Chapter 7 Chapter: 7
SHEPHERD
By the next day the story had circulated all over the school. With many different variations of the same story. Apparently, the scholarship girl had sneaked into my place and tripped me on purpose to get my attention.
While others said it was because I'd rejected her advances and she'd deliberately jumped down the stairs and I'd saved her which had caused my accident.
The more I heard the more ridiculous it sounded.
Brighton was full of gossip busybodies with nothing better to do with their time than poke their noses in other people's shit. The truth never thrives for long here, besides nobody truly cares about the truth. They live for scandal, fame and drama.
Here even friends can turn into enemies when disaster strikes. Which is why true friendship is rare. I'm one of the lucky few, I value my friends, we've had each other's back since we met three years ago.
I know they're not just with me because of who I am or what I do for them. They're all heirs from wealthy families like most people here.
I know everything about them, just like they know everything about me. They never take my bullshit and tell me the truth when I need it. Together we've ruled this school, we were respected and feared. No one wants to go against us and for good reasons of course.
Those who tried and paid dearly. If you mess with us your life here will be literal hell. So no one rarely does. I limped alongside Cole and Nathan into the dining hall around lunch time, with my crutches, my leg still throbbing though not as bad as yesterday.
Heads turned, whispers followed. A few girls offered sympathetic smiles. Some waved, smiling flirtatiously. I'd already received several offers from girls volunteering to come help me in my time of need.
It's fucking ridiculous. I ignored them and head to my usual table upstairs. The rest of my teammates were already there.
They were loud, obnoxious, but they were all loyal as fuck, well most are. Nate, Cole, Trick and Asher are my circle of trust. I know they'll absolutely cover for me if I decide to kill someone.
Heck they'll hold them down while I do the deed and help bury the body for me.
Trick grinned as I sat. “So, I heard our Pres had an interesting couple of days, that you got into a little accident with some girl named Addison?”
He and Asher just returned from the holidays. So of course he didn't know about Addison.
“I see you're well ahead of the news as always,” I muttered.
“Everything travels fast when it’s about you, Shepherd, especially when it's in public.”
I wish it didn't, one of the things I hate about my last name was not being able to be anonymous at times.
Asher leaned forward. “Heard she’s the new scholarship student. Didn't know the school was still giving out scholarships?”
Cole snickered. “Well, they are if she's here. You should have seen her argue with Shepherd, girl has some mettle.”
“Now, I'm curious about her, where is she?” Asher asked. For some reason I didn't want him to talk to her and that pissed me off.
Asher is my friend and I love the bastard, but the guy falls in love as easily as he falls out of it. As his friend I trust him with my life, but will never let him be alone with my sister, not even for a second.
Somehow I kept my mouth shut. “You're going to see her soon, especially since she's now Shepherd's,” Nathan said, smirking slightly.
“Shepherd's what?!” they shouted, confused. Fucking idiots.
“His personal maid,” he replied, grinning.
“She’s not mine, she's just serving me. Paying for what she did. It's a little deserved punishment,” I gritted, glaring at Nathan. Bastard was unfazed.
“You’re fucking impossible! And she agreed?” Asher asked, chuckling.
I picked up my drink, taking a long sip before replying. “What choice does she have, I would have fucking made this school hell for her. No one messes with me, she fuck up the game.”
“That damn vengeful streak, I don't ever want to get on your bad side,” Trick said chuckling.
“Pray you never do. Though I'll just knock some of your teeth out and then we'll be good,” I said half teasingly. Which made him chuckle nervously.
“Is it just about the game though?” Asher asked curiously. I frowned.
“What else could it be about?”
Asher leaned closer. “Why her? There are lots of girls who wouldn't mind being your slaves for the whole year, probably for the rest of their lives, but you choose her, why? What makes her so special?”
“What makes you think she's special?” I countered, my face blank. “Y’all think the same?” I looked at the others, they all shrugged.
I scoffed about to say fuck them all and their dumb questions and suspicion. I chose her because she fucking pissed me off and that's all there was to it. But then I caught sight of her coming through the door of the dining hall, smiling at something her friend was saying.
And just like that I lost track of my thoughts. Something about Addison confuses me. And until I figured it out I won't be able to rest.
As though she could sense my eyes on her, her head turned nervously around, as though in slow motion she slowly looked up and our eyes collided, holding for a few heartbeats before she quickly looked away.
I smirk, if she thought she's going to avoid me then she got another thing coming. She'd already missed the time I gave her to meet me afterwards, unlike yesterday we had different classes this morning.
And instead of obeying me she's here trying to avoid me. She's certainly not the easy target everyone thinks she is. I waved at Cory to come over from the next table.