ICE

78|Slow Reveal Part 2

Ryleigh's POV:

"She's not this nice to me at work" I whisper to Jordanne.

Mrs.Wellz has been cheeking at me ever since I came in on his arms.

"Her husband is the detective that won't drop the case" he says through his teeth, smiling at the cameras flashing in our faces.

I will not get used to this....

*Me love it girl*

I shift in my seat, feeling a bit out of place and uncomfortable.

*More alcohol?*

Yeah.....that's it.

I lift my champagne glass and chug it. Mommy snaps her head to me, giving 'the look'.

*Mi a me own big woman*

I think about rolling my eyes at her but the past trauma of her slapping me when I was younger, prevents it. Grabbing Jordanne's arm, I scoot my chair closer to him.

Don't ask me why, I couldn't tell you...

*Feel like yahgo lose him?*

Ignoring my subconscious, I whisper my next thought to him.

"Sue is such a natural at this"

He chuckles, "Sue know how fi play the game..... years now daddy have her a smile up with the one percent"

Will I eventually be like that?

*Girl yah make it pass tonight?*

I have a plan....

*Let's hear it...*

I'm gonna initiate se---

*Wrap it up..... that's dumb*

"You good?" Jordanne asks for the hundred-millionth time.

"Yeah.... just uneasy 'bout th--" I'm cut off by the host.

".....as the founder himself will now grace us with his wise words"

Jordanne stands, while the crowd claps. He moves to the stage commanding the large room and everybody in it.

The teenage girls blush and whisper amongst each other, while the teenage boys seem to be looking at their idol.

He gets to the podium and knocks the mic.

"Talkaphone on?" he starts and the crowd chuckles in unison. "I don't speak much each year, unuh know that......"

"We do--" a random voice in the back shouts.

"Like she want a talkaphone fi herself" he smiles....... "But seriously, on previous occasions, I would pull back from speaking much because I wasn't in the correct space mentally. You know alotta people look at me and think.... him grow up privileged and went to the best schools, got an Ivy League BSc, businesses......the prettiest woman in the room......mommy you're a close second" he laughs, and so does the crowd....

Sue holds her hands up in surrender "I'll pass my crown on to my daughter-in-law without a fight"

*Poor ting no know me nah have that title by a morning*

"Good sportsmanship" he laughs looking at his mom "As I was saying........ the lifestyle that everybody sees, didn't reflect my mental health. I was forced to take on a lot as a teen and I know now that it was too much. Before my father's passing, I never once thought I'd be shoved into leading an empire just weeks before my 16th birthday. I never spoke to anyone about it, because I thought it weak, emasculating if you will. The younger me would use different outlets to free my mind from the pressure.... weed, alcohol, women... you get the gist.... I say all that to say, privilege comes in all forms. Mine came as financial stability but was lacking in many other areas. So today I want to implore the teens in the audience to not dwell on the privilege they lack....and to focus on what they do have... some of you might have the privilege of both parents, the privilege to go to school freely without worry...others might just have the privilege of being here tonight, rubbing shoulders with the people who are responsible for the work force in this country....Again don't dwell on what you lack, focus on what you have and the latter will come eventually......Big up unuh self and to the people with the overflow of money" he points to our section and behind it...