Chapter 123: The Cost of Letting Go

Aveline's POV

Kieran didn't look away. Even as his mouth crashed against Katty's, his eyes stayed locked on mine. It felt like someone had reached into my chest and ripped my heart out with their bare hands.

I couldn't breathe or move. Around us, everything seemed completely normal, as if nothing had happened.

A roll of red wrapping ribbon slipped from my fingers, bouncing across the slushy pavement. I didn't even bend down to pick it up.

"Did Hampton just kiss Katty?" a girl behind me whispered loudly.

"They do make a perfect couple," another student replied, giggling. "I knew that tunnel video rumour was total garbage."

My fingers trembled at my sides. Across the square, nobody seemed to know what to say.

TWEEEEET!

Coach Hale's whistle finally cut through the freezing air, breaking the spell. "Alright, that's enough! Clear out! Back to your stations right now!"

He marched down the centre of the path, aggressively waving his arms to disperse the lingering crowd. Phones were slid back into pockets. Katty pulled back from Kieran with a triumphant, breathless smile, but Kieran didn't smile back. His face looked entirely hollow. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve, his eyes never looking toward my corner again as he walked back inside Booth 4.

Neither of us spoke. Kieran filled the cups with steaming hot cocoa. I sealed them with the black plastic lids. Customers came and went in a steady stream, but the only words we exchanged were mechanical.

"Next order."

"Extra marshmallows."

"You're welcome."

If my hand accidentally brushed against his sleeve while reaching for a roll of tape, he would violently flinch away as if my skin were made of fire. Milo kept trying to liven things up, leaning over the counter to borrow a fresh marker.

"If Hale catches me making hot chocolate one more time, I'm transferring schools," Milo muttered, shaking his head. "I'm officially the assistant manager of the Hot Chocolate Booth."

Landon let out a short laugh, tossing a crumpled napkin at him. "Shut up, Hayes. Get back to work."

I forced a tiny, fake smile for their sake, but the heavy quiet inside the stall returned the second they looked away. It was a suffocating routine. Finally, around three in the afternoon, Kieran couldn't take the pressure anymore. He aggressively slammed a heavy box of cardboard cups onto the shelf, turned on his heel, and walked straight out of the booth without saying a word, leaving Landon to cover the rest of his hour.

Once the afternoon rush finally slowed down and the shopping crowd thinned, a gentle hand caught the sleeve of my jacket. I turned around. Daphne was standing in the shadows behind the gift-wrapping station. Her head was down, her hair falling forward.

"Are you okay?" I asked, my voice automatically dropping into a gentle cadence.

"I'm fine," Daphne whispered, but her voice was tight.

I looked closer, and I instantly saw the truth. Her eyes were red-rimmed and bloodshot. She had been quietly crying behind the booths ever since Theo exposed her secret relationship with Cassian.

"I'm so sorry about Theo," I said softly, stepping closer to her so we were shielded from the people. "He shouldn't have screamed at you like that in public."

Daphne let out a bitter, shaky breath, wiping a fresh tear from her cheek. She looked up at my face, her voice cracking. "I never wanted to hurt Theo, Asher. I didn't think he'd react like that. He’s been my friend for years, and now he looks at me like I'm selfish"

My chest ached with a deep, personal pain. Looking at her tears, I felt a cold realisation hit me like ice. Theo's fury wasn't just about team loyalty or Cassian's injured brother. He was completely heartbroken because of the old Asher trauma, and I really needed to get close to Theo to find out the rest of the truth.

"Sometimes we end up hurting the ones we are trying hardest to protect the truth from," I whispered. I was talking to Daphne, but deep down I was talking about myself. I was talking about the boy who could fight the whole world for me, but I was too terrified that my revenge could destroy him.

Daphne didn't notice the double meaning. She just nodded slowly before walking back toward the skating rink booth to find Cassian.

I walked back into Booth 4 to grab my bag. My shift was officially over. As I pulled the zipper open, my hand hit the small wrapped brown paper bag at the very bottom. The gift I couldn't give him myself. Not after what happened in the alley. Not after watching his mouth on Katty's.

I zipped the bag shut, walked out of the booth, and spotted Landon packing up some spare boxes near the truck. I walked straight up to him, keeping my head down.

"Landon," I called out quietly.

Landon stopped, turning around with a serious, guarded expression. He looked from my face to the gift bag I was forcing into his hand. His expression changed completely, but he didn't ask any questions.

"Can you give this to him on Christmas Day?" I asked, my voice flat. "I bet you three have been celebrating it together every year anyway. Just... make sure he gets it."

Landon simply nodded and slid the small paper bag into his heavy coat pocket. "I'll make sure he gets it, Asher."

I turned around and walked away from the trucks, heading toward the main exit of the town market. The afternoon sun was setting over the mountains,

The holiday lights were turning on, making the square look bright and festive for the families holding hands.

Before I stepped through the exit gates, I stopped. I couldn't help myself. I looked back over my shoulder one last time.

Kieran was standing near the central tree-lighting platform. Katty was right beside him, her arm linked tightly through his elbow as they stood with Milo and some alumni. Kieran was throwing his head back, laughing loudly at something Milo had just said. Whether his smile was genuine or whether he was just forcing the reaction for the public didn't matter anymore. I only saw the surface. I saw a perfect captain with his beautiful girlfriend, completely fitting back into the golden mold expected of him.

I pulled my winter scarf higher up over my face, turned my back on the lights, and walked away into the freezing grey evening, fully believing that I had already been replaced and that it was for the better.

As I reached the bus stop at the corner of the block, my phone vibrated inside my pocket. My heart leapt into my throat. For a wild, desperate second, I thought it was Kieran. I pulled the device out with shaking fingers and swiped the screen open.

It wasn't a text. It was a new notification banner from the social network. Katty had just posted a live update from the fundraiser ceremony. I tapped the screen, and a picture filled the display. It was a clear, bright photo of Kieran kissing her and her resting her hands on his shoulder.

At the bottom of the image, she had typed a single, simple caption.

Finally got my Christmas kiss.

I locked the screen, dropping the phone into my bag as the late bus pulled up to the curb.