Chapter 24 Another Visit

Chapter 24 Another Visit
ELOWEN BENNETT

Detention with Andrew turned out to be surprisingly pleasant.

The room was quiet except for the occasional scratch of pens and the supervisor’s newspaper rustling. Andrew and I sat at the back, far enough from the few other students that we could talk in low voices without getting in more trouble.

He turned slightly toward me, resting his chin on his hand. “So, tell me more about you, Elowen. What’s your favorite thing to do when you’re not dodging cheerleaders or doing forced biology projects?”

I blinked, a little surprised by the question. “Me?”

“Yeah, you,” he said with a grin. “You’re always listening to everyone else. I want to know about you.”

I felt my cheeks warm. Someone like Andrew tall, athletic, confident, and genuinely kind actually wanted to know about me? The quiet nerd who spent most of her time hiding behind books and oversized hoodies? It felt unreal.

“And I bake sometimes when my mom’s not home. Nothing fancy, just cookies or brownies. It helps me calm down.”

Andrew nodded, looking genuinely interested. “Favorite book of all time?”

“That’s hard,” I laughed softly. “Maybe The Night Circus. Or Six of Crows. I love stories with found family and characters who feel like outsiders.”

We talked for the entire detention period. He asked about my favorite movies, what kind of music I listened to, even what I wanted to do after high school. Each question made me feel seen in a way I wasn’t used to. Most people at school never bothered to ask. They just assumed I was the invisible girl who read too much.

By the time the supervisor dismissed us, I was smiling — a real, unguarded smile.

“That wasn’t so bad,” Andrew said as we walked out together. “We should get sent to detention more often.”

I rolled my eyes playfully. “Please don’t jinx it.”

We said goodbye near the exit, and I headed toward the school gates, still feeling lighter than I had in days.

That lightness vanished the moment I stepped outside.

Tasha was waiting for me with two of her cheerleader friends. They blocked my path, arms crossed, looking like they owned the sidewalk.

“Well, well,” Tasha said, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. “Look who it is. Little miss charity case.”

I stopped, clutching my bag tighter. “What do you want?”

She stepped closer, her sharp eyes narrowing. “When was the last time you heard from Alaric?”

The question caught me completely off guard. I stared at her, confused. “What?”

“You heard me,” she snapped. “He wasn’t in school today. He hasn’t replied to any of my texts since last night. So spill it. When did you last talk to him?”

I blinked, shocked. Even Tasha his own girlfriend didn’t know where he was? After everything that happened yesterday at his house, the fighting, his father’s strange questions… a wave of worry washed over me.

“I… I don’t know,” I said honestly. “I saw him last night, but that was it.”

Tasha’s expression twisted. “You saw him last night? What were you doing at his house?”

“I was just dropping something off,” I lied quickly, not wanting to explain the apology or the conversation with his father. “He seemed fine then.”

She studied me for a long moment, clearly suspicious, before flipping her hair over her shoulder. “Whatever. If you hear from him, tell him to call me. Immediately.”

Her minions gave me dirty looks as they walked away.

I stood there for a minute, trying to make sense of everything. Why wasn’t Alaric in school? And why did the fact that Tasha didn’t know bother me so much?

I couldn’t bring myself to go back to his house again. Not after last night. The memory of Nate Hayes’ probing questions still made me uneasy.

The rest of the afternoon passed in a fog. When I finally got home, I freshened up, changed into comfortable clothes, and tried to lose myself in a book. But my mind kept drifting back to Alaric.

Then my phone buzzed.

It was from the anonymous number he always used.

Unknown: You left your hat.

I stared at the message, confused. My hat? I didn’t even remember wearing one yesterday. But typical Alaric — short, commanding, no explanation.

I typed back quickly:

Me: Can I come get it?

No response.

Of course. Typical Alaric.

After twenty minutes of waiting with no reply, I made a decision. I grabbed my jacket and told my mom I was going for a quick walk. My stomach was in knots the entire walk to his house.

When I arrived, the front door opened before I could even knock.

It was Nate Hayes again.

“Elowen,” he said, sounding almost pleased to see me. “Back so soon?”

“I… Alaric texted me that I left my hat here,” I explained nervously. “Is he home?”

Nate shook his head. “He had a minor injury during practice. He’s at the hospital getting checked. Nothing serious, but he’ll be there for a few hours.”

My heart skipped. “Is he okay?”

“He’ll be fine,” Nate replied, waving it off. He disappeared inside for a moment and returned with a simple black beanie. “Here. This must be yours.”

I took the hat, even though I was almost certain it wasn’t mine. “Thank you.”

As I turned to leave, Nate’s voice stopped me again.

“You seem like a nice girl, Elowen. Be careful who you get close to.”

The warning sent a chill down my spine, but I just nodded and walked away quickly.

On the way back home, I kept turning the beanie over in my hands. I hoped Alaric was really okay. The thought surprised me. Why did I care so much? He treated me like his personal servant. He shouted at me. He controlled my life for the next three months.

Yet here I was, worrying about him.

I hated how stupid it felt.

I hated that, despite everything, a small part of me still cared.

By the time I reached my house, the sun had almost set. I slipped inside quietly, still clutching the beanie that probably wasn’t even mine.