Still Short on Money

It was the expression on Andrea's face.

She looked a little tense right now. Bryan looked at what she was focused on and immediately knew what was bothering her.

It was the final question. It wasn't a huge problem if Bryan did not mark it for himself but now that Andrea was tensed. He decided to use his own knowledge.

Knowledge of how to cheat as no way in hell he knew the answer to the question. He hadn't touched chemistry for over 7 years. How could he even think about solving it himself.

Bryan sat in an upright posture as he glanced at the students on the front seat. His improved eye sight came in handy. He matched the answer with the answers on multiple students. 

[So many of them can't be wrong.] Bryan thought.

"Stop writing." The hot invigilator said. 

Bryan quickly picked up the pen and marked the answer on Andrea's sheet.

Betty was even quicker, she marked the same answer before Bryan had done it on his own sheet.

Andrea looked at him in surprise. It was the only question that had bothered her.

[It's almost like he completes me.] Andrea thought.

She smiled towards Bryan. Bryan did the same as he felt the pinching begin on Betty's side.

Now the test was done, she had ended the cease fire. 

The war was back on that side and she was claiming back thighland.

Bryan could only retreat this time. He had tasted the forbidden fruit and he took back his hand after one last squeeze of her thigh. He had not even gone very high up and just flirted around the knee way below the portion where her short shorts ended. 

The answer sheets were collected and Andrea asked Bryan, "Are you sure about that last one? I thought you did not study."

"I am sure. Why would you club me with her?" Bryan said as he pointed at Betty.

Pow!

Bryan felt a punch on his arm for this comment from Betty.

"Why are you sitting with this hooligan?" Betty asked Andrea.

"We are friends." Andrea replied. She did want to tell about the kiss and the handholding. 

[What would she say if she found out that I did that all on the first day.] Andrea thought.

"We are more than friends." Bryan said.

"What do you mean by that?" Betty asked.

"Isn't it clear to see?" Bryan put his arm around Andrea's arm as he said, "We are best friends."

Betty felt relieved and annoyed at the same time. She was expecting the worse but it seemed they had not moved that fast.

"Andy, let's go. We need to stay away from him." Betty said she grabbed Andrea's other arm.

Bryan looked at Andrea but she spoke first, "I have a lecture to attend. See you later." 

Bryan could only nod. He was not going to start attending classes now. There were more important things to be done instead of the boring lectures.

Bryan was moving out when he found Eddie waving towards him.

"Yo, how was the test?"

"Alright." Bryan said.

"How was it? I saw you sitting between Andy and the devil." Eddie said.

"Devil? She seems nice." Bryan said remembering the feeling.

"Are you alright? Is she blackmailing you?" Eddie asked.

Bryan just ignored him.

"What are you doing now?" Eddie asked.

"Going back to the dorm." Bryan said 

"Why don't you come with me tonight? I know some guys who are hosting a party in another dorm?"

[It seems like a good idea. Maybe I can find more investors.]

"I will join you. Can Andrea come?" Bryan said.

"Why not? It's even better that way.  See you in the evening. I will send you the money as well." Eddie said as he walked away.

Bryan went back to his dorm room with nothing better to do.

~ting~

It was a message of a wire transfer.

"Eddie is fast."  It was only fast as they had the same banks which reduced transfer times.

[Nice. 50k is here.] Bryan looked at the message as he opened his laptop.

[The price is already over 200$ almost creeping up to 220$. I need to go home this weekend.] thought Bryan as he bought the bitcoins.

Bryan had about 300 bitcoins in his wallet in total.

[If I sell them all for 1200. I can turn this into 360k. Not even close to the 1 million I need for the intelligent bot.] Bryan thought.

Bryan had decided to redeem a software engineering bot. He could buy 7 of them. Each costlier than the last one he bought. It was easier to sell stuff online and he had plenty of things he could do with the bot.

The pillow production line only needed worker bots so it was not a problem to set that up after he sold some software. He did not want to straight go for the pillow line when he could not protect his assets.

[I need a million at the very least which means another 600 coins which means another 120k dollars.]

Seeing no other option for now, Bryan decided to look for more online work. He passed his time till he remembered about the party later tonight.

He picked up his phone and called Andrea.

"Hi. It's me." Bryan said.

"Hey."

"Where are you? Eddie told me about a party tonight."

"Betty told me about it. Sorry, Bryan. I can't be there tonight. I am with my mom and my sister." Andrea said.

"Alright. No worries. Next time then."

They talked for a bit about the day before hanging up.

[It won't be any fun now. Going solo just like Eddie.] He thought.

~knock~

"Bryan."