Chapter two

Marco sat quietly in the corner, his head buried in his hands. He was feeling down, and he couldn't shake the feeling of embarrassment.

The mockery kept repeating itself in his head like a lullaby that won't go away. They made him feel relaxed just to end up embarrassing him? on his birthday.

The rest of the people were busy chatting and laughing, completely unaware of Marco's inner turmoil. They had no idea of the war that went on inside of him.

How can people be so cruel as to have their hopes high up just to end up crushing them?

Someone sidled up next to him and he looked to see it was Tim.

"Why are you so sad, man?" the guy asked, with a smile on his face.

Tim never really bullied or made mocked Marco, but he never did anything to stop it either. Marco felt surprised. Nobody has asked him that kind of question before.

"I don't know," Marco replied, with a shrug. "I just feel nothing. I was expecting this, you know?"

Tim shook his head.

Marco ignored him and continued, "I expected this and when it didn't happen in the morning, I let my guard down. if anything, it's my fault for trusting people."

Silence.

Marco thought Tim had gone till he looked again to find Tim staring at him with an indescribable look on his face. Marco opened his mouth to speak further when a group came out of the house and turned their way.

Tim froze.

Marco wanted to ask if he was okay but Tim beat him to it.

Marco was met with a round of mocking laughter. "You're just a poor guy," Tim said, as the others nodded in agreement. "That's why you're always so depressed."

The words cut Marco like a knife. He knew that he wasn't wealthy, but he had never considered himself to be poor. He had always tried to make the best of what he had and be grateful for what he had accomplished.

Yet people feel the need to remind him that he wasn't that lucky with the opportunity to be born with a silver spoon in his mouth.

It was both pathetic and at the same time, a wish that Marco had made every day when every slap, kick and insult landed on him every morning.

If he was rich then they won't humiliate him on the most important day of his life. No matter how much he hated his life, Marco always appreciated his birthday.

It was one of the days when he was truly happy but now, they have ruined that for him too.

They ruined school for him and now this.

Marco gaped at Tim, the switch in attitude was fast and it left a confused Marco questioning if everything was okay with Tim.

The laughter continued, and Marco felt his face grow hot with embarrassment. He tried to ignore the insults, but it was like salt in a wound. He felt like he had been stripped of his dignity, and he couldn't escape the cruel truth. He was poor, and that was why he was miserable.

As the group continued to joke and tease, more people came from the house to mock him and all Tim could do was point at him and laugh.

Marco's depression deepened. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was inferior, that he was never going to be good enough. He felt like he was trapped in a cycle of poverty and sadness, and he didn't know how to break free.

Marco grimaced as Tim's gaze met his.

"you happy?" he asked,

The group went quiet as they watched the exchange. Tim frowned as he nodded lightly.

"very, you were naive enough to think we were going to throw you a party? that's pathetic." Tim spat.

Marco did a double-take at the person in front of him. he glanced at the group and they looked invested in them.

Marco shrugs, "forgive me if I thought you guys had a decent bone in your body, won't happen again" Marco vows.

Tim glared but didn't say anything.

Seeing as there is no action, the group became bored and eventually moved on to another victim, and Marco was left alone with his thoughts.

He felt like he was drowning in a sea of hopelessness, and he couldn't see a way out. He wished that he could change his circumstances, but he knew that it was impossible. He was stuck, and he was going to be stuck forever.

It was just Tim standing.

"What?" Marco snapped.

The look in Tim's eyes told Marco what he was going to do before he did.

"I am so..." he tried to say.

"don't bother." Marco snapped.

Tim's eyes widened as he stared at Marco.

"you wanted to be cool in front of them that you would bully someone? and I am the pathetic one?" Marco asked.

Tim shook his head, apologetically but it didn't do anything to soothe Marco.

He just wanted to leave this place. He knew he should have listened to his gut instincts and not come for the party.

Marco hated being poor, he hated it more than anything in the world.

"I wish I was rich," he whispered as he looked up.

It was a silly idea but that's all Marco could do.

Despite his inner turmoil, Marco tried to keep a brave face. He put on a smile and acted like everything was okay, but deep down he was falling apart. He felt like he was in a never-ending cycle of sadness and poverty, and he didn't know how to break free.

Marco trudged up the stairs to his small, cramped apartment, feeling defeated and alone. He had never felt so low, so worthless, and he couldn't shake the feeling that the world was against him. He had always struggled to make ends meet, to prove himself and win the respect of those around him, and it seemed like no matter what he did, he couldn't catch a break.

As he collapsed on his bed, tears streaming down his face, the clock struck midnight. Marco was now officially eighteen years old, but he felt anything but happy.

"Happy birthday to me" He muttered to himself bitterly, wondering what was the point of it all.

As Marco lay on his bed, overwhelmed by emotions, he couldn't help but feel defeated. Tears flowed freely down his cheeks, a mixture of sadness and frustration. The fact that it was now officially his birthday only served to amplify his feelings of disappointment.

He thought about all the things he had wanted for his birth and his life, things that now seemed unattainable.

The reality of his circumstances hit him hard, and he couldn't shake the feeling that he was never going to be good enough. The mocking laughter of his peers still echoed in his mind, reminding him of the cruel truth that he was just a poor guy.

As he stared at the ceiling, he let out a deep sigh. He felt lost and alone like he was drowning in a sea of hopelessness.

He tried to remind himself of all the good things in his life, but the negative thoughts consumed him. He felt like he was trapped in a cycle of poverty and sadness, and he didn't know how to break free.

In his despair, Marco couldn't help but wonder what the point of it all was. Why was he even born if he was just going to suffer his entire life?

He felt like he was stuck in a rut, and he didn't know how to get out. He wished that he could escape his circumstances and start over, but he knew that it was impossible.

His emotions boiled over, and he buried his face in his pillow, letting out a loud sob. He felt like he was losing himself, and he didn't know how to get back on track.

He was officially an adult now, but he felt anything but mature. He was trying to get some sleep after the long day he had.

Just as he was about to drift off into a restless sleep, his phone buzzed with a notification. Marco groggily reached for his phone and checked the message, thinking it was just another bill or debt notice.

His eyes were heavy with sleep as he stared at his phone screen, the message was tiny so he squinted his eyes to see it more clearly.

Marco froze, and his eyes widened in surprise. his heart racing with excitement and disbelief as he stared at the message.

He rubbed at his eyes to ensure he wasn't dreaming, opened them again, and the message lay unmoving. to ensure himself properly, Marco pinched himself.

"Ow!" he yelled.

He was wide awake.

He glanced at the message and he tensed again. this couldn't be for him.

The message showed that 100 million dollars had just arrived in his account. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

100 million dollars!