Chapter 125: The Heart of the Group

Aveline's POV

Kieran Hampton kissed Katty once. The internet made me watch it a hundred times. By the time the transit bus doors shut behind me, the video had already spread across the school forum. Every replay felt like a punch to my chest.

A girl sitting next to me giggled as she watched it on her phone with her friend, the bright screen lighting up their faces in the dark bus.

I forced my eyes away. My thumbs hovered over Kieran’s contact page. I almost blocked his number, but I stopped myself. I locked the screen and refused to open the school notifications from the fundraiser fight.

The bus rode quietly through the snowy streets. A guy stepped onto the bus at the next stop, shaking the fresh snow off his coat. As he walked down the aisle past my seat, a sudden scent hit the air. It was the same cologne Kieran always wore. My lungs completely locked up.

The familiar smell dragged me straight back to our quiet moments before everything exploded. I had to bury my face deep into my winter scarf just to stop the ache in my chest.

I could not handle going straight back to the Carter house. It is my family's first Christmas without Asher Carter. Even though my mom acts tough, I know she is in pain. I pulled the signal cord and got off the bus three stops early at the edge of the central plaza.

I tried to walk through the crowded Christmas market. The small wooden stalls were glowing with holiday lights, but the beauty of the square only made the loneliness sharper. I stopped near a small table of handmade glass decorations. My fingers touched a tiny silver anchor ornament.

"Buying a holiday gift for your girlfriend, young man?" an old woman behind the counter asked with a kind smile.

I froze completely. The question felt like a knife. The only gift I bought was a leather anchor bracelet meant for Kieran; now I couldn't even give him the gift.

"No," I forced a gentle voice out of my throat. "Just looking." I walked away fast and hurried down the sidewalk. Desperate to escape the cold, I pushed open the door of a small corner convenience store.

The little bell chimed, and Milo Hayes’ loud voice immediately echoed from the snack aisle.

"Why are bananas more expensive than my actual income tax, sir?" Milo was arguing with the elderly cashier, holding a bunch of bananas in one hand and three bags of potato chips in the other. "This is a robbery on holiday; that's crazy. Inflation has officially defeated Christmas."

The cashier did not even look up.

I tried to step quietly toward the drink fridge, but Milo was far too observant. His head whipped around, the giant white pom-pom on his ridiculous green holiday hat bouncing.

"Whoa... look who is here," Milo smirked, walking over and blocking my path. "Are you here for that fake discount on chocolate packs they posted online, Carter? Don't even bother."

"I'm just getting some water, Milo," I muttered, looking at the floor.

Milo’s lazy grin slowly disappeared as he studied my face. He saw right through the mask. His voice dropped the random comedy as he leaned against the shelf. "Seriously, Asher. You look terrible."

I shrugged my shoulders weakly. "Thanks."

He did not let it slide. He paid for his snacks and followed me straight out of the store, matching my pace as we walked down the quiet, snowy street toward the next junction.

"Can I ask you something?" Milo asked casually, tearing open a bag of chips. "Are you guys actually okay?"

I frowned, keeping my head down. "What do you mean?"

"You and Hampton," Milo said, his tone getting serious. "Ever since the fundraiser fight today, it’s like somebody took a hammer and split the team into tiny pieces. Now Theo’s out here fighting random people. Hampton looks ready to punch straight through walls. Landon’s stressed. And you just completely disappeared."

"We just had an argument about the team reputation, Milo," I lied, my voice tight. "I was just stressed about the brawl. It's fine."

"Right. Cool," Milo murmured, though I could tell he did not believe a word. He swallowed some chips and looked out at the falling snow. "Well, since you said you are cool, I was just stressed for nothing. Every single Christmas, Landon, Kieran, and I celebrate together. It's a tradition. So we thought... why don't we all get together at the Hampton estate on Christmas Eve until Christmas morning? The core group needs to stick together."

My breath caught. My stomach dropped.

"I'm not sure I can make it, Milo," I said quickly, panic rising in my chest.

"You should come," Milo insisted, stepping in front of me and stopping dead centre on the snowy pavement. He was not playing matchmaker; he just wanted to save the friendship of the group before the hockey term resumed. "Seriously, Asher. I can't see myself trying to fix a broken team friendship again next semester. Kieran wouldn't let me survive if I tried. Just show up."

The invitation hung heavily in the air between us. I wanted to see Kieran so badly it physically hurt, but the image of his mouth on Katty’s was still burning behind my eyes.

Milo did not wait for me to answer. He gave my shoulder a quick, supportive pat, unlocked his car by the curb, and drove away.

I turned the final corner of my street, the warmth of his invitation vanishing instantly as the Carter house came into view. The house was glowing with bright, beautiful holiday decorations. I stepped onto the porch, leaving Aveline behind in the cold as I pushed open the door to the prison.