𝐈 𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐘𝐎𝐔

𝐗𝐈 | 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓

꧁꧂

The next few weeks flew by fast.

And slowly but steadily, (Y/N)'s grade in chemistry was flourishing thanks to Cage's tutoring, her understanding of the concept as a whole broadening as well. However, that wasn't the only changed that occurred in her life. Over those couple weeks, Cage had become stuck to her almost like glue, following her around like a puppy as he cheerfully walked her to each class and sat with her at lunch.

This happened every single day.

No one—not even Cage's supposed tight knit group of friends—could explain the drastic change.

(Y/N) didn't really care.

She had grown used to his presence.

He was also helping her, so that was a bonus.

Currently, the two were sitting on the roof of the school—Cage had access to it due to his father's position as Headmaster—lazily looking up at the clouds moving across the blue sky. Their backs were pressed against one another, leaning their heads on the other's shoulder, their lunches in their lap, doing absolutely nothing.

It was nice.

For (Y/N), she hadn't expected Cage to ever interact with her, much less now be eating lunch with her everyday.

Since she had always glanced at him from afar, thinking him to be almost otherworldly compared to her, she found herself to be pleasantly surprised that she was completely wrong. He had flaws just like she did, whether it be unwinding away from the prying eyes of others, or being absolutely terrible in art. He had a side to him that she would never have been able to see if he hadn't walked into that ice cream shop at that exact time.

It was funny to her, the chance.

What she didn't know was that Cage felt the same way, if not even more strongly, than her.

"Hey," (Y/N) then said, breaking the silence.

"Hm?" Cage hummed.

"You see that cloud right there?" She stated, pointing the the specific floating ball of fluff that was slowly raking itself across the sky. "You know what it kinda looks like? It kinda reminds me of a banana... or like, a peeled banana, you know?"

"Where did that come from?" Cage snorted, the corners of his lips lifting upward.

"I dunno," she shrugged.

"Ah!" He then pointed to a different cloud. "That one kinda looks like a cat."

"What's up with you and cats?"

"What do you mean?"

"You called me a cat, remember?" (Y/N) rolled her eyes. "Do you still think I resemble one?"

"Absolutely," Cage smirked as he closed his eyes and leaned further back into her, allowing himself to relax in her comforting presence that he had grown attached to rather quickly. "I still find you adorable to the point I don't know what to do with myself."

"Har har," she gave a sarcastic laugh.

"It's true."

"Sure it is."

"Don't you trust me?" Cage turned around to face her, placing one hand against the concrete ground while the other was pressed to his chest. "And here I thought we were friends."

"Of course we are," (Y/N) gave a light chuckle.

Cage's lips twitched at the look.

Aware of their all too close proximity, he then pulled away, his eyes widening when she only leaned in closer. Her eyes were directed somewhere above his head, yet his gaze was fixated solely on her face, entranced by her rather serene expression. He was snapped back to reality when she waved a leaf in his face that had gotten blown into his hair by the shifting breeze.

He swallowed thickly.

"Uh... thanks," he laughed awkwardly as he rubbed the back of his neck, watching as (Y/N) moved away from him after discarding the leaf.

"No problem," she smirked.

Cage blinked.

When meeting her, he remembered how unusual it would be for her expression to change. But now, he was seeing a completely different version of her, and he was starting to realize just how intoxicating that was for him. He liked the thought of being the only one to truly know (Y/N).

He didn't know why, but he did.

Cage tapped a finger against his thigh.

What is it?

Whenever I'm around her, I feel relaxed... unlike with the others.

Is that why?

Maybe...

"Oh, shoot," (Y/N) mumbled as she glanced at her phone when checking the time, her (E/C) eyes glimmering with an unknown emotion that Cage couldn't quite identify. "Is it already twelve thirty? I need to talk to Mr. Henderson about my missing assignment. I'll see you later, Cage."

Said boy flinched.

It was Thorne.

Yet again.

"I can walk you there," Cage immediately stood up as he made his offer.

"Oh, it's okay," (Y/N) smiled. "See you later."

And just like that, she was gone.

As Cage stood there alone on that roof, (Y/N)'s once warm presence slowly turning icy cold with her absence, he felt his expression descend into a rather irritated scowl. In those past few weeks, no matter how preoccupied she was with him or something else, it always seemed like her mind would constantly wander back Thorne.

Always.

Collapsing against the railing, pinching the bridge of his nose with his pointer finger and thumb, he let out a steady exhale of breath.

Something was wrong with him.

He knew that much.

Maybe he was starting to realize his dependence on (Y/N) for making him feel something different than the same old bland routine he had been going through, but at the same time, maybe he was starting to realize that the more dependence he had on her, the more he felt as if he were slowly losing her. It meant that no matter what he did, her attention was never going to only fixate on him.

And it was all because of Thorne.

Running both of his hands down his face so that the lower half was covered, his dark eyes lidded and completely emotionless, his jaw tightened.

This... won't do.

꧁꧂