The Unforgiving Rage

It happened overnight, literally. Ricky Johns, eccentric billionaire, inherits fortune, was the headline splashed across the one TV they had here at the Café on 5th. I couldn’t help but keep my eyes glued to the news coverage of Ricky’s fortune. He walked so gracefully up to the podium to answer questions. His slouch was gone. He was known for slouching. Many thought he had a medical issue or perhaps he had a disability but, I knew the truth. He was self-conscious of how his shoulders were shaped. I had been slowly getting him out of that bad habit. Looks like my encouragement might have worked! The realization made me angry. Ricky hadn’t shown up to school the past few days. I tried texting, calling, emailing, and even showed up at his door multiple times to figure out what was going on. Ricky lived alone. I had to find out through the teachers that he had gone away on family business. Now, here he was on TV like nothing happened. He was smiling, cracking jokes, and outgoing! This can’t be Ricky, I muttered to myself. Atleast, not the Ricky that I know—

“Peter! Snap out of it. We need more House Special, stat!!” yelled Mrs. Durham, the café owner. The clinking of spoons stirring in coffee cups snapped me out of my thoughts. But, also of course the polite mannerisms of my wonderful boss. “Right away, madam!” I curtsied to assure my respects were paid. Her glare cut right through the deepest parts of my soul. I’m going to wait for Ricky to reach out to me this time. I did my part.

The Monday blues fell upon Worsho High School. The teachers looked more bitter than usual and the bell rung rambunctiously as an attempt to wake up the 2000 sluggish students that made up the building. Ricky was nowhere to be found. I was like a radar searching for that little light of life. He was a billionaire now; he didn’t need school. Suddenly, the hallways erupted with awe. The sound of a car revving echoed through the halls like a flare at a track meet signaling the start of a race, literally. Everyone ran to the front of the school to witness a billionaire ride up in a sleek silver and jet-black Lamborghini. Ricky seemed to have gotten out of the Lambo in slow motion. He reached for his shades as he stepped out showing off his expensive looking clothes. Out of his jacket in a suave like motion he grabbed a megaphone to make an announcement. “Ladies!! And Gentlemen” the crowd of students surrounding him forcefully and artificially laughed.

“Its me yah boy! Rickyyyyy Johnssss!” he lifted his arms up in reverence as the crowd cheered him on. “Lunch is on me today! Whatever you want!!” he then got everyone chanting his name. He reveled in the ominous applause he received. He slowly fixed his eyes on me. I gave him a look of disappointment as he smirked at me. Did he have something against me? Did I do something to make him angry? Whatever the case may be, he wasn’t talking to me.

The days topic was Ricky. Whether it was in Economics or PE, the subject always got back to Ricky. PE consisted of our coach yelling at us for the first fifteen minutes about how we don’t take our health seriously to the last forty-five minutes just walking laps around the track usually catching up about different things. ‘Us’ being my group of my friends that weren’t “Ricky”. I had a stupid crush on the most beautiful cheerleader in history, Ariana. She usually hung out with us during PE but, the school wanted to put together a pep rally for Ricky. I think it was a marketing ploy to get him to give money to the school. I guess money makes people do strange things. “I heard he got one of those mansions in the hills” said Ernesto to Josh in our group.

“Oh you mean where Ariana lives?” Josh jokingly nudged me. “Didn’t Ricky have some weird crush on her, Peter?” I shrugged my shoulders as the sensation of anger made the hair on my neck stand up. Why would he do that? He knows that I’m head over heels for Ariana. What could I have done to him to make him hate me? The announcement over the school PA system came as a pestilent warning.

“Attention! Attention! Seniors…and Juniors of Worsho High. Tonight at 8 pm! The biggest, most extravagant, party of the century will be taking place! 1111 Hillside Drive! Be there or be… You get the point. Ricky OUT!!

“There’s no way we’re missing that party!” yelled Ernesto as the group took off without notice. I had no choice. I had to see it for myself. There had to be something more at the source of all this. It was as if Ricky had come into a magic spell to make his life turn around this way. I am going to get to the bottom of this. Whatever it takes.

….

The way up the hillside was a tricky one. It contorted in many ways making it hard to see the road ahead. The moonlight caused the hills to have overbearing shadows which made the journey that much harder. Once it all cleared the view was breathtaking. The hillside overlooked the entire valley. I could see the lights of the city as far as the eye could see, like Christmas lights. I could feel the breeze through the sunroof opening in my car. It was light, pleasant, and had a warm scent to it. Ariana’s house was the first house that appeared in this decadent cluster of mansion type houses that made up Hillside Drive. I only knew it was her house because we did a project one time back in ninth grade. There were skylights lining up the entry way to Ricky’s mansion. To say it was huge was an understatement. There were acres of land before you even got to the front door. The lawn was covered in streamers, dancers, bands, confetti. It looked more like a grand opening of some kind with all the cars lined up. It seemed as if the entire city had come out to this party.

There was no room to think. The music mixed with the commotion of everything drowned out any type of thoughts. Suddenly, I was jerked backwards into someone.

“I’m glad you made it!” I recognized that voice anywhere! It was Ariana

“Me too!” I foolishly replied. I couldn’t help but freeze, as those big brown eyes stared into my soul. “Have you seen him?!” I shouted at the top of my lungs trying to overpower the noise.

“No, not one bit! Dance with me?” as the words left Ariana’s mouth my heart sank. This would happen to me right now. I thought to myself.

“Later?!” I tried to sound cool but, judging by her expression it came off as douchey

I caught a glimpse of Ricky at the top of a spiraled staircase leading into a room. He was talking to some women in leotards. It was hard to make out with the number of streamers, confetti, and bubbles that were takin up the entire field of vision. I had to talk to him. I wasn’t going to let this go. I had to get a few words in. I slowly forced my way up the staircase bumping into everything and everyone. My coat sleeve got stuck to a piece of the railing on the staircase. It tugged me hard causing me to lose my balance. I got up as quickly as I could to continue my trek.

The door by which Ricky was standing was slightly cracked open. Ha Ha! I Thought to myself finally I was going to see this guy face to face. The handle of the door was ice cold. It felt as if it were pure ice I was holding. The door led to a sort of study. Once the door was closed all the sound from the party dissipated. Peace and quiet. The room was surrounded by bookshelves filled with old leather books. The room smelled like dusty pages and hardwood. There was a desk in the middle facing a gold fireplace that sparkled in different ways as the dim lighting of the room reflected on it. The desk was clear. Except for that of a little black book. It had some weird inscriptions on the cover. Normally, I would avoid such things but it seemed to be calling to me. Upon picking it up, it was heavier than it looked. The material made it slippery and slimy to the touch. The first page read

This book will give you the desires of your heart

Beware of the price that must be paid

As I read the book it became all too real. There were descriptions of where huge sums of money would be found. Spread across the nation. There were times, dates, and locations. The book was telling Ricky where to go, what to do, and how to do things to get what he wanted. At first it was twenty thousand and it rapidly progressed to four billion! It told Ricky where to stash the money, how to negotiate. Then came the part where it told him how to act to get what he wanted at school. There was a page that said to ignore me completely. It matched word by word on how he showed up at the school. The book played out the conversations Ricky had that day in real time. Like a script. It planned out the party in detail. An itinerary that said when people would arrive. Even the conversation I had with Ariana! I was reaching the middle of the book when the next page caught my eye.

Leave the door open for peter

The next page

Let peter read your book

Let peter realize what’s going on

By now Ariana has left the party. Peter rejected her

No one else saw him come in to this room

Grab the gun located in the closet by the door

Kill Peter

Revenge

“Revenge?” I blurted out

“Yes, Peter. Revenge” Murmured Ricky behind me

I felt a cold hard prick press against my back. I heard the loading of a gun. Oh no.

“You’re one of them Peter. One of the bullies that made my life hell when I first moved here. Remember? How you ridiculed me? Belittled me?” there was a coldness to his tone

“Listen, Ricky. Pal, I was just trying to help!” I quivered

“Help? Oh you mean now in the present? Tell me. How long did you plan on me being your charity case? Huh? After Ariana finally noticed you? Isn’t that what you said to Ernesto in the library two weeks ago?” he began to tremble

“Listen, Ricky. I didn’t mean it like that at all! Ernesto is good friends with Ariana. I needed him to tell her—

“Shut up! All of you rich kids have the same excuses when it comes down to it. I never forgot Peter. I never forgave you or your friends for all the misery that you all gave me. Now it’s my turn. The tables have turned! This book is giving me the power to end all of you! And, that’s exactly what I intend to do! Any last words, pal?” the seriousness of his voice echoed through the room.

Tears filled my eyes as my life flashed before my eyes. The possibilities of my future diminished “Please—forgive me”