Locking In With My Life System

Aiden’s devious cackle hadn’t come unwarranted.

Casper was dressed in an outfit that he could only assume was the Mad Hatter’s--especially judging by the oversized top hat on his head.

Clyde chose to be Sherlock Holmes, a deerstalker hat on his head.

Larry was Count Dracula, faux fangs protruding from his mouth, and his cloak’s inner fabric a bright red as it encircled him.

Benjamin on the other hand, was a sous chef, one that was very reminiscent of one peculiarly greedy cook from that one animated movie about a rat that could serve up a Michelin-star dish.

Yet, it wasn’t the outfits that sent him into a fit.

Rather, it was the sheer comicality of seeing all four with their respective costumes, huddling in a corner near one of the neatly-trimmed hedges to studiously compare notes that prompted such boisterous laughter from him.

At their forefront was Theo, his back facing Aiden.

Upon hearing Aiden’s boisterous laughter though, the reclusive youth whom was previously pointing out a few things here and there to the quartet turned to face him.

He on the other hand, wasn’t dressed for Character Day... which in all honesty, didn’t come as a surprise to Aiden.

Not everyone was interested in all the hassle it took to dress-up to school on Spirit Week. It was also why, a good number of students were dressed casually, though those who came prepared to imitate their favorite characters were in the majority.

That said, just like Theo, the quartet’s attention had immediately turned to their dapperly dressed mate whom was still doing his best to suppress his laughter, a palm covering his mouth.

Naturally, their eyes had widened in genuine surprise, especially since they’d never seen their buddy take Spirit Week so seriously for as long as they’d known each other.

”Well, well, well...” Casper suddenly began, stepping forward a bit as he immediately slipped into character while flourishing his oversized top hat with an exaggerated bow.

”A most curious guest has wandered into the tea party!” he theatrically announced to all and sundry with outspread arms, garnering attention from other students nearby as his grin widened into something delightfully unhinged.

”But tell me, Mister Double-Oh-Seven...” he tilted his head, eyeing Aiden’s water pistol with an exaggerated scrutiny before gesturing towards it sharply with his hat;

”Did the Queen not inform you that firearms are explicitly forbidden at tea??? Whatever shall we do with such a terribly dangerous gentleman?!”

No sooner had he said that, Aiden whom had filled up the gun before leaving home, whipped it out in style and fired a thin stream of water at the blonde-haired youth.

Quickly, the other four stepped aside in evasion, allowing its trajectory to land cleanly and onto the Casper’s inner tunic.

Slowly, Aiden lowered the pistol, his eyes briefly regarding Casper as he spoke;

”Her Majesty was kind enough to grant me an exception,”

”License to kill,” he then blew across toy gun’s barrel as though dispersing imaginary smoke.

”Besides,” he twirled the gun skillfully and tucked it into its ’holster’, his hands smoothly removing his shades a moment after as he confidently walked over.

”Tea’s overrated. I’d like a dry martini, instead. Shaken, not stirred.”

Upon hearing that, not only did the gang burst into genuine laughter, but so did every other student nearby.

At the very same time, the school bell rung!

Immediately realizing the precious time they’d wasted watching Casper and Aiden roleplay their characters, all four immediately began browsing through the study questions yet again as they filed in alongside everyone else.

Slinging an arm across Theo’s neck though, Aiden shook his head amusedly as the youth’s shoulders kept shaking. Clearly, he was not over the bit.

Soon enough though, it stopped shaking and the curly-haired youth wiped a few beads of tears from his eyes.

Only then did Aiden speak, his tone amused;

”You done?”

”Yeah...” Theo quietly chuckled again... after which he then replied in the affirmative, a thin smile on his lips;

”I’m done.”

”Good.” Aiden nodded to which he then said, his tone turning a bit serious;

”We should create a private repository. You know, for the current build of the game and every update you make to it going forward.”

”That and for, other obvious reasons.” Aiden added, with a vaguely gestured tilt of his head.

Asides from having another backup independent of their individual drives, the repository would allow Theo to easily backtrack to older versions should he need to.

At the same time, all six of them would seamlessly be able to work on the game at the same time... at least to aid him in adding a few things here and there that wouldn’t require much expertise.

More than that, it would also allow Aiden to have easy access to the builds should he acquire the skill he needed to incorporate the management sim he was planning.

”Ah, yes. I understand. I’ve actually considered it before, but I had to dismiss it because I couldn’t afford the paid plans.” Theo replied, gently tugging at the strap of his bag to adjust it.

”I’ve personally been using a free tier though... but its features and storage can be quite limited. Now that we’ll be working as a team, it’s bound to be even more of a limitation.” he explained.

Having already expected that, Aiden simply nodded in understanding to which he then said with a light smile;

”Guess I’ll just have to add it to my tab, then.”

Patting Theo’s shoulder briefly, he then walked ahead to reach his locker before the bell rung again, leaving Theo smiling to himself as he equally stopped nearby at his own locker to drop off some of his stuff.

Just as Aiden was about to leave though, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.

Usually, he’d have ignored it since he was on a time crunch to reach class before Mr. Lazlow got in, more so when they were having a test today.

However, he just couldn’t help but want to see that sweet, sweet credit notification.

-

[Wallet Notification]

You’ve received $400.00 USD from XXXX.

Previous Balance: $2075.00 USD

Current Balance: $2473.00 USD

Thank you for using SwiftPay.

-

Smiling to himself upon seeing it, Aiden muted the phone and pocketed it.

Ever since he’d attended to that one customer, orders had started coming in once more. Not as frequently as before, clearly, but still enough that Aiden’s bank account wouldn’t be going into the red anytime soon.

Stepping into his class a couple seconds later, Mr. Lazlow already on stand-by, Aiden took his seat.

Then, after the usual pleasantries were over, the bell rung once more and the man quickly began dishing out their test scripts.

...

...

...

Lunch break arrived, and the gang was currently in high spirits as they filed towards the cafeteria.

The reason for this was rather simple.

Theo’s study question had been so uncannily on point, Larry and Benjamin were more than confident they’d get a good grade.

As for Clyde and Casper, they were pretty certain they’d get an A- at best, or a B+ at worst.

Aiden and Theo on the other hand weren’t even of the belief that they wouldn’t get a perfect score, much less an A+.

In any case, just as Theo was surreptitiously about to break off and head into the computer room, Aiden blocked his path to which Casper remarked;

”Front seat only, Theo. We’ve gotta see the fruits of our labor.”

Without waiting for his response, the gang dragged him along, five troublemakers smiling from ear to ear while one model student pleadingly looked on in resignation.

Afterall, they had all snuck into school on Saturday under the guise of helping out the student council committee with Spirit Week preparations to execute their plan.

A plan so thoroughly and flawlessly executed, no one would ever be able to trace it back to them...

...well at least until the last day of Spirit Week that was.

In any case, after ordering their meals and shuffling over to their table, it didn’t even take long before someone remarked in audible amusement from a nearby table, a flyer in his hands;

”A scavenger hunt?”

At the very same time, a fresher at another table spoke, her voice clearly excited;

”Is this a Spirit Week thing?!”

Wondering where both students had gotten the flyers from, it only took a brief while before the students found out where.

Like clockwork, everyone started checking under their tables, all of them surprised to see a professionally-designed flyer in their school’s colors and its emblem plastered underneath.

Within seconds, they’d ripped them off, the flyers quickly populating several hands in the cafeteria.

Written on it were the words;

-

| SILVERLAKE HIGH SPIRIT WEEK PRESENTS!

{THE GREAT GUMMY BEAR HUNT!}

Think you’ve got eagle eyes?

Starting TODAY, tiny packs of gummy bears have been hidden all across Silverlake High.

Classrooms. Hallways. The cafeteria. The library. The courtyard.

Maybe even somewhere you’ve walked past or visited a hundred times... (Not the restroom! For God’s sake, not the restroom!)

Your mission?

Find as many as you can before Spirit Week ends!

| HERE’S THE THING!

If you find a gummy bear pack...

It’s yours! Enjoy!

HOWEVER,

Keep an eye out for the SPECIAL SILVER-TAPED GUMMY BEARS!

Those are the rare ones, and they are six in number!

Each silver-taped pack is worth $50 in CASH!!!

Prize money will be awarded during Spirit Night!

Simply bring your unopened silver-taped gummy bear pack to the Hoco Placard in the middle of the field before the floaters are released.

| GROUND RULES!

✓Please don’t enter classrooms while lessons are in session.

✓Don’t move furniture or damage decorations.

✓Respect school property.

✓No stealing gummy bears from other students.

(Seriously. Don’t be that person.)

GOOD LUCK!

Who knows?

Your next snack... might be worth fifty bucks.

Happy hunting!

| Silverlake High Committee,

’Making Spirit Week just a little sweeter~.’

-

No sooner had the students read its contents, a natural craze followed as students began to look in every nook and cranny for said gummy bears in the cafeteria.

Soon enough, they began finding them, further adding credibility to the whole thing.

That said, though most students were out for the $50 cash prize, others simply wanted the free gummy bears while some, chose to do it for the love of the game and not much else.

As for the culprits, they simply watched on in amusement as the rest of the day was plunged into a scavenger hunt that had the kids genuinely excited, and the teachers, utterly aggravated.

Well except for Theo. He was far more concerned than he was amused.