Stolen Fate

That night, the campus forum exploded with activity.

Cecilia's 'Lucky Livestream,' which she had been hyping up for a full week, finally went live.

The chat section was packed. Comments flew by so fast they blurred together.

She had started doing those streams on campus, and only later did her fame spread beyond it.

I curled up on the top bunk with my headphones on, quietly watching the stream, too.

Since Cecilia could no longer siphon my luck, the wishes she granted for others were bound to turn…low quality.

There was no way I was missing a show like that.

On screen, Cecilia wore a pure white dress. Her makeup was soft and flawless, her long hair falling smoothly over her shoulders. She smiled at the camera, sweet and innocent.

"Hey guys, I'm Cecilia. Welcome to my livestream.

"The rules are simple. First-come, first-served. Just send a one-dollar tip. If you're fast enough, you might win.

"Get ready, everyone. Three, two, one!"

The second she finished counting down, the screen exploded.

Donation animations flooded in. Notifications stacked on top of each other. Countless one-dollar tips poured in like a storm. The first three usernames to send theirs were quickly captured and pinned in the chat.

Cecilia smiled brightly as she read the first name.

"Congratulations to Tyson Steele for becoming our first lucky winner tonight. Tyson, tell us your wish."

She initiated a voice call.

The person who connected was Tyson.

One of the most notorious bullies on campus.

He had some money at home and acted like he owned the place. No one dared mess with him.

"So you're the so-called goddess of luck?" Tyson's voice dripped with arrogance.

"I don't want anything fancy. Just get me 30,000 dollars by tomorrow. Let me see if you're actually capable."

The chat instantly filled with mockery.

[Is he insane? 30,000 dollars? Why not rob a bank while he's at it?]

[If she can pull that off, I'll wash my hair upside down.]

Cecilia only smiled faintly.

"Got it. Tyson's wish has been received. Sincerity brings miracles. Please wait for the good news."

The second winner was Jane, the most popular girl in the literature department.

In a soft, almost shy voice, she said, "I wish Liam Chapman would confess to me. I've liked him for a long time."

Liam was the son of a school board member; he was rich, famous, and never short on female attention.

To everyone else, her wish sounded just as impossible.

Cecilia nodded again. "Your feelings will reach him."

The third winner was an ordinary guy named Julian Rogers. His wish was simple.

"I…I hope I can win this year's national scholarship. I really need the money."

Cecilia agreed to all three.

Then, with the chat still full of people waiting to see her fail, she smiled and ended the stream.

She took off her headphones, unable to hide the smug look on her face.

"Nevaeh, what do you think? Pretty impressive, right?" she said, turning to me like she was showing off.

I forced a small smile. "Yeah. Impressive."

Impressive enough to build it all on someone else's life.

The next day, the campus forum blew up.

The post came from Tyson.

The title was in bold red letters.

[Holy crap! The Goddess of Luck is insane! I got 30,000 dollars! Real cash!]

In the post, Tyson described his 'miracle' in wild, excited detail.

That morning, he had taken a shortcut to class. In a quiet, empty alley, he had literally kicked into a black leather bag.

When he opened it, there were 20 stacks of brand-new hundred-dollar bills inside.

Not a dollar more. Not a dollar less.

It was exactly 30,000.

He even attached a selfie of himself holding the cash. The excitement and pride on his face practically burst out of the screen.

The forum went crazy.

[No way! Is this real? This is straight-up fantasy!]

[Photoshopped. I don't believe it.]

[I just passed by that alley. I saw Tyson running with the money like a maniac!]

[Oh, my god. The Goddess of Luck actually works!!]

Tyson's post was like a massive rock thrown into a calm lake, sending waves everywhere.

Before anyone could recover from the shock, that afternoon, a second miracle arrived.