The 20 Million Dollar Gift Card

• Diya Ahmed, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2017

Yesterday was probably the best day ever! First of all, we had no school since it was curriculum day, second of all, I met Laura, my friend who’s a princess in Britain and lastly, Laura gave me the best gift ever. Laura and I exchange gifts every year. I gave her a necklace, while she gave me what was supposed to be a twenty dollar but turned out to be a twenty million dollar gift card. I found this out when I went to the store for a dress costing twenty dollars and the lady at the counter questioned me, “Why are you wasting a twenty million dollar gift card for one dress?” I was so confused, she gave me the dress and the gift card and I left.
I decided to call Laura and ask her whether she gave me a twenty million dollar gift card or not. If she gave me a twenty dollar gift card, I would have the counter lady sued for pranking a harmless customer. I called Laura thinking about all the possibilities with a twenty million dollar gift card. When she picked up, I met her British accent. I asked her if she gave me the wrong gift card, because Laura had to meet the President of the USA after she visited me and apparently, she was going to give him a gift worth a few million dollars. She admitted that she could’ve mixed up the gift cards and may have given the President the twenty dollar gift card, but she said I could keep the fortune gift card.
I confirmed with her that it was okay if I kept the gift card and after the call ended, I was so excited, I told my parents right away. They begged me to buy them a new house. I wasn’t sure if you could buy a house with a gift card but I didn’t mind asking. Apparently we can for this house, it is supposed to cost a fortune, but did it cost more money than my million dollar gift card? No it didn’t, it cost two million dollars. I quite liked the house, it had an indoor swimming pool, a bowling alley, a tennis court, a movie theatre and the most beautiful bedroom ever, which my parents promised would be mine. After we bought the house, my parents thanked me and they celebrated. I, on the other hand, went online and did online shopping for toys, clothes, jewellery and electronics. That in total cost me one million dollars. I asked my parents if we could have a party in celebration of our new house and obviously, they said yes. I was so happy I thanked Laura like a million times and figured out what do with 17 million dollars. I am going to give 10 million dollars to the local charity and keep 7 million for myself. My life is the best life ever.