Coffee and a Story

Broken Bonds

"You won!" 

"Can't believe right?" 

"Yeah, almost can't believe." The thing I cannot believe the most is that he won with the lottery ticket I gave him. 

"So...?" He asked, his voice unsure. 

"So, what? You won. Congratulations." I can't help but feel a little pang of jealousy. I gave him the ticket because I thought there was no way he could win. But now, when he did, I wish I had kept that ticket for myself. 

"Yeah, that. But I don't know what to do next." 

"What do you mean? Go to the place mentioned on the ticket to collect your price." I mean this stupid don't know what to do when he won that much money? 50K. That's how much he won. And he is still the stupid he was before. 

"That's the thing. It isn't mentioned on the ticket." Oh, that's strange. Maybe he won because of my luck. 

"Where did you check you won the lottery?" 

"I checked it in the newspaper." 

 "So, what were the instructions there?" 

"That's the thing! Only the lottery winning number is mentioned and no address or mobile number is mentioned there." Definitely my luck. Anyway, I tried to subside my jealousy and focused on how I can earn my share in the profit. 

"So, what do you think?" 

"What do I think? I think you should help me." His exclaimed voice made me think the other way. I felt somewhat guilty as he was thinking I am a good friend but here I was trying to take a portion of my friend's money. 

"Sure. I'll help you." I spoke. 

"Great! You know I thought you were gonna ask me for a share." He stated and I felt anger bubbling up inside me. How can he think of something so low about me? 

"That's what you think of me?" 

"No, it's not that." He clarifies. 

"Then, what is it?" 

"I just ..... I, I thought you were gonna ask me because you were the one who gifted the ticket to me in the first place." Well, that's right. I gifted it. 

"Uh-huh." I grew a little more burdened in my voice. "Now, I'm not sure I wanna help you." 

"Hey, no. Please, I didn't mean to say that." 

"Really? I thought you wanted to say that." He already thought about the possibility before he called. Maybe he also had an amount in mind. "You know, you think of me that way and now I don't feel so good, so, I think if you will split up the money, I will help you." 

"But you said you didn't want it." 

"Yeah, but you made me think otherwise." 

"But that was a birthday gift." 

"I know. I purchased it. I might know something about the ticket anyone else might not." I stated the fact I've been thinking In my head since I get to know about this. 

"Fine. How much do you want?" 

"50 %" 

"That's a lot!" He exclaimed and I knew that there was no way he will agree to that. But if I'll play my cards right, he might agree to a better deal. 

"But I purchased the ticket in the first place." 

"Yeah, and you gifted it to me. Do you even know what a gift means?"