Chapter 37: Detention

~~~

A dull clink echoed as my spoon idly tapped against the tray.

The spoon twisted between my fingers, absently pushing around the mashed potatoes. I was sitting at one of the seats, my tray in front of me, untouched.

The food was still warm, the steam faintly curling upward, but I had no appetite.

Kael's face kept flashing in my mind. The confusion in her eyes. The way she acted like she had no idea who I was. I let out a slow breath, creasing my forehead. Did they actually forget me… but that can’t be possible, even if it did, why only me? It made little to no sense.

What the hell was going on?

A sudden stir in the cafeteria caught my attention. Laughter, jeers, the sudden noise cut through my thoughts.

I glanced up, noticing it was Kelvin at the source of it all. They were loud, as usual, filling the space with careless jokes. He sat there, his posture relaxed, a smug grin playing on his lips as he basked in whatever nonsense they were spewing.

He looked so at ease, so untouched, like he had committed no wrong. Like he had nothing to do with any of this.

A bitter taste settled on my tongue as my fingers tightened around the spoon. I pushed back my chair, the legs scraping against the floor.

Kelvin’s chortling rang out again across the cafeteria, grating in its arrogance. I turned toward the sound, my steps steady as I closed the distance.

The sound of my footsteps was lost in the din of the cafeteria, but something shifted the moment I neared their table.

Kelvin’s laughter died down as I stepped right into their space. At first, he looked vaguely confused. Then his eyes sharpened with realization.

Then, with an exaggerated sigh, he leaned back in his seat, acting more subdued but still prideful.

“You’re the new kid, right?” he questioned, eyes scanning me like I was some minor inconvenience.

Then he tilted his head, voice laced with disinterest.

“What business do you have with me? Make it quick.”

Annoyance bubbled up inside me. So he was playing dumb too? I almost want to punch that snarky face of his.

“What did you do to Kael?” I demanded. “What did you threaten her with? And where the hell is Selina?”

Kelvin blinked at me, his head tilting slightly, like he was genuinely confused. “Kael? Oh, you mean that little rat girl?” He snorted. “I don’t have any business with her.”

I didn’t believe him.

Then he paused, lips twitching into something smug. His eyes flickered with amusement as if something amusing had just clicked in his head. “Wait a second,” he slowly spoke.

“You’re asking about Selina, too? Ohh…” He grinned, looking to his crew. “Guys, I think the new kid is in love with the rat and the kitty.”

A chorus of “Oooohs” followed, some exaggerated, some just mocking. A couple of them nudged each other, grinning like idiots.

Kelvin chuckled, shaking his head. “That’s kinda cute, and out of your league, man, but, uh… too bad.”

His smirk sharpened.

“Your lovely little kitty had an accident.”

I couldn’t believe it for a moment.

“They announced it this morning,” he continued, enjoying himself far too much. “She’s out for a week or so. Needs time to make a full recovery. Sorry, lover boy.”

I took a step forward, the frustration boiling over. “Cut the bullshit, Kelvin,” I said, my voice low and controlled. “I know you're the one who sent Selina after me. Stop playing these games, I don’t have time for this. Just tell me what the hell you're doing here.”

Kelvin raised an eyebrow, his smirk never fading. “Or what?” he taunted, leaning forward as if daring me to do something. “-is what I would’ve said if I had any clue what you were talking about,” he said, his tone dripping with fake sympathy.

“But talk about a schizo, man. You’re seriously off your rocker if you think I’m behind all this.”

I could feel my patience snap. I leaned in close, locking eyes with Kelvin, the veins simmering beneath the surface.

“You can keep acting like a fucking jester,” I said, my voice cooling down by the second, “-but I gotta admit never got to appreciate the class act, Kelvin. It really deserves a standing ovation.”

Before he could open his mouth again, I let my fist fly, plunging straight in his, shitty, shit-eating grin.

As for the aftermath. It’s just… I didn’t expect him to start crying.

~~~

I sat in the hard, uncomfortable chair, trying my best to ignore the ticking of the clock on the wall. It was quiet in here, except for the low hum of Rina’s voice as she paced in front of me, clearly irked.

“Really, Markus,” she sighed, her tone sharp as a blade, “You’ve been here for what, two days? And already you’re making a scene. First, you're late to class, then you disrupt everything, and now you’re out here picking fights with Kelvin of all people?” She paused dramatically, narrowing her eyes at me, “What were you thinking?”

I remained silent, my arms crossed. I wasn’t going to apologize for what happened. Not after everything that had gone down. But her words still grated on my nerves.

“And, let’s not forget,” she continued, her voice dripping with sarcasm, “What if you’d hurt his pretty face? What would we do then, huh?”

Did I hear that right?

The rest of the lecture was boring, to say the least. Rina’s voice became a dull, almost indistinct hum in the background as I lost focus. My eyes had already begun to spin around the room, as a person in the corner caught my eye.

Sprawled across the desk with her head resting on her arms was Wryn. Someone who I just didn't expect to be sharing the same space with right now.

Her wolf ears twitched slightly as she slept, undisturbed by the noise the teacher was creating.

I blinked, trying to clear my head, but Wryn’s peacefulness somehow made the tension in the room feel less oppressive.

The soft rise and fall of her chest, her relaxed posture, everything about her seemed to contrast sharply with the frenetic energy of the conversation I was being forced into.

I couldn’t help but wonder where Wryn wandered off to all the time, and why she was here now, of all places.

She didn’t fit the image that most people painted of her. I’d heard the stories, sure. That she was dangerous, that she was unpredictable. But right now, she seemed nothing like that.

She just looked like someone who wanted nothing more than to be left alone, something I could understand all too well.

By the time Rina finally ran out of things to say, she was practically huffing and puffing, her frustration barely contained. She pulled out her watch, checking the time before sighing despondently.

"I'm letting you slide for now," she said, rubbing her temple as if this whole ordeal had given her a migraine. "But if something like this happens again, I’m going to have to take action. You understand me, Markus?"

I blinked, only now tuning back into her words. She was still giving me that sharp, disapproving look, but it lacked the real bite it should’ve had. Maybe she was tired of all this too.

Still, I nodded. "Got it."

Without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel, already heading for the door. As she reached for the handle, she threw a glance over her shoulder.

“You’re both free to go.”

I glanced at Wryn, still slumped over the desk, her wolf ears quivering slightly with each slow, steady breath. For a second, I thought about just leaving her there, but with a helpless sigh, I got up. I couldn’t just leave her in case the faculty decided to lock the room.

Carefully, I reached out and lightly shook her shoulder. “Hey, wake up… detention’s over.” My voice was quiet, just barely above a whisper.

But she didn’t budge. I frowned and gave her another shake, a little firmer this time. “Come on, we’re free to go.”

She stirred, but instead of waking up, her arms flailed, and suddenly, her hand wrapped around mine, pulling it close against her chest.

She let out a small, contented sigh, nuzzling against my arm like it was some kind of stuffed animal. Her grip tightened, locking me in place while she stayed blissfully asleep.

“Wyrn?” I said quietly, shifting my arm slightly, but she didn’t respond.

I tried to gently pry my arm free, but her ears twitched, and she pulled me in even tighter, rubbing her cheek against my sleeve.

“…Seriously?” I muttered.

I tugged harder on my arm, and work it did.

Wryn jolted awake, ears perking up as her entire body tensed. For a split second, she looked completely alert, sharp eyes darting around like she expected danger. Then, she blinked, her expression softening into confusion as she looked at me.

“…What the- what are you doing?” Wryn mumbled, still half asleep, her voice rough from the grogginess.

I froze, caught off guard by her sharp tone. I quickly withdrew my arm, feeling a rush of embarrassment. “You grabbed my arm, I didn't do anything,” I muttered defensively, my face heating up a little.

Her eyes narrowed a bit, still groggy, her voice raised and heavy, intimidating. "Why were you near me anyway? Are you trying to get a rise out of me or something?"

I shrugged awkwardly, scratching the back of my neck. “You were asleep, and I thought… maybe I should wake you up.”

She gave me a skeptical look, clearly not buying it.

I stood up from the desk, stretching out the stiffness in my limbs, ready to finally leave this damn room. Wryn stood up too, taking her time as she casually walked ahead. I followed her, keeping a few steps behind, not quite sure what to say next.

Maybe I should talk to her about Kael, the class, even Selina or Kelvin. If I could just ask her what’s really going on, she might give me some kind of clue. But at the same time, I was hesitant; she wasn’t as friendly as I wanted to perceive her as.

But just as we reached the door, a low, rolling growl of thunder rumbled through the sky, distant but steadily approaching. For a moment, everything seemed to hold its breath.

Then, with a sudden, deafening roar, the rain came down in sheets. The sky opened up without mercy, drenching the world outside in an instant.

The sharp scent of wet earth quickly filled the air, and the relentless pattering of raindrops against the roof and pavement drowned out all other sounds.

I sighed, reaching into my bag. My fingers brushed against the folded umbrella I always kept packed, all under Nora’s insistence, of course.

She had all but drilled it into my head that walking in the rain would lead to sickness, and given how stubborn she could be, it was easier to have it just stowed away in the bag

As I pulled it out and popped it open, I glanced at Wryn. She was staring out at the downpour with a blank expression, hands in her pockets, making no move to leave or take cover.

Her wolven ears gave a faint twitch at the sound of rain drumming against the pavement, and for a second, I thought she might just walk out into it without a care.

I hesitated for a moment before stepping beside her, lifting the umbrella over both of us. “Here,” I offered. “If you want to… unless you’re planning to just stand here all day.”

She didn’t protest, but gave a sharp glare. Then she shifted slightly closer until she was under its cover, her shoulder nearly brushing mine.

The silence between us was suffocating.

The only sounds were the rhythmic tapping of rain against the umbrella and the faint splashes of our footsteps against the wet pavement. Wryn walked beside me, her gaze set forward.

She wasn’t exactly the type to make conversation, but in the absence of any noise, it felt even more oppressive than usual.

After a few blocks, we finally broke the silence. A simple exchange, where we lived. Turns out, our homes were in the same general direction. Convenient, I suppose.

As we were going back, I made a quick note. "I need to make a quick stop, hope you don’t mind." She didn’t say anything.

But as I glanced down, something caught my eye. A long, jagged gash across her thigh, peeking from under her uniform’s skirt. It seemed fresh, from the looks of it, the remnants of claw marks.

I stopped. Wryn took a few steps ahead before pausing, her ears flicking backward toward me. She turned, blinking once.

After a while, my stop arrived. “Wait here,” I said. I didn’t give her time to question it as I handed her the umbrella.

I stepped into the building, shaking off the damp chill that clung to my skin. I knew where to go.

My footsteps were quick but light as I navigated the halls, making my way toward the one room I always dreaded seeing.

Cassandra was still there, still unmoving. The sight of her was enough to send a lump into my throat, but I pushed past it. I walked up beside her bed, watching the slow, gentle lift and dip of her breathing.

“I won’t be able to stay long,” I murmured, my voice almost inaudible. “Someone’s waiting for me.”

I hesitated for a moment, then leaned down, wrapping my arms around her, just for a second. Just long enough to feel the faint warmth of her body, to remind myself that she was still here, before giving a soft peck on her cheek.

“I love you,” I whispered into her ear, as I pulled away.

Soon I came out, standing there for a moment, just taking one last look before leaving. Then, without another word, I turned and walked out of the hall.

The rain was still falling in steady sheets as I stepped back outside, my shoes splashing into the craters of the sidewalk.

Wryn was exactly where I had left her, standing just under the hospital, arms crossed, her tail flicking behind her in slow, idle movements. The moment she saw me, her eyes flickered downward, catching sight of what I held.

“What’s that?” she asked, her voice wary.

I looked at the object in my hands, as if only just remembering it was there. The box was small, compact, easy to slip into a bag. A standard medical kit, packed with just the basics.

“Snuck it out for you,” I answered.

She frowned. “For me?”

I tilted my head, gesturing slightly toward her leg. “Yeah. You should let me take care of that wound.”

She immediately stiffened, shifting her weight as if to subtly hide the injury from view, growling almost defensively. “I don’t need it. I didn't ask for it,” she muttered while gritting her teeth.

I exhaled, stepping a little closer. “It looks like a big deal.”

“It’s not.”

“You’re bleeding.”

“I said, It’s fine.”

I stared at her, watching the way her eyes darted slightly, the way her fingers curled around the edges of her sleeves. She wasn’t just being stubborn, she was uncomfortable.

Maybe she wasn’t used to helping her, maybe it would’ve been better to leave it be, but it reminded me of Kael rejecting my help. I wanted to help Wryn when I thought back to what happened today.

She grunted for a second, her stance subtly angling as if she was about to leave. “Look, I don’t need any treatment, alright? I’m going home.”

I stepped forward. “Wryn.” She kept walking, ignoring me for a moment. But halfway through, she stopped, following it up with a sigh as glanced at me over her shoulder.

“Just let me help.” My voice was quieter this time, less forceful. “It’s not a big deal, right? So what’s the harm?”

She seemed to get more annoyed by the second. She scoffed lightly, looking away. “It’s just a scratch. It’ll heal on its own.”

I huffed, running a hand through my damp hair. “You really gonna walk around with that thing untreated? What if it gets infected?”

“It won’t.”

“Do you even know that for sure?” I pressed. “Or are you just saying it because you don’t wanna deal with it?”

Her tail flicked, a clear sign of irritation, but I could tell she was beginning to hesitate.

I watched her carefully before speaking again, my tone dropping. “If it were someone you cared about,” I muttered, “you’d probably do the same thing for them, wouldn’t you?”

She flinched slightly but didn’t answer.

I let the silence settle for a moment before I sighed, shifting the first aid kit in my grip. “I get it. You don’t want help. But I already went out of my way for this, so at least let me put it to use. Otherwise, I’ll just feel like an idiot.”

She turned, her eyes meeting mine, searching for something in my expression. Her stare, it was scary to be honest, but I wanted to believe in them.

A second passed. Then another.

Finally, she exhaled through her nose, muttering something under her breath before she crossed her arms and glanced away.

“Fine,” she mumbled. “But don’t take too long.”

I nodded, stepping back under the awning as the rain continued to pour around us.