Chapter 36 Chapter: 36

Chapter 36 Chapter: 36
ADDISON

I stared hard at the mirror, my stomach knotting with nerves. It was still the same me from yesterday and yet something feels different about me.

Although I don't see it. My white crisp uniform shirt stretched across my boobs, my bow perfectly in place, plaid maroon skirt neatly pressed, my maroon socks and black boots the same as always.

My maroon blazer hangs on one hand, my dirty blonde hair is in a high ponytail, and my face is clear except for a little powder, lip gloss and mascara I'd applied and even that felt like too much.

I chew on my cheek as I wonder if Shepherd will think whatever little makeup I had was for him. I scoffed, like I’m one of his dumb groupy girls.

The alarm clock sounded again. Startling me into action, it's quarter after 7: 45am. Jess, Emma and the others had already left after I hid in the bathroom and made a lie about diarrhea just so I could delay meeting Shepherd.

God, I can't believe I couldn't come up with a better lie than that. But what's done is done. And I've already wasted as much time as I could get away with.

Unless I want to get detention, I need to leave now. I grabbed my purse, took a final look in the mirror and walked out of the room.

I stepped out of my dorm and my heart stuttered in my chest at seeing Shepherd looking absolutely dashing. He had on his maroon school pants and his white shirt, whose sleeves were rolled up, showing the dark tattoos on his forearms.

As always, he had no tie, and a few of his buttons were undone, showing his sculpted chest and tattoos. To complete it all, he had a black leather jacket over his shirt, and the sleeves were also rolled up.

And he was waiting for me right outside, cool as a cucumber on his freaking bike as though he'd done it a hundred times before.

My eyes rounded. “What are you doing?”

He smirks. “Driving you to school.”

I shake my head. “No, no, no, we agreed we'll meet up in school, not for you to pick me up, besides it's ridiculous driving to school on a fucking bike, my God shepherd it's a five minute walk.”

“Hop on the bike Addison, I'm not in the mood to argue with you. I've agreed to your terms,” he growled. “Taking you to school is one of mine.”

My eyes narrowed. “That wasn’t part of the deal. You never said anything about your own rules.”

He shrugged. “Well, now you know.”
I glared at him, but it's clear the asshole isn't going to change his mind.

I didn't want to be late, or should I say any later than I already am. Fortunately for me, there weren't any students here at this time, so I threw my leg over Harley Davidson, climbed, and grabbed a hold of Shepherd's black leather jacket.



If anyone had told me a couple of months ago that I would be walking the halls of Brighton Academy on the arm of Shepherd Conrad, star forward, football captain, and king of Brighton.

The guy most girls in this school will pierce their tits for if it will get his attention, and the same asshole who bullied me on my first day here, I would say they're fucking crazy, and yet here I am.

Pretending to be his girlfriend for all the world to see. Silence swept through the hallways as every pair of eyes landed on us.

“Relax,” Shepherd murmured, leaning close enough that his breath brushed my ear. “You look like you’re about to face a firing squad.”

“I might be,” I muttered, with a nervous smile. “Have you seen the way people are staring?”

“Yeah.” His mouth curved. “That's the point, let them look, as a matter of fact, let's make it even more convincing.”

“What are you up to now?” I hissed, feeling my stomach cramp. Just as my friends finally notice me, well, most of them. “I should have never agreed to this insanity. Shepherd, you'd better tell me what you’re planning.” I breathe, looking up at him, while I pinch him slightly.

He pulled me tighter, smirking down at me, his hand stroking my jaw lightly, in total contrast to the wicked look in those stormy eyes. “Don’t worry, babes. You'll find out soon enough.” I swallowed, my heart pounding. I don’t trust him.

Emma elbowed Jess, who was busy chatting with Denise, and she whirled to yell at her, only for her jaw to hit the floor. Denise wasn't far behind. I smile nervously, waving at them as I bite my lip.

“Your friends are quite cute,” he said, clearly amused at their gawking.

“They’re confused,” I whispered. Hell, even I am confused. I can't believe I'm doing this.

Shepherd tightened his arm around my waist, making my heart skip, as he pulled me a little closer as we stopped right before my locker.

Then he took the scrunchies I'd used to put my hair up, so fast I could only gasp as my hair fell down all over my face, neck, and shoulders.

Before I've even fully recovered from that move, his mouth smothered over mine, hard and insistent until I parted my lips for him, and his tongue swept inside for a taste.

My eyes flutter close, all the sounds, gasps, and whispers around us are suddenly drowned out by the pure ecstasy of Shepherd's mouth on mine.

My back hit my locker as he shoved me unceremoniously against the metal wall, his hands on my waist, while the other cupped my neck, as he kissed me for what felt like forever, but was just a few seconds.

When we parted, my head was spinning, and the entire world looked different than it did before, brighter and more colorful.

“Going to class now, babes,” Shepherd whispers softly, his large hands cupping my face. “See you later.”

He placed a soft kiss on my cheek and bounded to his friends, who were blatantly watching us, and grinning smugly, while I stared dumbly at Shepherd's back.

“Oh my god!” I yelled when it finally sank in that he'd just broken rule number four. And because the asshole knew exactly what he did, he turned around, walking backward, and winked at me.

I should have known, Shepherd wasn’t going to follow any rules that don’t benefit him, which didn’t make sense, because the asshole is always telling me that I’m not his type.’

I didn't have enough time to panic because suddenly the bell rang, and I was being dragged into class by Jess, Emma, Lia, and Denise, all of whom are dying to know how, where, and when Shepherd and I began dating.

“You had better start talking, Addison Leslie Campbell,” Jess whispered as soon as I sat down on my desk. “How could you hide such massive news from me? Do you know this is breaking one of The Best Friend's codes?”

“I'm so sorry, Jess, I didn't mean to,” I replied.

“Don't just apologize, just spill everything out, what have you all done? Clearly, you're way past the kissing stage. Have you seen his?” Emma wiggles her brows.“You know? Or do this?”

I frown, clueless. “His what?”

She makes weird up and down gestures.

“What she's asking is, have you given him a hand job, bj, or did you already have sex? How big is his dick?!”

“Oh my god, Jess!” I shrieked, my face flushed, her voice was a bit loud, so that everyone was now looking at us. She smiled and shrugged. My entire face was burning, with everyone clearly waiting to hear my reply.

I groaned loudly and dropped my head on the desk. I must have done something good because that's when our history teacher walked in.



I was rushing to get my history book after the second period ended, with Jess still grilling me about my new so-called relationship with Shepherd beside me.

“Oh my god, Jess. Can we please talk about this later?” I whispered. “Please.”
I indicated the girl beside my locker with my eyes.

“Fine,” she huffed. “Don't think I will forget, you have a lot of explaining to do.”

I sighed as I entered my password and reached into the open locker for the book, and that's when the loudspeaker crackled, so unexpectedly loud it startled me.

“Addison Campbell. Please report to the principal’s office immediately. Addison Campbell to the principal’s office.”

“What the fuck!” Jess yelled, holding her chest.

My heart dropped to my stomach, and my fingers froze around the spine of my textbook. The hallway noise dimmed around me. A few lockers down, someone let out a low whistle.

eyes whipped to where I was, probably wondering what trouble I'm in. Yeah, I would also like to know.

After this morning, I thought there was nothing that would beat mine and Shepherd's grand entrance in terms of getting people's attention, but now I see I was wrong.

“Ooooh, what’d you do, Campbell?” Cole asked, I didn't even notice him there in front of his own locker.

“Why do you think the principal is looking for you?” Jess leans in and whispers.

“I don't…I don't know,” I whispered, barely audible.

I've never been called to the principal’s office since I arrived at Brighton, because I know nothing good ever comes from it.

I slowly closed my locker. This has to be a mistake. But the second announcement came, sharper this time.

“Addison Campbell. Principal’s office. Now.”

My heart pounded even faster now, as I hurried down the hallway, completely forgetting about Jess.

My feet felt heavier as though they were made of lead. I tried to replay the past week in my head.

My mind is grappling with different things I could have done to get a summon like this.
Did they find out about us kissing in the hallway? Is this related to Shepherd and me?

But then I shook my head, no, that's not it. Although there's no dating rule, and public displays of affection are forbidden, these rules aren't strictly enforced.

The school knew there was no way they could stop horny teenagers from doing anything sexual, which is why they give us condoms and birth control pills.

The only thing that would get students suspended or even expelled is getting caught on camera doing naughty things.

Or if teachers caught them, but I've heard from Jess that some students have used their influence and gotten away with it before it even gets to the principal.

So that couldn't be why. Could it be that the school cared enough about their students and knew about Angela bullying me? Could Shepherd have reported her? Was this his punishment?

That also just doesn't make sense. Knowing Shepherd, he'll never waste his time reporting someone to the school authority; he'd take matters into his own hands.

So then, if it's not any of these, why am I being called? Did it perhaps have something to do with my family?

Oh my God! Could it be that something terrible happened back at home?

My throat tightened at that thought. I forced myself to relax before I scared myself to death with all these thoughts.

My heart was pounding like crazy, and my palms kept getting sweaty. The closer I got to the office, the more anxious I felt.

When I finally reached the office, Principal Harrison’s secretary, Grace, gave me a tight-lipped smile.

“Go right in, he's expecting.”

“Thank you,” I whispered and nodded. Then I knocked gently.

“Come in,” Principal Harrison's voice called.

I pushed the door open. And my stomach cramps even as everything suddenly makes sense.

Angela was sitting in the chair across from the desk, looking like she'd been run over by a truck and chewed by a dog.

Nothing at all like the beautiful perfect girl she always portrayed. She's wearing a big black hoodie, and her uniform skirt, her feet were bare and dirty, like she's walked all the way from her dorm to school.

Her eyes were red rimmed, and smudged with mascara, like she’d been crying all night. She probably had from the looks of things.

Beside her stood Christy and three other girls I recognized, but didn't know the names of, all blondes.