A Billion Dollar Exchange

Liling slowly walked to her dorm. The afternoon breeze blowing past her as she stepped on the dry leaves that had fallen off the giant flower trees.

"Ring, ring, ring"

Liling pulled out her phone, it was Xin Yong calling, one of her roommates. She swiped up, and answered the call.

"Liling, how are you?, are you coming to school today?"

"I'm fine, and I'm coming to school today, is there any problem?"

Liling asked worriedly.

"Nah, just that I missed you, no we've all missed you, it's been over a week now, and exams are fast approaching, you should come back soon, we've been taking extra classes since three days ago, and I don't want the work to be too large for you, okay.

Liling smiled at her worried friend's concern, she had always been like that, always troubling herself over nothing.

"Thank you roomie, but like I said, I'm coming today, and I'm even on my way" Liling comforted her.

"Really?, okay, We'll be waiting, bye"

Xin Yong immediately cut the call.

Liling chuckled and placed her phone in her pants pocket, her roomies were overly concerned for nothing. She just had to read extra that's all. But all the same, she was grateful, they had always been there for her, both financially and emotionally.

She was less sad in school, they made sure to cloud her thoughts with jokes and fun. Smiling, she quietly climbed the stairs to her dorm room, and as she approached her room, she heard loud music coming from inside. 'What's going on?'

She knew of her noisy roommates, but this was beyond noisy. Hurriedly, she knocked on the door, but the noise inside overshadowed her knocks. She had to push open the door.

"Happy Birthday!!!!"

Liling's view was instructed with an immensely large love-shaped cake, she blinked severally as she stared at the cake. 'what's today's date? '

It was then she realized it was the fourteenth of May, her birthday.

"Liling, come on, it's your birthday and you are busy staring at the cake as if you've not seen one before" Xin Yong furrowed her brows as she dragged the transfixed Liling to an empty bed.

Tears clouded her eyes, her dad didn't even remember her birthday, she herself even forgot due to the emotional pain she was passing through; but here they were, her friends even baked her a cake!.

It was then Liling realized that they were new people in the room. She blinked severally and took a good look at them.

Wow, what are they all doing here?, was she so loved?, but she knew. it was great rookies that invited them, all the same she was deeply grateful. Liling smiled as she blushed shyly.

"Aghh, no need to thank us, it's your birthday, if we don't celebrate it, who will?" The chatter box Xin Yong immediately cut in.

"Alright come and cut the cake, we've been waiting since morning, we are so hungry" Xiao Ran, another roommate exclaimed.She really loved food, a chatterbox also but to an extent, she is only loud around her friends. She took the cake from Rishi and place it on the center table, Rishi was the last roommate, the calm one, but very pretty.

"What are you all standing there for?, come over here already! ,this cake will soon loose it's taste from being left uneaten for so long. " Xiao Ran lamented, she already felt her tummy grumbling.

"Xiao Xiao, we all know you are hungry, but first we must sing the birthday song" Xin Yong explained.

"I thought the birthday song is after the eating of the cake?" Xiao Ran grumbled but immediately called up Lilling for the song. She made sure to rush it as quickly as possible as her thoughts were all on the Big blue cake on the center table.

Liling smiled and walked over to the cake as she cut it. She told Xin Yong to share it, as she sat down and watched everyone happily celebrating her. 'Even though father doesn't want her, her friends all did, and therefore she should be happy. She smiled as she collected her peice from Xin Yong.

Rock music was blasting in the room, the guys drank, some few girls joined them, Xin Yong was as usual, chattering away, Xiao Ran was busy eating the remaining cake with full attention. If she studied the way she ate, no one would be able to reach her grades. Others were either laughing or arguing about something.

"May I?" A male voice sounded above her, she lifted up her head to see a handsome guy pointing to the seat beside her and smiling.

"Yeah, sure" Liling smiled.

"Happy birthday Liling " He smiled as he sat beside her.

"I'm Robert, a Medical student "

Liling turned and looked at him, 'what was a medical student who she doesn't even know doing here?, most people here were almost music students only few from Languages because Xiao Ran studied language.

As though Robert sensed what she was thinking, he immediately clarified.

"I'm a friend to Richen, she always talks about you, so she invited me for the birthday"

Liling wondered, Richen? always talked about her? When did quiet Richen randomly discuss people? , but but she didn't want to press on the topic.

"Mmm, okay, nice meeting you Robert,'' ƒ𝘳ee𝔀e𝚋n૦𝐯el.c𝗼𝓂

Liling replied and he brought out his hand for a shake. Liling shook him and he held her hand for a while before releasing it.

"Seems you're really enjoying yourself " He smiled, trying to bring up a discussion. Liling chuckled a little .

"One needs to enjoy oneself on one's birthday, it comes only once in a year" She stared at his features, he was a Blondie, with sharp eyes, handsome to be sincere.

"Mmm, you are right, so you're a music student right?, Richen always talked about your angelic voice"

Liling blushed a little, "Don't listen to her, my voice is not as good as hers"

"I see, well we'll know if we hear you sing"

Before Liling could stop him, Robert had already announced that Liling would sing for them since it was her birthday, and everyone agreed, she was not in the mood but she couldn't just say no given everything they had done for her.

She smiled as they all sat down, she cleared her throat and complained shyly.

"Mm.. , I don't know what to sing "

"Don't worry Liling, just sing anything we are here for you, fighting!! " Xin Yong screamed.

Liling chuckled a little as she thought of what to sing. She told Xin Yong to help her get her keyboard , she placed it in the middle of the room and tapped on the keys to find a suitable key.

"Okay, I'll be singing 'From this Moment' by Shania Twain". Smiling, she took a deep breath. She started singing as she played.

"From this moment life has begun

from this moment you're the one

Right beside you, is where I belong

From this moment on.."

"From this moment, I have been blessed

I live only, for your happiness

And for your love, I give my last breath

From this moment on.. "

"I give my hand to you with all my heart

I can't wait to live my life with you

I can't wait to start

You and I will never be apart,

My dreams, came through, because of you"

She smiled as she sang from the depths of her soul, she closed her eyes as she played through the keys perfectly, singing melodically, her sweet soprano voice rang through the room leaving it's occupants in awe. She opened her eyes and glanced at the people in the room and then faced her keyboard.

"From this moment as long as I live

I will love you, I promise you this

There is nothing, I wouldn't give

From this moment on.. "

"You're the reason I believe in love

And you're the answer to my prayers

From up above

All we need is just the two of us

My dreams came true, because of you... "

"From this Moment....., as long as I live

I will love you, I promise you this

There is nothing, I wouldn't give

From this moment, I will love you

As long as I live, from this moment on.. "

She concluded and raised up her head to view the people. That was when she saw Xin Yong and most other girls weeping. 'What happened, why are they crying?' f𝐫𝑒𝗲𝙬𝒆𝚋𝐧૦𝘃𝗲l.c𝚘𝘮

She was wondering if she sang well, how come nobody even clapped, after a presentation, a clapping ovation should follow, but they where here staring at her as though she lost someone dear to her.

"Mm mmm ' she cleared her throat "I'm through " She smiled as she took her keyboard and placed it back.

That was when someone clapped, then others recovered and started clapping.

Xin Yong stood and hugged her, as she wept silently 'What is wrong?'

"Liling, I have only one sentence for you ' Xin Yong paused as she thought