CHAPTER 59: CHAPTER 59: NOTHING CHANGES

Outside or inside the Game, people are always like this, Adam. You should never get, humanity didn’t get worse after the Game started—they just flourished.

Adam watched the men continue to look at the menu with cheeky smiles on their faces, elbows jabbing his ribs deliberately as they passed it around. The tallest one still leaned heavily against Adam’s shoulder, nearly pushing him from his seat.

After a few moments, the server finally approached with a coffee pot in hand, and her face immediately hardened as soon as she saw the group at Adam’s table.

"Eric, stop messing with visitors. You’re painting this town bad as it is," she said, setting the pot down right in front of the tall man. "Get your ass out of that chair and leave that poor kid alone."

The tall man removed his arm from Adam and stood up, towering over the petite server.

"We will do what we want, Marianne. Now, why don’t you get that little pen of yours and take our orders?"

Eric’s voice was loud, causing the heads of the other diners to turn to them.

"Don’t make me call Pops." Marianne crossed her arms, feet planted firmly on the checkered floor as she stared Eric in the eyes.

Eric snorted, glancing at his friends who were chuckling at the server’s words.

"Call him," Eric slammed his hand on the table, causing the coffee pot to lightly bounce, "That old fuck’s not gonna do anything."

"Whatever happened to you? You were such a sweet child."

The air in the diner thickened, and the only sound that whispered in the air was a fork clattering against a plate somewhere in the back. But soon, this silence was broken by Adam clearing his throat.

"It’s fine, Ma’am," he said quietly. "Let them order what they want. I don’t want any trouble."

Marianne’s shoulders immediately dropped.

"No, honey..." She shook her head, strands of hair escaping her ponytail.

"Heh. You heard him," Eric’s voice boomed as he settled back into the seat, pressing uncomfortably against Adam, "Now take our orders and do your job, woman. Damn."

Eric’s friends snickered, one of them mimicking Adam’s soft-spoken tone. Someone from two booths over even muttered ’pussy’ just loud enough for everyone to hear it.

Despite everyone laughing at him, however, Adam didn’t flinch at all. His eyes remained fixed on his hands folded neatly on the table. Marianne stared at him for a few seconds before her pen hovered over her notepad and sighed.

She began taking the men’s orders, her lips frowned. Her voice only softened when she finally turned to Adam.

"And what about you, honey?"

"I’ll... have whatever you recommend, Ma’am," Adam answered as he wasn’t able to look at the menu at all.

Marianne just shrugged and walked away. Meanwhile, Eric and his friends were having a conversation about basketball, completely ignoring Adam.

But Adam was right—based on their conversation, they were only students from the local college.

Their food arrived after several minutes, with Marianne purposely clattering Eric and his friend’s plates in front of them.

She was really only gentle with Adam’s plate.

"Thank you," Adam whispered as he saw the burger and fries in front of him. He was about to reach for them, but Eric shoved his elbow hard against his ribs again, pushing him against the wall. But of course, with his increased strength, he couldn’t even feel it.

"Oops," Eric snickered, spreading himself wider across the seat.

Adam silently adjusted, trying to reach his food despite the limited space. Every time he extended his arm, one of Eric’s friends would bump the table, causing his fries to scatter or his drink to slosh.

Don’t, Adam. They’re children.

Despite the harassment, Adam ate his meal quietly. He didn’t react when Eric stole fries from his plate. He simply brushed them off and continued eating until his plate was clean and his fingers were filled with grease.

"Excuse me," he said quietly, trying to slide out of the booth. But Eric planted his butt firmly, not wanting to move.

"Where do you think you’re going?" He snarled, his breath that was previously hot with coffee now smelled like garlic against Adam’s face.

"Paying," Adam replied while pointing at the counter.

"Ho?" Eric smirked as he looked at his friends. After a moment, he slid out, making a grand gesture of allowing Adam to pass.

"Good boy," Eric said as they watched Adam walk away, and his friends erupted in laughter behind him.

They are children, Adam.

Adam didn’t care. He approached the counter where Marianne stood wiping down the surface, her eyes filled with sympathy.

"How much do I owe?" Adam asked her.

Marianne glanced over at Eric’s table, then back at Adam. "Are you sure, honey? We could just put it on their tab." She sighed, but Adam only nodded.

She reluctantly rang up his meal, and Adam pulled out a neat, small wallet this time. Just as he was about to hand over the bills, a heavy arm once again draped across his shoulders.

"While you’re at it, why don’t you pay for our tab too?" Eric again, his grip tightening around Adam.

Marianne’s face flushed red as she saw this. "Alright, enough is enough!"

She reached beneath the counter and pulled out a wooden rolling pin, marching around to confront Eric. "Get out, or I’m gonna call Sheriff Cole!"

She waved the rolling pin while rushing toward him, pointing it directly up at his face as she stood in front of him.

"What do you think you’re going to do with that?" Eric laughed, easily snatching the rolling pin from her grasp. His expression darkened as he raised his hand toward Marianne.

Before he could actually do anything, however, he felt a grip on his arm. He looked, only to see Adam holding him by the wrist.

What are you doing, Adam? You said to yourself you weren’t going to get involved. Stop being kind—no. Stop being naive.

Adam slowly tilted his head to the side, his breath slowing down as he pushed the thought away. And then, with a sigh, he said,

"Don’t."