1 Allen Altman

I'm Allen Altman, relatively unknown until a few years ago, but right now, I'm sitting on gold. Let me take you to the start. It starts like this.

"Wtf, I bet all my money on hellhound, but they somehow lost."

That's my friend, Holt Bellspring, a friend I've picked up on my first year of high school. Currently we're in second year and this man has already gotten addicted to gambling. His face right now is hideous.

"I told ya, I know you're a stan of Hellhound but I'd appreciate it if you gambled in moderation. That's not all, you told me that you needed that money for some important reason, but you and your addiction has my wallet missing two hundred dollars for no reasonable reason. You know that's not a small sum right? You've got to get me my money back or this'll be the end of our friendship.

*sigh* this has been happening too often, when I first befriended this friend of mine I had not noticed this habit of his, but it's becoming glaringly obvious. This man is a gambler… a terrible one at that.

I've trusted this man way too much, I've given him quite a sum of money during our acquaintance and he always somehow manages to spend it stupidly. I don't even know why I do this, honestly, I'm starting to get sick of this guy. I just want him out of my life.

"Come on man, I'm sorry about this, but I was sure they would win! It should've been a sure win! Those bastards from World Tree probably cheated! Otherwise Hellhound would've made 'em eat dir—"

"Yeah-yeah, whatever, are you able to return the money or not. I'm sick of hearing the same excuse over and over again. I won't tolerate this behavior anymore, either pay me back or get out of my face."

What did I see in this guy? I'm starting to wonder how I befriended him in the first place, come to think of, he has always been like this, how did our friendship even last a year?

"Chill man, it's just two hundred, what's gotten into you?"

He still has the same relaxed attitude but there was a hint of pain from losing the money from the bet. He's completely downplaying things again. This feels sickening.

"Just two hundred, that's TWO HUNDRED! I think you're starting to lose your mind from gambling. I know you've won ten thousand dollars from a gambling spree but how much did you carry home? Exactly! ZERO! You lost it all in the next bet. I don't even know how your sense of value has been so skewed. You know what? Forget the two hundred and the eight hundred other dollars that you've still not returned a penny of, I'm done with you. Don't talk to me again."

I feel like steam rose from my head that day, I don't really know how I went home that day, all I know is that I was done with a certain someone and I've cut our ties.

For the next few days I avoided the gambling addict and it seems he's starting to realize that I really am serious. At first he tried to downplay things as per usual, and when he realized I wasn't taking any of his BS, he apologized profusely, but I really was done with him. When he realized that, he backed off and I felt a hint of resent in his eyes. I really didn't care though, I felt a huge load was lifted off my chest. My world felt better then ever and it was just the beginning.