The smell of alcohol spread throughout the club as a bunch of final-year college students moved to the rhythm of the music on the dancefloor to celebrate the end of their final exams.
The party had been organised by the class's rich kid, Dominic, and he could be seen in the VIP section overlooking the rest of the final years. He had two ladies massaging his shoulders and feet while he drank.The door to the club was opened and in stepped Vincent and his girlfriend, Melanie.Immediately the air seeped into Vincent's nose he almost gagged and then he covered his nose."I told you I don't want to be here Melanie. This place wreaks of alcohol." Vincent complained."Well, what do you expect? We just finished writing our last exams as final-year students. Everyone is going all out tonight and you expect me to sit back at home? No way!" Melanie exclaimed."I only came here because of you. A lot of people are drunk so be careful not to get in harm's way." Vincent said to his girlfriend.Melanie rolled her eyes, "whatever. Let's just enjoy the party while it's in full swing!" Melanie yelled excitedly and entered the crowd to dance, leaving Vincent behind.Vincent removed his hand from his nose, slowly getting used to the air even though it still irritated him. He never planned to go to this party but came because Melanie had eagerly pushed for him to join her."Now it's just strange. She said she wanted to spend time with me but she vanished into the crowd as soon as we arrived." Vincent thought, inwardly.Vincent went to stand next to the table of drinks and all of a sudden there was a hard smack landed on the back of his head.The person who hit Vincent presented himself in front of Vincent with no regrets for his actions."Hey look! It's the smart ass Vincent!" one of the drunk final years shouted, pointing his finger at Vincent.People who heard the shout turned to look at Vincent, including Dominic who was in the VIP section.When Dominic caught sight of Vincent, he grimaced. There was no one in his class he hated more than Vincent.Dominic smirked when he realized he could make Vincent pay for being smart and more handsome than him. After all, Dominic himself had organised this party with his money. He could make Vincent bend to his will."He Dominic! Did you come here to serve drinks?!" someone yelled."I'm sure the money you make from it will finally be enough to pay your mother's medical bills!" another said and laughed."So sad for you. Your father abandoned you and your mom and yet you are here with us partying. Have you no conscience? You should leave. This place is not meant for scum like you." Toby, who had smacked Vincent's head, said to him."At least I have a mother," Vincent said. He regretted his words as soon as they came out of his mouth."Why you son of a bitch! What did you say to me?!" Toby retorted and slapped Vincent across the face."Repeat that one more time you twerp!"Vincent held on to his aching cheek and felt his eyes getting hotter as he struggled to hold back tears.He couldn't fight back. He knew he was no match for Toby.Toby was about to throw a fist at Vincent but felt his hand being held back. When he turned to see who dared to cross him, it was Dominic.Toby let his hand down and stepped back."Fine night seeing you here isn't it Vincent?" Dominic stepped up to Vincent."What's fine about it?" Vincent replied.Dominic scoffed and then raised his hands to get people's attention as he spoke."Everyone!" Dominic yelled and even the DJ stopped the music.Melanie turned and when she saw the scene playing out between Vincent and others, she instantly felt embarrassed.All eyes were on Dominic as everyone waited for him to speak.Dominic brought his arms down and then faced Vincent."Why don't we play a little game? Let's see who is better than who." Dominic said.Everyone at the party cheered but Vincent was in no mood for games."I am not interested." Vincent immediately said."What?" Dominic asked, acting like he didn't hear Vincent the first time."I'm sure you heard me," Vincent replied and Dominic smirked."You hear that everyone? He is nothing but a wuss!" Dominic announced and everyone began to boo at Vincent."It looks like you chose the wrong guy to be with Melanie. I'm sure you regret it now. You're such an outgoing girl. The life of the party. Yet you picked him. I'm sure it's because of his looks. He has no guts." Dominic said to Melanie who had earlier been trying to hide her presence.Melanie felt utterly embarrassed and Vincent felt ashamed of himself for not being the kind of guy worthy of Melanie."This is to be expected of someone from a poor background." Dominic said and laughed, "abandoned by his father for being bad luck. Can it get any worse than that?"Everyone in the club burst out laughing. It only made Vincent get madder than he was at the start and his heart shattered on top of it all when he saw the disappointed look on Melanie's face. She looked like she wanted nothing more than to disappear from that place."Fine. I will play your game." Vincent said."Sorry, what was that?" Dominic asked."I said I will play your game!" Vincent shouted."Well well. Look who finally developed some balls." Toby said, his arms folded across his chest as he stretched his waist."Which game is it going to be, Dominic? If it's a beat down then I am ready to represent you." Toby said.Dominic had a sinister smile on his face when he heard that question, "Truth or Dare? Without the Truth." Dominic answered."I'll be fine with whatever the damn game is," Vincent said, glaring at Dominic. This was the first time he ever maintained eye contact with Dominic and it got on Dominic's nerves."This is only getting better with each passing minute." some said."Yeah, but I bet Dominic will win. There isn't much that Vincent is capable of. He's a poor loser, they never win with anything." another person said."Guys! Let's bet on how many dares he can take before he chickens out." someone said and laughed while others agreed with him."Okay then. I will call out the participants." Dominic announced, after letting the words of his classmates deepen the emotional and psychological winds, Vincent.Dominic looked around and then he began to call names, "Vincent. Toby. Tasha. Melanie. And myself. All five of us will play dares." Dominic said.Melanie was taken aback when she heard her name. There was no way she was going to join in with a game that Vincent was part of but she couldn't back down either as
Dominic frowned. From the crowd, Vincent could hear different insults being thrown at him. "Coward!" "Bastard nobody" "worthless weakling! He can't even drink some glasses!" Vincent clenched his fists and Melanie spoke again, "If you can't do such a simple thing then I'm breaking up with you for real. No need to have someone like you in my life if you're just going to give up in the face of troubles!""So she just pretended she was breaking up with me? I just knew she loved me back. Melanie can't break my heart just like that." Vincent thought to himself."Fine! Alright! Is that what you all want?! Yes?! Then I will give it to you! I will take the dare!" Vincent shouted determined in his anger.One of the final years brought out the ten bottles of alcohol and set them in front of Vincent.Vincent sat down and opened the first bottle while people kept shouting "Drink!" "Drink!" "Drink!"When Vincent took the bottle close to his mouth, the smell penetrated his nose and he coughed.He h
Vincent felt someone tapping him and he slowly opened his eyes. Everywhere sounded empty like the party was over and it took some time for Vincent's eyes to get used to the light.It was difficult but Vincent sat up on the floor where he had been asleep all night."Where am I?" Vincent asked as he held on to his forehead which was aching him like never before."Young man you have been asleep since last night's party with your friends." a man's voice answered."Friends? I don't have any friends." Vincent replied. He remembered only that they were playing dares and things got out of hand. He remembered the feeling of humiliation coursing through his body shame and insults followed him last night. Is that what this waiter sees as friendship?"Those can never be my friends," Vincent added and got up, almost falling over in the process but getting back his stamina in the last second. He felt his head spinning like crazy and he vomited again."How can they all leave without me?" Vincent tho
Vincent got to the man who was waiting beside the car, "Thank you, sir. Thank you so much for bailing me out back there. Is there anything I can do to repay you for your kindness? I don't mind working for you or running errands on your demands." Vincent said."No. I don't need any of that and neither am I the one to thank.""I don't understand sir. What do you mean? You just paid for...""Your father paid, not me. I am only his butler."Vincent grew speechless, "my dad left his family without saying a word about why he did it. He didn't even reach out to us during the time of his absence and now was the perfect time for him?" Vincent said to the butler."I don't care what you say, sir. Nothing is going to make me accept that charity from such a heartless man who caused my mom to be diagnosed with such a disease." Vincent added.Vincent turned around to leave after he thanked the man one last time."You were asking me just minutes ago what you can do to repay me were you not?" the butl
Vincent got into a taxi and the taxi took him to the hospital where his mother was admitted.With his last cash, Vincent paid the taxi driver intending to return home on foot after visiting his mother.The taxi left and Vincent faced the hospital, releasing a deep sigh from his nostrils as he stared at the building.For six months now... For six months, his mother has been in the hospital with Vincent still having a marathon to go in paying the bills.Vincent walked the hallway headed for his mother's room but froze in his tracks when he was halfway there. From a distance, Vincent could see Dominic and Toby walking out of his mother's room and laughing with a shredded bouquet in Dominic's possession."Isn't that the same bouquet I got my mom yesterday?" Vincent thought.Dominic hit Vincent aside with his shoulder as soon as they came to where he was and they laughed even louder as they passed."What a wimp." Toby mocked.Finally getting back to his senses, Vincent ran to his mother's
Vincent didn't have to wait or text his father his account number. Only while getting up, he received an alert of two million dollars wired to his bank account.There was a phone call from the bank itself but Vincent ignored it. Where were they when he needed their help? They were the same people who insulted him at the bank and refused to loan him any money for his mother's treatment.Now with this amount in his bank account, Vincent was sure they were calling to congratulate him but he didn't need their hypocrisy.The doctor which Vincent slapped, approached him with two security men who worked for the hospital."There he is. That's the guy that slapped me." the doctor said, pointing his finger at Vincent."Sir, you will have to leave the hospital immediately." one of the security men said to Vincent."What is the hospital paying you?" Vincent asked.Neither the security men nor the doctor expected that sort of question from Vincent.The doctor laughed, "What are you about to do? Br
After Mr Devine stepped out of the car, he came to Vincent's mother who didn't recognize Devine at first."Veronica... It's been a while..." Mr Devine said, being a man who wasn't good with expressing himself to loved ones."Devine?" Vincent's mother said, looking shocked to see how well things turned out for Mr Devine after he abandoned them.Her bewildered state turned to an angry one when she got back to her senses, "What are you doing here?" Veronica asked Mr Devine."I'm here to help. You're owing rent from five months ago, right? I'm here to pay it." Mr Devine said, causing Vincent to face-palm himself."How did you..." Veronica paused and then turned to her son."Vincent I warned you. I don't want to see this man." Veronica shouted."Mom you have to hear him out. Please. You can't keep this hate in your heart forever." Vincent pleaded."What is wrong with you people?! Have I turned invisible? If the man is going to pay for poor nobodies like you two then why not let him? it's n
In a distance a bit far from Mr Devine's mansion stood another mansion which belonged to the Idris Family.They have always been in dispute with Mr Devine when it came to their businesses and company matters and this dispute extended to their children who were their heirs.The mere fact that Mr Devine was richer, more powerful and more influential in the society than they made their blood boil at the thought of it.Today, all the family members were home after they discovered a piece of ground-breaking news.The lord of the mansion, Mr Idris Khalid, slammed his fists on the table in front of him, getting the attention of others who were present in the meeting room of the mansion with him."We can't sit back and watch everything we worked so hard for going down the drain. José, you had just one job and you blew it!" Mr Idris Khalid said, eyes flaring with rage as he looked at his second son, José."If you think about it father, it's not his fault." Idris Ferdinand chimed in."And whose