The heavy silence in the apartment felt suffocating. Kian watched his sister, his gaze lingering on her face. Cassiopeia, despite the fear that radiated off of her, managed a forced smile. She tried to appear calm, to reassure him, but Kian could sense her fear vibrating through the room.
"Don't worry," Cassiopeia said, her voice a little shaky. "We'll figure this out. We always do."
Kian knew she was trying to be strong, but he couldn't shake the feeling of a heavy burden settling upon them. He wasn't sure if it was the debt itself or the looming threat of the loan sharks.
He retreated to his room, his thoughts racing. He flipped through the pages of his diary, scanning the notes he had made on the novel, "The Villainess's Blessing." He was desperate for a solution, a way to pay off the debt, a way to save his sister.
Then, a memory emerged, a scene that he had read countless times, a pivotal moment in the story that had always fascinated him. A character, an ordinary gambler, had won a billion-dollar lottery using a specific set of numbers. It was a wild stroke of luck, a random event that changed the character's life overnight.
He could remember the numbers distinctly, a strange string of digits that had stuck in his memory. He grabbed a piece of paper and quickly jotted them down.
It was a long shot, a desperate gamble. But it was the only chance he had. He had to try.
Kian knew he couldn't confide in Cassiopeia. She was already burdened with enough worry. He needed to find someone he could trust, someone who wouldn't judge his crazy plan.
Felix.
Kian left the apartment and headed to school. His mind was abuzz with the lottery numbers. He couldn't stop thinking about them. They were his lifeline, his only hope.
As he walked through the hallways, he spotted Felix in the library. Felix was sitting at a table, his nose buried in a textbook. Kian approached him, a small amount of hope flickering in his heart.
"Hey, Felix," Kian said. "Got a minute?"
Felix looked up, his face brightening with a smile. "Hey, Kian," he said. "What's up?"
Kian took a deep breath. He couldn't explain his plan to Felix. But he needed to borrow a dollar.
"Can you spare a dollar?" Kian asked. "I need to get something."
Felix looked at him, a little confused. "A dollar? Sure, why not?" Felix reached into his pocket and handed Kian a dollar bill.
Kian took the dollar, his heart pounding with a mix of excitement and trepidation. He was about to take a risk.
"Thanks, Felix," Kian said, his voice full of gratitude.
Kian spent the entire day at school, his thoughts consumed by the lottery numbers. He tried to focus on his classes, but his mind kept drifting back to the gamble he was about to take.
After school, Kian walked to a nearby convenience store. He had to buy a lottery ticket, to give himself a chance.
He stood in front of the lottery machine, his heart pounding. He remembered the numbers, those seven life-changing numbers. He punched them into the machine, 17...15..28...42..69..25..1.
He held the lottery ticket in his hand, his fingers trembling. It was a small piece of paper, but it held a world of hope. He knew he had to wait, to endure the agonizing wait for the next drawing.
But for now, he could allow himself a small moment of hope. He could dream.
Kian walked back to his apartment, the lottery ticket clutched tightly in his hand. He felt a mix of anxiety and anticipation, a strange sense of exhilaration that was both thrilling and terrifying. He couldn't wait to see if his gamble would pay off. He just needed to wait until the next drawing.
The moment he entered the apartment, Cassiopeia's eyes met his. He could see the worry etched on her face.
"How was school, Kian?" she asked, her voice a little shaky.
Kian forced a smile. "It was okay," he said. He didn't want to worry her with his reckless scheme, He knew she wouldn't approve. She'd probably tell him to focus on school, to worry about the future, but he needed to take this chance.
He walked past her, his eyes scanning the living room, searching for a hiding place for the ticket. He couldn't let Cassiopeia find it. She would surely throw it away.
He found a small, empty box behind the couch, a box that his father had used for keeping loose change. He gently placed the lottery ticket inside, carefully concealing it from view.
He knew he had to keep his secret, had to keep his hope alive. He had to pretend everything was normal, that life was going on, that he wasn't a desperate teenager clinging to a lottery ticket for salvation.
The next day, Kian went to school. He tried to focus on his studies, but his mind kept drifting back to the lottery ticket, to the potential fortune it held. He couldn't help but daydream about a future where he could pay off the debt, where he could protect his sister.
His teacher, Ms. Johnson, noticed his distracted demeanor. She knew he was struggling with something, but she didn't know what.
"You're a bright boy, Kian," Ms. Johnson said, her voice full of concern. "What's going on? Is everything okay?"
"I'm fine," Kian said, forcing a smile. He didn't want to involve his teacher in his problems. He knew she wouldn't understand.
He spent the rest of the day at school, trying to focus on his studies, but his thoughts kept returning to the lottery. He kept replaying the winning numbers in his mind, hoping that they would manifest, hoping that he had chosen correctly.
He couldn't stop thinking about Cassiopeia. He knew he had to be careful. He couldn't let her know what he was doing, not until he knew the outcome.
After school, Kian went to the library to meet Felix. He needed to distract himself, to focus on something else. But he couldn't shake the feeling of anticipation, the constant tension that thrummed beneath the surface of his skin.
"Hey, Kian," Felix said, a small smile on his face. "What's up?"
Kian tried to force a relaxed smile. "Just thinking about stuff," he said, trying to sound casual. "Stuff about the future."
Felix, a perceptive boy, noticed the change in Kian. He saw the shadows of worry in his eyes. He sensed that something was wrong, but he didn't press Kian.
"Well, if you need someone to talk to, I'm here," Felix said. "I'm a good listener."
"Thanks, Felix," Kian said. He was grateful for Felix's friendship, for his unwavering support. He knew he couldn't face this alone.
They spent the afternoon at the library, working on their science project, their conversation a mix of academic discussions and quiet, unspoken companionship.
Kian found a small sense of comfort in Felix's company, a sense of normalcy in a world that felt increasingly chaotic.
But he knew that the lottery drawing was just around the corner. He knew that his fate, his future, was hanging in the balance.