Graduation Gift: A Half-Used Lottery Ticket

"Don't be calling me stingy now, Henry. I'll have you know that this scratch-off lottery ticket is worth a million dollars!" Jessica Boone declared. "I already scratched half the numbers, which means I helped you eliminate half of the wrong options, too. The rest is in your hands, and you get to keep whatever you get."

Out of habit, I took the half-scratched ticket before coming to my senses and hastily tossing it aside.

I looked up at the wall clock. It read 11:00 pm—exactly 30 minutes before I died.

No one knew I had been reborn.

Tonight was supposed to be a party to celebrate my college acceptance. My parents had invited all of our relatives over. Jessica, who'd always looked down on me, had come as well.

In my previous life, she'd used a half-scratched lottery ticket to humiliate me. I'd been both furious and embarrassed, while the rest of our relatives simply brushed it off, saying we were a family.

They'd persistently urged me to scratch off the rest of the numbers, which I reluctantly did—and I ended up winning 20 dollars.

Jessica, who'd been waiting to laugh at me, suddenly got excited and immediately offered to buy the ticket off me for 200 thousand dollars.

I'd always been cautious. There were plenty of PSAs going around these days about scams. Jessica had always made it clear how much she hated me, so why was she suddenly making me the generous offer of 200 thousand dollars?

It was fishy, so I immediately declined her offer.

To my shock, Jessica flew off the handle and lashed out at me, hurling all kinds of cruel insults at me. She called me a bastard, a piece of trash, and other far worse things.

I'd been so alarmed that I couldn't even speak. She even started threatening me, saying that she'd kill me if I didn't give her the lottery ticket.

In fact, she began shoving me toward the window with all her might. Scared out of my wits, I cried for help, but all those people who claimed that we were a family instantly changed their tunes and simply eyed me in hostility.

Even my parents joined in and cursed me out, saying I deserved to die.

In the end, Jessica pushed me off the high-rise building, and I fell to my death. Even as I took my dying breath, I had no idea what I'd done to end up like this.

But it seemed as though fate had taken pity on me and allowed me to be reborn.

This time around, I deftly declined Jessica's gift. "It's fine, Jessica. You can keep the one million dollars."

Her mocking sneer transformed into a furious scowl. "Don't be such an ingrate, Henry. Do you seriously think that just because you're an adult now, you don't have to show any respect to me anymore?"

Mom quickly picked up the lottery ticket from the floor and reprimanded me, "You foolish boy! Who turns down money like that?"

My family wasn't as well-off as Jessica's. On top of that, she had a high-paying job, so my parents always felt inferior around her and her family.

The other relatives also chimed in to persuade me.

"Jessica's just trying to be nice, Henry. Hurry up and take it. Why don't you scratch the rest off now? Who knows? You might even win a million bucks."

I wanted to refuse again. But when I looked up and met Jessica's sinister gaze, I couldn't help but wonder if she would throw me off the building again if I kept refusing her.

I had no choice but to take the lottery ticket. "Then I'll scratch it off at home. It's not often that everyone gathers together. Since we're here to celebrate my college acceptance, I don't want everyone to have to wait around just to see me scratch off a lottery ticket."

However, Jessica just wouldn't let it go. "Henry, if you're turning your nose up at my gift, then just say so. What's this crap about not wanting everyone to wait around, huh? You don't need to go to such lengths just to make me look bad!"

Aunt Miranda, Jessica's mother, immediately pulled a long face and glared at me. "Stop being so fussy. As if we care whether you take it or not!"

Uncle Donald, Jessica's father, also lit up a cigarette and snorted tauntingly. "What, you think you're so great now just because you got into college?"

Their remarks terrified my parents, who immediately took their anger out on me. "Henry Wilson! Who taught you to be so snobbish? Jessica is being nice to you by giving you a gift! Why are you being so difficult?"

I wanted to hold my ground, but Mom had already grabbed my hand and scraped one of my fingernails hard against the ticket. The nail tore off, drawing blood, but Mom didn't even seem to notice. Her eyes were fixed on the ticket.

All of a sudden, she cried out in exhilaration, "It's a win! 20 dollars!"

My heart sank at once. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw everyone's eyes falling on me.

Jessica shot to her feet and rushed over to me, her eyes locked on the hand I'd just shoved into my pocket. "What the hell? You actually won some money from the ticket?"

Immediately after, she said the very same words she'd said in my previous life.

"Henry, sell me the ticket. I'll give you 200 thousand dollars for it."