Chapter 4: A Game of Profits
Nathan smirked as he faced Jordan Lively.
Jordan was tall, confident, and the son of a wealthy real estate investor. He wasn't the type of guy who needed extra cash—but for him, this wasn't about money. It was about domination.
Nathan wasn't intimidated. If Jordan wanted a challenge, he'd get one.
Jordan crossed his arms. "So, what's the wager?"
Nathan thought for a second. "Whoever earns the most by next Friday, wins."
Jordan grinned. "And the loser?"
Nathan shrugged. "Just admit the other guy's better at making money."
Jordan laughed. "That's it? No real stakes? Fine. But don't cry when you lose."
Nathan didn't respond. He had already won once—turning $2 into $45 in less than a day. Now, it was time to scale up.
Expanding the Business
Nathan sat on his bed that night, looking at his balance.
[Balance: $45.25]
It wasn't enough. To win, he needed to move beyond selling chargers and earphones.
His mind raced. What else do students at Lincoln High really want?
Then, he remembered a conversation from earlier that day.
"Man, I wish we had better snacks here," a student had complained. "The vending machine's always out of stock."
Nathan's eyes lit up. Snacks.
If he could buy popular snacks in bulk and sell them at school, he could make even bigger profits.
The First Wholesale Purchase
The next day, Nathan went to a warehouse store, using $30 to buy a variety of snacks—chips, chocolate bars, and energy drinks.
That left him with $15.25, but if he played this right, he could double or even triple his investment.
Sales Go Up—So Does the Competition
By lunchtime, Nathan had already made $25 selling snacks at higher-than-store prices—and students were more than willing to pay since the vending machine was unreliable.
[Balance: $40.25]
Then, something unexpected happened.
"Yo, did you hear? Jordan's selling snacks too."
Nathan's eyes narrowed. So he copied my idea?
Sure enough, across the cafeteria, Jordan was standing next to a stack of chips and drinks, laughing as he made a sale.
Their eyes met. Jordan smirked.
Nathan knew right then—this wasn't going to be easy.