Chapter 59: The Storm Trap

Daphne’s POV

The beach was bustling; there were plenty of things to do, and we reached the cliffs. Landon carried a cooler over his shoulder like he owned the entire shoreline. Chelsea was walking beside Milo laughing about something stupid, while Kieran and Asher stayed a little behind the group.

“Last one to the cliffs is paying for dinner tonight!” Milo shouted suddenly before taking off down the sand.

“Oh, absolutely not,” Chelsea yelled before running after him.

Landon laughed loudly and sprinted after both of them while the rest of us followed more slowly.

I stayed near the back of the group beside Cassian. He had been quieter than usual ever since the night walk on the beach, but somehow the silence between us felt awkward now. Just full of things neither of us weren't saying out loud.

“You’re thinking too hard again,” Cassian muttered beside me.

I glanced at him. “I’m literally just walking.”

“Yeah,” he said calmly. “And somehow you still look stressed.”

I rolled my eyes, but a small smile pulled at my lips before I could stop it.

The cliffs came into view a few minutes later. The water below crashed hard against the rocks while waves rolled across the shore. The spot was beautiful, especially during the summer. It was where everyone came to act recklessly before school started again.

Milo immediately started taking his shirt off. “Alright! Who’s jumping first?”

“Not me,” Chelsea said quickly. “I enjoy being alive.”

“That’s because you’re weak,” Landon informed her.

Chelsea grabbed a handful of sand and threw it directly at his chest.

The group burst into laughter.

Even I laughed.

For the next hour, everything felt light. People were swimming, yelling, shoving each other into the water, and arguing over stupid things. Milo nearly slipped off the rocks trying to show off, which only made everyone laugh harder.

Kieran sat near the edge at one point with his feet hanging over the cliff while Asher stood beside him holding a towel.

“You jumping or not?” Kieran asked casually.

Asher folded his arms. “Depends.”

“Depends on what?”

“If you scream louder than Milo did.”

“I did not scream,” Milo shouted from below.

“Yes, you did!” Chelsea yelled back.

Landon nearly fell over laughing.

I looked away smiling, but when my eyes shifted back toward Kieran and Asher again, something caught my attention.

Kieran reached out without thinking and grabbed Asher’s wrist when he stepped too close to the edge.

It happened naturally. His fingers tightened around Asher’s arm for a second before he let go.

“You almost slipped,” Kieran muttered.

“I’m fine,” Asher replied quietly.

But I noticed the look Landon and Milo gave them. It lasted only a second before Milo smirked. “Captain, relax. Asher’s not gonna fall off the cliff.”

Kieran leaned back against the rocks. “You say that now until one of you idiots actually dies.”

“Wow,” Landon said dramatically. “That was tense.”

Kieran threw a bottle cap at his head. The group laughed again, but I noticed Asher glance away quickly like he was hiding something. Before I could think too hard about it, a strong wind suddenly rolled across the cliffs.

The air changed instantly..Chelsea looked up first. “Uh… was the sky always that dark?”

I turned toward the horizon..Heavy grey clouds were moving fast over the water..Thunder rumbled somewhere far away.

Milo frowned. “That storm wasn’t supposed to hit until tonight.”

Another loud crack echoed through the sky. Then the rain started falling. Within seconds, the peaceful summer atmosphere completely disappeared.

“Grab the bags!” Milo shouted.

Everyone moved at once.

The wind became violent so quickly that it almost knocked me sideways. Rain poured over the cliffs while waves crashed harder against the rocks below.

“Move!” Landon yelled.

People started running back toward the beach house while trying not to slip on the wet ground.

I almost lost my balance halfway down the rocks, but a hand caught my elbow immediately.

Cassian. “You okay?” he asked sharply over the storm.

I nodded quickly.

He stayed close anyway. By the time we reached the beach house, everyone was soaked. Chelsea was shivering while Milo fought with the front door because his hands were too wet to unlock it properly.

“Hurry up!” Landon shouted.

“I AM HURRYING!”

The second we got inside, chaos exploded. Wet towels got thrown everywhere. Shoes covered the floor. Everyone talked over each other while thunder shook the windows.

“This is insane,” Chelsea laughed breathlessly while squeezing water from her hair.

Kieran grabbed a dry towel from the couch and tossed it directly at Asher without even looking.

“Your lips are literally blue,” he muttered.

“I’m not cold,” Asher argued.

“You’re shaking.”

“I’m fine.”

Landon slowly looked between them.

Then Milo.

The two exchanged a suspicious look. Before anyone could say anything else, the lights suddenly flickered.

Everything went dark.

Chelsea screamed immediately. “Oh my God!”

“That was embarrassing,” Milo informed her.

“Shut up!”

Thunder cracked loudly outside while the house fell into darkness except for the lightning flashing through the windows.

“This is actually getting creepy now,” Landon muttered.

Milo found candles in the kitchen while everyone settled into the living room. Rain slammed hard against the roof while wind rattled the windows.

The storm trapped all of us inside together. And somehow that made the tension in the room even worse.

Kieran and Asher sat on opposite ends of the couch at first, but every time thunder hit, Kieran’s eyes immediately shifted toward him like he was checking if he was okay.

It happened too many times.

Chelsea noticed too. She frowned slightly but didn’t say anything.

Milo suddenly clapped his hands together. “Alright. Since we’re trapped here, we’re playing games.”

“No,” Chelsea said instantly.

“Yes,” Landon answered.

Thirty minutes later everyone was crowded around the coffee table playing truth or dare while thunder shook the house.

The storm outside kept getting worse. Inside, the atmosphere became warmer. Louder and Chaotic.

Milo was halfway through bullying Landon over a dare when another loud crack of thunder shook the windows hard enough to make me jump.

Before I realised it, my hand grabbed Cassian’s arm. The second I noticed what I did, I froze. Cassian looked down at my hand slowly. Then at me. Neither of us spoke.

But my face burned instantly.

“You scared?” he asked quietly.

“No.”

“You literally grabbed me.”

“I was startled.”

A small smile pulled at the corner of his mouth. Why did that stupid smile affect me so much?

The game continued around us, but I stopped paying attention after a while..Because Cassian was sitting too close..every time lightning flashed across the room, I caught him looking at me. And because I kept remembering his confession on the beach.

I have been trying to stay away from you for almost a year.

The words stayed trapped inside my head.

At some point, Milo and Landon started arguing over snacks in the kitchen while Chelsea laughed at both of them. Kieran disappeared upstairs for extra blankets while Asher followed a few minutes later.

No one said anything.

But Landon definitely said, “What's going on?” he muttered quietly to Milo.

Milo narrowed his eyes toward the staircase. “Oh, Normal kirean shenanigans".

Before they could continue, Cassian stood up beside me..“Come help me grab more candles,” he said.

I followed him into the hallway without arguing..The house felt quieter away from the others. The storm outside sounded even louder here.

Cassian stopped near the storage room and turned toward me.

For a second, neither of us moved..“You’ve been avoiding me all day,” he said finally.

“I have not.”

“You have.”

I looked away first.

Cassian stepped closer slowly. “Daphne.”

The way he said my name completely ruined me. “I don’t know what you want me to say,” I whispered.

“The truth.”

My chest tightened..“You kissed me,” I said softly. “Then confessed feelings out of nowhere. What did you expect me to do?”

“I expected you to panic,” he admitted honestly.

That surprised a laugh out of me.

Cassian smiled faintly before it disappeared again. “But I meant every word,” he said quietly. “I’m not asking you for an answer right now. I just needed you to know.”

Thunder shook the walls again.

I stared at him for a long second Then finally saw it. Cassian was nervous. A boy standing in front of me hoping not to get hurt..Something inside my chest broke completely after that realisation.

Before I could stop myself, I stepped closer. Cassian’s eyes widened slightly. And then I kissed him. His hand immediately slid against my waist as he kissed me back harder, pulling me closer while the storm roared outside around us.

For a few seconds, nothing else existed. When we finally pulled apart, Cassian looked completely stunned. He could not believe this was real. I rested my forehead lightly against his chest, breathing hard.

since meeting Cassian Thorne…

I realised I was he was the one meant for me someone that actually sees me and chooses me