"What the hell?!"
Casadin couldn't stop himself from cursing the moment he saw Cieryl's My Day post on social media.
It showed her and her friends at Adventureland. He wouldn't have cared, except for one thing, Hades was in the photo, smiling widely next to Cieryl. And at the far edge of the group photo, clearly isolated and out of place, was Evadne.
He immediately typed a message into his group chat with his closest friends,
The Rebels
Cas: Adventureland now. OMW. See you there. 🏍️
The longer he stared at the post, the hotter his blood boiled.
Ungrateful bastard.
But Casadin wasn't going to let these assholes get away with bullying Evadne.
He threw on his clothes and grabbed his keys. No doubt, by now, Hades and Cieryl's friends were working hard to make Evadne feel unwelcome. Isolated. Unwanted.
Meanwhile…
Evadne had already lost count of how many times she sighed that morning.
This whole Adventureland "date" was her parents' idea. Or rather, a joint plan between hers and Hades'.
But thanks to the endless mental cursing from Hades during their family dinner two nights ago, words she could hear clearly, Evadne already knew the truth, this date was originally meant for Hades and Cieryl.
She had considered backing out. But what excuse could she give? There was none.
They agreed Hades would pick her up at 9 a.m. She was ready by 8:30, Evadne was never the type to keep people waiting. But Hades didn't arrive until 9:30.
Had she known, she would've stayed in bed longer.
And the moment they stepped into Adventureland, she wasn't even surprised to see Cieryl and her group already there. It was all planned. A "coincidence," of course, one she never agreed to be part of.
She was just their cover story. Their excuse.
And thanks to her ability, she knew exactly what they were planning, to leave her out, subtly, deliberately.
Just like earlier when Cieryl had oh-so-sweetly insisted they take a group photo. Evadne had tried to decline, but Cieryl had pulled her in with a smile and placed her right at the edge of the frame.
She didn't fight it. Let them have their games. From the moment Hades showed up late, she'd already accepted that this day wasn't going to be fun. She was only here because of the hopeful looks on her parents' and godparents' faces.
"What ride do you want to go on?"
Hades asked her, his voice polite but painfully forced.
Even without her ability, Evadne would have felt the reluctance in his tone. He clearly didn't want to be there with her.
And frankly? She didn't want to be there with him either.
If not for their families' pressure, she would've said no in a heartbeat.
"I want to ride the carousel," Cieryl chimed in sweetly, cutting in as if she were the one being asked.
Then she feigned surprise.
"Oops! Sorry, Vee. What ride do you want? We'll do that instead!"
"Let's ride the carousel," Hades said quickly, smiling at Cieryl like she was the only girl in the world.
"The day's long, we can try other rides after."
"Guys! She's here!"
Nikka suddenly announced, glued to her phone. And moments later, a shrill voice echoed from behind them.
"Ahhhh! Besties!!!"
"Bestie!!!" Cieryl and her friends squealed in return, full of excitement.
The guys perked up instantly, all eager anticipation.
Evadne turned to see who had just arrived, and froze.
One name screamed in her mind…
Celine.
She knew it wasn't her younger sister from her past life. But the resemblance was too uncanny to ignore.
Blonde hair. Blue eyes. The same delicate features and the same aura of polished cruelty.
And despite herself, Evadne's body began to tremble. As if it remembered a trauma that her conscious mind hadn't yet fully grasped. Cold sweat broke out across her skin. Her hands clenched. Her legs weakened.
"Vee, this is Selena Roan, my best friend. Selena, meet Evadne, my aunt," Cieryl introduced them sweetly, all smiles and sunshine.
'So this is the bitch trying to flirt with Casadin? She'll wish she never came back to New York. I'll make her life a living hell.'
Selena's smile remained perfectly sweet, but her thoughts were laced with venom.
"Hi Vee! I'm Selena, Caspian's girlfriend. Sorry I missed your welcome party, I was in Dubai for a fashion show," she said with fake cheer, leaning in to air kiss her cheek.
"Nice meeting you," Evadne forced a smile, hiding the internal storm the best she could.
But none of them noticed how pale she'd gone. Or maybe they simply chose not to.
Not even Hades looked her way. Which wasn't surprising, being invisible had been the plan all along.
The group moved toward the carousel, their laughter and plans echoing around her. But Evadne stood frozen on the pavement, unable to move. Her body trembled uncontrollably. Her breathing started to come in short, shallow bursts.
"Vee, let's go!" Cieryl's voice rang out like a distant bell, laced with performative sweetness.
"Sorry. Can I skip this ride?" Evadne replied, her vision beginning to blur at the edges.
"You don't like this ride? We can go to another one," Cieryl said kindly, but her subtle pout was aimed at Hades.
"Evadne, we'll ride something else after this," Hades added in a tone that felt more like a reprimand than a compromise.
"I'm sorry… I just got a sudden headache. Maybe it's the heat. You guys go ahead, I'll wait over there, under the shade," Evadne said quickly, not waiting for their response.
Because truth be told, she was seconds away from collapsing.
Her chest was tight. Her vision swam. She knew the signs, she was hyperventilating.
She found a shaded bench not far from the carousel and sat down quickly, trying to steady herself.
"Your past can only affect you if you let them," she whispered to herself, over and over. But no matter how many times she repeated the words, her body refused to calm down.
The noise. The people. The heat. The ghosts of her past. It was all too much.
Then, hands gently covered her eyes.
She gasped, ready to fight. But suddenly, everything went silent.
No more thoughts. No more voices. Just quiet.
There was only one person who could do that to her.
"Casadin," she breathed.
"Princess, how'd you know it was me?" Casadin grinned as he stepped in front of her, only for his smile to vanish the moment he saw her face, pale, sweating, breathing erratically.
"Princess, what's wrong? Are you hyperventilating?"
Evadne didn't answer. Her breaths kept coming, shallow and fast.
Casadin glanced around, then knelt in front of her. He quickly reached for her bag.
"Do you have meds for this kind of attack?" he asked, already digging through the contents. He knew about her condition. ADHD. Bipolar disorder.
She shook her head weakly.
"Shit," he cursed under his breath.
Without waiting, he made a move to lift her into his arms.
"Come on, Princess. Let's find the medic booth…"
"No," she whispered, shaking her head again. "I just need to calm down."
And before he could respond, she wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face against his stomach.
Casadin froze.
Her body was trembling against his, and her breaths came in shallow gasps. But slowly, very slowly, his scent, his warmth, his quiet presence began to ground her.
He gently rested his hand on her back and held her.
"It's okay, Princess," he said softly. "I'm here. I won't leave you alone."
"Cas, bro," a voice called out. It was Flynn, followed by Amanda, Bea, and Delvin. "Where's your princess?"
They all paused when they saw Casadin, in front of Evadne, holding her, with her arms still wrapped tightly around his waist.
"Is she okay?" Amanda asked, genuine concern in her voice.
Casadin gave them a subtle nod, signaling them to keep some distance. His focus never left Evadne as he continued whispering soft reassurances, his hand still rubbing slow, calming circles on her back.
After a few more minutes, Evadne finally lifted her head to look up at him. Her breathing had steadied, and color was beginning to return to her cheeks. She looked at him with quiet gratitude.
"Feeling better, Princess?" His voice was still laced with concern, but a small smile played on his lips.
"Much better. Thank you."
"Anytime," he said, his smile widening. Once he was sure she was alright, he finally turned to introduce his friends.
"These are my friends. Amanda, Bea, Flynn, and Delvin."
Evadne turned to face them. At first glance, they looked like members of a metal band, black clothes, piercings, and untamed energy in their eyes. But they weren't messy. They looked bold. Confident. Rebellious. They didn't seem like the type Casadin would hang out with… and yet, Evadne saw it instantly. He belonged with them. These were his people. The air around them buzzed with mischief and loyalty.
"I'm Evadne. But you can call me Vee," she said, finally pulling away from Casadin and standing to greet them properly. She extended her hand.
She heard it immediately, their thoughts.
'No wonder Casadin won't shut up about his "Princess." She's gorgeous.'
'Okay… the obsession checks out. Reasonable.'
'Let's hope her personality matches her face. Casadin doesn't need another Cieryl disaster.'
'God, please let her be cool. Casadin really likes her.'
Evadne smiled.
"Princess, why were you alone?" Casadin asked, picking up her bag without asking and slipping his fingers into hers.
"Cieryl and the others went to ride the carousel. I wasn't feeling well, so I stayed behind," she explained, trying to downplay what just happened.
Casadin's jaw tightened.
"Hades left you alone? Even when you were clearly having a panic attack?" His voice was sharp now. Controlled fury.
"Don't worry about it," Evadne said, brushing it off. "Anyway… your girlfriend is here too."
She didn't know why she even mentioned it. Why it bothered her. Of course Casadin would have a girlfriend. He was charming, handsome, ridiculously cocky, but undeniably magnetic. It made sense.
"Girlfriend?" Casadin's friends said in unison, equally surprised.
Casadin frowned.
"Princess, I don't have a girlfriend." His brows drew together. Then, with a playful glint in his eyes, he added, "And if you really wanted to know, you could've just asked me. I would've gladly told you I'm single. Free. Very available. You can start courting me anytime."
"Oh my god," Evadne groaned, smacking his forehead with her palm. "The audacity." She glared at Casadin. "And for the record, I wasn't assuming. She's the one who told me she's your girlfriend."
Casadin's playful expression instantly darkened. "Who?" he asked, voice sharp.
"Selena Roan," Evadne answered, her tone flat. "She's with Cieryl."
Casadin grimaced.
His friends? They burst out laughing.
"What's so funny?" Evadne asked, genuinely confused.
Casadin casually slung an arm around her shoulder and leaned in slightly.
"Princess," he said coolly, "letting her give me a blowjob and a handjob last year doesn't make her my girlfriend."
Evadne's eyes widened, not from the vulgarity, but because of how serious Casadin looked when he said it. Like it was just a matter-of-fact, no-nonsense declaration.
"I only gave her the time of day because she begged for it. I mean literally begged, on her knees. But she's not my girlfriend. She never was, and she never will be." His voice dropped a notch, then lifted again with an impish grin. "But you? You can be my girlfriend. Starting now. I'm yours. No returns, no refunds."
Then, without warning, he kissed her cheek.
His friends erupted into laughter again.
"So suave, bro," Delvin gave him a thumbs up.
"I know, right?" Casadin replied smugly.
"You're an asshole," Evadne muttered, narrowing her eyes at him, but despite her glare, a smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
"He knows," Amanda said, grinning. "And he's damn proud of it."
The group laughed again, this time, even Evadne joined in, her laughter soft but genuine.
Then Casadin leaned close again, voice low and conspiratorial.
"Princess, since your dumbass date abandoned you, why don't we give him a little scare?" he said, his voice playful and sly.
Evadne raised a brow. His friends looked intrigued.
"I bet that golden boy will go pale once he realizes you're no longer sitting where he left you."
A wicked smile curved Evadne's lips.
Of course. Hades and his friends might've planned to isolate her, make her feel unwelcome, but there was no way Hades wanted her out of sight. That wasn't part of the script. If his parents found out he lost track of her because he was too busy trailing after Cieryl, he'd be in deep trouble.
"Can we ride the roller coaster?" Evadne asked coolly.
"Absolutely," Casadin grinned. "Carousels are for children anyway."
"Then drop tower next," Bea chimed in.
"And the spinning pendulum," added Delvin.
One by one, they listed all the extreme rides, and with Casadin firmly holding her hand, they headed straight toward the roller coaster.
And for the first time that day, Evadne felt her chest loosen.
Thanks to Casadin, her day wasn't ruined after all.
Even better? She'd found new people, people whose actions matched their words and thoughts. People who didn't hide knives behind their smiles.
And somehow, Evadne already knew, Casadin's friends would be her friends too.