Chapter 138

As the game came to an end, I couldn't help but beam with pride for Lucas. I shot up out of my seat, screaming louder than I ever had before at one of their games.

The Dragon's victory brought a deep sense of satisfaction to me, and I couldn't be happier for him. Not just Lucas, but James either.

I grinned as I watched the boys from the team pick up James and hold him above their shoulders, chanting "MVP! MVP! MVP!"

As the Dragon players were celebrating, Lucas's eyes searched through the stands.

Our eyes locked for a brief moment, and I offered him a wide, joyous smile along with an enthusiastic wave.

It looked like he wanted to give me a wave back, but his attention was quickly taken away from me as his players approached him, offering their own congratulations and slapping him on the back.

Lucas turned away from the crowd, caught up in the celebration and hype that his team was giving him. I knew that this was his moment to shine, and I couldn't wait to join him to offer my own praise.

I struggled to make my way down through the crowded stands, determined to reach Lucas and congratulate him properly.

There were a lot more fans of the Dragons than I had ever seen before. It seemed as if the entire school had come to watch them play their final game of the year.

The excited chatter of the fans, the loud cheers, and the enthusiastic applause filled the stadium.

Just as I was approaching the last step in the stands, my phone began to buzz insistently in my pocket.

I reached for it and glanced at the screen, surprised to see an unknown number flashing.

Typically, if an unknown phone number would be calling me, I would ignore it, but this time, I couldn't shake a strange feeling in my gut that told me this was important. It was urging me to answer.

I quickly stepped aside, allowing the crowd to continue their chants as I answered my phone.

"Hello?" I asked, my curiosity peaking.

"Hello there, is this Shana speaking?" a woman's voice said on the other end of the call.

"Yes, this is she." I put my other hand over my ear to hear the woman better. It was so impossibly loud in the stadium that I could hardly hear her. "Is there something that I can help you with?" I asked.

"Yes, actually it appears that you," the woman on the other end started to explain, speaking in a hurried and somewhat frantic manner. I heard her explain that she was a representative from a financial institution, but other than that it was very hard to understand what she was saying.

"I'm sorry," I said, cutting her off as she was talking. I held my phone closer to my ear. "Could you repeat that? I didn't quite get all of that."

The woman started to speak again, this time enunciating more clearly, allowing me to understand some of her words. I was able to piece together parts of her explanation.

"Your identity... credit card debt... casino..."

"I'm sorry. I didn't get that. I'm going to go somewhere I can hear you better," I said into the phone. "Please don't hang up."

As I weaved through the crowd, trying to make my way toward the exit, worry started to overtake me.

The mention of a casino triggered most of my concerns. My father, who I hadn't heard from or spoken to in weeks, had been unemployed and struggling with a gambling addiction.

Could this phone call have anything to do with him?

It was a financial institution...

Questions swirled in my mind.

Maybe something had happened to him? But what did my identity have to do with it? Were they mistaking me for my father? Could my father be in trouble? Was this related to his gambling issues? What did my identity have to do with it?

The suspense hung heavy in the air, and I could hardly wait to find out more.

The only quiet place I could think of right now was Lucas's private locker room. My feet felt heavy as I rushed to the room.

Finally reaching it and closing the door slightly behind me, I held my phone tightly to my ear.

"Okay, I'm sorry about that," I said eagerly, just wanting to get to the bottom of this unsettling phone call. "Could you please repeat what you said?"

The woman on the other end of the call resumed her explanation, this time with more clarity.

"I apologize for the inconvenience," she began saying. "We are a financial institution, and we've identified a substantial debt associated with your name, Shana."

A cold shiver ran down my spine, and my heart sank.

Debt? In my name? How could this be? I had always been careful with my finances.

"But," the woman continued, "further investigation reveals that the debt is linked to a casino. It appears that your father—"

My father. The mention of him sent a rush of mixed emotions coursing through me. Oh no.

"My father?" I cut her off, my voice trembling. "What does he have to do with this?"

The woman cleared her throat before responding, "It seems your father may have used your identity to obtain a significant debt. He's accumulated a large financial obligation at a casino, and it's been linked to your name. This is a very serious matter, and we need you to address it promptly to avoid potential legal repercussions."

I was left speechless.

How could my father do this to me? The thought of my father resorting to such desperate measures was disheartening and infuriating.

Why couldn't he just be normal? Why couldn't he try to stay away from gambling and drinking like he promised me he would?

I wanted to know more, to understand how it had all come to this, but the woman's next words stunned me into silence.

"We have been attempting to contact your father regarding this matter, but we haven't received any response, and his whereabouts are currently unknown."

Tears welled up in my eyes as I tried to process the information. It had been weeks since I last heard from him, and now it seemed he had vanished entirely. It was like he left me vulnerable to pick up all the pieces.

The situation was more than I could handle right now and my anxiety continued to grow.

What was I going to do?

"What is the amount of the debt?" I asked, needing to know what my father had left me to deal with.

"A total of twenty-six thousand dollars."

I almost dropped my phone to the floor at the mention of the amount. My confusion grew as my hands began to shake.

The sinking feeling in my gut intensified. I couldn't hold back the tears that began to well in my eyes as the truth and devastating reality sank in.

How was I going to get twenty-six thousand dollars? I didn't even have anything close to that amount.

Just as I was processing the overwhelming news, the door to the locker room swung open quickly.

It hit the wall hard, and I jumped as I took Lucas in.

He stood there, his face filled with concern as he noticed the tears in my eyes.

"Shana, what's wrong?"