Chapter 4
767 Words
I walked quietly into the classroom, but despite my silence, my mind was still racing from Amanda's words yesterday. "Don't get too close to Cas. He's not as innocent as you think." What did she mean? I didn't notice I was already in front of Cas, almost bumping into the stress ball that was trailing behind him.
"Ate Yurie! Good thing you're here!" he exclaimed, grabbing my arm.
"What's up?" I asked, trying to shake off his grip.
"Come on, I have a surprise for you!" He grinned widely and didn't answer.
"Casfher, what is it? We have class soon!"
"Just a minute, promise!" There was nothing I could do but follow him.
He took me to an old room at the end of the hallway, near the library. There was a bit of dust around, and it seemed like the room was rarely used.
"Ta-da!" Cas exclaimed, opening the door.
As I entered, I saw a small nook with a chair, table, and bookshelf filled with books.
"What—?"
"Welcome to my secret hideout!" he said proudly.
"We used to hang out here with Rina and Adrian. But now, it's ours!" He looked at me, and I felt like I was being sized up.
"Why did you bring me here?"
"Because you're my new best friend!" he replied, as if it was the most obvious thing.
I looked at him, and for a moment, I felt a pang of uncertainty. But honestly, despite Cas being annoying at times, there's something about him that puts me at ease. Maybe it's because he's so genuine. No pretenses.
I sat down beside him, and he patted the chair next to him, inviting me to sit. I didn't know if I should be happy or annoyed. But to be honest, despite Cas's antics, there's something about him that makes me feel at ease.
"Cas... I want to ask you something," I said, looking at him seriously.
"What is it?"
"What's going on between you and Amanda?" He paused, and for the first time, I saw his usual cheerful smile fade. He looked taken aback, either by surprise or because he didn't expect me to ask.
"Why did you ask that?" he countered, not answering my question directly.
I hesitated, wondering if I should reveal the truth, but eventually decided to be honest. "Because yesterday, she talked to me. She said I shouldn't get too close to you."
Aiden's eyes narrowed, and he smiled wryly. "Typical Amanda," he muttered.
"So... is it true that you two have a history?" He took a deep breath before answering.
"Yeah. We have a history." "What kind?" Instead of answering, he stood up and faced me, his eyes intense.
"Don't mind Amanda. She just likes to manipulate people." "But—" "Ate Yurie, don't think about it. I'm here for you! If she bothers you, just tell me!" He grinned and nudged me playfully.
I felt a bit puzzled. Cas is always playful, but why did he seem to be avoiding a direct answer to my question?
When we returned to the classroom, I was quiet, listening to the lecture. But my mind kept wandering back to our conversation earlier. I glanced at Amanda, who seemed to be ignoring me as usual. But I had a feeling she wasn't done yet.
And Cas? He went back to being his usual self—playful, noisy, and seemingly carefree. But I knew better. He was hiding something.
After class, I headed straight to the library. I needed some time alone to clear my head. I chose a table in the corner and opened my book. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't focus.
I didn't notice someone had sat down in front of me. When I looked up, it was Aiden.
"You're quiet," he said.
"Huh?" I replied, taken aback.
"I've been watching you. You've been staring at your book for a while now, but you're not reading." I felt surprised. He'd been watching me?
"You've been watching me?" I asked, trying to sound calm.
He didn't answer. Instead, he looked at me seriously, his expression the same as before.
"You're thinking about something," he said.
"It's nothing." "Cas?" My eyes met his, and I felt a jolt of surprise. How did he know?
Aiden didn't smile. "Amanda told you something about him, didn't she?" I hesitated, then nodded.
"You don't have to worry. You don't need to know everything," he said coolly.
"Aiden, what do you know?" He didn't answer right away. Instead, he looked at me for a longer time than usual
- Writer
