OPPORTUNITY SYSTEM: THE RISE TO FAME

James didn't know whether he was alive or not. It was as though he was helplessly trapped in between the thin line that separated life from death and death from life. He could not move but he could feel, he could feel pain, excruciating pain. His brain was pounding in his skull and the whole of his body ached, as though he had been beaten. His heart beat faintly. Even inhaling and exhaling took massive effort from him.He could also not see anything but hear faint, distant, jeering voices mockingly calling his name."....look at him, lying there like a piece of shit……"".....what a loser he is. Definitely doesn't deserve her……"".....she chose me over you for a reason. You are nothing, nothing compared to me……"Those words flitted in and out of his head, leaving no meaning behind. They seemed to bounce and echo around his skull and he could not make it stop.The faint, mocking voices seemed to grow louder and louder until it seemed as though people were beside him, bellowing in his e

James trudged home slowly, still clutching his letter of suspension in his hands. He didn't think he had ever felt this heartbroken before. Nothing he had ever experienced compared to this level of sadness.He had his future in his hands but he had thrown it away. He had the opportunity to finally make something of himself but he had been too dumb, too stupid.He had come from a poor family, a broken home. His parents had gotten divorced when he was just four years old. His father never paid child support so his mother had to grind it hard, working three jobs just to make ends meet. Now, just when things seemed to finally be looking up for him; he got a scholarship into one of the biggest schools in the country, he got a job, he got a girlfriend, he had blown it all in one stupid move. He had blown it!If only he could have reversed time he wouldn't have. He would have not confronted Randy. He would have just left him to kiss and grope his girlfriend in peace. Now he had lost everyth

"What do you mean?" Randy asked. There was a trace of fear in his voice."You have to leave the team. You have to forfeit the finals on Saturday. That was the bet, wasn't it?""No!" Randy exclaimed. If he had looked shocked before it was nothing compared to his expression now. He looked horror struck."You have to." Another voice piped in. "That was the bet.""No, no you can't…..you can't make me." He stammered and backed up a few steps towards the exit door."Leave the team." A voice started. Before long, several voices had joined in. Soon, almost the whole cafe was chanting "leave the team" at Randy just as they had chanted "leave the school" at James a few minutes ago.Randy looked sweaty and pale. He looked around, dumbfounded. Even some of his usual group of friends had joined in chanting at him. He backed up a few more steps, turned and ran out of the cafe. A huge cheer erupted from the chanting crowd.**********************************************************James was the sud

James gulped down the rest of the whisky. He could feel the drink burning back some warmth into him, ridding him of some of the cold and numbness he felt inside.He wanted to talk with someone. He looked at Scott who was scrolling on his phone. He had an urge to tell this stranger about his woes, the challenges he had in spending all the money judiciously and on time. Was that wise? He didn't know. He decided to throw all caution to the wind. "I've got 250 thousand dollars," James said with a little of a hiccup."Huh?" Scott said, looking up from his phone."I said I've got 250 thousand dollars in my bank account, Scott..""Oh." Scott said, looking amused and a little confused. "Well, I've got 700 thousand dollars in my bank account Mr…..""James, just call me James," James said, finishing his sentence for him."Mr James." Scott finished."Well, I need to spe…..sorry, to invest all that money very quickly. If I don't, things could get bad for me." James said in a hurry.He wasn't sur

“Excuse me please.” A voice said, jolting him out of his reverie. He looked up and saw that he was causing a little hold-up at the entrance.“Sorry.” He said and stepped aside for them to pass.He perused the picture again. He had to be sure it was truly R.J. Black and not some random person. He looked at the man again and back at the picture. He was convinced. It was him. Excitedly, all thought of working out now nonexistent in his head, James ran towards his car just as R.J. Black entered the jeep and drove out of the parking lot. James started his car and followed the jeep.James followed the jeep through town for several minutes. He made sure to keep a discreet distance so as not to cause suspicion.The jeep finally stopped in front of a bungalow at the very edge of town. James parked his car in a distance. He didn't know whether to get out of the car and try to sneak towards the house. Before he could decide, R.J black was walking back outside again, this time, he was flanked by