I drove to the city 30 miles away and that was across the state line before checking into a hotel. I didn't want to be back in town in case Rachel decided to go looking for me. She knew I didn't have friends, and besides staying at Aunt Cindy's, a hotel was my only option. I could honestly see her going to every hotel and checking with each receptionist.
I had no regrets about what I did. Now Rachel would know a small amount of the pain and humiliation she caused me. Only thing I couldn't believe was how easily it was for her to toss me aside. That hurt so much. I admit, I hardly slept the first night. I would either be punching my pillows in anger or holding them as I cried.
The next day I went to the mall to do some shopping. Since I didn't grab any of the clothes Rachel had bought me over the years, I had to replace my entire wardrobe. I didn't go too crazy, just buying stuff I liked and that fit. I did get two suits, and a nice leather jacket but those were my only extravagant purchase.
Once that was done, I went to the food court to get some food. As I sat there I looked at all the friends other people had, the happy families and I got jealous. I wanted friends to hangout with, to do things with. Thanks to Marcus and his cronies, I didn't.
I want to get revenge on him. I want revenge on his cronies for joining in. I wanted revenge on the school for turning a blind eye to it. I wanted revenge on the entire town for valuing high school basketball championships more than me. Burning the pictures for Rachel to see gave me a small measure of satisfaction, but not nearly enough.
I decided to try to figure out how to get revenge on Marcus first and go from there. I just didn't know what or how to do it. Yes, I had more self confidence and was able to stand up to Rachel. But even that was at a distance, over video chat, not face to face.
I know I couldn't do anything to Marcus physically. He was still had his athletic build and I was still small with no muscles. A baseball bat to the knee, could hurt him. I just didn't know if I could swing it hard enough to do so. If I didn't or if I missed, he would pound me to a bloody pulp.
I could hit him with my car, but I didn't want that. My car was my new freedom. It allowed me to get mostly away from Rachel and from Marcus. I didn't want to risk that.
Plus, doing anything physically to Marcus would give him sympathy from everyone. I didn't want to give him a martyr complex. I wanted to turn everyone against him. To make him to suffer alone, a pariah, as he had done to me.
I went to the grocery store to pick up soap, shampoo and other person items I needed. As I was walking down the aisle in the pharmacy area, something got my eye. I turned and looked at it. People must have thought I was weird to be standing there, looking at something for a good 5 minutes, and then start to smile.
I grabbed the item as the plan for Revenge 1.0 formed in my head. I went back to the hotel and continued to think how I could pull it off.
On Monday, I went to school. I parked my car on the residential street 2 blocks away. I didn't want anyone, especially Marcus to see that I had a car or what my car looked like.
I was so lost in my thoughts that I almost didn't see Rachel's SUV parked in front of the school until it was too late. I saw she was sitting in it looking around. I figured she was looking for me.
I ran around the block, cut through the track field, and went into the school through the back. I went straight to the guidance counselor's office. She wasn't there but her computer was up and running and logged in. I quickly got behind her desk, pulled up the student information page, and looked up Marcus's home address. I took a picture with my phone and then closed it before she could walk in.
After the counselor came, I checked in and was done for the day. She did advise that it was my choice to go to class or not. That if my application was denied, I would have to rejoin the classes and catch up. She did say, my application was almost certainly be approved.
I left through the back to avoid Rachel again. I then drove by Marcus's house to see what it looked like, and start to figure out when and how to implement my plan.
The regional playoffs started on Wednesday. It was best of 3 with games on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday if needed. I also know on game days, the school allowed the players to start late and go home early. So Marcus wouldn't be out of his house till around 9:30 in the morning.
It was mid afternoon when I got the call I was expecting from Aunt Cindy. I was tempted to ignore the call. For a second I was worried Rachel might have gotten Cindy's phone.
"Hello?" I answered.
"Kevin! Where the hell are you? What's going on?" Aunt Cindy asked in a hushed shout. "Your Mom has been in hysterics since last night. I practically had to drug her to get her to sleep! Did you really burn all the pictures?"
"I don't have a mother. She died 2 months ago!" I replied back trying to stay calm. Aunt Cindy didn't deserve to have my anger taken out on her.
"That's not funny Kevin!" She retorted.
"No, it isn't. But it doesn't make it any less the true. And yes I did burn it all. Why would I want pictures of me hanging in some strange woman's house?"
"What the hell has gotten into you?"
"You should ask her that. Did you think maybe this isn't about me or what I did but about her?" I asked with more pain in my voice then I intended.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Aunt Cindy asked.
"Did she tell you want happened?"
"She said," Aunt Cindy started and then let out a sigh. "She said you walked in on her while she was having sex.
"Look, Kevin. I know you loved your dad, but your Mom can't mourn him forever just for you." Aunt Cindy tried to say with sympathy in her voice.
I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing.
"Is that all she told you?" I asked as I kept laughing.