Ryan's POV
Rich people always think they can do whatever they like with people's lives without facing the consequences of things. But I do believe that a person who commits a crime must face the consequences of his or her actions. I do believe that the Universe returns whatever a person did right back to him or her. Sometimes karma did work, but other times when karma decided not to work, I made sure to put it in my to-do list to get revenge on the people who decided to mess with me. I did not care who it was regardless of their background, I always made sure to do something hurtful today whether it cost me something or not.
This was the case for Alexander. We attended the same high school, Ashhillton High School. It was a school for the elite, but luckily, I was able to secure a scholarship to attend. But the kids from a wealthy background always took the opportunity to bully me because they knew I was not from an equally wealthy home. It was not that I was from a poor home, my parents were working class, we were an average family. My family was able to provide for me, but since it was not as much as that of the wealthy children, they made it their entire mission to make my life miserable. Well "they", except a few intelligent ones like Alexander.
Alexander was indifferent and rude to everyone including the rich. Infact, he bullied the rich too when he wanted, so he barely noticed that I was a human being. But one day we had PE class, this class was a combined elective class for both science and arts students. I was studying to become a medical doctor, so I was in science class. While Alexander was studying business, he was in art class. We had both picked PE as our elective subject, and as though that was not enough, our PE teacher, Mrs. Emma had decided to pair us up together to play badminton against the opposing team which also had two players.
I found out at the end of the day that Alexander was not bad afterall. I saw him smile at me a few times when I played impressively. At a point during the game, the shuttlecock was shot at us so low, Alexander was not able to hit it on time, but I slid on the floor just in time, and was able to hit the ball right back at the opposing team.
"You're so good. Awesome."
Alexander had complimented me. He has not said it in a mocking tone which showed that he actually meant every word, unlike the rest that mocked me by calling me "smarty pants", "the weird science guru", and even more awful names.
After the PE game, I and Alexander started talking more. I would not say that we were really close buddies, but he talked to me with more respect than the rest and helped me bully my bullies until they were very few that still taunted me. There were sometimes that he would not want to speak to me or would be rude to me, but I respected that because that was the way he was with everyone. He did not do it to me because I was from an average home.
I thought he was an okay person compared to the rest, until there was a new girl in my class, Jayla. Jayla was very pretty with blue eyes and brown hair. She looked like a supermodel and was drop dead gorgeous. I wondered what she was doing in science class when art class was going to be more beneficial to her, because what agency would not want her to model for them?
For some reason which I never really understood, Jayla liked hanging out with me. Yes, it does seem crazy. It does seem like a lie because what beautiful girl would like a nerd like me? But this was the truth. Jayla hung out with me! I had a crush on her. I liked her. In Fact I loved her. I summoned all the courage that the world could give me to tell her that I had a crush on her. She had told me that I was cute and kissed me on that day. I could never forget! It was after school when I offered to walk her home because she was not leaving far off. We saw a flower shop, and Jayla suggested that we go inside to check out some flowers. She said she loved flowers and was hoping to see one that she could buy. I had checked my school bag and found that I had enough money to get her flowers. When she had selected the flower she liked to pay for it, I had offered to pay instead even though it cost me a lot of money.
After I had gotten the flowers for her, I had turned to her with a dry throat.
"I, uhm, I have a crush on you.. Jayla."
"You're so cute Ryan", she replied.
Before I could blink my eyes, she had planted a kiss on my lips. I was frozen, my body getting hot and tense. My first kiss was stolen. But at least it was from someone that I was sure that I really liked, someone that I loved.
I had taken it that she liked me because of the kiss, and the fact that many other guys at school wanted her, but she rejected them all. It even led to seniors at the school bullying me because they could not handle rejection, and they thought punishing the person that she preferred hanging out with was going to change anything. But they were wrong. I loved her. I thought she wanted me the same way I wanted her.
But then Alexander came into the picture. I had no idea what he said or did to her, but she started avoiding me and hanging out with him at every opportunity. Also, I heard rumors that they both had sex, and apparently Jayla lost her virginity to Alexander. I did feel disgusted at first. I was curious as to what was going on because it was too hard for me to process at that time. I was a loner, then the most beautiful girl at school decided to start hanging out with me, and all of a sudden, she refused to talk to me, making sure that she avoided me like the plague, but would go to speak to Alexander during breaks or any free time that both art and science classes had no classes.
When I went to talk to Alexander about it, he usually brushed it off, ignoring my question or changing the subject. One time, I tried to ask him what was wrong and what he was doing with a girl that I loved. But he laughed hard at me.
"You think a jerk like you deserves love?"
Those were the words that came out of his mouth. I could never forget. He had not stopped there, but had proceeded to describe how much of a jerk I was, and how I would never find love in my entire life.
The bullying had started again, even worse than before. The teachers at school were not doing anything about it as usual, and Alexander who was my saviour before stopped saving me. His focus was poured into Jayla.
At one point, I could not handle the bullying anymore. My parents had to change my school to an average school.
I never got to meet the bullies anymore. I never got to see that arrogant jerk, Alexander. He had turned his back on me for no reason. I would not say that he betrayed me, but at least he was more helpful before Jayla came around.
My sweet Jayla. She was the one who had suddenly betrayed me, but I could not get her off my mind. I loved her. I tried to reach out to her on several occasions, but I failed in all my attempts. When I graduated from high school, I tried my best to find her one last time. But I found out that she had passed on a few months prior to my graduation. One of her classmates, Catherine, that I was able to meet up with told me that she had probably died of cancer, but added a not-so-funny joke.
"She was a sick girl. We learnt a month after you left that she had cancer. Her parents did not tell us exactly what killed her, but we guess it was the cancer. But oh, maybe it was a heartbreak from Alexander. She got to really like that douchebag, but he left her for another girl. I was even told that Alexander had sex with her multiple times, and probably tore her–", the classmate was explaining, but I could not listen anymore.
"Enough. I don't want to hear whatever you have to say anymore", I announced.
The girl was laughing, but there was nothing funny. Alexander was more than a douchebag. He had snatched away the first person that I had ever loved, and still hurt the person later on. It may have been possible that the stress that Jayla felt from Alexander triggered her to get sicker, which ultimately led to her death.
I had to pay my ex-classmate for her time because that was the only way I could get her to tell me what had happened to Jayla.
She collected the money, still wearing a smirk on her face. Then she got up and gave me a pat on my shoulder.
"I'll tell you one thing since I don't like that arrogant son of a bitch called Alexander, who feels that he's better than everyone else. I think he did something really terrible to Jayla, something really unthinkable. Not sex. Something else that only the two of them know. It may be possible that he ended her life one way or the other because she stood as a threat to him. After All it was rumoured two months before Jayla's death that Alexander was going to join a secret society. Some people believed it was a Mafia, others believed it was a cult. But I believe it may have been both because both are secret societies which harm others. Anyways, it was never confirmed if Alexander was trained to join the Mafia. In Fact, the rumor died down because you know a lot of people are scared of Alexander. Use this information as you please."
She walked out leaving me frozen on my seat.