Lahat ng Kabanata ng Sinister Storm: Kabanata 51 - Kabanata 55

BENNETT’S POV The car was quiet for a long time after we pulled away from the restaurant. Just the low hum of the engine and the occasional sound of tires rolling over old asphalt. I had one hand on the wheel, the other one resting on my thigh, fingers twitching with nerves I didn’t want to name. My Mum finally broke the silence. “He’s good for you, you know.” I didn’t have to ask who she meant. “Mum.” “No, listen,” she said, angling herself slightly in her seat. “Lucas is kind. A bit reserved, yes. But he’s steady. He sees you.” She paused, her voice soft. “And you’ve always needed someone who sees past your control.” I chuckled under my breath. “You make me sound like a tyrant.” She smiled faintly. “You’re a little bit of one.” The streetlights washed over her features, making her look both young and painfully tired. I glanced at her from the corner of my eye. She was leaning against the window like her bones had finally gotten too heavy to carry. I exhaled a

RYDER’S POVThere were days school felt like a blur, and then there were days like this where the tense atmosphere gave away the fact that it was going to be an eventful day.I dumped my bag on the table, half expecting Kael to stroll in with that half-smirk he wore when he had gossip or a joke up his sleeve or when he just wanted to get under my skin by flirting with me.But by the fourth period, neither he nor Lucas had shown up, and the thoughts in my head grew louder.“Bennett’s skipping today too,” I muttered under my breath, remembering the text from last night. ‘Spending the day with my mum. She’s not doing great.’ That made sense.But Lucas?Lucas was fine yesterday. Sure, he looked a little… off when he walked past me with Bennett to go see Bennett’s mum but he was fine enough to growl at me like his usual self.So where the hell was he?The question stuck in my throat until the principal walked in at the end of fourth period and gave that strained, too-neutral smile of his.

BENNETI flopped on my bed, my phone in hand, the same way I’d been for the past hour. Scrolling, refreshing, and glancing at my last message to Lucas.{You good? You’ve been quiet.}Which was left on read.No reply.Not even the little “typing…” bubble that usually popped up.That was weird.I knew Lucas was one to ghost especially when he was spiraling. But even then, he’d send some one-word reply like “Fine” or “Busy” just to shut me up.I sighed and tossed the phone onto the nightstand, rubbing my face. I’d spent the afternoon downstairs with my mom, trying to distract her from the migraines, the visits from the healers and witches, and all the pain she was trying so hard to smile through. I thought checking on Lucas later would be fine.But now… something felt off.Just as I sat up again, thinking of calling instead, my bedro