Just Desserts

Rickell Donald grew up cheating her way through school and spreading lies about people to get her way. Rickell was five feet four with black hair and eyes. She was of average build, with pretty facial features. Rickell would play the part of the nice innocent girl to get want she wanted and had a lust for cheating.

It was during her senior year of college when she was sitting in her science class taking her exam. She cheated as she had always done and since her instructor was absent that day she along with the rest of the class decided to cheat. The proctor was her lab instructor for Chemistry, Mike Sanchez. Mike was average height with a muscular build and was known to be friendly and lenient with the students. Mike noticed Rickell and the rest of the class cheating and simply stated, “Do not make your cheating so obvious or else others may notice.” The students laughed and then eventually turned in their exams.

During lab Rickell barely did any work and mainly relied on her partners for answers. “Why aren’t you working,” the class instructor said to her many times but Rickell did not change her ways. At one point during the lab she was being careless and sprayed acid onto her clothing and ruined them. The class began laughing at her and mentioned to her that the lab instructor and the chemistry instructor were also laughing although they were not, “I don’t care if they laugh, and I can kick the crap out of them if I want.” Then she said in a serious tone, “They better not be laughing,” The whole time she did not look to verify if what she was being told was true.

Rickell, realizing she was not doing well in chemistry conspired with some of her classmates to get her lab instructor and chemistry instructor in trouble. The fact her lab instructor helped her study for exams and helped her in labs was lost on her. One day she went to the administration with a few classmates and the chemistry instructor was also called in but the lab instructor was completely unaware about the lies that were going to be told about him. “Mike told us we were going to fail and was laughing at us saying we were stupid. Mike does not explain the lab to us told me I was not going to graduate. He said he was going to fail us.” Her lies were quickly destroyed by the chemistry professor, “How can Mike fail you when he has no control of your grades. I always see him helping you guys and this is what you do? Mike has no access to your grades so he could not possibly tell if you are passing?” Rickell and the other students left defeated. Mike heard all this and was furious. He realized he could sue Rickell for her slander but decided to let it pass.

A few weeks later Rickell was in the lab and asked the lab instructor to explain a procedure. Mike explained she needed to add twenty-five milliliters of a base and then to add ten milliliters acid and then add enough water to bring it up to fifty milliliters. Rickell got upset and Mike had to explain to her four times and went off, “This is why no one likes this school and everyone is failing.” She paced back and forth as she snarled these words and the chemistry instructor came by and explained the same procedure. She then mentioned she understood at which the lab instructor said, “That is exactly how I explained it to you not to mention that it is written on the board.” Rickell replied, “You did not explain it the same way” at which she was interrupted by Joan, an African American woman that did not like her who said, “That is exactly how he explained it to you but you just like to cause trouble for everyone.” Rickell then got quite and finished her lab. Joan was known for her intelligence and her ability to fight so Rickell was in no way willing to challenge her. Rickell eventually graduated and got into a graduate school.

She continued her ways in graduate school, cheating and causing trouble until she was caught cheating. She tried to lie her way out but that did not work. She went to the administrators and told the same type of lies she told about her lab instructor but that did not help. She was expelled from the program and kicked out of graduate school. Word reached her lab instructor who then decided to sue her for slander and won, but did not receive any money. Rickell tried hard to find another college to take her but her records mentioned her cheating, lying and her lawsuit from her lab instructor.

Rickell was at a loss of what to do with her life now since she could not further her education and could not get a job using the education she already received since she had been branded a cheater. Rickell got a job working at a department store and one day she had to clean the restrooms. After she cleaned the restrooms a police officer and her manager showed up, “Ma’am a guy claims he lost $600 in the restroom and he says you took it.”

“No I didn’t and you can check my locker.”

“We already did and we found nothing.” Of course Rickell did not take the money and the man was just lying but the man was persistent.

“Ma’am the man would like to talk to you.”

“No I do not want to talk to him.” The police officer then escorted the man out of the store. Luckily for Rickell the man did not get a good look at her. This event left Rickell shaken since no one had ever lied like that about her.

A month later she was called into the store manager’s office with her supervisor. As she was lead in the door was closed behind her and she was offered a seat. Behind the desk sat a skinny woman standing around six feet tall with piercing blue eyes and an evil menacing scowl on her face as she was looking at Rickell.

“Rickell one of your associated mentioned to us that you wanted to steal from us and you have been telling horrible stories about people. We have heard from many people that you bad-mouth us? Is this true?”

As she uttered these words she pulled out a piece of paper and perused it as Rickell spoke. “No I haven’t said I want to steal anything. I may have said something’s I should have but I do not steal.”

“Well you need to sign this paper since this is your official warning and you are being written up. If you are written up again you will be terminated, understand?” “Yes,” replied Rickell as she sign the paper. She knew she had to be careful since she had huge college loans and needed this minimum wage job to pay her bills.

During this time she was dating a white man named Charles. Charles was educated and a known playboy. Charles was roughly six feet tall with blue eyes, brown hair a powerful chest and shoulders. Rickell became pregnant and when Charles found out he left her and refused to pay her child support. Rickell had to fight hard for the child support but Charles barely paid what he was required. Their child Sandy grew up to be intelligent and honest. Once she went off to college she never spoke to Rickell again. They had a stormy relationship since Sandy was able to piece together the things her mother had done in the past. Sandy eventually became a civil engineer and a poet.

Rickell ended up in a nursing home once she got old and had no one come visit her. She died one cold night alone and was buried in an unmarked grave. Everyone that knew her soon forgot Rickell and her daughter did not hear of her death until a few years later but thought nothing of it.