Chapter 1

Liliana

"Walk much, Sumner?"

Jarek Falcon, the most popular guy in school and my bully, stares down at me, smirking.

I'm walking through the hall on my way to fifth-period study hall when he trips me in front of a group of kids. He laughs as I lay face down on the linoleum floor, my books and supplies scattered all around. But Jarek doesn't care; it only makes him laugh harder.

"I-I'm sorry…."

"I-I'm sorry," he mimics me in a funny voice intended to make fun of me even more, "You are so pathetic, pauper. Maybe you should do online schooling so you don't have to take up so much space here for the rest of us."

Being a foster child and about to age out of the system, the only thing I wanted was to get through my last two years of high school. I was doing reasonably well until Jarek appeared and decided to become my shadow. Only he doesn't disappear on rainy days; he IS my rainy day.

"Please, stop, Jarek…." I sit here with my eyes closed. Whenever I try picking up my books, another person knocks them out of my hand.

The late bell rings for class, and the crowd begins to scatter, but not Jarek. No, he walks over and squats beside me. I can't look at him, so I keep my head down. This doesn't go over too well for him, and he grabs my hair, pulling my head up.

"Aw, did I embarrass my little pauper today?" He pulls a little harder when I don't answer and gets right in my face, "Answer me, pauper; I want the truth."

With eyes brimming with unshed tears, I answer, "Yes, Jarek."

"Good. This will be what happens from this day forward if you don't obey me, understand, pauper?"

"Yes, Jarek."

His devious smirk doesn't bode well for me, and what he says next only proves it, "You, my little pauper, will be my own personal assistant. I expect you to check in with me every day and do as I command, then just maybe, I won't have to repeat what was done today." He releases my hair only to caress my cheek, "One more thing, pauper, you are not allowed to talk to anyone here at school but me. Do you understand everything that I'm saying?"

I look into his dark, soulless eyes, and nod.

"Words, little pauper, I need words."

"Y-Yes, Jarek. I understand what you're saying."

"That's a good girl. Now, grab your shit and get to class. Come find me as soon as the bell rings."

"Yes, Jarek."

                                                                            ***

The rest of my day goes by way too fast, but only because I'm dreading another meeting with HIM. I don't know how I got on Jarek's radar, but now I'm stuck and don't know what to do. I don't want to be this guy's little bitch. He has so many other students who would happily do his bidding for him. He's that popular, so why must he pick me to do it?

When the last bell rings, I slowly make my way to the first floor, where the senior lockers are. I stop at the back of the group and just wait, but it isn't for long because Jarek's eyes land on me right away. As always, a flock of girls stands around him, hanging on his every word.

"Make room for my little pauper, ladies." He holds his hand out to me, but I don't take it as I walk through his groupies, who now give me the stink eye.

"It took you long enough, pauper. Classes have been over for almost ten minutes now."

"I'm sorry, I had to talk with my teacher," I lie.

"No, I always come first now, pauper; I don't care who it is."

"But…"

"Are you seriously going to argue with me?"

"No, but…"

"All I'm hearing are buts, pauper. How about I teach you your first lesson in disobeying me."

Jarek is sick and twisted. My body trembles at the thought of what he's going to do. Depravity is his game, and that's why I've always tried avoiding him, no matter how good-looking and popular he is or that his family owns half this town.

"On your knees, pauper."

Glancing between my bully and the floor, I slowly drop to my knees. All eyes are on me, Wanting to see what Jarek will make me do. The most embarrassing part is that many of these girls are ones who I've had multiple conversations with in the past, and now, all they see me as is Jarek's pathetic little pauper.

"I want you to kiss my shoe and apologize for being late. Make me believe it, pauper." He continues to smirk as he stares down at me on my knees.

All I can do is get it over with as fast as I can, so I bend over and kiss his feet. One of the girls shoves me from behind, causing me to almost knock him over. Thank God I catch myself before that happens.

"Again, pauper, and no messing around this time." There's amusement in his voice, but I ignore it the best I can, and once more, I place a kiss on top of each foot.

"I'm so sorry for being late. I promise that it will never happen again."

"I think one more time is needed, pauper, and remember, make it believable." I glance up, and I swear I see a flash of fire pass through his eyes, but I know it's only my imagination because, to me, he is the devil incarnate.

I quickly do his bidding and then look back up at him, "I'm so sorry, Jarek. I promise I will never keep you waiting again."

He studies me and then nods, "Very well, get up." He waits until I'm standing before him and then orders, "Open your bag."

I obey him and open my book bag, only for him to throw a few of his things into it. "These assignments are due tomorrow; I expect them in my hands before the first bell tomorrow morning."

I cry inside because I have so much of my own homework to finish that now I'm going to be up well into the wee hours of the morning doing his, too. This will not be good; I should do his work first to avoid messing it up when I get too tired.

"You're looking a little peaked, pauper," Jarek muses, and the girls around us snicker.

"No, I'm good. Is there anything else you will need?"

I must startle him with my question because he stares at me without saying anything. It isn't until another voice pipes in that he comes to, "I'm sure that's all, pauper." The voice says, and when I look, it's a pretty blonde named Megan, and she's wearing an ugly smirk. I turn back to Jarek and wait for his reply.

"That will be all, but I need you to put your number in my phone in case I need you for anything else." He hands me his phone, and I pause for a second before sighing and typing my number into his phone. My phone rings immediately, and he grins. "I needed to make sure you didn't give me a fake number."

I close up my bag and go to leave, but he grabs me and asks, "Hey, don't you have something to say to me?"

I furrow my brows, not knowing what to say to him, "I'm sorry, Jarek, but I don't know what you want me to say."

Anger crosses his expression. "How about being a little grateful that I'm choosing you to be my assistant when I can have the pick of the litter." He spins me, so I face the group of girls as he says, "All of them would do my bidding in a heartbeat, so show your appreciation."

"T-Thank you, Jarek, for choosing me. I will be forever grateful for your kindness." I stammer, wanting to puke at every word that comes from my mouth.

"You are very welcome, pauper. Now, get your ass home; you have a lot of homework to complete." He dismisses me with a wave, and the girls shove me to the back.

I'm grateful they got me away from him as quickly as they did. As soon as I'm free from the crowd, I turn and run down the hall, only stopping when I come to the set of double doors leading outside. I turn and find Jarek's eyes concentrated on me as he gives me a knowing smirk.   "You're looking a little peaked, pauper," Jarek muses, and the girls around us snicker.

"No, I'm good. Is there anything else you will need?"

I must startle him with my question because he stares at me without saying anything. It isn't until another voice pipes in that he comes to, "I'm sure that's all, pauper." The voice says, and when I look, it's a pretty blonde with an ugly smirk. I turn back to Jarek and wait for his reply.

"That will be all, but I need you to put your number in my phone in case I need you for anything else." He hands me his phone, and I pause for a second before sighing and typing my number into his phone. My phone rings immediately, and he grins. "I needed to make sure you didn't give me a fake number."

I close up my bag and go to leave, but he grabs me and asks, "Hey, don't you have something to say to me?"

I furrow my brows, not knowing what it is that I'm supposed to be saying to him, "I'm sorry, Jarek, but I don't know what you want me to say."

Anger crosses his expression. "How about being a little grateful that I'm choosing you to be my assistant when I can have the pick of the litter." He spins me, so I face the group of girls as he says, "All of them would do my bidding in a heartbeat, so show your appreciation."

"T-Thank you, Jarek, for choosing me. I will be forever grateful for your kindness." I stammer, wanting to puke at every word that comes from my mouth.

"You are very welcome, pauper. Now, get your ass home; you have a lot of homework to complete." He dismisses me with a wave of his hand, and the girls begin to shove me to the back.

I'm grateful they got me away from him as quickly as they did. As soon as I'm free from the crowd, I turn and run down the hall, only stopping when I come to the set of double doors leading outside. I turn and find Jarek's eyes concentrated on me as he gives me a knowing smirk.