a P

. I couldn't feel it. My heart was numb. My mate's betrayal, his mother's insults, my fath

Joe. I declined the call

m a different numbe

next semester is due! One million dollars! You have to give it to me today! O

ust paid Jason's tuition last month. This was a lie. He mus

mate, I had no official income, only the "allowance" he'd give me when he was i

en have ten thousand. I wasn't even sure how

crouched by the side of the road, feeling

I'd rather die. I couldn't re

iolently again. I stumbled to a

assing by asked with concern. "Did you e

ike a bolt of lightning. I look

I... we were mates, but he was often cold. We had been intima

ess. I couldn't think about

and told her I just

a seed, had been

needed money. I needed a job.

y fingers trembling as I s

ped on a name:

er at a cybersecurity firm in Silicon Valley. He ha

ound my destiny, so I quit that pro

ode in two years. I didn't k

as my on

but instead of call

I'm not sure if you remember me. I've run into some trouble and was won

as calling on a past version of myself for hel

minutes that fel

vibrated. A reply

t, my hand

I have a nightmare project on my hands and I'm desperate for a top-tier talent like you!

e. Not tears of sadness, but of joy. The joy of

out I wasn