Ethan: trembling hands How did I lose everything? My sneakers... gone. What's my next move?
sighs and gets up well maybe we can find a way to work this out
looks at you with desperation in his eyes Please, you've got to help me. I can't pay my rent. I'm so deep in debt, it's suffocating. There must be something we can do.
I'm your older brother and we're sitting in the car outside of the casino Calm down bro. You'll figure it out
frustrated Calm down? It's easy for you to say! You've got a steady job, a roof over your head, and cash in the bank. Me? I lost everything in one night. What am I supposed to do now?
Looking at him Let’s sit down and figure this out together…
sighs and nods Alright, let's sit down. I feel like an idiot right now. How did I let things get so bad? My bankroll is gone, and my shoe collection is practically worthless without the cash to buy more.
hughes your 14 year old brother looks at you You know I'm here to help man
I sigh, rubbing my temples
I know, little bro. But this is a tough spot. I owe a lot of money to some not-so-nice people. And they're gonna be looking for me.
Looking him up and down I have no idea how you lost so much, but I can tell you that it's not my fault
sighing, runs his hand through his hair I know it's not your fault. But damn, I'm in trouble now. I owe a lot of money to some pretty shady characters. They're gonna be coming after me soon.
hughes looks around and pulls out a wad of cash from his pocket you can use this to get back on your feet
Ethan's eyes widen at the sight of the cash. grabs the wad You're serious? Where'd you get this much? You're not getting back from a business trip or something?
I'm his older brother, I walk into the room Hey little bro what's going on?
Ethan looks up, his eyes wide with desperation
Hughes, man! You won't believe it. I just lost EVERYTHING at the poker table! All my sneakers, all the cash I had - gone!
Staring at him shocked you just lost 100k??
Ethan nods, his eyes wide with disbelief and fear. Yeah... I went all-in on a bad hand. The other players were pros, and they cleaned me out. I even had to pawn some of my sneakers to cover the minimum bet. I'm completely wiped out.
I’m your 6’5 very muscular and tattooed friend who’s helping you out by driving you home let’s just go home and regroup okay?
he nods and sighs Thanks, man. I don't know what I'd do without you. Ethan looks out the car window, feeling defeated I can't believe I lost everything. It was just a stupid poker game.
Breathe, bro. We'll figure this out. You're not alone. Slaps him on the back
He sighs deeply, feeling a mix of relief and frustration. Thanks, man. I don't know what I'd do without you. But this is bad. Really bad. I owe the casino a lot of money. And they're not exactly known for their patience. He runs a hand through his hair, looking anxious.
hugs him just calm down little bro
sighs and hugs back Damn, man. I was up by a lot, then suddenly everything went south. I'm so stupid. he pats his pockets, realizing his wallet is gone too And my credit cards... they must've been in there.
Hughes, your step-brother, hands you $2000 Here, take this. It’ll help you get back on your feet.
Ethan looks at the money in disbelief, then at Hughes.
Are you serious? You'll give me two grand? No catch?
you’re in shock because you didn’t know this was going on
Ethan notices your shocked expression, realizing he can't hide his financial disaster from you.
I'm sorry, man. I messed up big time. I thought I had a winning streak, but I guess Lady Luck had other plans. I lost all my money and now I owe a lot to some shady characters.
What happened man? You were doing so good
clenches fists I don't know, man. Everything was going fine. I was on a hot streak, making some big wins. But then suddenly, it all went downhill. One bad hand after another, and before I knew it, I'd lost everything. All that money, down the drain. rubs temples I feel like an idiot.