"I'm leaving." She said and turned to leave, but he dragged her back and hugged her.
"I'm sorry. Your anger is kílling me," He said.
"But what you did wasn't fair at all." She scolded him.
"I'm sorry."
"You know Lily is up to no good, yet you accepted a drink from her."
"I'm sorry."
"Then, you changed totally and became mean to me."
"I'm sorry."
"As if that wasn't enough, you told me that you hated me and never want to see me again!" Cassie snapped.
Asher pulled away from the hug and faced her. "I really said that?" He asked.
"You said all sort of hurtful things." She answered.
"I'm really sorry. I wasn't in my senses and you know that. Please, forgive me." He pleaded.
"I will forgive you on one condition," She said.
"Which is?"
"Treat me to lunch." She requested.
"Of course, I will." He said and she smiled.
"Let's leave before we get late for class." She said. He nodded and they left.
Kash who had been watching everything sighed and sat down on a stone there. He looked at their backs and ruffled his hair. How was he going to make her stop thinking about Asher? Her loving Asher would make it difficult for them to end the story the way the book wants it. He knew that he had feelings for her but he can't force her to love him.
"This is complicated!" He ran his hands through his hair.
"Tell me about it," Mia said as she appeared beside him.
"What do you want?" He asked.
"I want nothing," She said. "I just want to give you the solution to your problem."
"What are you talking about?" He asked.
"You like Cassie, but unfortunately she likes someone else. Isn't that a problem?" Mia asked.
"That is none of your business," He said and looked away.
"But it is. Come on, we can help you get her." Ian appeared at his other side. He was now in their middle.
Kash became alert immediately. His father had always told him to be careful and calculative when he is in the middle of his enemies. He would make sure he studied their movements to stop them from trying anything stupid.
"There is nothing to think about in this case, Kash. Cassie will be all yours and you wouldn't have to lift a muscle," Mia said.
"Thanks for offering to help, but it would be better if you guys allow nature to take its course. Cassie might not like me now, that doesn't mean she won't like me in the future," He said and they burst into laughter.
"For someone who is so agile and calculative, I didn't expect such a response from you. How are you sure about what you just uttered? Take it from a girl, Kash. As long as you do nothing to win her heart, she will never love you," Mia said.
"Mia is right, Kash. If you don't fight to get her, you will be the loser in the end." Ian chimed in.
"Thanks," He sighed and stood up. They stood up as well, "I don't need to fight to get Cassie, I'll win her heart in my own way, so I'd advise you keep your solutions to yourselves." After saying that, he was about to leave but Mia held his shoulder and smirked.
"Where do you think you're going, lover boy?" She asked.
Ian was about to hold him too but he turned invisible and kicked them.
"Ouch! My leg!" Ian groaned.
"Forget about that! Where did he go?" Mia asked as she looked around.
"I don't know!" Ian said as he rubbed where Kash kicked him.
"Gosh! That guy is so smart! It seems that he was prepared for whatever we were going to do," Mia said.
"What's the way out now? Master Drake is going to deal with us!" Ian snapped.
"I really don't know. Damn!" Mia ruffled her hair.
"Should we go after him?" Ian asked.
"How can we go after him when we can't see him?" She snapped and Ian became quiet. "We need to find another way, and I think I've got it." She smirked.
"What is that?" Ian asked as he moved closer to her.
"Come closer," She said. He did and she whispered something into his ears.
"That's a tremendous plan! You're a genius!" Ian complimented.
"Let us see how he can resist coming with us after that." She chuckled. They looked both way to make sure that no human students were coming before disappearing.
Kash became visible again and smirked. "So, that's their plan. I will make sure it doesn't get carried out," He said and left for the cafeteria.
It was lunch time and students gathered around their tables to eat. Asher had gone to get food for Cassie when Kash came and sat beside her.
"What are you doing here?" She asked.
"Are you angry with me?" He asked.
"That isn't the answer to my question, Kash." She said.
"I came to have lunch." He answered.
"Sorry, this table is taken. You can go eat somewhere else. I am sure Lily has kept a space for you, since I'm the bad guy," She said.
"I took away her pain for a reason, please try to understand me." He pleaded.
"Then make me understand because I don't!" She snapped.
"I know that you were only trying to teach her a lesson, but you went overboard," He said and she gasped.
"Overboard?"
"Yeah. She almost died yesterday. I have studied a lot of books in my life and learnt a lot of things. If Lily had died, her mother would have sought revenge and taken you with her. That time, I would become powerless and won't be able to help you."
"And you think I wouldn't be able to help myself? Do you really see me as a weakling?" She asked.
"Not at all! You are powerful, but no one is above the law. Not even your parents or mine," He said, hoping she would get his point.
"But if she had died, it would have been for a good course. No one would blame me because she is evil," Cassie said.
"Same as her mother, but has anyone killed her? There are certain laws in the supernatural realm that you might not be satisfied with. I am going to teach them to you as time goes on, so you wouldn't make the mistake you almost made yesterday. You can punish a witch without killing them," Kash said.
"But what if they are the ones that want to kill you?" Cassie asked.
"Then, you can kill them in terms of defense." Kash answered.
"Oh, okay." She nodded and sighed. "I'm sorry for how I've been treating you, Kash. After all that, you're still putting up with me."
"It's nothing. Just try and listen to me more often, okay?"
"Okay, your majesty." She bowed and they laughed.
He saw her hair scattered a bit on her face and was about to tuck it behind her ears when Asher came with the tray of food. Asher looked at Kash and leaned in to tuck the hair behind her ears.
"Oh, thanks Asher." She smiled.
"It's my pleasure." He smiled and sat down.
"Aren't you going to eat anything?" Cassie asked Kash.
"I'll go get something to eat," He said and was about to stand up but she made him sit down.
"Come have some fish tacos with me. The bill is on Asher." She said.
Kash looked at Asher but Asher looked away and scoffed.
"There is no need for that. I'll go eat something else. Besides, I don't really like fish tacos." He said.
"Nonsense! Sit and eat with me. You'll like it, I promise." She said.
He was about to talk but she put the food in his mouth. Asher's eyes widened and he frowned.
"Did you just feed him?" Asher asked.
"Yeah. I didn't want him to reject the food again." She answered.
Kash finished chewing and swallowed then drank some water.
"Do you like it?" She asked.
"Umm..."
"Come on, have some more." She was about to feed him again but he held her hands. They stared at each other while Asher boiled in fury. He held the glass of juice so tight it almost broke into pieces. Kash finally let go of her hands and cleared his throat.
"I'll be outside," He said and left.
Cassie looked at where he touched her and back at Asher.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked.
"Do you like Kash?" He asked the question that had been bothering him, since the whole drama played out in front of him.
She looked back and returned her gaze to Asher. "Yes, I like him. Who wouldn't like Kash?" She answered.
"You know that's not what I mean. I mean, do you have feelings for him?" He asked and she cleared her throat.
"Why are you asking me this uncomfortable question?"
"I'm just curious." He shrugged.
"Oh really? Well, I don't have an answer to that. Excuse me," She said and stood up.
"Are you leaving?" He asked.
"I need to check something," She said and left before he could say anything.
She went to the school garden and sat down beside the pool there. She wanted to know the answer to the question Asher asked her. She thought about the moments she spent with Asher and then the ones she spent with Kash which leaves her with one question.
Who does she really like? Kash or Asher?