.
Bree frowned, turning it over.
"What the hell...?"
The powder inside pulsed once like a heartbeat.
