I Don't Like You, Mr. Sterling

The cold liquid poured down Wynn's head like rain, staining her clothes and provoking silence from the students in the cafeteria.

Ethan Croft emptied the bottle of coke over her with a juvenile smirk on his face, then dumped the bottle in her jacket pocket.

"I told you to get me Sprite." He said, and Wynn curled her hands into fists, her body shaking.

She couldn't tell if it was from the icy touch of the cold drink, or from the cold, amused look in his eyes.

"You said coke." She muttered.

"You're obviously as deaf as you are stupid." Ethan scoffed. "Is this the best you can do? Are you even sure you want to be my slave?"

Wynn bowed her head, biting down on her tongue and wishing the ground would open up and swallow her.

"You said you liked me, didn't you? But you can't even listen to me. You suck at errands, you suck at doing homework, you even suck at taking tests!"

He clicked his tongue. "If you can't do these basic things for me when you claim to like me, how am I supposed to believe what you say?"

Tears rolled down Wynn's cheeks as she suppressed a sob.

"I didn't confess to be treated like trash, Ethan." She glared up at him.

"Oh?" Ethan's brows perked up. "So you confessed thinking I'd be interested in you?"

He burst out laughing. "Tough luck, Wynn Mayfield! You're more delusional than you are stupid. What on earth made you think you'd be anything but a tool?"

Wynn clenched her jaw.

"You promised." She bit back. "You told me that if I became your slave, you'd accept my feelings."

She watched his smirk grow even wider, and he climbed onto the table.

"Attention, everyone!"

Wynn's heart sank to the bottom of her stomach.

"The romance fanatic, Wynn Mayfield thinks a confession means happily ever after!"

The crowd laughed. Wynn wasn't surprised. Ethan had a way of making her a laughing stock. Her feelings for him was a public matter- including her ridiculous agreement to be his slave.

She was free entertainment.

"What do you guys think? Is she worthy of being *the* Ethan Croft's girlfriend?"

A collective 'no' echoed from most of the students, and Wynn swallowed a sob.

Ethan looked down at her. "That's a no, Wynn."

He jumped off the table, then stepped closer to her.

"Let that be your first lesson to never trust anyone."

He grabbed the plate of mashed potatoes from the tray in her hands, then casually dumped it on her head.

"You can clean up after yourself, right?"

Wynn stood still as the crowd of students watched her, some laughing, some whispering among themselves, and some wearing looks of absolute pity.

Wynn Mayfield: the girl stupid enough to have a crush on her bully.

She couldn't blame anyone but herself- not even Ethan.

So, that day, standing in the middle of the cafeteria with food all over her, Wynn made a promise to herself:

[I will NEVER be hurt and humiliated this way again.]