Between The Lines

Jason Brooks had never lived alone before, but college forced him to step out of his comfort zone. Despite not studying his preferred course, he remained optimistic, convinced he could switch majors in his second year. Little did he know, fate had other plans for him. Before heading to college, a series of unfortunate events reshaped his outlook on life, teaching him painful lessons about trust and consequences. Aware of his family’s financial struggles, he took a job to ease their burden. He worked tirelessly, enduring grueling conditions and an overbearing boss. One day, his boss slapped him in a fit of anger. That moment changed everything—he vowed never to work under anyone again. With college fast approaching, he had little savings, most of which he spent on clothes and necessities for school. Desperation for more funds led him to explore quick money-making opportunities. He stumbled across a post in an online freshman group—someone claiming to double money in just a week. It seemed like a golden opportunity. The promise sounded too good to be true, but at that moment, he ignored the warning signs. With his heart pounding, he stared at the banking app, his mother’s account opened before him. The balance wasn’t much, but it was enough to change his situation—enough to make everything easier. He swallowed hard, guilt gnawing at his insides. He thought about his mother waking up early every morning, exhausted yet still pushing through. He thought about the way she counted every penny, skipping meals just so he and Mark, his brother, could eat properly. Then, his mind flickered back to his boss—his furious face, the sting of that slap, the humiliation that burned even now. He had endured that for what? For scraps? He couldn’t go back to that. His thumb hovered over the transfer button. Maybe he didn’t have to do this. Maybe he could find another way. But the promise was tempting. Quick. Painless. Jason squeezed his eyes shut. He would return it. Before she even noticed, the money would be back. That thought made it easier—just a temporary fix. A necessary step. He took a deep breath and tapped the screen. It was done. He immediately deleted the transaction history, making sure his mother wouldn’t know. A week later, instead of receiving his promised payout, he received a message: There were unexpected issues. If you send $10 more, I can push the payment to $60. Jason hesitated longer this time. The warning signs were there, but he had already invested. He convinced himself that sending more would guarantee his payout. So, he took the risk. The promised payout day arrived, but there was no message. Hours passed. Anxiety clawed at him. He stared at his phone screen, heart pounding as the final message burned into his mind: Stop contacting me. You’ve been scammed. Jason’s mind spun, his breath coming in short gasps. He refreshed the chat for the hundredth time, as if the messages would magically reappear. They didn’t. He searched for the username—nothing. Checked the group—gone. He even scrolled through the profiles of people who had interacted with the scammer, hoping for a trace. But the account had been wiped clean. His stomach twisted as he looked toward the living room. His mother was still out. She would check the account soon. He had two choices: lie or confess. His mouth felt dry. He had always been an awful liar. And even if he pulled it off, she would suffer for it. With a deep breath, he stood up, legs shaky. His fingers curled into fists as he stepped forward, each step heavier than the last. Time to face the consequences. He found his mother in the living room, counting the money she had saved, preparing to buy his essentials. The sight nearly broke him. “Mum…” His voice was hoarse. “I—” She looked up, eyes full of warmth that made his guilt unbearable. “Yes, dear?” He hesitated, then blurted it out. “I took the money.” A long silence followed. The air in the room thickened. She blinked slowly, her face unreadable. “What do you mean?” “I—I used it. I thought I could make more… but I was scammed.” His voice cracked. “I didn’t mean to. I thought I could double it and—” The color drained from her face. She didn’t yell, didn’t curse, didn’t even look angry. Instead, she sighed deeply, as if something inside her had given up. “That money was for you, for school. What am I supposed to do now?” “I’ll fix it,” he whispered, but he didn’t know how. She shook her head and walked to her room, shutting the door behind her without another word. That silence hurt more than any slap ever could. Jason sat alone for a while, staring blankly at the floor, the weight of his mistake pressing down on him. His thoughts spiraled—maybe there was still a way to fix this. Maybe he could find another job before school started. With a heavy heart, he knocked on his brother’s door. “What is it?” Mark asked, rubbing his tired eyes. He looked at Jason and immediately knew something was wrong. “What did you do?” Jason hesitated, then blurted everything out. The scam, the stolen money, the hopelessness of it all. Mark exhaled sharply and ran a hand over his face. “Are you serious, Jason? How could you be this careless?” “I thought it was real,” Jason muttered. “I just wanted to make more money for school.” Mark paced the small room, deep in thought. “We need to do something. Maybe you can work part-time before you leave?” Jason sighed. “Even if I do, it won’t be enough before school starts.” Mark sat down. “Then you’ll have to find a way to manage. You’ll have to be smart with whatever’s left.” Jason had no answer. He left the room feeling more lost than ever. The days that followed were tense. His mother wasn’t angry—at least, she didn’t show it—but there was a distance between them, an unspoken wall built by disappointment. She didn’t scold him, nor did she bring up the money again, but her silence carried more weight than any harsh words ever could. A few days before his departure, his mother finally spoke. “Jason,” she called softly as they sat in the living room. He turned to her, heart pounding. “Yes, Mum?” She sighed, her expression weary but no longer distant. “You made a mistake. A big one. But I don’t want this to follow you forever.” She reached for his hand, squeezing it gently. “Promise me you’ll be more careful, that you’ll think before making decisions like this again.” Guilt tightened his chest, but he nodded. “I promise.” She studied him for a moment, then pulled him into a hug. It was brief, but it was enough to lift some of the weight off his shoulders. When the day finally came for him to leave, she insisted on accompanying him to school. When they arrived, she helped him set up his room. “You’ll be fine,” she said, placing a hand on his shoulder before finally leaving. As Jason stood in his doorway, exhaling deeply, he heard a voice behind him. “New here?” He turned to see a guy leaning against the wall across the hall. Something about him was... off. The way his dark eyes studied Jason too carefully. Jason forced a nod. “Yeah, just got in.” “College is full of surprises. Hope you’re ready for them.” The guy’s smirk lingered as he walked away, his words hanging in the air like an unshakable warning. Jason swallowed hard, an uneasy feeling settling in his gut. He had a feeling he wasn’t ready at all..