Page 8 of The Devil's Heir
"Jarek."
"Are you waiting for anybody in particular?"
I sit outside the school after the last bell every day, waiting for all the students to be gone. For the last few weeks, others have been picking on me after seeing Jarek bully me, and they tend to harass me on my walk home.
The last person I want to be talking to is the bully who started it all. It's bad enough that I have to ride to school with him, but I treasure my peaceful walks home, and now, he's here. I glance up at him from where I sit in the grass. He's blocking the sun from my eyes, and for just a moment, one could mistake him for an angel.
"I'm not waiting for anyone," I respond back.
"You could have fooled me. Nobody just sits by themselves on the grass at school." He studies me briefly then asks, "Do you have a secret boyfriend, pauper?"
"What? No!"
"Then what are you doing here all by yourself?"
I sigh. "Because I'm tired of other students harassing me on my walk home. So, I wait until I know they're gone."
"Now, why would anybodywant to harass you?" he asks this with the most serious look on his face.
Is he kidding me right now?
"Ever since you started bullying me, others have as well." I stand up and brush my backside off.
"I don't bully you!" he growls then adds, "You're my assistant."
My jaw drops, and I am rendered speechless. He actually thinks that I'm his assistant.
"Uh, I'm sorry, but you're a bully, Jarek." I should keep my mouth shut, but he needs to be slapped with reality if he honestly feels that he doesn't bully me.
"What did you just say?" He steps right up in my face, but I don't back down.
"S-See, this right here," I point to what he's doing. "This is considered bullying."
"Nah, if I was bullying you, then I would do so much more than what I do." He smirks.
"I would never allow you to do anything that you may be insinuating, Jarek."
"Don't jump the gun, Sumner, you're not my type," he states ashis eyes sweep over me, and I feel so dirty as they do. "I don't like charity cases, and that's exactly what you are. You will never be anything more than that to anybody."
I feel my eyes prick with tears, but I'll be damned if I let him see them. "You don't have to be an ass, Jarek! I've never done anything to you!" I hurry past him, praying he doesn't follow me, and for once, those prayers are answered.
I will never know why Jarek has suddenly taken an interest in me, but I need to figure out how to shake him. He needs a new interest, so he can leave me the hell alone. I'm a loner for a reason; I don't trust anybody. Growing up in the foster system teaches you this, amongst other things.
My parents died in a car accident when I was five and since I had no other family, I've been stuck in the system, never truly having a real home. It hasn't been all that bad, but I just never really fit in anywhere, and have never been able to get close enough to anyone. There was one guy that I considered my best friend, another foster kid, but that was three years ago, and then he ran away, never to be seen or heard from again.
I left for school early just so I could walk by myself today and not start my day off withhim.Unfortunately, even though I wasn't with him, I still thought of him and that's disturbing.
I've just gotten to school and to my locker after the nice quiet walk by myself, when Jarek startles me. His voice gives me shivers as he huddles in close and whispers, "Someone has been a very bad girl."
I knew I would get his wrath when I left for school early so I wouldn't have to ride with him. I just wanted a little peace this morning to enjoy my special day; I deserve that, don't I?
I sigh, "Can you please just give me a day off today? It's my birthday, and I just want to enjoy it."
"Well, all you had to do was ask, pauper. Instead, you acted like a child and ignored my calls. You're lucky that I'm still willing to give you this." He hands me a small square box with pretty birthday wrapping on it.
I haven't received a birthday present since my parents died. This little gesture hits me right in the heart, and I genuinely smile at my bully. "Thank you, Jarek."
"You haven't even opened it. How do you know you will even like it?"
