The room was heavy with silence, the kind that pressed down on Cain's shoulders like a physical weight. The air was thick with unspoken accusations, and the tension was palpable. Cain sat on the couch, his elbows resting on his knees, his hands gripping his temples as if he could physically ward off the headache brewing behind his eyes. His dark hair was disheveled, and his usually sharp, calculating gaze was now clouded with frustration. Across from him, Selene, Astra, Lyra, and Ravena sat in a semi-circle, their expressions a mix of amusement, skepticism, and outright judgment. Orion and Zane, meanwhile, leaned against the wall, their smirks unmistakable as they watched the scene unfold. They were clearly enjoying every second of this.
Cain finally broke the silence, his voice strained but firm.
"Okay. Let's be adults about this."
Selene raised a brow, her lips curling into a faint smirk. Her silver hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her piercing blue eyes bore into Cain with a mix of curiosity and mockery.
"Adults? You had a noblewoman straddling you the second we walked in."
Cain groaned, his head falling back against the couch. The memory of the previous day's events replayed in his mind like a nightmare. Victoria, the enigmatic and dangerously charming noblewoman, had somehow managed to corner him in his room. She had been leaning over him, her hands on the armrests of his chair, her face inches from his, when Selene and the others had walked in. The timing couldn't have been worse.
"She wasn't—"
Astra cut him off, her arms folded tightly across her chest. Her violet eyes flashed with irritation, and her tone was sharp enough to cut through steel.
"If you say it's not what it looks like, I'm actually going to hit you."
Cain shut his mouth, his jaw tightening as he glared at her. Lyra, seated beside Astra, casually flipped a dagger between her fingers, the blade catching the light in a way that felt unnecessarily dramatic. Her crimson hair framed her face, and her smirk was as sharp as the weapon she toyed with.
"So. You and Victoria," Lyra said, her tone casual but laced with implication.
Cain's eyes narrowed.
"There is no me and Victoria."
Selene smirked, her gaze sharp and knowing.
"That's not what we saw."
Cain exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair.
"You all know me. Do I look like someone who would willingly entertain whatever… whatever that was?"
The room fell silent for a moment, the weight of their collective judgment pressing down on him. Then, at the same time, they all responded—
"Yes."
Cain clutched his chest, his expression one of mock offense.
"That actually hurts."
Orion chuckled, taking a sip of wine from the glass he held. His silver hair gleamed in the dim light, and his amber eyes sparkled with amusement.
"You should've seen your face, though. Priceless."
Zane, standing beside him, grinned. His dark hair fell into his eyes, and his usual brooding demeanor was replaced with uncharacteristic glee.
"I'd say ten out of ten for execution. Victoria knew exactly how to ruin your life."
Cain shot them both a glare.
"You're all enjoying this way too much."
Selene leaned forward, her elbows resting on her knees as she fixed Cain with a piercing stare.
"So tell us, Cain… if you weren't enjoying yourself, why didn't you push her off?"
Cain pinched the bridge of his nose, his frustration evident.
"…Because the moment I touched her, she'd have flipped it to make me look worse."
Astra scoffed, her expression one of disbelief.
"Sounds like an excuse."
Cain pointed at her, his tone defensive.
"It's called self-preservation."
Ravena, who had been silent until now, finally spoke, her voice calm and measured. Her dark hair was tied back in a sleek braid, and her golden eyes were thoughtful as she regarded Cain.
"It doesn't matter. The real question is… what does Victoria want from you?"
That made everyone pause, the room falling silent once more as they considered her words. Cain frowned, his brow furrowing as he turned the question over in his mind.
"…That's actually a good question."
They all turned to Orion, expecting him to have some wisdom to share. The headmaster, however, simply shrugged, his expression one of mild amusement.
"Maybe she just likes you."
Cain stared at him for a moment, his expression blank. Then he laughed hard, almost hysterically.
"You're hilarious."
Selene smirked, her gaze flicking to Cain.
"I don't know. I think he might be right."
Cain waved his hand dismissively.
"Nope. Not happening."
Astra raised a brow, her tone challenging.
"And why not?"
Cain gestured at himself, his expression one of self-deprecation.
"Look at me. Do I scream noblewoman's dream man to you?"
Lyra smirked, her tone dry.
"You do scream, just not in the way they want."
Cain glared at her, his expression one of exasperation.
"That sounded way worse than it should have."
The next day, Cain did his best to avoid his faction like the plague. He skipped breakfast, dodged the usual gathering spots, and even took a different route to the library. For a few hours, it worked. He managed to find a quiet café on the edge of campus, a place where he could sit in peace and enjoy a cup of coffee without the constant reminder of his humiliation. The café was small and cozy, with warm lighting and the faint scent of freshly baked pastries. Cain sat in a corner, his back to the wall, his hood pulled up to shield his face from prying eyes.
But his peace didn't last long.
"You're avoiding me."
Cain didn't even look up as Victoria slid into the seat across from him, her presence as commanding as ever. She was dressed in an elegant emerald-green dress that accentuated her figure, and her long, auburn hair cascaded over her shoulders in perfect waves. Her green eyes glinted with amusement as she regarded him, her lips curved into a sly smile.
Cain simply sighed, his gaze fixed on the cup in his hands.
"Yep."
Victoria rested her chin on her hand, her smile widening.
"You wound me, Cain."
Cain finally looked up, his expression flat.
"You ruined my week."
Victoria's smile widened.
"Same thing."
Cain sighed, setting his cup down with a soft clink.
"What do you want?"
Victoria leaned back in her chair, her posture relaxed but her gaze sharp.
"Oh, nothing much. Just checking on my dear friend after yesterday's… incident."
Cain's eyes narrowed.
"You mean the incident you caused?"
Victoria waved a hand dismissively.
"Semantics."
Cain leaned forward, his tone low and exasperated.
"You're enjoying this way too much."
Victoria's smile didn't waver.
"Obviously."
She leaned forward, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.
"Tell me, Cain… if I really wanted you, what would you do?"
Cain froze, his eyes widening slightly.
"Excuse me?"
Victoria's smile widened, her tone teasing.
"Hypothetically."
Cain stared at her for a long moment, his mind racing. Then he looked down at his cup, then back at her, his expression one of utter disbelief.
"I'd probably drop dead from exhaustion before anything happened."
Victoria laughed, the sound light and melodic.
"That's what I thought."
She stood up, her movements graceful and deliberate.
"Well, I'll let you think about it. See you around, Cain."
And with that, she left, her presence lingering in the air like a storm cloud. Cain slammed his head against the table, his groan muffled by the wood.
"I hate everything."
From another table, unnoticed by Cain, Astra watched the entire exchange. Her violet eyes narrowed, her expression one of growing annoyance. She had been sitting quietly, sipping her tea, but the sight of Victoria flirting so openly with Cain had stirred something in her. Her grip on her cup tightened, and she set it down with a little more force than necessary.
"That woman…" Astra muttered under her breath, her tone laced with irritation.
She stood up, her movements sharp and deliberate, and walked over to Cain's table. He didn't notice her approach until she was standing right in front of him, her arms crossed and her expression stormy.
"Cain," she said, her voice cold.
Cain looked up, his eyes widening slightly at the sight of her.
"Astra? What are you—"
"What was that?" she interrupted, her tone cutting.
Cain blinked, confused.
"What was what?"
Astra's eyes narrowed.
"You and Victoria. What's going on between you two?"
Cain groaned, running a hand through his hair.
"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. She's just… messing with me."
Astra's expression didn't soften.
"It didn't look like nothing."
Cain sighed, his frustration evident.
"Look, I don't know what she's playing at, but I'm not interested, okay? She's just trying to get under my skin."
Astra studied him for a moment, her gaze searching. Then she nodded, her expression softening slightly.
"Fine. But if she causes trouble for us, you're dealing with it."
Cain nodded, relieved.
"Deal."
Astra turned and walked away, leaving Cain alone once more. He slumped back in his chair, his head falling into his hands.
"Why does this always happen to me?" he muttered to himself.