Infinite Cashback: My Wealth Rebate System

The evening air felt different, not because it had changed but because Jason had.

His shoes tapped steadily against the pavement, each stride carrying him farther from the apartment and closer to the final item on his daily quest. The sun had already dipped low enough for the sky to showcase its bright blue, leaving behind warm streaks of orange. Streetlights shun awake one after another, bathing the sidewalks in pools of pale light.

Compared to the morning, everything looked quieter and softer

He kept a steady rhythm, breathing through his nose before exhaling through parted lips, refusing to think too much about how ridiculous he probably looked after spending almost an entire day getting bullied by twenty push-ups.

A few more streets passed beneath his feet before something familiar slipped into the corner of his vision, it was the e park.

Jason’s eyes instinctively moved towards it’s direction and his pace faltered for half a second.

That was where he’d overheard his classmates and where Amanda’s words had stopped being suspicions and became undeniable truth. The laughter, the mockery and the pity.

It all waited there, tucked away behind those benches like ghosts patiently waiting for him to look back.

"Nope"

He forced his gaze forward before the memories could sink their claws into him

"I’m not giving you idiots free rent inside my head"

With a small shake of his head, he pushed onward and continued his 2 kilometer jog and the park disappeared behind him along with the memories created with it, at least for now

The road curved gently to the right, and Jason followed it without thinking.

Only after rounding the corner did something click inside his head.

His pace slowed down a little a bit as he made the turn

"This street"

He looked around, recognition gradually replacing confusion.

Rows of familiar apartment buildings stretched ahead.

It had a convenience store at the junction and an old basketball hoop with one missing net and that was when it hit him.

"Isn’t this where Ben lives?"

A grin tugged at the corner of his lips.

Ben Carter was one-third of the only friend group he’d ever managed to keep alive.

Jason scratched his cheek while jogging a little slower.

"If classes ended hours ago he should already be home"

The thought barely finished forming before another one slammed straight into him.

"Classes."

He blinked and then blinked again.

"Oh oh, you’ve got to be kidding me"

His eyes widened as realization crashed into him with all the grace of a speeding truck.

"I had classes today"

He actually stopped running

For three whole seconds, Jason simply stood there in complete silence.

Then he buried his face in both hands.

"I completely forgot"

His lectures and school responsibilities today were replaced by systems, workouts, emotional damage, and what he was ninety percent sure counted as his first date.

"Can I even blame myself?"

He looked up at the darkening sky as though genuinely asking it for legal advice.

"I got publicly rejected, unlocked a supernatural cashback system and almost died doing push-ups before a cute girl invited me out believe it or not for a phone repair"

"I feel like forgetting school is understandable under the circumstances. Right?"

He nodded to himself

"Yeah, I’d acquit me."

Satisfied with that completely unbiased judgment, Jason resumed jogging

The familiar apartment building came into view not long afterward and someone stood outside near the entrance but it was still too far away to make out causing Jason to narrow his eyes

It was a guy, tall and has his hands shoved into his pockets.

Leaning against the wall like he had nowhere important to be. As the distance closed, the figure gradually sharpened.

Messy hair, dark hoodie and the permanent expression of someone who looked mildly disappointed in humanity

Jason’s face immediately lit up

"There you are"

A laugh escaped him before he cupped both hands around his mouth.

"Oi!"

He waved one arm high into the air.

"Beanpole!"

The figure looked up and then there was a brief pause.

Then an exhausted sigh carried across the street.

"Seriously?"

Ben called back, already looking tired.

"I keep telling you every time to stop calling me that, can’t you be a little more creative doofus?"

Jason opened his mouth, already prepared with a comeback.

"I’ve been calling you beanpole for years. At this point, changing it would be disrespecting tradit—!"

The rest of the words he had to speak never made it out.

His lungs finally reminded him that sprinting over here had been an absolutely terrible idea.

Jason folded in half without warning, planting both hands on his knees as his chest rose and fell violently. Every inhale sounded like he was trying to vacuum the entire street into his lungs, while every exhale came out hot, ragged and embarrassingly loud.

"Haaah..."

"...give me..."

"...five business seconds..."

Ben blinked and then looked up and down the empty street.

Then back at Jason.

"Who exactly is chasing you?"

Jason lifted one finger in protest without straightening up.

"Cardio. Cardio is chasing me"

Ben frowned harder

"No, seriously why are you running?"

Jason slowly raised his head, his hair sticking messily to his forehead from sweat

"What kind of question is that?"

Ben didn’t even hesitate

"The kind you ask someone who’s voluntarily exercising when that someone is you"

Jason stared at him

"Wow"

Ben continued with a perfectly straight face

"You hate running"

"You complain when stairs have too many steps"

"The last time you moved this much in one day was because the cafeteria announced free desserts"

Jason placed a hand dramatically over his chest.

"You know friends are supposed to encourage personal growth"

"They’re not supposed to launch investigations because I decided not to die before thirty"

Ben shrugged

"I’m not investigating"

"I’m documenting a historical event"

Jason snorted despite himself.

"You suck"

"I’ve been told"

Jason finally stood properly, rolling one aching shoulder

"Anyway"

"I should get going"

"I’m kind of on a schedule"

Ben raised an eyebrow

"A schedule?"

Jason nodded

"Yeah"

"I’ve got somewhere to be before six"

Ben gave him a suspicious look

"You?"

"With plans?"

Jason clicked his tongue

"Why does everyone sound shocked whenever I have a life?"

"Because you usually don’t"

"Fair"

Ben chuckled before snapping his fingers as though suddenly remembering something

"Oh, right"

"Don’t forget tomorrow"

Jason frowned

"Tomorrow?"

"The party"

Jason looked completely blank

"What party?"

Ben’s expression slowly transformed into genuine disbelief

"You’re kidding"

Jason simply looked back at him

"Amanda’s party"

Ben spread both hands

"The one practically everyone in school has been talking about. Why are you acting like it’s news to you when you are literally her front runner"

"There isn’t a single person who hasn’t heard about it" Ben added

Recognition flickered across Jason’s face.

"Oh"

Amanda, the name settled inside him like an old bruise. Though it didn’t hurt the way it had yesterday but it hadn’t stopped hurting either.

His smile faded by the smallest fraction before he quietly tucked the feeling away where it belonged.

"Ben, the thing is Amanda and I are—!"

Before either of them could say anything else

"BENJAMIN CARTER!"

A woman’s voice exploded from inside the apartment building with enough force to make birds abandon a nearby tree.

"If I come downstairs and you’re still standing there talking, I’ll personally remind you what chores are!"

Ben froze and every drop of confidence evaporated from his body.

His eyes widened with the kind of fear that only mothers could inspire.

"That’s my mom."

"I noticed."

"I have to go."

"You definitely do."

Ben had already started backing toward the entrance.

"We’ll talk later!"

Jason couldn’t stop himself from laughing.

"Good luck!"

"You’re gonna need divine intervention."

Ben pointed accusingly at him while retreating.

"You’re laughing now."

"Wait until exam results come out."

"If I fail because of this conversation, I’m haunting you."

Jason grinned.

"Idiot"

Then he disappeared into the building at a speed Jason had never seen him achieve before

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