Picking Up Girls With My Pickup System-Chapter 18: The Cafeteria Spotlight.

The cafeteria doors swung open, and the hum of chatter dipped almost instantly. Kent stepped inside, tray in hand, and the sudden silence prickled at the back of his neck.

It wasn’t total silence—whispers filled the space like the hiss of a kettle.

"That’s him..."

"The guy who fought Derek."

"No way he walked away from that."

"And Lena Crestfield? She actually talked to him?"

Kent forced his legs to move, ignoring the dozens of eyes tracking him. The room felt hotter than usual, fluorescent lights glaring down as if conspiring with the stares. Every clatter of his tray against his palm echoed far louder than it should have.

At tables he passed, students leaned together, voices dipping and rising. Some looked impressed, some skeptical, and others... resentful.

He caught fragments—"cheating somehow," "maybe he bribed Derek," "must’ve had backup."

Kent kept his expression flat, though his jaw tightened. Great. Overnight, I went from background character to walking rumor mill.

When he finally spotted his usual table in the corner, relief surged. Jake was already there, waving him over with exaggerated enthusiasm.

"Kent! Over here, my man!"

Kent strode over quickly, dropped his tray, and sank into the seat across from his friend. He tried to exhale quietly, but Jake’s grin was too sharp.

"Bro," Jake said, leaning across the table. "You know the whole damn school is buzzing, right? You’re basically a celebrity."

Kent stabbed at his food without looking up. "Yeah, I noticed."

Jake leaned in so far his elbow nearly toppled his soda can. "Okay, spill. How the hell did you not end up in the nurse’s office with Derek turning you into paste?"

Kent shoveled a spoonful of rice into his mouth, chewing deliberately. "Guess I got lucky."

Jake’s eyes narrowed. "Lucky? Dude, Derek’s fists are like baseball bats. You’re telling me luck let you weave through all that? Nah. Not buying it."

Kent shrugged, keeping his face neutral. "Maybe he’s slower than everyone thinks."

Jake barked out a laugh, drawing curious glances from a nearby table. "Slower? That guy once knocked out a senior during practice with one punch. You’re not exactly Rocky Balboa."

Kent smirked faintly, though his ribs still ached beneath his shirt. "Appreciate the vote of confidence."

Jake jabbed a finger at him. "Don’t play coy. I’ve known you since middle school, man. You don’t suddenly turn into Neo dodging punches overnight. Something’s up."

Kent stabbed a piece of chicken with his fork and looked Jake dead in the eye. "Or maybe Derek underestimated me. Ever think of that?"

Jake tilted his head, studying him. Then a grin spread across his face, sly and knowing. "Uh-huh. Sure. Keep your secrets, Mr. Mysterious. But if you suddenly start shooting lasers out of your eyes or flying across rooftops, I’m calling dibs as your sidekick."

Kent chuckled despite himself. "You’d trip over your own cape."

"Worth it," Jake said without missing a beat. "Just don’t forget me when you’re famous."

The words were half-joking, but Kent caught the flicker of something else behind Jake’s grin. Curiosity. Suspicion. And maybe... a little fear.

Kent was about to fire back another quip when he noticed movement at the edge of their table.

Two girls from the cheer squad passed by, trays in hand, their conversation dropping mid-sentence as their eyes flicked toward him. One of them—Shannon, if Kent remembered right—offered a smile that was a little too deliberate before the pair giggled their way past.

Jake raised his brows. "Well, well. Look who’s suddenly Mr. Popular."

Kent scoffed, stabbing at his food again. "Coincidence."

"Sure," Jake said, voice dripping with mockery.

But it wasn’t just Shannon. Another girl—this time from his chemistry class, someone who’d never even looked his way before—stopped near their table, pretending to dig through her bag. Her eyes darted up at Kent, lingered, then quickly shifted away when he met her gaze.

Kent’s ears warmed. This is... weird.

The final blow came when a brunette he vaguely recognized from the art club sauntered right up to the table. She leaned an elbow on the edge, deliberately close, and tilted her head with a teasing smile.

"So," she said, drawing out the word, "you’re the guy who made Derek look stupid."

Kent blinked. "I didn’t—"

"You must have some hidden talent," she cut in smoothly, her voice dropping suggestively. "Care to share it?"

Jake nearly spit his drink. He coughed, pounding his chest. "Oh my god. Did that just happen?"

Kent’s grip on his fork tightened. He could feel other eyes on him now, students watching how he’d respond. His face felt hot, his pulse quickening.

The girl smirked at his hesitation, then winked and drifted away, her sway exaggerated enough to earn a whistle from a nearby table.

Jake gawked. "Kent Gilbert, chick magnet. What parallel universe did I wake up in?"

Kent muttered under his breath, "I’d like to know that too..."

Kent tried to focus on his lunch, but the buzzing cafeteria wouldn’t let him. Every few seconds, another set of eyes flicked his way. A whisper, a giggle, a smirk—it was relentless.

Jake was enjoying it way too much. "Man, I should start charging people to sit at your table. ’Come see the legend who survived Derek!’ Tickets on sale now."

Kent rolled his eyes, but before he could reply, the familiar digital chime echoed inside his head.

[System Notification]

Visibility Rating: +15

You are no longer background fodder. Students are beginning to take notice.

Kent’s pulse kicked. No kidding.

Another line scrolled across his vision:

[New Side Quest: Use the Spotlight]

Objective: Capitalize on cafeteria attention.

Suggested Actions: Engage socially, earn favorability points, or provoke jealousy.

Reward: +20 Charm, +50 EXP

Penalty: Missed opportunity. Visibility will decay.

Kent grimaced. "Great. Now the System wants me to put on a show."

Jake waved a hand in front of his face. "Dude? Hello? You spaced out for a sec. What’s up?"

Kent snapped back, shaking his head. "Nothing. Just... thinking."

But his eyes flicked around the cafeteria. Thinking wasn’t going to cut it. With everyone watching, every move he made from here mattered.

And that’s when the air in the room shifted. The chatter dimmed, as though someone had reached out and twisted the volume knob. A ripple of silence spread, pulling Kent’s gaze to the entrance.

At the far end of the cafeteria, Derek stood in the doorway.

Bruises shadowed his jawline, one eye faintly swollen, but none of that dulled the storm raging in his stare. He wasn’t smiling, wasn’t joking. He was burning.

The room went dead quiet, tension tightening like a drawn bowstring.

Kent’s fork hovered in midair, his hand suddenly heavy. Shit.

Jake muttered under his breath, "Uh-oh. Boss fight, round two."

Students craned their necks, whispering frantically.

"He’s back—"

"He’s looking right at Gilbert—"

"Oh god, this is about to blow up—"

Derek’s eyes locked onto Kent’s across the crowded cafeteria. He didn’t move immediately, just stared, fists flexing at his sides. The silent message was clear: This isn’t over.

Kent’s heart thudded, loud enough he swore others could hear it.

The System chimed again, words flashing in front of him like a cruel dare:

[Alert: Rival Encounter Imminent]

Derek Lorn has marked you as a target. Prepare.

Kent’s grip tightened around his fork until his knuckles whitened.

Jake leaned closer, whispering urgently. "What’s the plan, man? Run? Hide? Or... do we go full cafeteria showdown?" 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Kent swallowed hard, keeping his eyes locked on Derek. The cafeteria felt smaller now, boxed in by a hundred stares waiting for the first move.