Chapter 4 Goal 2

"Yes." She nodded.

"I'll order a large pizza tomorrow and you'll have lunch with me, okay?"

"Huh?" She frowned at the unreasonable invitation.

"Is that a bad idea?" He asks.

Vivian quickly calculated in her head. If she can use Clinton to see Jaime again, the offer wouldn't be so bad. Then another idea popped into her head. If Clinton likes her, she can use him as an excuse to be with Jaime, then when that happens, she'll try to win his heart. Men, she knows, are easily seduced by women. These people seemed no different than the people she encountered.

Although she is not a hot girl, her appearance is not bad either. She couldn't believe she couldn't seduce Jaime. If she can win Jaime's attention, she will approach him, getting closer to him until he falls in love with her and marries her.

Vivian is confident that the plan will succeed if only she is patient. After all, she's been through without her brain, she couldn't have survived. So is her brother.

"Of course not." She shook her head. "Just call, I'll deliver."

After they turned onto another street, she pointed to the old building. "This is where I live."

The two boys glanced at the apartment building structure. Clinton commented. "It's not far from school but this place seems shabby."

Vivian smiled. "That's why the rent is not very expensive. Okay, thank you for taking me home, and sorry for taking up your time."

"See you tomorrow, Vivian," Clinton said goodbye. Nodding, Vivian threw Jaime one last glance and then walked into the building as her brain plotted her flirtation with Jaime.

~~~~~

"Hey, friend," Clinton said. "I find her cute."

Jaime pouted. "That's OK." He then felt Clinton elbow him in the chest.

"Money." Clinton declared. "I won the bet."

"Bet what?"

Clinton pointed toward the apartment complex. "Got her address."

"You still haven't," Jaime repeated. "You don't know what floor she lives on or her phone number." Smiling, he said as he turned and walked away. "Better luck next time, friend."

"Hey!" Clinton shouted, running after his friend.

~~~~~

Along with the shopping bag outside the door, she discovers a letter from Hodja's brother's friend Jerry, who had a crush on her since the two boys were childhood friends, or rather the three of them were childhood friends.

"I came to see you but you were away. I hope you eat on time and don't skip meals." Jerry.

Vivian mumbled something but was still delighted by the gesture. Coming from a middle-income family, Jerry is studying at University Z after graduating from high school with honors. Now he is preparing to pass his bachelor's exam to impress her.

"If I earn a lot of money, will you marry me?" Jerry confessed to her during his high school graduation. Vivian felt that this confession was cute and childish. Jerry is like a second brother to her.

The phone rang as she walked in. She quickly walked towards the table and grabbed the phone. It was none other than her younger brother Hodja calling.

"Hodja!" She happily answered. "Why aren't you sleeping yet? Did you and Sunnee fight again?"

"Do not have." A gentle voice, very similar to her mother's, answered. "Jerry said he stopped by your place earlier."

Vivian laughed. "Uh, I know. I just got home and he texted back."

"Sister, why don't you date him? I guess he will treat you well, plus his family is quite wealthy."

Here we go again, Vivian thought then she spoke. "I know. How was work today? Have you gone to the doctor? What did they say? Could Sunnee be pregnant?"

"They said it might take a while." He spoke in a gentle voice. "How are you? I'm sorry for leaving you in such a humid place. I promise when life is a little more abundant, I'll buy you a better apartment."

"Save the money for my future grandchild. You don't have to worry about me." She assured. "I really want to see that baby born."

"Older sister," Hodja said sadly. "I'm sorry."

She smiles. "What are you talking about? Okay, go to sleep. Sunnee is probably waiting for you. Talk to you later. Good night."

Turning off the phone, Vivian put the phone on the table and sat down on the sofa. Looking around her room, she saw her smiling sadly. At the age of ten, she and her eight-year-old brother witnessed people convincing her mother to remarry but on the condition that she leave her children behind. Ten-year-old Vivian clung to her mother's shirt to plead with the elders who held her that day when the rich man came to pick up her mother. Vivian and her younger brother spent two years staying at the house of their greedy, selfish aunt until unable to endure her aunt's harshness, Vivian decided to leave.

With nowhere to go, and everyone refusing to take a twelve-year-old to work for them, Vivian and her younger brother were taken to an orphanage. There was a couple who wanted to adopt Hodja but she didn't want them to be separated so they ran away from the camp.

She agreed to leave school and work to earn money so that Hodja continued to go to school until he graduated and then went to college at a small local school, that was enough for her. Now he is married to Jerry's childhood friend Sunnee and living a good life.

Vivian always feels proud when thinking about the younger brother she raised. And now, it's time for her to climb the rich ladder to eliminate the poverty that has been clinging for many years.

"Jaime." She said that name out loud, happily stood up, and walked towards the bathroom.