BROKE

Matthew sat quietly beside his wife, Claire, who lay weak and pale in the hospital bed. Her illness—cancer—was slowly draining her, and they both knew how badly they needed money for treatment. The weight of it all settled heavy on Matthew’s shoulders as he stared at her, lost in thought.

Claire gently reached out and touched his hand. “Matt, what’s wrong?” she asked softly, reading the worry in his eyes.

He forced a small smile and stood up. “Nothing, babe,” he said. “I’ll go talk to Mum outside.” He kissed her forehead, trying to hide the sadness in his eyes, then turned and left the room. Claire watched him go, her heart sinking.

Elsewhere, in a noisy classroom, Henry was sound asleep during a lesson. Miss Jasmine, his teacher, marched over and tapped his desk sharply. “Henry!”

He snapped awake, groggy and annoyed. “What the hell?”

Realizing it was his teacher, he quickly went silent.

“Language!” she warned. “Henry, no sleeping in my class.”

She turned to walk away, shaking her head. Henry, irritated, raised his middle finger behind her back. The class saw it and burst into laughter, echoing through the room.

---

*Scene: Hospital – Outside the Doctor’s Office*

Matt hurried down the corridor to meet his mother, Jane, who was anxiously waiting near the doctor’s office.

“The doctor wants to see us,” she said quietly.

“Alright,” Matt replied, his voice tense. They entered the office together.

The doctor looked up from a chart, his face grim. “Miss James has approximately sixty days to live… if the operation doesn’t happen soon.”

Matt felt the world stop. “Sixty days?” he whispered, barely able to process it. “Please, doctor, do something. Slow it down somehow—I’ll get the money.”

The doctor shook his head solemnly. “There’s nothing more I can do.”

Jane gently took Matt’s arm, and they both stepped outside in silence.

---

*School – After Class*

Meanwhile, at school, chaos had replaced order. As soon as Miss Jasmine left the classroom, Henry stood up and began mocking her, imitating her tone and posture.

“Mr Campbell, stop sleeping in my class because I like watching your handsome face here,” Henry said dramatically.

The class erupted into laughter, except for Bianca, who remained focused on her phone.

Henry snatched it from her hand.

“Please give it back,” Bianca said, frowning.

---

Matt stood by the window of the hospital hallway, tension radiating from his clenched fists as his mother’s voice pierced through the silence.

“Stop wasting your time on that bitch, Matt,” Jane hissed, her eyes burning with frustration. “Move on already!”

Matt turned sharply, his face twisted in anger. “Stop calling her that, Mum! Claire gave up everything just to be with me. She sacrificed her happiness, her comfort—just so I wouldn’t be alone.”

Jane’s eyes welled up. “Can’t you see, son? That bitch is making your life a living hell! How do you intend to find two million dollars in less than a month?”

Matt opened his mouth to argue but no words came. The harsh truth in her words left him speechless. He looked away, the weight of reality settling on his shoulders like a stone.

**

Meanwhile, in the classroom, Bianca reached out with irritation. “Just give me back my phone, Henry.”

Henry smirked, the anger in his eyes sharp. “Is it funny now?”

Bianca frowned. “What?”

“My joke about Miss Jasmine?”

“I don’t know and I don’t care!”

The class watched as Henry dropped the phone and smashed it with his shoe. Bianca stared in horror, tears welling up, and walked away in silence, shattered.

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