Chapter 24: Enemy Lines
Aveline’s POV
I officially no longer understood Cassian Thorne, which was deeply concerning because understanding people felt important for survival, three weeks ago I was convinced he was the reason Asher ended up in a hospital bed, now he was sitting beside me in class silently highlighting pages in a book while the rest of the class pretended not to stare at him, nobody sat near Cassian voluntarily, nobody, unless they had a death wish or unresolved trauma, meanwhile I was currently sharing his highlighter because mine ran out of ink, life came at people fast.
“You’re pressing too hard.”
I looked up from my notes.
“What?”
Cassian pointed lazily at my paper. “Your pen’s about to tear through the page.”
I glanced down.
He was right.
“Thanks, Man.”
His mouth twitched faintly, not quite a smile, but Cassian didn’t really smile,
Professor Bennett continued rambling about symbolism at the front of the room while Daphne kept glancing between Cassian and me like she was witnessing a supernatural event, even Theo looked disturbed these days, nobody understood why.
Cassian suddenly stopped targeting me, and and the bullying stopped almost overnight after the equipment room incident, it was almost like he saw an angel in me and no longer someone he despised.
Since then there was no more intimidation, no more cornering me in hallways, no more cold threats whispered under his breath, instead Cassian watched me now, carefully, like he was trying to solve a puzzle.
The bell rang loudly through the classroom, students immediately scrambled out, Cassian stayed seated, he moved through life like nobody could rush him.
Daphne slid beside my desk instantly the second class ended.
“Okay,” she whispered dramatically. “I need answers.”
“About?”
She pointed toward Cassian.
“That.”
Cassian didn’t even look up from his book.
“I’m right here, Sinclair.”
“I know,” Daphne replied nervously. “That’s why I’m speaking carefully.”
I nearly laughed.
Cassian finally stood, grabbing his bag, then his eyes landed on me briefly.
“You still walk home alone?”
“Sometimes.”
“Don’t tonight.”
Before I could ask why, he walked away just like that.
Daphne stared after him in horror.
“What?”
“He’s protecting you.”
I scoffed immediately. “Cassian Thorne doesn’t protect people.” Daphne looked at me like I was stupid.
“Asher, he threatened a sophomore last week for calling you hospital boy.”
I froze.
“What?”
She nodded quickly.
“Nobody told you?”
No, Nobody told me anything. Which apparently was becoming a theme at Crestwood. Theo appeared outside the classroom doorway suddenly.
“Carter.”
I grabbed my bag quickly.
“What?”
“Coach wants equipment inventory done before practice.”
Daphne groaned dramatically.
“You people spend more time inside that rink than normal society should allow.”
Theo looked offended.
“Hockey is normal society.”
“No,” Daphne replied immediately. “Hockey boys are basically a cult.”
Theo and I headed toward the arena together while students flooded the hallways around us.
“You and Cassian are friends now,” Theo said suddenly.
I nearly tripped.
“What?”
“He doesn’t threaten you anymore.”
“That disappoints you?”
“No,” Theo muttered. “It concerns me.”
I glanced sideways at him carefully. Theo’s expression looked tight.
“You think he’s manipulating me?”
“I think Cassian manipulates everybody.”
By the time we reached the rink, practice was already starting, players moved across the ice while Coach Donovan screamed aggressively from the sidelines like volume alone could create championships, Kieran was there too, obviously, I noticed him instantly, unfortunately my stupid heart did too, he looked up the second I entered and just like always lately his attention locked onto me immediately, it was exhausting being perceived that intensely.
He started skating toward us before Coach yelled his name sharply.
“Hampton! Focus!”
Kieran looked away reluctantly.
I escaped toward the storage hallway before either of them could corner me emotionally.
Unfortunately Crestwood apparently hated peace because halfway through organizing equipment angry voices echoed around the corner.
“Move.”
“Make me.”
I recognized both voices instantly, Cassian and one of the senior players named Brent Holloway, fantastic.
I moved quietly toward the hallway entrance.
Brent stood chest-to-chest with Cassian beside the lockers while two other players watched nervously nearby, Brent looked furious, Cassian looked bored, which somehow felt more threatening.
“You think Coach won’t bench you?” Brent snapped.
Cassian shrugged lazily. “You think I care?”
“You’re a damn psycho.”
Cassian’s eyes darkened instantly, dangerous, Brent shoved him first. Cassian grabbed the front of Brent’s jersey so fast the guy slammed against the lockers hard enough to rattle metal, the entire hallway went silent.
Cassian looked genuinely ready to kill him.
“You wanna say that again?” he asked softly.
Brent swallowed hard.
“Cassian.”
My voice cut through the hallway sharply. His head turned toward me instantly, still holding Brent against the lockers.
I stepped closer carefully.
“You’re gonna get suspended.”
“I don’t care.”
“Maybe not,” I said quietly. “But I do.” Something shifted in his expression, tiny, but enough. I lowered my voice further.
“Don’t let idiots decide who you become.”
The hallway stayed dead silent. Cassian stared at me for one long moment. Then slowly released Brent. The senior player stumbled backward immediately, shocked, everyone looked shocked honestly including me.
Cassian wiped blood from his knuckles calmly.
“Get out,” he told Brent flatly.
Brent left immediately.
The other players disappeared too. Leaving me alone with Cassian. He leaned back against the lockers afterward, breathing steadily.
“You shouldn’t interfere when people are angry.”
“I was trying to stop you from getting suspended.”
“I don’t care about all that”
“yes clearly"
Cassian glanced toward the rink. “Kieran protected you once.”
My stomach tightened instantly. “What?”
“Last year.”
“No he didn’t.”
Cassian gave me a strange look. “You really don’t remember?”
Alarm bells screamed immediately.
“I remember enough.”
“No,” Cassian said quietly. “You don’t.”
“What happened?”
Cassian looked away first. “There was a party,” he said eventually. “Some idiots from Westbridge thought messing with Crestwood’s mascot would be funny.”
“What did they do?”
“They cornered you outside.”
“And?”
“Kieran broke somebody’s nose.” Hampton gets territorial That made no sense. Kieran bullied Asher, mocked him constantly, humiliated him, Then why would he protect him?
“You’re lying.”
Cassian looked almost amused. “You think I enjoy defending Hampton?”
The hatred between them felt ancient, which made this worse somehow.
Cassian studied my face carefully. “You see people in extremes, Carter,” he said. “Real life’s usually uglier.”
Practice ended an hour later with Coach screaming about defensive formations while I handed out water bottles distractedly, my brain wouldn’t shut up, Kieran protected Asher, why, out of pity, guilt, or something worse?
Kieran skated toward the bench afterward, sweat dampening his dark hair, his eyes found me instantly again,
He smiled back and suddenly I hated how attractive he looked doing absolutely nothing.
Landon shouted for him from across the rink, Kieran glanced back briefly before leaning closer toward me.
“You should avoid the west parking lot after dark.”
My pulse skipped.
“What?”
“There’ve been fights there lately.”
He straightened afterward like he never said anything strange then skated away.
I stood there frozen.
Later that night I sat cross-legged on my bedroom floor staring at the evidence spread around me again, the broken chain, the threatening notes, the hazing photos, Asher’s bruised jersey, and now this new information, Kieran protected him once, Cassian hated him once, nothing aligned, nothing.
“What happened between you people?” I whispered.
Silence gave me nothing back.
But one thing became painfully clear.
Whatever existed between Cassian Thorne and my brother ran deeper than bullying, deeper than revenge, and I was going to uncover every ugly piece of it.