Picking Up Girls With My Pickup System-Chapter 40: Bait On The Table.

By the time lunch rolled around, Kent’s entire body felt like it was wired to an electric fence.

Every sound was too sharp, every glance too heavy. Students crowded the cafeteria in clusters of gossip, laughter, and the low hum of a hundred conversations. But to Kent, it was all one thing—static.

The System’s countdown pulsed in the corner of his vision, a reminder he couldn’t silence:

[Time Remaining: 7h 54m]

Emily walked a step behind him, her posture calm, eyes flicking to every corner of the room like a chess player assessing the board. Samir followed close, hands folded behind his back like he was monitoring a test. Jake, on the other hand, radiated pure panic—his hoodie hood pulled low, fingers twitching like he was ready to bolt.

Mia was the only one who looked completely unbothered, her expression flat as always. But Kent noticed the way her eyes scanned the crowd—alert, measuring, calculating.

Kent’s bag hung heavy on his shoulder. Inside, the USB sat in a front pocket. The zipper was tugged low enough that the silver glint was visible if someone looked closely.

Careless. Vulnerable. An opening.

Every nerve in Kent’s body screamed to zip it shut. But he didn’t.

He forced himself to walk to their usual table in the far corner, every step like dragging his feet through sand. They sat. Food trays hit the table. Conversations picked up around them like nothing was wrong.

But Derek was here.

Kent didn’t even need to look to know it. He could feel it—like static prickling at the back of his neck.

The System confirmed it:

[Alert: Rival Presence Detected]

[Derek Lorn – 15m Away]

Jake leaned forward, whispering furiously. "He’s here. He’s actually here. Holy crap, bro, what if he doesn’t notice the USB? What if he—"

"Shut up," Emily snapped quietly, her voice sharp as glass. "The more you talk, the more obvious this looks."

Jake bit his lip and looked down at his tray, muttering curses under his breath.

Kent focused on steadying his breathing. One mistake and this entire plan went up in smoke.

Across the cafeteria, a ripple of whispers started. Heads turned. A familiar shadow fell across the floor.

Derek was moving.

The System chimed, each word like a drumbeat in Kent’s skull:

[Phase One: Bait Deployed]

[Phase Two: Await Rival Response]

Derek’s tall frame cut through the cafeteria, his friends trailing a step behind like bodyguards. His smirk was back, casual and cruel, the kind of expression that made the tables he passed go quiet.

His eyes scanned the room lazily—until they landed on Kent.

The smirk sharpened.

Derek changed direction.

Jake swore under his breath. Mia’s expression didn’t move, though her shoulders tightened almost imperceptibly. Emily’s pen was already in her hand, ready to take notes as though this were just another test.

Derek stopped two tables away, leaning casually against the edge of a bench. He said something to one of his friends, laughing, but his eyes never left Kent.

Kent’s chest felt like it was caving in. His hand twitched toward his bag, then froze.

Don’t. Don’t you dare.

If he zipped it now, it was over.

Instead, he leaned back, forcing himself to look calm. He even faked a yawn, stretching his arm like the bag’s open pocket didn’t exist.

The silver edge of the USB caught the cafeteria lights. A glint. A hook dangling in open water.

Derek saw it.

Kent knew he saw it because the smirk faltered for just a heartbeat—replaced by something sharper, hungrier.

Then it was back, casual and amused.

Derek turned away, laughing at something his friend said.

But his eyes flicked back once.

And Kent knew.

He’d taken the bait.

Derek didn’t come immediately.

That almost made it worse.

He stayed two tables away, laughing too loud at jokes that weren’t funny, shoulders loose, posture relaxed. But every few seconds his eyes flicked back to Kent—sharp, predatory, calculating.

The System pulsed, reminding Kent that this wasn’t paranoia:

[Rival Behavior Detected: Strategic Patience]

Estimated Time-to-Approach: Variable.

Jake leaned across the table, his whisper a frantic hiss. "Why isn’t he doing anything? He saw it, right? He saw it."

"He saw it," Kent murmured, voice low and steady even though his stomach was twisting.

"Then why’s he just standing there?!" Jake demanded. "He’s—he’s stalling, man. He’s waiting for us to crack. I can’t—"

"Stop." Emily’s pen tapped once against the table, sharp as a gavel. "Every second we hold, the tension rises. That works in our favor. Derek thinks he’s the hunter. Let him. Hunters make mistakes when they think their prey is cornered."

Jake opened his mouth again, but Mia’s quiet voice cut him off. "He’s moving."

The words froze the table.

Sure enough, Derek had pushed away from his bench. His friends trailed after him, the cafeteria parting instinctively as he strolled toward Kent’s corner. His smile was wide now, performative, like an actor stepping onto the stage for an opening scene.

Phones came up. Not all, not many—but enough. A handful of students lifted their cameras discreetly, the glow of their screens reflected in their eyes.

Kent’s pulse hammered. Good. Cameras mean proof.

But it also meant the margin for error shrank to nothing.

Derek reached their table. He didn’t sit, didn’t even lean. He simply stood there, casting a shadow across their trays.

"Well, well," he drawled, his voice dripping with fake amusement. "If it isn’t Ridgeway’s favorite storyteller."

A few chuckles rippled through the nearby tables.

Kent forced himself to meet Derek’s eyes, keeping his expression flat. "Can we help you?"

Derek’s smirk widened. "Funny you should ask. I was just wondering..." His gaze dropped deliberately to the half-zipped bag. "What you’re carrying around so carelessly."

Jake stiffened, practically vibrating with the urge to jump in. Emily’s pen tapped again, faster this time, like Morse code only she understood. Mia’s expression stayed calm, but her foot tapped once against the floor under the table.

The System chimed:

[Critical Trigger Approaching]

Option A: Confront Directly – Risk: Immediate Escalation]

Option B: Deflect Casually – Risk: Rival Hesitation]

Option C: Stay Silent – Risk: Perceived Weakness]

Kent swallowed hard. His throat felt dry as sandpaper. This was it—the first strike of the trap.

Derek tilted his head, still smiling, but his eyes were sharp and cruel. "What’s wrong, Gilbert? Cat got your tongue? Or maybe you’re hiding something?"

The cafeteria went quieter. The phones were definitely recording now.

The hook dangled in the open air.

And Kent had to decide how to let Derek bite.

Kent’s fingers twitched under the table. The System’s glowing options burned across his vision, each one tugging at him in a different direction.

Confront. Deflect. Stay silent.

Every instinct screamed to play it safe—to laugh it off, to pretend there was nothing there. But the whole point of the plan was to make Derek believe. To tempt him into grabbing the bait with his own hands.

So Kent smiled. Not wide, not cocky—just enough to sharpen the edge of his words.

"You want to know what’s in the bag?" he asked.

Derek’s smirk faltered for the briefest flicker of a second, then returned, wider. "So there is something."

Jake muttered under his breath, "Oh, this is insane," but Kent ignored him.

He slid the backpack halfway across the table. Slowly. Deliberately. Like he was setting down a stack of poker chips in the center of a table.

Emily’s pen stopped tapping. Even Mia’s eyes widened.

Derek leaned closer, curiosity glinting now beneath his arrogance. "What’s in there, Gilbert? Secrets? Love letters?" His laugh was sharp, carrying across the cafeteria. "Or maybe it’s something you don’t want anyone to see."

The crowd chuckled along, nervous, hungry for drama.

Kent’s voice cut through the noise, calm and even. "Why don’t you check for yourself?"

The cafeteria went dead silent.

Every sound—forks clinking, trays sliding, even whispers—vanished in an instant. Phones lifted higher. Students leaned forward. The entire room was frozen, caught in the electric tension of the dare.

Derek’s grin sharpened. "Don’t mind if I do."

He reached down, his hand closing around the strap of Kent’s bag.

The System pulsed, brighter than ever:

[Trap Activated]

Bait Interaction Confirmed.

Probability of Escalation: 91%.

Reputation Reward: High if Rival Overextends.]

Emily didn’t move. Jake looked like he was going to choke on his own tongue. Mia’s hands rested perfectly still on the table, but her gaze followed Derek’s fingers with hawk-like precision.

Derek unzipped the bag. The metallic rasp was loud enough to echo across the cafeteria.

Students craned their necks. Some even stood on their chairs to see better.

And then—Derek’s hand slipped inside.

The hook was set.

Derek’s fingers brushed plastic. He pinched, pulled—

—and came up holding the sleek black USB drive.

For a moment, the cafeteria buzzed with confused whispers. Phones zoomed in.

Derek dangled it between two fingers like a dead bug. "This? This is your big secret? A flash drive?" He barked a laugh, loud and sharp. "What are you hiding, Gilbert—your diary? Don’t tell me it’s your anime stash."

Laughter rippled across the tables. The heat pressed into Kent’s skin, the weight of a hundred eyes waiting for his response.

He didn’t move. He didn’t speak. He just leaned back, folding his arms.

Emily’s pen tapped once against her notebook—stay still.

Samir’s gaze flicked to the crowd, then back to Derek, his lips curving in the faintest, knowing smile.

And Mia... Mia didn’t look at Derek at all. Her eyes were locked on Kent’s, steady, like she was anchoring him.

Derek twirled the USB between his fingers, his grin widening. "You know what I think? I think you’ve been waving this around like it’s ammo, but really—you’ve got nothing. Empty threats. Smoke and mirrors. Just like always."

Jake couldn’t hold it in. "You sure about that?" His voice cracked, but it was loud enough to carry.

Dozens of heads turned. Phones tilted toward him.

Derek sneered. "Cute. The little sidekick wants to talk tough."

Jake bristled, but Emily’s hand shot out under the table, gripping his wrist hard enough to cut him off. She gave the tiniest shake of her head. Not yet.

The System pulsed in Kent’s vision, brutal and bright:

[Escalation Threshold Passed]

Rival’s Confidence: Surging]

Next Trigger: Public Overreach.

Derek turned the USB over in his hand, holding it high so everyone could see. "Tell you what. Why don’t I do the honors? Let’s plug this in, right here, right now, and see what Gilbert’s been hiding."

The cafeteria exploded. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Cheers. Gasps. Chants.

"Do it!"

"Plug it in!"

"Show us!"

The crowd’s hunger swelled, and Derek soaked it in, raising his hands like a king feeding his mob.

Kent’s chest burned. His throat felt like it was closing. This was the razor’s edge—exactly where Emily had said they needed him.

And sure enough, she leaned forward just enough for her voice to cut through the chaos, quiet but deadly.

"Go ahead, Derek."

The words weren’t loud. But they hit him like a challenge, deliberate, precise.

Derek froze for just half a second. His grin wavered—before coming back sharper than ever. "Gladly."

He turned toward the cafeteria’s teacher station, where the communal laptop sat connected to the projector for announcements and presentations.

Phones rose higher. Students scrambled to the edges of their seats.

The mob wanted blood.

And Derek was about to give it to them.

The System chimed, cold and final:

[Critical Event Triggered: Public Reveal Sequence]

Outcome: Dependent on Rival’s Arrogance.]

Kent’s stomach twisted. His trap was set—but if Derek smelled the bait, if he got cautious for even a heartbeat, the whole thing could collapse.

He whispered under his breath, too low for anyone but Mia to hear.

"Bite, you bastard. Bite."

Derek strutted toward the teacher station, the USB dangling from his hand like a trophy. Every step he took dragged the whole cafeteria along with him—hundreds of eyes locked, phones raised, whispers building into a tidal wave.

He was feeding off it, drunk on their attention.

The System pulsed in Kent’s vision, every word etched in crimson:

[Rival Confidence: 96% – Peak Arrogance]

[Public Expectation: Fever Pitch]

[Trap Stability: 87% – Optimal Window]

Jake muttered through clenched teeth. "This is it, bro. If that thing doesn’t blow him sky-high, we’re screwed six ways from Sunday."

Emily didn’t blink. Her eyes were locked on Derek like she was watching a chess piece slide into the last open square. "He’s already dead. He just doesn’t know it yet."

Derek reached the laptop, slid the USB into the port with a flourish, and threw his arms wide like he was about to crown himself.

"Everyone, say goodbye to Snake Gilbert!"

The crowd roared.

The screen blinked. Loading bar. Spinning wheel.

And then—

A video filled the projector.

Not Kent.

Not homework files.

Not some pathetic diary dump.

Derek’s own voice.

Recorded in sickening clarity.

"—I don’t even care if she cried, man. She’s just leverage. You threaten the right girl, the whole school bends over."

The cafeteria’s roar collapsed into silence.

You could hear the hum of the projector. The faint buzz of someone’s phone vibrating against a tray.

And then the voice continued, damning, undeniable:

"Gilbert thinks he’s clever, but I’ll crush him the way I crushed Rodriguez. Don’t matter what he knows—I’ll bury him before he even opens his mouth."

The silence cracked. Gasps. Mutters. Disbelieving laughter.

Phones shot higher, recording every frame, every word.

Derek’s grin slid off his face like melting wax. His hand twitched toward the laptop—

"Don’t," Emily said, loud enough for the nearest rows to hear.

Instantly, three kids lunged forward from the crowd, holding their phones inches from the projector. "No way, dude—too late! It’s out there!"

Samir’s voice cut clean through the chaos, calm as ever. "Replication achieved. Attempting to stop playback will only amplify suspicion."

Kent’s pulse hammered. His trap had sprung.

The video rolled on, more of Derek’s own filth spilling into the open:

"The teachers are jokes. You get the right dirt on them, they’ll cover for anything. That’s why I run this place."

The cafeteria erupted.

Shouts. Screams. Disbelief. The mob that had been chanting for Derek seconds ago now howled like they’d witnessed a public execution.

"Holy sh*t—did he just admit—"

"He threatened girls?!"

"He said the teachers—oh my god, record it! Record it all!"

Derek’s face drained of color. He ripped the USB out, the screen going black—but it didn’t matter. The poison was already loose.

Jake was on his feet, laughing so hard he nearly fell over. "Ohhh, you’re done, Derek! Cooked! Barbecued!"

Emily didn’t smile, but the corners of her mouth twitched like she almost could. "One move. That’s all it took."

Mia’s eyes stayed locked on Kent. "Now he’ll come for you. Harder than ever."

The System flared:

[Questline Updated: The Hunter’s Snare → Stage Two Complete]

[Public Perception Shift: Hostility Toward Rival +65%]

[Kent’s Reputation: Stabilizing – 31% → 52%]

[New Status Effect: Dangerous Prey]

Derek staggered back from the laptop, his chest heaving, his mask cracking in front of the entire school. His eyes swept the crowd, wild, desperate—before snapping back to Kent.

And in that single look, Kent felt the promise clear as fire.

This wasn’t over.

Not even close.