The student billionaire

Chapter9

Everyone looked at Jake, and for a minute, silence swept through the entire school premises. Bella looked at Jake awkwardly, and Maxwell did the same. Both were astonished to see his manner of talking, and for a moment, they could feel his anger and not only that, the way he had carried himself.

The bullies all stood still, not sure of what to do. One side was offering one hundred dollars, and on the other hand was someone who was willing to pay more. “Who should we side with?” Tiger asked, looking at Scorpion, who was their boss.

Scorpion's gaze fell on Jake. “Can you show us your money?” he said, scrubbing his chin.

Everyone shifted their attention back to Jake. “I don't have the money, but I have enough to go around in this. All you have to do is get this bully off the school premises,” he said with confidence.

Maxwell and Bella let out a laugh that made all other students do the same. “What’s funny, dickhead?” Jake shouted, clenching his fist in anger.

“Did you just ask me that? You know what is funny. The fact that you tried to cajole everyone into thinking that was real,” Maxwell said, dipping his hand into his pocket. He brought a bundle of hundred-dollar notes and gave it to Scorpion. “Get his ass out of this place,” Maxwell shouted.

Scorpion and Tiger went straight at Jake as they grabbed him by the collar of his cloth. “Leave him alone, please,” Mrs. Penelope begged as the guys carried Jake high. “I told you, I can give you more. I am not the villain here!” Jake shouted as he tried to stay his ground. But Scorpion and Tiger were deaf to his pleas. But then a cold voice spoke, and all attention was shifted again.

“Put him down,” Mr. Thomas, who was the school head, said, adjusting his spectacles. “He said he has the money. Didn't you, Jake?” he asked, staring at Jake, who was heaving heavily. “I do,” Jake replied, frustration evident on his face.

“Why don't we make this more interesting then?” Mr. Thomas turned and looked at Maxwell, who was now showing signs of fear.

“What do you mean? Are you siding with Jake, Mr. Thomas?” Maxwell looked at Mr. Thomas, who had a small grin on his face. “Don't get me wrong, Maxwell; your father has been generous, and you, I think you also have a good reputation here when it comes to sponsoring the school, but don't you think we need more hands on deck?” Mr. Thomas asked, walking closer to Maxwell.

He whispered something into his ears, and Maxwell let out a soft smile. “Well, since you want it that way, then I am game. What should we do?” he asked, staring at Jake and then back at Mr. Thomas.

“It is quite simple. All you have to do is donate three hundred thousand dollars into the school's account. The school account is carrying my name and details,” Mr. Thomas said loudly.

The students all gasped hearing such a huge amount of money. They all knew Maxwell was capable of transferring the tangible amount of money, but Jake, they all knew he was as poor as a church rat.

“How can he be able to afford that huge amount of money? Does he think Mr. Thomas was joking?” one of the students said out loud enough for Jake to hear him.

“Don't do this, Jake. Where will you see so much money?” Mrs. Penelope asked, getting tired of the push and pull. Bella dragged Maxwell into a corner and looked at him. “Don't you think the money is too much?” she asked with worried eyebrows. “Do you think less of me? I am Maxwell Arnold, and I get what I want,” Maxwell snapped at her.

“This will surely be the end of Jake,” another student said. “So you think your little and precious black card will give you what you want? Do you think you can defeat me?” Maxwell taunted, making Jake more scared.

“Who is going first?” Mr. Thomas asked.

Everyone knew who was going first; Maxwell came forward with a wide grin. “Can I have your details?” he asked with his gaze fixed on the phone.

Mr. Thomas called out the digit while he watched Maxwell's hands move fast over the screen of his phone. “Done!” he said sharply, and Thomas' phone gave a beeping sound. “I think we know how this is going to end,” Maxwell replied, walking back to meet Bella.

For a moment, Jake felt his legs weaken. He wasn't sure if the card he was given was truly what he had read online. He grabbed the card and stared at it. “Are you having a second thought about this?” Maxwell taunted.

Sarah ran to Jake's side. “You don't have to do this, Jake. Just go on the suspension. You will be back before you know it.”

“Listen to your friend, Jake. She is telling you the truth,” Mrs. Penelope said, slowly patting Jake on the back. She could feel his rage; by then, Maxwell was more powerful than they were.

“What if this is a joke? What if there is no money in it?” Jake soliloquized as his gaze fell on Bella, Maxwell, and finally Mr. Thomas. He looked at the rest of the students, and he knew they all wanted him to fail. That was what this was all about. “Why don't we make this more fun?” Jake said with a wide grin.

“How?” Mr. Thomas asked, seeing the confidence in his eyes.

“The loser walks through the entire student score in panties,” Jake said with a smile on his face, even though he was scared.

“That’s funny, coming from someone who hasn’t paid yet,” Maxwell said badly, but then his countenance changed.

“I am game if you are. How much?” he asked again, and the students gasped.

“Six hundred thousand dollars!” Jake said, making Maxwell gulp down the saliva at the back of his throat.

“Six hundred what? Are you joking right now?” Mrs. Penelope looked at her son.

“Can you stay out of this, Mother?” Jake looked at Sarah and back at Mrs. Penelope.

“Jake, if you are kidding with me, then you are not going to like what I am going to do to you,” Mr. Thomas said angrily.

“Does it look like I am?” Jake replied.

Maxwell looked at his phone and checked his bank account. He asked for just the last six hundred thousand dollars Jake had asked for. He knew the money was just a charity case and could not be collected from Mr. Thomas if he won.

Besides, his father was going to ask him how he had spent all the money. It was going to be an embarrassment telling him he spent it on a wager. He looked at Jake again, “He can’t have it,” Maxwell said with a soft grin. “Why don’t you go first?”

Everyone nodded, buying Maxwell’s idea of Jake paying first since he was the one who initiated the challenge.

Jake stared at the black card in his trembling hand, his heart racing as he typed the digits into the banking app on his phone. Every student had their eyes fixed on him, the tension so thick it was almost suffocating. Maxwell stood smugly beside Bella, his arms crossed, a triumphant smirk plastered across his face. The bullies, led by Scorpion and Tiger, snickered in anticipation of Jake’s inevitable failure.

“Any time now, Jake,” Maxwell taunted. “Or is the card just for show? Maybe it’s expired?”

Jake ignored him, focusing on the screen as he hit the confirm button. But instead of the satisfying buzz of a successful transaction, an error message flashed: Transaction failed. Insufficient funds.

The crowd erupted into laughter. Maxwell threw his head back, his voice booming above the chaos. Bella covered her mouth, trying—and failing—to stifle her giggles. Even Mr. Thomas raised a brow, his disappointment evident.

“I knew it!” Maxwell shouted, pointing at Jake. “A pathetic attempt to save face. What’s next, Jake? Going to pretend the bank app is broken?”

Jake’s face flushed with embarrassment and frustration. He tried again, his fingers shaking as he re-entered the card details. Transaction failed. Insufficient funds. The same result. The laughter grew louder, echoing through the courtyard like a cruel symphony.

“You’ve lost, Jake,” Maxwell declared, stepping forward. “Admit it and take your walk of shame through the school in your underwear. Or better yet, save us all the trouble and transfer to another school.”

Jake clenched his jaw, his knuckles white as he gripped his phone. His mind raced, desperate for an explanation. This card wasn’t a fake—it couldn’t be. The person who had given it to him had assured him it held more money than he could ever need. Had it all been a cruel joke?

“Jake, stop this madness,” Mrs. Penelope pleaded, stepping closer to him. “You’ve nothing to prove to these bullies.”

But Jake wasn’t listening. His gaze was locked on Maxwell, who was now shaking hands with Mr. Thomas, clearly convinced of his victory. Maxwell leaned closer to Mr. Thomas and whispered loud enough for the crowd to hear, “This is why some people should stick to their place. They’ll never amount to anything.”

The words stung, cutting deeper than Jake cared to admit. He straightened his back, his fingers tightening around the black card. No, he wouldn’t let them win. Not like this.

“Try again, Jake,” Sarah said softly, stepping beside him. “If it’s real, it’ll work.”

Jake took a deep breath, his eyes blazing with determination. He scanned the card again and re-entered the details for one final attempt. As he hit confirm, the app froze for a moment, the loading icon spinning endlessly. The courtyard grew eerily silent, everyone holding their breath. Even Maxwell’s smug grin faltered as he leaned forward, curious despite himself.

Finally, the app refreshed—and for a split second, nothing happened.

Then, a loud ping echoed from Mr. Thomas’s phone. The headmaster’s eyes widened as he checked his device. A hushed murmur rippled through the crowd as Mr. Thomas stared at the screen, his mouth slightly agape.

“What... what is this?” Mr. Thomas muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

Maxwell’s smirk vanished as he rushed forward. “What happened? Tell me it’s a glitch!”

Mr. Thomas turned the screen for Maxwell to see, his hands trembling. A new transaction had appeared—$600,000 credited.

The crowd erupted into gasps, everyone looking at Jake in stunned silence. Maxwell staggered back, his face pale.

Jake smirked, slipping the card into his pocket. “Still think I’m a joke, Maxwell?” he asked, his voice low and dripping with newfound confidence.

But before anyone could respond, Mr. Thomas’s phone pinged again. His expression darkened, confusion.