Cass sat on her bed, phone in hand, staring at Jace’s message again. Don’t mention it. You handled yourself well. She had typed a quick reply: Thanks. I mean it.
It wasn’t much, but it was enough. Her heart was still racing from Monday’s cafeteria humiliation, and Jace’s quiet intervention had saved her dignity. She wanted him to know she appreciated it, even if words felt small compared to the storm he had calmed for her.
She exhaled, feeling a mixture of relief and warmth. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she realized she had never thanked anyone like that. Not fully. Not genuinely. And for a brief moment, she felt seen.
Home was calm and peaceful
Descending the stairs, Cass found her mother in the kitchen, humming softly as she stirred pancakes. Her glow was impossible to ignore.
