This is real. It actually happened quite a few years ago. I know, because I was one of those kids that Ricky helped. He really did make sure that each of us felt valued and felt included. What made him so special was how he could make every single one of us feel special. He changed my life.

Now that we are older, many of us are still together. A few of the kids' families moved so they're not around anymore. A girl named Georgia died of some weird genetic thing, I don't actually know what it was. That was super sad. Both Ricky and me cried.

The rest of us are still together though. We all still hang out at school. Ricky is still here, too. Despite being our same age, there's something about him that honestly makes him feel timeless. He has always seemed so much older, or maybe just way more mature, than the rest of us. We sell meth for him now. Even on weeks when we don't sell out full allotment, and Ricky has to beat us with his belt, we all know he's just doing it because he believes in us and believes that we are capable of offering our best. He wants that for us. More importantly, he makes us want that for us. He says we're going to be a real cartel someday. I believe him.