6

Cassie's eyes widened as she saw a familiar guy approaching her. It was Lucas Montgomery, one of the A-listers, which made him part of Desmond's tight circle of friends. There were a lot of rumors going around about him, nearly all of the rumors involved Lucas's penchant for manipulation and trickery.

Like all the Elites of St. Pulkeria, Lucas was good looking. It was mandatory for all of them to look good. Lucas was tall and lean with dirty blonde hair and clear blue eyes. He was a bit tanned, but that was because he always travelled to the beach every weekend. He wasn't afraid with accessories. Three piercing on the left ear, one on the right. A few leather wristlets, and his fingers weren't naked either. He knew he was attractive, in an artistically bedraggled kind of way, and his eyes showed that.

In other words, like Desmond, Lucas was trouble.

"Hi, Lucas, if you don't know me already," he offered his hand, but Cassie kept her hand tight on her side.

"Okay then," he didn't seem offended by this. "You're Cassie, right? Straight-A student, daughter of the Bellington's Button Company?"

For him to know her name and pedigree was a shock to Cassie. Nearly everybody here had a stunning ancestry that having a button company wasn't something to be proud of.

"I heard the whole conversation with you and Ms. Humblewood. You are an amazing liar, I've never expected something like that coming out from your mouth!" Lucas said, his dark eyes twinkled in excitement as one of his thick brows shot up to his forehead.

Cassie ignored him and started walking away.

Lucas wasn't giving up and started following her. "Can you repeat that thing you did again, Cassie? I mean, to be able to do that so flawlessly, you must have done it in daily basis, right?"

To say no was a lie. Cassie had always tried not to lie directly, but she had been living her life as a character that she invented. At highschool, she might be plain old Cassie, a golden student, a teacher's favorite, and an all-smiling wallflower. But at several chatting websites, she introduced herself with different names, with different personalities according to each guy she was chatting with.

She didn't know when or why she started doing that. Maybe she was bored with her nondescript life.

"Oh, so you did! You're going to be very happy to join me, then!" there was no end to Lucas's chattiness, and Cassie began to get annoyed.

"I'll have nothing to do with you, or anyone from your little elite club," Cassie spat.

"You mean, this club that Desmond has?" Lucas's smirk appeared. "You're also part of his club, don't you know that? Desmond has the entire students of St. Pulkeria under his palms. I play the part as his loyal subordinate, and you as the poor, crushed wallflower."

Cassie gasped at the truth of his words.

"Did I hit a sensitive spot? Oops." Lucas put a hand on his mouth.

"You're all just the same," Cassie hissed, her chest was heaving with all the hatred that she buried and couldn't let go. "Just because you're popular and strong, you think it's okay to hurt the others that are not as strong."

"Well," Lucas scratched at the back of his blonde head. "That might be true. For Desmond especially."

Cassie almost couldn't believe what her ears were hearing. "I'm sorry?"

"I said, Desmond Arrington is an asshole," Lucas grinned. "A major one."

Her jaw kept dropping, and she had to use her hand to close her mouth. "Do you think it's wise to badmouth about your King?" she mocked. "He could crush your social status in any moment."

Lucas's eyes twitched. Suddenly, his smiling face looked dangerous. He took one step to Cassie. "Yeah? Like what he did to you?"

"I-I don't know what you mean," Cassie took a step back.

Lucas took two steps towards her. "You know exactly what I meant," he said, and although his tone was amiable, there was something dark dripping from his words. "He broke your heart, didn't he? He brought you to August' Mother's Room, but the next day he told us that he had been humping that redhead chick, Penny."

As tears welled up on Cassie's eyes, she looked up to see Lucas's face. He was staring down at her, his eyes showed no mercy, all the humors were gone. Cassie fought back the tears. "I was the stupid one."

"We are all," Lucas said. "We're stupid enough to give him enough power to rule above us. We're stupid enough to make him think he can treat us like trash."

Cassie clamped her mouth shut, since she sensed that Lucas's temper were growing into something lethal. He stomped his foot, his teeth dug deep onto his lower mouth. "I hate Desmond Arrington. You're not the only one who does."

"I... I thought that everyone feared him..."

"Well, of course. His family is rich enough to make ours eat the dirt. And he has connections from all around the world! Our future jobs depend on him almost entirely."

Cassie sighed. It sounded pathetic, but it was true. The Arrington family was big and ubiquitous. People tend to not get into the Arrington's black book, making enemies with such dangerous people was a guaranteed torture.

"We're so helpless," Cassie said. "He's such an asshole, but I couldn't do anything to get back at him."

Lucas snorted. "You're not totally helpless if you join us."

"What?"

Without elaborating anything, Lucas grabbed her arm and started dragging her through the halls. Cassie tried to protest and pounded on him, but it was of no use. Lucas was an athlete, and chubby, soft Cassie had no chance to win against him.

"What do you mean joining?!" Cassie asked for the three time.

"It's our club, the most elitist club that ever happened in St. Pulkeria," Lucas said. "And it's much more cooler than anything Desmond could ever manage to build."

"I thought you're his friend."

"I am," the words came easily from his mouth. "But I can't deny I also want to see him fall from his throne."

"If this little club of yours is so mighty, then why I haven't heard of it before? Don't give me BS, Lucas!"

"Geez, why does everyone thinks that my mouth is only good for BS? I also can do oral."

That doesn't really inspire confidence...

"Well?" she challenged him.

"We have to keep this secret, okay?" Lucas said in considerably lower voice now. "Or else I'm dead meat. It's supposed to be a secret club after all."

"Just quickly tell me the details, and the reason you're so eager to make me join."

"Trust me, you're going to beg me to let you join if you heard the name. And by the time you know our members, you'll kill to join us," Lucas grinned yet another of his Cheshire cat grin.

"It's called 'The Secret Society of Desmond's Haters Club.'"

Upon hearing that, Cassie couldn't help but snort as laughter fill up her whole mouth.