Chapter 1: A Dollar Short
The afternoon sun beat down on Lincoln High School, but for Nathan Hale, the heat was the least of his problems. Sitting in the back of his economics class, he stared at the screen of his old phone, checking his bank balance for the third time that day.
Balance: $4.25
Nathan sighed, rubbing his temples. Four dollars and twenty-five cents… and payday is next week.
He wasn't some slacker who wasted money on junk. Every cent he had went toward food, school supplies, and the occasional bus fare when walking wasn't an option. His mom worked two jobs just to keep the lights on, and Nathan had been looking for work, but no one wanted to hire a high school junior with no experience.
"Dude, you look like you just found out the stock market crashed," a voice whispered beside him.
Nathan turned to see Eli Carter, his best friend since middle school. Eli was the quiet type, always thinking before speaking, which made him a great listener but a terrible conversation starter.
"Stock market? I'd have to own stocks for that to matter," Nathan muttered.
Eli smirked. "True. So what's up?"
Nathan was about to answer when the classroom door swung open. A group of students walked in, laughing loudly. Leading them was Jordan Lively, the son of a well-known real estate investor. His designer clothes and cocky smile screamed money, and right beside him was Madeline Royce, the smartest girl in school and the one Nathan secretly admired.
Nathan quickly looked away, pretending to be focused on his notes. He wasn't foolish enough to think a girl like Madeline would ever notice someone like him.
Eli raised an eyebrow. "Still crushing on her?"
Nathan rolled his eyes. "I don't have time for that. I have bigger problems—like affording lunch tomorrow."
A Risky Choice
After school, Nathan walked through downtown, his stomach growling. The smell of fried food from a nearby vendor made his mouth water, but he clenched his jaw and kept walking. Not today.
Then he saw it—a small convenience store with a lottery machine inside.
He stopped, staring at the flashing screen. "Jackpot: $10,000!"
Nathan reached into his pocket, fingers brushing against the last few dollars he had. His logical side screamed at him—this is stupid. The odds are terrible. You need this money for food.
But for once, he wanted to believe in luck.
Before he could change his mind, he walked inside and handed $2 to the cashier.
"One ticket," he said.
The machine printed out a slip, and he held it tightly. Come on, just this once…
The Beginning of Change
That night, as Nathan sat at the kitchen table eating a peanut butter sandwich, his mom, Caroline Hale, walked in from her second shift at the diner.
"You already ate?" she asked, setting down her purse.
"Yeah," Nathan lied, not wanting her to know how tight things were.
She sighed, massaging her shoulders. "I hate working late. Feels like I never see you anymore."
Nathan forced a smile. "Don't worry, Mom. Someday, things will be different."
As he lay in bed later that night, the lottery ticket sat untouched on his desk.
But his fortune wouldn't come from a game of chance.
[System Booting…]
[Welcome to the Infinite Investment System]
[Your Journey to Wealth Begins Now.]