Billionaire leveling up

Hurt

I HAVE ANOTHER QUEST FOR YOU. EARN $100,000 AND RECEIVE $10,000,000

Get out of my head! I am not making stupid deals with you.

Ajax was furious. Mostly at himself for wasting the money he had, for falling asleep in Caroline's house and for even accepting the stupid deal.

IT IS NOT AN OFFER AJAX. AFTER FAILING THE PREVIOUS TASK, YOU HAVE TO EARN 100 THOUSAND DOLLAR IN ORDER TO GET 10 MILLION DOLLARS OR YOU LOSE ANOTHER THING PRECIOUS TO YOU.

Ajax ignored the voice in his head as he trudged the path towards his home. It felt so surreal, him being a million dollar rich few hours ago and he had not even gotten a house.

He opened the door of his Van home, shut it behind him and went straight to his room.

Suppressing the thoughts of regret and foolishness, he fell asleep.

***

The sunrays shone through his window forcing him to wake up. He turned in his bed shielding his face from the rays.

He wished he had magic, like a character from Harry Potter or like Bonnie Bennett. He could use telepathy or witchcraft and shut hit blinds.

Still with his eyes closed, though awake, he laid still. His head hammered and he felt really weak.

He knew he had to get up, go to work, get money to bail his grandpa, Vaughn, but he was just tired.

FOURTEEN HOURS LEFT…..

If he needed any motivation, that was what he needed. He did not want to involve in any of the stupid deals or game or quests or whatever the called it anymore, but, he had to. If he sat back and did nothing, he had no idea who the next person would be.

He flipped his eyes open staring up at the roof of the van. Despite his aching body, he pushed himself up and sat down.

The house was quiet, not that it made any difference. The last few months that his grandpa left to work without him, he got used to waking up to total silence.

On a normal day, with his gramps's around, sounds of metal clanking against each other, kitchen utensils and all would be heard. His gramps's loved cooking. He used to work at a restaurant before he got his science job.

***

Knock knock

Ajax stood in front of Caroline's door knocking.

He had finally gotten the guts to leave his bed, shower, dress up. The first person that came to his mind was Caroline.

Maybe she would lend him a little cash. At least he hoped she would. He lifted his hands again to knock.

He waited for a few minutes. He glanced at his wrist watch. It was few minutes past noon. He had from now till midnight to get the money.

“C'mon Care….. Open the door for me,” he thought.

He decided to check the windows to know if she was around. This was the second day after her birthday. Her parents would not be home until the next few days.

He noticed the figure of someone walk through the room.

“Caroline, c’mon, I know you’re in there” he said aloud.

Few seconds later, he heard footsteps approaching, then the door was unlocked.

A funny looking Caroline appeared from behind the doors. She had crumbs of snacks on her cheeks. She had a beanie on. She looked like a hurricane of clothes had crushed her. She had bundle of clothes on. Hoodies, pants, duvets and others.

“Hey” Ajax whispered with a toothy grin.

Just as he was about to take a step towards her, she shut the door in his face.

Uh.. What?

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. What just happened? Was she mad at him or something? He pushed the door open, shut it behind him and followed Caroline.

She walked to the couch in the living room a and threw herself on it. The couch was filled with junk foods, empty wrappers and packets of food, boxes of pizzas amongst others.

“Go away Ajax” Caroline muttered as she stuffed another handful of whatever it was she was eating. Ajax had no idea what it was.

“C'mon Caroline, what's the matter” Ajax said, “you don’t look fine. You look like shit”

Ajax knew he chose the wrong words when he saw Caroline's facial expression.

She had her eyes wide opened in shock, her mouth was also wide open as crumbs and of the snacks she was eating fell out of her mouth.

“No, I did not mean it that way Care” Ajax said correcting himself immediately. “I mean…you look… you are beautiful, yes, but now you don't look okay.” He finished stumbling on his words.

He heaved a sigh of relief when Caroline went back to stuffing her face with food.

“Leave Ajax, just like the last time. You want nothing to do with me” she muttered breathlessly. She turned to face him as her eyebrows knitted in a frown.

“Yes Ajax. I spent hours preparing that and you just disposed it like it was nothing and disappeared without a word. Well, except that glare.” Caroline said, her voice increasing with every word.

“Calm down, Care, my gramp’s, Vaughn was in trouble. I'm sorry for acting the way I acted”

“Hmm” she said as her face contorted into an expression of realization. “So what brings you here?” she asked, eyes still stuck on the documentary she was watching.

Ajax began to feel nervous. Beads of sweat began to form in his palm. He could feel it get warm and wet. He wiped them on his trousers and sat down beside Caroline.

“I need you to lend me some money, I promise you, I'll pay back. Double fold.” He rushed out in one sentence.

“Aren't these fishes just so cute” Caroline purred, adoration written all over her face.

“Care?” he muttered as he realized she had not heard any word he just spoke.

“Yeah?” she said turning her gaze to him. “Of, sorry, what'd you say?”

“I need you to lend me some money, I promise you, I’ll pay back. Double fold.” He repeated.

“Umm, I don't understand. I thought you won a lottery or something and your money had an endless supply. Are you broke now or what?” she said in a very dramatic voice.

“Umm, something like that. I just need to get Vaughn out of prison”

“Prison?” Caroline gasped in surprise.

“Yeah, he was accused…”

“For stealing.” A very familiar voice said.

Ajax did not need to turn to know who that was. “Lydia” he muttered as he watched her walk from behind them to stand right in front of them.

“Just like you stole. You know what, I think you should be there instead of him cuz how is it possible you turn from broke to insanely rich and then broke again within 24 hours”

Caroline glared at Lydia. Lydia was her roommate. They both lived in an apartment with two bed rooms, a living room- the place Ajax and Lydia was sitting, and a dining room.

“Go to your room Lydia” Caroline spat.

“Oh shut it Care. You know I'm right. Besides we own this place, you don't have the right to send me back, you're not my mom” Lydia uttered, rolling her eyes. “Caroline, are you not the least bothered how he got the money?”

Caroline knew Lydia was right, the last thing she wanted was to be a topic in her friend group.

“Ajax, you stole the money didn't you?” she asked staring at him, her eyes staring deep into his probing him.

“Uh, wah.. Care?” Ajax stuttered unbelievably.

“I don’t have any money left to help you, so leave my house you thief.” She sneered.

“Caroline, you are not listening to Lydia are you?” He looked torn between confusion and surprise.

Caroline stood up and went to the door. She opened it wide. “Leave my house you thief. I don't even want to know how you stole the money or if your parents are in trouble, just get out”

Her words felt like knives were being plunged into his heart. He stared at her with a heavy heart. Of all people on earth, even though she could be blunt sometimes, he never expected those words to come out from Caroline's mouth.

“Out!” she yelled.

He stood up slowly to the door. One last glance at Caroline, he walked out of the house.

ELEVEN HOURS LEFT…..