MY SINFUL LUST

I walked through the main entrance of Varn State High School, my boots clicking against the polished floor.

My two bodyguards followed without a word, dressed in black suits that made them stick out like shadows behind me.

The hallway quieted down fast. Conversations stopped, laughter faded, and all I could feel were stares stabbing into my back.

I hated this part. The stares. The sneers. The fear written on their faces. If looks could kill, I would have dropped dead before even reaching the classroom. I kept my head down, not wanting to meet those disgusted glares.

No one needed to remind me why they hated me. I knew. Everyone knew. I was the daughter of Thane Donatello. The Devil's Daughter.

Thane Donatello, known as the Immortal One, ruled Bount like a nightmare come alive. Every time someone gathered the courage to talk to me, they asked the same question, "How does it feel to be the daughter of the most dangerous man alive?"

I never answered. I never wanted to admit how ashamed I was. It was times like this that I miss my mother.

My father controlled Bount like a tyrant. No freedom. No rights. Anyone who spoke against him vanished without a trace. He ruled with the same cruelty that old warlords from history books were known for. Elections were jokes, news channels only praised him, and prisons overflowed with anyone who dared to rebel.

I understood why they despised me. I had more than enough reasons to hate myself too. My family lived in gold while others barely survived. People lost their jobs, families, and dignity because of him-because of us. No one wanted me around. No one dared to befriend me.

But knowing it didn't make it easier.

I walked into class and headed straight for the back corner where a cushioned seat always waited for me. A few students rolled their eyes, some muttered under their breath, but no one spoke directly to me. They never did.

"Jéi unvréi secistaś," Mrs Kolai greeted in her sharp, commanding voice.

"Unvréi, Mrs Kolai," the class replied half-heartedly.

Great. Another hour and a half with her. She hated me. Everyone knew it. She never hit me or cursed me outright, but her words always carried hidden jabs, and her lessons often turned into lectures about everything wrong with my father. If my father ever heard half of it, she would vanish overnight. But I didn't care to report her. I didn't even care about her.

Her fashion sense alone made me question her life decisions. That ridiculous mole on her chin wasn't helping either.

"Today, secistaś," she said, switching on the projector, "we will discuss Bount's political history... especially the first democratically elected president."

Her beady eyes landed on me. I felt my teeth clench.

"Miss Donatello," she said, her lips curling, "do you remember who the first elected president of Bount was?"

I gave her a polite smile. "Viesí madame."

She smirked, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Correct. A man of honor and respect. Not everyone's father can say the same." She turned back to the projector.

And just like that, my morning got worse.

I stayed seated, arms folded, pretending to care. Students paired up fast. Friends clumped together, couples giggled side by side. I stayed alone, like always.

Mrs Kolai didn't even look at me again. She probably enjoyed watching me sit by myself.

Home-schooling would have been easier, but I hated that house even more. At least here I could breathe, even if I had no one to talk to.

Mrs Kolai paced around the classroom like a starving vulture, her cold eyes flicking from student to student. She wanted a victim-someone to dump on me. Her lips curled in satisfaction when she spotted him. Nick Raul sat tucked away in the far corner, nose buried deep inside a thick textbook. He didn't notice the trap closing in on him.

"Mr Raul," Mrs Kolai's sharp voice cut through the air. Every head turned in his direction. "Where is your partner?"

Nick blinked, startled, then cleared his throat. "I... I don't have one, Mrs Kolai."

That was all it took. The hyena pack disguised as classmates leaned in, eager for the show. I knew exactly what was coming. She turned her glare to me. I kept my head down, my eyes glued to the wooden desk, pretending it held the secrets of the universe.

"Well, Miss Rector doesn't have one either," she said, her voice smug. "Why don't you pair up with her?"

There was no room for debate. No questions. Just orders.

My fingers itched to slam the desk in frustration. Not at Nick, but at the teacher who enjoyed humiliating me in any way she could. I flicked a glance toward Nick so he wouldn't think I planned to curse him into a toad or bite his head off. Unfortunately, the room remained charged with judgment. People whispered about me being a demon, the spawn of the Devil himself, Thane Rector.

Nick stood slowly, his chair scraping against the floor. He walked towards me with slow steps, dragging his feet as if heading to a noose. He seemed calm until Thyme Sorasis-annoyance in human form-decided to make it worse.

"Rest in peace, Nick," Thyme sang loudly. "Hope you said your goodbyes."

Laughter erupted. Loud and ugly. I clenched my fists under the desk. Thyme had hated me ever since I embarrassed him in front of the whole school years ago. I used to be reckless and spiteful. I outgrew it. Thyme didn't.

Mrs Kolai raised her bony hand, and silence fell again. "The first pair will present in twenty minutes," she declared. Groans echoed through the room. "Enough! Get to work."

Nick slid into the chair beside me, his back straight and his stare fixed on the whiteboard. He avoided looking at me, and I stayed quiet too. I flipped through the textbook while tapping at my learner's tablet, ignoring everything else.

The silence stretched for several painful minutes until I caught him sneaking a glance my way. I gave him a small smile, something gentle enough to remind him I wasn't some cursed beast.

"I'm not going to bite, you know," I whispered.

A shy smile tugged at his lips. He scratched his thigh nervously and mumbled, "Sorry... I'm Nick. I shouldn't be talking to you, right?"

His honey-colored eyes looked anywhere but my face. They flickered over my hands, my tablet, then back to the desk.

I shrugged. "Don't believe the stories. I'm-"

"I know who you are," he cut in before I could finish. "Thea Esnal Rector."