CHAPTER 9: UNEXPECTED REACTION

EVELESSA

If the cafeteria was noisy prior to the incident, it transformed into a concert afterwards. People continued to steal looks at me as if I were a creature needing a handler hired by the school. Jana sat opposite me, blinking as though she had just seen a real-life crime documentary.

At last, she set her sandwich aside.

“You realize Cassain is about to blow up don’t you?”

“He was already angry," I whispered, peeling back the packaging of my juice. "What can he do? Get angrier?”

“Yes!" She tapped the table gently. "That’s what the king does. He gathers fury like Pokémon cards.”

I wasn’t even able to argue with her because she is right.

The cafeteria doors swung open more, and for a brief instant, I steeled myself; perhaps the cheerleading team had returned for another go.

But no.

It was worse.

It was Cassain.

Appearing as if he’d sprinted from the end of the school the moment a message popped up on his phone. Tall, with eyes dressed in that grey sweatshirt that caused half the girls to sigh deeply whenever he strolled by.

He noticed me immediately.

And walked up to me.

“Oh no," Jana murmured. "Oh no no no…conceal the bat.”

The bat had already disappeared (seized by a P.E. lecturer) yet the harm had been done. Cass arrived at the table his jaw clenched firmly. I was convinced he was biting at thin air.

“What, in the world happened here?”

The students close by fell quiet. No one wished to be in my disfavor, so they opted for silence.

I glanced at him. "Hey Cass.”

“Don’t just say ‘Hi Cass’ to me." He bent over, placing his hands on the table. "I caught wind that you went all Babe Ruth in the cafeteria.”

“It wasn't that dramatic—”

“You threw a chair, Eve!”

"It fell out."

“It took off!”

Jana lifted her hand as if she were, in a classroom. "It did fly, in fact. Over two tables.”

Cass gave her a glance.

“Jana your intentions are good. Kindly stop assisting her.”

She sealed her lips.

Cass faced me again, breathing out as if attempting to draw patience from some source.

“Start talking," he commanded. "What happened here?”

I folded my arms. "Nothing major. Alyssa Chadwell attempted to bully me using five football players.”

His mouth fell open. "They WHAT?”

“Yeah. And—”

“. You chose to confront them? Armed with a bat?”

“Technically I battled the chair.”

“Eve.”

“And the table.”

“Eve.”

“And maybe one of the lockers.”

He ran his hands over his face. "You’re going to be the end of me.”

"Then quit being furious, with me!" I retorted before thinking. "You've been acting strange since yesterday. I'm exhausted. So if I want to wreck a cafeteria, let me do it!"

There was a long beat.

A very long beat.

Then Cass murmured, "Do you believe I’m mad at you because of that?”

“That… and that quarterback trying to ask me out.”

Jana gradually retreated from the table.

Cass took a breath, his eyes narrowing slightly.

“He spoke softly ‘It wasn’t anger I felt when he invited you out.’”

“Oh? Then why?”

“I got annoyed because you genuinely seemed to be considering it.”

My eyebrows raised. "I wasn’t considering it!"

“You hesitated.”

“I was, in the middle of processing!”

“You stopped for three seconds!”

“Cassain that’s what you call paying attention!”

Our debate moved rapidly that the students nearby were following our head movements as if watching a tennis game.

At last he took a seat next, to me his irritation fading into a feeling something that caused my stomach to flutter irritably.

You frighten the living daylight out of me he confessed.

That left me speechless.

“What?”

He pressed his hand against his forehead. "You rush headlong without considering the consequences. You end up injured.. Someone attempts to harm you.. I can’t—”

He stopped himself abruptly.

I looked at him. Truly looked.

“Are you concerned about me?”

“Obviously!" He raised his hands in the air. "Can you imagine what my heart did when I found out you faced off against a line of linebackers?”

“Linebackers aren’t found on benches.”

“EVELESSA—”

“Okay okay! Sorry!”

He sighed deeply. He rested his head on the table.

Jana silently said to me: He cares, fool.

I softly nudged her foot beneath the table.

Cass raised his head. His tone had deepened.

“Just…" please stay safe. I believe you can protect yourself. I’m aware that you’re strong. You could likely defeat half the wrestling team armed with a pencil." He hesitated. "On thought don’t attempt that.”

“I had no intention to.”

“. Today? You didn’t break those tables out of fear. You did it because you were upset with me.”

I grimaced.

He wasn’t wrong.

“. " He murmured, softer now."I don’t appreciate causing you to throw bats at the furniture.”

My chest felt like it was melting strangely.

“I wasn’t mad at you," I said gradually. "Alright, a bit.. Mainly, I was upset that Alyssa attempted to act like I was some… delicate girl.”

“You are not delicate.”

“Precisely! Then why does everyone continue behaving as if I must remain quiet and grin?”

“Since if you don’t remain seated and grin, you damage school belongings.”

“That was one time.”

“Today " he amended, "happened once. Yesterday, you struck a vending machine since it swallowed your coins.”

“I have retrieved my chips.”

“That’s beside the point.”

“. It functioned.”

“Eve…”

His tone became even gentler.

“You have the ability to protect yourself. I understand.. Allow me to assist. Permit me to feel upset with you. Allow me to safeguard you well.”

I looked at him intently.

Because that… that affected my heart in some way.

Dangerously.

Cassain gazed downward at his hands.

“I’m not great, with words," he muttered. "However, I don’t want you to suffer simply because you’re attempting to look tough.”

“I’m not attempting to look strong " I murmured softly. "I simply… am.”

He glanced upward.

And smiled.

A small, crooked, heart-wrecking smile.

“Yeah " he whispered. "You really are.”

Quietness lingered between us. This time it was pleasant.. Strained nor hostile. Simply… cozy.

At that moment a voice shouted from the side of the cafeteria:

“Evelessa! The HOD needs you in her office! It’s regarding property damage!”

Cass exhaled deeply. "Here we go.”

I moaned. "Aarghhh.”

Jana gently tapped my hand. "If you get suspended I’ll deliver snacks to your place.”

Cass rose. "I’m coming with you.”

I blinked. "Um… what, for?”

He shrugged. "If they shout at you I want to be present to shoot them a look.”

“That’s not the way discipline is handled in schools.”

“That’s the way it operates when I’m present.”

I chuckled against my will.

As we began to leave the cafeteria split apart more creating a broad passage as if we were nobility.. Members of a bomb disposal unit.

Cass moved in nearer.

“For the record " he whispered gently "you snapping that chair was pretty sexy.”

I almost stumbled.

He grinned.

“Hopefully the HOD will agree with you and not punish me I added.

“Oh she definitely will.”

We strolled to the office alongside each other step, by step.

And for the first time all day…

I wasn’t angry anymore.