CHAPTER 34: WANNA KNOW WHAT I AM MAD ABOUT?

A moment later, Cassian shuffled out of his room, rubbing his eyes. and sat next to Aiden "Good morning, Aiden," he mumbled, voice still thick with sleep.

Aiden turned toward him with an automatic smile warm, familiar ready to greet him. But then his eyes caught something.

His smile faltered.

His expression darkened.

(Aiden’s POV)

Cassian shuffled out of his room like a sleep-deprived ghost, hair sticking up in three different directions, eyes half-glued shut. He plopped down next to me at the kitchen table with a soft groan and mumbled, "Good morning, Aiden," voice thick like he’d swallowed cotton.

I turned toward him automatically smile already forming, warm and familiar, the kind I’d been giving him since day one. Ready to tease him about drooling on his pillow again or ask if he dreamed about that stupid rooftop party.

But then my eyes dropped.

And I saw it.

Right there on the side of his neck, peeking out from under his sleep-rumpled collar—a dark, angry purple mark. Not a scratch. Not a rash. Definitely not a *bug bite*.

...Okay, sure. Maybe a bug bite. If the bug was Leonel and its venom was possessiveness.

My smile died on my lips. My chest went tight. I turned my head slowly toward the stove, where Leonel stood stirring a pot of - of all things pasta. For breakfast. He looked calm.

Too calm. Like he hadn’t spent last night doing... whatever he’d done.

I dropped my gaze to the table. "Yeah. Morning," I said.

Anyone who knew me could tell something was off. My voice came out flat, clipped like I’d swallowed gravel. Cassian noticed right away.

"What’s wrong, Aid?" he asked, voice softer now.

I didn’t look at him. "Nothing."

One word. Cold. Final. Not like me at all.

I hated how I sounded. Hated that I was being shitty to him when he hadn’t done anything wrong well, except maybe let Leonel sink his teeth into him like some kind of feral cat marking territory. But still. Cassian didn’t deserve my mood.

"...Your face," he pressed gently. "And your voice. It feels like you’re mad."

"I told you," I said, cutting him off fast, "it’s nothing."

I finally looked up and my eyes locked with Leonel’s.

He’d just finished plating the pasta and was watching me over his shoulder, fork in hand. His expression didn’t change, but something flickered in his eyes. Recognition. Guilt. Maybe even a challenge.

He knew I’d seen it.

He set the plates down mine, Cassian’s, his own and sat without a word. The silence stretched, thick and suffocating. I stared at the steam curling off my pasta like it held answers. Then I picked up my fork and ate faster than I ever had in my life, just to have an excuse to leave.

I stood abruptly, chair scraping loud against the floor. "I’m out," I muttered, not looking at either of them.

I walked to my room and slammed the door behind me.

Harder than I meant to.

The sound echoed through the hallway, sharp and final. Even I winced. "Shit," I muttered, dragging a hand through my hair. I slid down the door until I was sitting on the floor, head resting against the wood.

So that’s what Leonel was doing in Cassian’s room last night.

I’d seen him come out. Watched him disappear into his own room like nothing happened. And I didn’t say a damn thing. Not then. Not this morning. Why? Because I was scared? Because I didn’t want to make things weird?

Since when did I become the one watching from the outside?

I pushed myself up, frustration buzzing under my skin like static. I changed into clean clothes, grabbed my bag, and checked the calendar on my phone. Thursday. Two more days till the weekend. Two more days till that stupid party. Two more days of pretending everything’s fine while Lucian’s smirking from the shadows and Leonel’s leaving love bites on the guy I -

I cut that thought off before it could finish.

I walked back out to the living room. Leonel was already sitting on the couch, dressed and ready, scrolling through his phone. Cassian was still in his room, probably brushing his stupid bedhead.

I sat on the far end of the couch. Left a good two feet between us. Silence stretched again, heavy and awkward.

Then Leonel spoke, voice low. "You... saw the mark this morning, right?"

I almost laughed. Of course he’s asking me this shit right now.

I didn’t look at him. "Yeah."

"It was sudden," he started, voice tight. "It wasn’t planned. I just -"

"Just be quiet," I cut in, sharper than I meant to. "I don’t want an explanation."

Because what was he gonna say? "Sorry I kissed him like the world was ending"? Like that would fix the hollow feeling in my chest.

I stood up again, slinging my bag over my shoulder. "You and Cassian come when he’s done changing. I’m heading to uni first. I’m in a bad mood."

And I walked out before either of them could stop me.

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The campus was quiet this early. Too quiet. I found out my first lecture got canceled, so I wandered aimlessly for a while before ending up where I always did when I needed to disappear: the old library annex.

It was technically still part of the university, but no one used it anymore. Dust coated the shelves, windows were fogged with grime, and the air smelled like old paper and mildew. Perfect. No one ever came here.

I slumped against the farthest bookshelf, sliding down until I was sitting on the floor, knees pulled up. I stared blankly at the opposite wall, trying to empty my head.

Just breathe. Just... stop caring so much.

But then I heard it rustling. Footsteps.

My eyes narrowed. Great. Just when I wanted to be alone.

I stayed still, hoping whoever it was would pass by. But the footsteps stopped right in front of my aisle.

I looked up, ready to snap "This spot’s taken" but the words died in my throat.

It was Cassian.

He was panting slightly, cheeks flushed, eyes wide with worry. He’d clearly run here. His hair was even messier than this morning.

"There you are," he said, voice breathless. He didn’t ask if he could sit. Just dropped down beside me like it was the most natural thing in the world.

I stared at him. "What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here?" He let out a shaky laugh. "You left the house before us. You never do that. Your mood’s off. You’re clearly mad. Tell me what’s wrong."

He kept talking fast, anxious, words tumbling over each other like he was scared I’d vanish if he stopped. "Did I do something? Was it the party? Is it Lucian? Aiden, please -"

Something in me snapped.

Before I could think, I grabbed the front of his shirt and yanked him closer. The top button popped off with a soft "ping", rolling across the dusty floor.

His neck was right there. Exposed. That damn mark darker now in the dim light, unmistakable.

"Wanna know what I’m mad about?" I growled, voice rough with everything I’d been holding back.

His breath hitched. Eyes wide. Lips parted.

I leaned in, close enough that he could feel my anger, my hurt, my stupid, pathetic jealousy.

"This," I said, jabbing a finger at the bruise on his throat. "This dark purple mark that you’d probably tell me is a bug bite."

His mouth opened. Closed. No words came out.

And I just held his collar, knuckles white, heart hammering like it wanted out of my chest.

Because yeah.

I was mad.

Aiden’s grip on Cassian’s shirt tightened, his voice low and raw. "Now tell me what’s this about? An accident ? Please don’t say that, Cass. Don’t insult me."

Cassian’s throat worked. Words stuck there like glass. He looked up at Aiden, eyes wide, confused like he still didn’t get it.

"You do realize what I feel about all this, right?" Aiden pressed, voice cracking. "About Leonel?"

And then like a complete idiot Cassian whispered, voice trembling, "Do... do you like Leonel?"

Aiden froze.

What?

He stared at him, disbelief crashing over him like ice water. "Me?" He let out a harsh, broken laugh. "You think I’m jealous because I like Leonel?"

He shook his head, stunned. "Cass... are you serious right now?"

Cassian flinched, finally catching on. His face went pale. "Wait - I -no, I didn’t mean -"

But it was too late.

I released his shirt, shoving back like he’d been burned. The truth hung between them, ugly and exposed not about Leonel at all, but about him . About how he’d stood by, cracked jokes, held Cassian through everything , memorized his coffee order, stayed up nights just to make sure he was okay...

And Cassian never once saw it.

"Leonel?" i repeated, voice hollow now. "Me?" He barked a laugh that held no humor. "No, Cass. I don’t like Leonel."

He looked away, jaw clenched so tight it ached.