An Eventful Day

I wasn’t one for luck or chance, but today seems like one of those days. The one where you say “what the heck” and you buy a lottery ticket on your way home. I always believed they were rigged, however, that didn’t stop me, Jamie Patterson, a 22-year old nobody, from stopping at the gas station to buy myself a mega-bowl ticket. The thing about being a nobody is that you never expect anything for yourself, so when I turned on the television to check up on those numbers, you can imagine my surprise. Every single number was right there! I had to rewind to make sure I heard correctly. Rewind, Play. Rewind, Play. I probably looked insane, but sure enough, every single time I pressed play, I heard the same numbers every time. 11, 8, 7, 15, 81, 3. What do I do now? Do I jump up and down? Do I cry? Do I scream? Do I run up and down my street like a madwoman that doesn’t care if she disturbs her neighbors because that’s definitely my preference right now? I composed myself and sat quickly on my cream-colored sofa. Geez! I swear you could’ve heard my bones vibrating in excitement. My whirlwind of emotions led me to pick up my phone and pressing the first contact I saw. Ring! Ring! Ring! Click! “Hey Jamie, excited for our date?”

Date? With all of this action, I’d forgotten my date with Matt. Matt was my coworker at my god-forsaken job at the flytrap diner. I’d never expressed any real interest in him before this. He always slammed his hands on the table and punched walls whenever he got upset over his dumb card games. Even after all that, I still agreed to his date request. He has heart and I pitied him. His mother had fallen ill and he ended up having to take double shifts to pay for the treatments. There’s an obvious solution here that I don’t think I have to name.

“U-um yeah. So incredibly excited! I was just getting ready.” My voice faltered as my face grew hot.

“Oh well, it’s just that you called me so suddenly. Anything you need to say to me?” Matt questioned. I can’t see his face right now, but even while asking a question, it’s clear in his tone that Matt was beaming.

“Nope, this was actually a butt-dial. My bad! See you later! Bye!” the words spilled out of my mouth into the phone and, subsequently, my thumb slammed over the hang-up button. Don’t look at me like that. These things don’t happen to me often. I know it’s selfish and it’s wrong, but I think I’m entitled to be that way after having to be a side character in my own life for all this time. 

I threw on my red top that wasn’t too fancy but was good enough for the occasion and stuck some black-rimmed glasses on my face. I grabbed my lottery ticket and stuffed it deep down in my pocket.

“No way I’m letting you outta my sight,” I said out loud while leaving for the date. The sun had fallen into its peaceful sleep and the moon awoke to watch over the Earth. The “Deja Blue” restaurant was packed with customers and the chatter jumped into my ears as soon as the door opened. My eyes scanned and were met with Matt’s slightly frazzled, black hair poked out of the brown hat he was wearing to meet the dim light that was shining from the lamp overhead. Upon approaching the table, a waft of a cinnamon flavor filled my nose and I caught a look at his scar right above his left eye. The little black notebook that he was writing in also didn’t go unnoticed. I tried to peek in as I took my seat, but it was quickly snapped shut and stuffed into his bag. He looked up at me with his dull, grey eyes and smiled, it was clear that it was just a way to curb my curiosity. I’ve observed enough people in my life to recognize that.

“Hey, I’m so glad you could make it and might I say, red looks good on you.” Matt complimented.

An uneasy feeling washes over. Why had he made me feel that way? I know that I wasn’t necessarily ecstatic to come on this date in the first place, but now all I want to do is leave. After an hour or two of awkward glances, twitchy hands, and nervous glances being exchanged, our meals were finished and the tension was broken.

“Hey, do you wanna get outta here. We can watch a movie at my place if that’s cool with you?” Matt suggested.

There was nothing I wanted more than to decline and run like hell, but the sheepish look he gave me, made me feel obligated to.

“Yeah, alright. Just give me a second. I need to visit the bathroom.” I replied back.

With a fast pace, my feet trudge through the away from our table, through the masses of people, around the table to the bathroom. I sighed and paced to find structure in contrast to the tornado happening in my mind. “I don’t want to be here. I should just leave. Can I sneak out the back? This is so weird.” With a shaky breath, I walked to the sink and splashed some water on my face. What am I doing? Everything is fine. You're fine. You won a stinking boatload of money and you’ll go get it tomorrow. Just get through today. I stuck my hand in my pocket but was met with my coat’s lining. Around and around, that’s all I felt. I looked at the floor and retraced my steps and looked again. How could I have lost it? I jogged back to my table and looked all around. I was just a moment away from getting on my knees and crawling when I spotted the white paper right next to my table. I grabbed it and stuck it back into my pocket, but not before Matt questions me.

“What was that”.

W-What was what? I shot back, playing dumb.

“That, that paper, what is that?”

“Oh this, Why it’s nothing. Just a paper that my mom asked me to hold.”  

Matt looked at me with suspicious eyes. The doubt that he had was seriously undeniable.

“Anyway, you ready to go” I quickly said, changing the subject. “ To Casa Matt we go.” 

Once arrived, Matt started coughing uncontrollably. Rushing to his side with worry present in my face, “are you okay? Wait, let me get you water. I ran to the kitchen, grabbed a cup, and turned on the sink. I heard one singular creak behind me. Before I could turn around to confront the sound. A sharp blade pierced my back! I fell to the floor, while the water kept running, the glass that I previously held so firmly in my hand had fallen to the floor and cracked into a million pieces, quite similar to me. My shallow breath and my beating heart were all I could hear until Matt’s voice cut through it.

“You are so selfish! You knew my mother was dying and you didn’t make a move to help her. You clearly had the means. What? You didn’t think I saw the lotto ticket. I’m not blind, Jamie!

“Matt” the sound died as soon as it left my mouth. I shuttered. My breaths were becoming few and far between. My blood soaking and blending into my top and staining my hands.

”I was going to get that money one way or another. I guess you choose another.” A tear slipped out of my eye. Matt began to chuckle quietly. “Might I say, you look good in red”. That’s the last thing I heard before my eyelids shut and never would be opened again.