Aria POV 

Heck, why does he want me to kiss his shoe now that everybody's staring at me? Is this his way of seeking revenge for me slapping him? Did Mr. Francis make a mistake by stopping him from slapping me? If only he'd hit me back, all this nonsense would've ended yesterday.

Ethan is really wicked, why can't he show mercy?

Everyone's attention is on me and this got me thinking, isn't there any lecturer around that's going to stop Ethan?

It's really surprising how I'm been bullies in an open place like this and yet, there's no body to come chase them away. Isn't this crazy?

I remember back in high school when kids were bullied, but one interesting thing is, the principal or some other teachers would come and separate them. Here it's different; nobody's coming to my aid. Is Ethan that famous here? 

I remember his father saying something like, 'Is he an Oz figure?' Now I understand; it seems like even his father doesn't know that his son is indeed Oz, the great and powerful, here in this college. If he wasn't, he wouldn't be doing all this to me.

Just then, the other guy's comments came pouring back into my mind: ''The annoying part of what happened today was the fact that she made the lecturer tell the boss to clap for her. Isn't that ironic?'' Is he indeed the boss? How come he's so superior that, if I may say, everybody or nearly everybody knows about him? Is he a gangster?

Then why didn't he told me about this before now? I wouldn't have talk to him the way I did. But should I blame myself? Of course he's the one who was always getting on my nerves. Avoiding him after today, is going to be the best option.

"Hey, bitch!'' he called to me, snapping me back to reality. I'd been lost in thought.

I stared at him, seized with apprehension, and once more, I was cut up by the weight of this big decision.

What will happen in the aftermath of this? What's next? Would I be constantly bullied and insulted? 

"C'mon girl, do yourself a favour," he said feeling really proud of himself for winning a battle he isn't going to get a trophy for.

Should I do it?

But going on my knees is a different thing entirely and the truth is, if I do such, the video would be posted on social media and everybody here in this campus would see it. How would i recover from such humiliation?

"Are you ready to do it or not?" He asked me with a disparaging smile on his lips. "You're very stubborn but I like stubborn people because I'm going to humble you before this week ends!" He said harshly.

Wait a minute, he's going to humble me before this week ends? That means my suffering just started? 

Oh, no!

Can the earth just open and swallow me?? How am I ever going to survive this shame by the time all this shit is over?

"I'll count to seven, if you don't do as instructed, I'll force you to do it myself," he threatened me.

I need not to be told that Ethan means every single word that's coming out of his mouth. It's best I do this to save myself the trouble he would cause me.

Kissing his shoe wouldn't take my life, even if it's posted, it wouldn't last on social media for more than a week or two, I'll just do as instructed and I'll also try my best to stay out of trouble from henceforth.

"You want me to kiss your shoe right?" I asked him. "Fine, I'll do it!" I said and went on my knees and kiss his shoe. Loud laughters were heard and Ethan was more than happy. "Happy now?"  

He roared in a sarcastic laugher and I'm hoping he'll let me go now.

I've done his bidding and submitted to his wishes, so can he let me go now?

But his expression didn't show that he's ready to let me go. Is he going to punish me more?

Thinking about this, an extreme wave of fear surge within me, I could feel my heart erectically pounding in my chest. It just look like this shame is going to make me pass out. Is it even about the shame or what Ethan might just do to me next? At least, kissing his shoe is easy to do but what if he now tells me to do something difficult?

"Not at all, lick my shoe!" He suddenly orders. I've not realise, I rolled my eyes until he start glaring at me. "Are you deaf?! Do the fuck as I say!" 

He wants me to lick his shoe? Am I a dog?

"But I'm not a dog!" I told him flatly.

"You're not a dog?" he sneered. "If I'm not mistaken, the difference between you and one is that you can walk on two feet while a dog walks on four." Is he being serious right this moment?

Is this an indirect or direct comparison? Regardless, for his information, I'm not a damn dog! Though I don't have the courage to say it out loud, it's crystal clear in my mind that I ain't no dog.

"This is unfair!" I protested.

"As if I care, just do it!" He said, his voice thick with coldness. 

"It's not hygienic," I told him.

"Did you just said that it's not hygienic?" He asked me and then I nodded. "Your entire life is not as clean as my shoes, so do it." He told me. What! He can't be serious! Is he?

He just said my life isn't as clean as the soles of his shoes. That's the most hurtful thing anyone has ever said to me. Right now, I can't really tell the difference between Ethan and my mother.

"Aria, I have better things to do with my time, so be fast. You know why I'm doing this – I want to feel like a winner,'' he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Dammit, what have I done to deserve this?

Anyway, kissing his shoe didn't kill me and so, licking his shoe wouldn't take my life.