Chapter 4 Chapter: 4

Addison

Hours later, lying in my dorm bed, I stared at the ceiling and groaned. The long eventful day had given way to the night and I'm glad for it.

My roommate, a pretty bubbly redhead girl named Jess, was kind and we'd instantly connect. We'd hit it off since Cole had dropped me off a couple of hours ago.

He'd driven me on a bike which I gathered was Shepherd's. After that last order, my new nemesis aka Shepherd had thrown him the bike keys and told him to drop me at the girls dorm.

My dorm room was a luxurious spacious apartment-like and cozy, with a small kitchenette and a bathroom. With a lot of space between our beds and lockers.

Jess' side of the wall was done in light pink, mine was done in turquoise blue and there's literally every luxury you could imagine.

Honestly Brighton Academy deserves all the hype it got. It's a whole community with everything you could imagine in a rich dominated society.

When I say it has everything, I mean everything! I would have been excited despite my reluctance if it wasn't for Shepherd.

Just thinking about our whole encounter was giving me a headache. First day of school, and I was already in trouble with the school’s resident tyrant. I release a long drawn sigh.

“You okay?” Jess asked, peeking over her laptop from her lying position on her bed.

“Yeah,” I said weakly. “Just… made a really bad first impression and now I'm in a pickle.”

Jess laughed. “Relax. No one can top mine. I accidentally spilled coffee on our Chem teacher my first time here.”

“Did he threaten you with slavery and hell?” I asked, raising my head.

“Uh, no?” she said, brows scrunched.

“Of course not. That would have been ridiculous.” I flopped back on the bed. Not everyone is as crazy as that asshole.

Jess sat up, her expression curious. “Wait. What happened?”

I sighed, sitting up, my back against the headboard. “Do you know Shepherd?”

“Duh! Who doesn't? The guy literally rules the student body. He even has ways with the staff and probably the principal is on his side too,” she said, quickly straightening up, at the mention of gossip.

“Even the principal?” I asked frowning. “That's just crazy.”

“It's what I heard,.” She shrugged. “So what happened?” I swallow hard. Feeling like I'd just bitten something bitter.

“Did you hear about Shepherd's little accident earlier today with a scholarship student?”

Her jaw dropped. “OMG! That was you? What happened?”

“Dumb luck I guess, I mistakenly went into his place thinking it's the girls' dorm and literally crashed into him causing him to sprain his ankle.”

She grimaced. “That's bad.” I nodded.

“It's terrible because he basically threatened to make my life miserable if I don't become his maid.”

She gasped. “What? He actually said that? What does he need a maid for?”

“Beats me, just being a jerk and a bully I guess.” I chewed on my lower lip.

“That's strange. Shepherd doesn't bully girls, I've never heard anyone say he'd bully them. Though people try to steer clear of his domain, unless he allows you in or it's one of his parties where everyone is invited,” she said frowning, then a smile lit her face.

“Or maybe he just wants an excuse to keep you close, maybe he likes you.”

I gagged “Fuck no, more like he wants to keep me close and torture me.”

She shakes her head thoughtfully. “I don’t know, Addison. That guy doesn’t let anyone near him unless he wants them there. If I were you I'll tread carefully around him, he can truly make Brighton hell for you without even trying. All the students need to hear is that Shepherd doesn't like you and just like that you'll be a social pariah.”

I groaned again, sliding down and burying my face in the pillow. My anxiety level shoots higher, as if my life wasn't hell already.

I suspected as much before she just confirmed the truth for me. I was in way more trouble than I thought. I need to think of a way out. There's no way I'm going to slave for him.

One day and I already hate being here just because I had the misfortune of coming across the asshole Shepherd.

I'm sure life in Brighton is only going to get worse. But if I don't obey him there won't even be a life here. Only misery.

He'll probably decide to look into me which might then reveal who I am to him and I won't be safe when he realizes that we're practically enemies.

Because of our parents. Fuck, either way I look at my situation it only gets worse and it doesn't really seem like I have a choice.

---

“Go, go, go! One more round and we'll call it a day! Come on, show me what you got!!” my new fitness coach yells. Making half the girls groan, but they instantly increase their pace while I stay in position.

Hands planted on my knees, wisps of hair plastered to my neck and face from sweat, as I gasped for breath, my lungs and thighs burning. I grab a bottle of water and gulp it down.

“Move it Campbell! Keep the pace!!” she yells as she jogs back to me. “Do you want to go another round?!”

Another round? Is she fucking serious? I'm about to drop. I've never run this long in my entire life.

“Coach I don't…” I started still panting.

“Keep the pace unless you want to go three more rounds,” She cuts in. “Fight fatigue with focus! Focus Campbell! Focus!!”

“Yes coach.”

Exercise at six am is just too damn cruel for any person to endure. And this is part of our daily routine? I don't think I can do this. I wonder where Jess was, probably at the front. The girl is faster than a squirrel.

If my soured expression and the fact I was far left behind wasn't clue enough. Well let me just say that I hated getting dragged out of bed at dumb o'clock in the morning in the name of exercise.

Regardless, here I am. Snail-paced or not I'm doing it. But what the fuck, I didn't sign up for the military why are we being treated as though we were.

I was jogging, if we could call it that, soaked with sweat, hair a mess and panting heavily when I finally made it to the finish line.

“Try to keep up with the pace next time Campbell.”

“Yes coach.”

The walk back to the dorm was slow but I made it back in time, took a quick shower and dressed up in a maroon plaid skirt and cap sleeve shirt, stockings and tie, and my dirty blonde hair was up in a low ponytail.

Jess was all dressed up and waiting for me despite telling her to just go so she doesn't miss breakfast.

I found her munching on a banana. Apparently she'd opted out of going to the dining hall today.

I grab an apple from the mini fridge and we both strode out of our room, lock it before joining the throng of students heading to class.

We walked faster since we knew we were almost late. And I need to make it to class before First Period.

“We both have Math this morning so I'm going to stick with you until next period. I have econ for second period, you?”

“English lit,” I took a bite of my half eaten apple, chewing as I replied. “Then psychics…” I raised my head and instantly gulped down the rest of the apple still in my mouth.

I choked and cough, my steps faltering as I unconsciously slow down, my eyes now locked with stormy grey ones.

Shepherd!

Looking absolutely gorgeous and so damn intimidating in the same breath. He wore his uniform in a way no one else did, maroon pants hugging thick thighs, his shirt looks like he'd painted them on.

The muscles on his body were more than any eighteen year old has a right to have. What did he eat to make him…this muscular. Bricks? Even his friends look well built.

It's not that Shepherd was overly thick with huge muscles and bulging veins. No, it was just the perfect amount of muscle, sleek and defined.

And it certainly didn't help that he was tall and has broad shoulders. He'd rolled up his sleeves bearing dark tattoos, his tie was hanging loosely around his neck. His new crutches were against the wall.

He was leaning against a wall at the corner, close to the academic block with a bunch of other guys and girls.

I only recognize Cole and Nathan. And some of the girls who gave me the stink eye yesterday at the clinic.

My stomach instantly cramped up at their intimidating presence. Shit! I've totally forgotten about his orders, and something tells me he was here for me.

Ugh! God, why is this happening to me? How am I supposed to stay invisible when trouble finds me? Is this some kind of karma for what I did to Bald McCarthy?

My heart was already pounding with dread, my palms sweaty. I don't have experience with normal guys, much less this gang of bad boys.

I would have completely risked his anger and ignored him had it not been for the simple fact that he already saw me.

And we have to walk past them to get to class. Shepherd's hard face didn't give me any hope that there could be a chance that he'd change his mind and didn't want to humiliate me anymore.

He motioned me to him with a single digit, I blinked then looked around at the students already watching us with blatant curiosity and a hunger for drama.

Reluctantly I walk closer, grabbing Jess along because I'm not sure I want to be alone with this guy.

While I repeat my mantra. Lay low Addison, fresh start remember, no scandal, no drama. You can't afford the backlash.

He tilted his head addressing Jess. “Leave.”

“Go on, or aren't you scared you'll be late for class?” Cole shouts at the onlookers.

Jess glanced at me guiltily before looking at the guys with a combination of fear and nerves as she tugged her hand free.

“I'm sorry. I will save you a seat.” She sounded apologetic before she and the others scurried away, while others still linger behind. I wonder why Cole didn't send them away too, probably part of their little group of terror.

“You're late,” Shepherd gritted. Eyes sparking with something I can't quite read. It wasn't anger, just something dark that made me uncomfortable.

“It wasn't deliberate. I went jogging and I ….” I started, trying to explain.

“You thought I was kidding, that you could ignore me.” His grin was unamused. I swallowed.

“No...I.” I shifted on my feet.

“Here,” he said blankly, nodding his head at Nathan. Who stretches his hand with something like a roll up shirt towards me.

“Put it on.” Frowning, I take it.

It was a shirt. I unfold it slowly and my jaw drops. It's a greenish grey shirt that literally is the color of shit with the word SHEPHERD'S SLAVE printed on it.

“What the hell! You expect me to wear this?” I asked, glaring at the large ugly shirt that was specifically made to humiliate me.

He kept his face blank, dark brow arched.

“Astute, I told you there will be consequences for every action.”

He'd expected me to forget and I had. It's clear he'd plan this yesterday. But how did he even get this made.

“I am not wearing this. I already told you what happened was an accident. I never meant for any of it to happen, so why do you have to do this? What do you gain from humiliating me?”

“Because you defied me. I gave you a chance I never gave anyone else and you squander it.”

“I'm not wearing it,” I spat willfully, even as I shook inside. His smirk was slow and deliberate. Sending goosebumps racing over my flesh.

“You're sure?”

“Yes, you can't make me.”

He nodded. “Welcome to your new hell, Shrimp.” Their entire group goes tutting and shaking their heads as they start walking away.

Shepherd like his name imply leading them away despite his injured feet and crutches.

“That was unwise,” Cole whispered in my ear, startling me. “I was starting to like you, unfortunately you just messed up big time.”

He chuckled. “Good luck, cause you're gonna need it.”

I glanced at him as he walked behind them, my grip tightened around the strap of my backpack, my stomach cramping.

It's not even the bullying I was afraid of, it's Shepherd and the entire school finding out who I was that scares me. I shut my eyes and swallowed something bitter.

“Wait!”