The Odd Billionaire

After getting off the motorcycle, Traizle immediately got her phone from her mini bag. She tried calling the person who ordered from their snack bar, but it seems like the line isn’t available. Traizle tried to text the person, but got no reply at all.

“Don’t tell me that this is a freaking prank.” Traizle said, trying to shake off the thought that it might be a prank.

Looking at the food, she brought both handlebars of her motorcycle, and a full pack on the container with two large plastic bags.

Thinking of the money she might waste if it was a prank, she tried to dial the number again, but it was still not available.

“Deliveries for Mr. Zarsuelo!” She yelled. Thinking that the person is near her and is waiting for the delivery as well, yet still, to no avail.

Ten minutes have passed, and the food is already cold. No, Mr. Zarsuelo is present, and no one is returning calls or texts. The line was always busy, and it seems like it will stay busy as it is.

Traizle sighed with disappointment. The money she will get will turn into a bubble. Her only hope that the person would approach her and get the food, since it was too obvious based on her appearance, is now gone.

She sighed. “He tricked me,” she said, adding that made her laugh a little. “What do they think? We have a lot of money. That is why it is okay to do something like this.” she asked herself.

She put on her helmet, sadly riding the motorcycle.

“Damn that Zarsuelo!” she shouted angrily, which made the passersby look at her.

It confused some people why she was mad, and some of them thought she was not in her right mind.

But after they saw her, everybody was looking at her. They now murmur that she got tricked.

To avoid the people’s sympathy, she started her motorcycle’s engine and drove away.

“Oh?” her co-worker said while looking at the orders she was holding. “What happened?” He asked Traizle worriedly.

Traizle looked down at the plastic bags she was holding. “Got tricked,” Traizle answered. “When I got to our meeting place, he was not answering my calls and texts. The line said that it was not available, so I waited for half an hour and here I am.” she added with annoyance.

“You got tricked?” The owner of the snack bar asked when she saw Traizle with the food.

Traizle nodded her head. The owner approached her and got the bags full of food from her.

“I will reheat the food,” the owner said. “I will help you sell this. You make your deliveries.” the owner added, determined to help her sell the food.

Traizle’s other co-workers patted her shoulder, saying it was alright.

They can definitely relate to the feeling of being tricked. As a delivery man or a courier, there is a day that you might get tricked by the tricksters.

Seeing how Traizle’s facial expression turned sad, it meant she had lost a large amount of cash.

Her co-workers knew Traizle for being a money saver. Losing money, even though it is only a peso, will make her sad already, thinking that she is wasting money.

She can’t afford to lose even a single cent because she has three mouths to feed: her two younger brothers and herself. Her dad and mom separated years ago. Her dad has a new family, and he gives no financial support to them. They assumed that their mother would continue to carry out her responsibilities because she is their mother, but months later, their mother is looking out for herself, drinking with her friends, buying things only for her and gambling heavily.

One day, when they woke up, their mother was not around, not yelling or shouting their names. She even brought her things with her, saying nothing to them. Traizle, as the breadwinner of her family, works her ass off to support her two younger brothers.

Hours have passed. She is now on her way home with her motorcycle, which may die anytime because it is getting too old already. She got it from her former neighbor who moved to another city and gave it to her since it was old.

“Why are you late?” Lyndon, her eldest younger brother, asked when she came to their house.

“I tried to ask our neighbors if they wanted to buy the food in the snack bar,” Traizle shared as she sat while removing her shoes. “Someone pranked me, ordering food for almost a hundred people. When I got there, no one named Zarsuelo showed up.” She added and threw her shoes on the shoe rack.

Layzen sat straight and said, “Don’t you think it was a prank already? For almost a hundred people, order is not really common. Isn’t it?” Her brother asked.

Traizle sighed. “We talked formally. He did not sound like it was for a prank.” She answered and opened her bag to get the food inside.

Even though the owner of the snack bar helped her to sell the other foods, since it is already midnight, there are only a few customers passing by her snack bar.

“Did you guys eat already?” She asked, while handing Lyndon a foot-long.

Lyndon nodded. “Yes, we did. Layzen tried to wait for you, but he fell asleep right after.” He answered and ate the foot-long.

“And you?” Traizle asked again.

“And me, what?” Lyndon answered, confused by her sister’s question.

“Why are you still awake?” She replied. “You still have classes tomorrow morning, and here you are munching on my food.” She added.

She was trying not to sound like she was scolding him, but it already looked like one.

“Isn’t it too obvious?” Lyndon answered after swallowing the food. “You are too late. I am worried that something bad happened to you while on your way,” he added apathetically. “And you handed this food to me. What am I going to do with this? Should I just stare at it?”

“Thanks for your apathetic concern,” she replied. “And yeah, you can just stare at it.” she added.

“Anyway…” Lyndon said, pausing. “Based on your story a while ago, I don’t want to burden you more, but I really need to buy books this week,” Lyndon shared. “I was told by my adviser to buy books since I am the mighty one in our class who still does not have them. Yeah, I do not want to burden you, but I needed to force you.” he added, laughing, after drinking some water.

Traizle pulled her bag and got her wallet.This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

“You have eight subjects, right?” Traizle asked, making Lyndon nod his head. “Tomorrow, buy four books first. Buy the subjects that you will take tomorrow morning. I will text you when it is your break time to give you another sum of money for the other four books.” She explained and handed over a sum of money.

“How about our daily expenses? Budget? Everything?” Lyndon asked continuously.

She shook her head. “You don’t have to worry about that. I will handle everything. Your compensation for my extraordinary efforts: simply study hard and achieve enough grades to pass.” She said.

“Is taking care of Layzen not enough already?” Lyndon asked jokingly.

Lyndon is in charge of taking care of Layzen, their youngest brother, while Traizle is at work.

“It is your responsibility as his older brother.” She answered.

Lyndon shrugged his shoulders. “Well, I am kinda responsible for him.” He replied.

Traizle eyed him. “What’s with your kinda?” She responded.

“I could not play at the computer shop with Layzen. My team lost because of me. Layzen was busy clicking, thinking that he was playing.” He shared something that made both of them laugh at their younger brother.

“You should give your phone to Layzen, if you are going to play at the computer shop. Download some games for kids, so that he won’t bug your game.” Traizle gives him advice.

“I will do that tomorrow,” Lyndon answered. “About my school expenses. Don’t worry, Sis. I applied for a scholarship last week. We have to wait for confirmation before passing the other requirements,” Lyndon shared after drinking water. “Let us just hope that I might be one of the pre-qualified so that you can stop working on your other sidelines.” He added.

“Make sure to maintain your grades, Lyndon. That will be a big help for us. I won’t quit my sidelines as long as we are not okay,” Traizle explained. “Clean those crumbs first before going to sleep.” she reminded Lyndon.

She is thankful enough to have an understanding brother.