𝐈 𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐘𝐎𝐔

𝐗𝐗𝐈𝐕 | 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐋

Ownership (n.)
the act of possessing something entirely
_________________

__________________________________

   "Excuse me, (Y/N)? Would you mind helping me collect some materials for my next class?" Thorne questioned the girl the next day just as the bell rang for lunch, his smile soft and his eyes light—it meant she couldn't tell if it was because he sincerely wanted her help, or if he wanted to continue their talk from the other day. "I know that it's your lunch period, but if you could help me out, I'd be grateful."

    Cage stood beside (Y/N), glowering at Thorne in a rather ill-conceived hostile manner.

"Why are you asking (Y/N) this?" He questioned with clear suspicion in his tone, his grip on (Y/N)'s wrist tightening to the point it made her flinch, Thorne's eyes flicking down as she did so, his frown deepening. "Couldn't you have asked someone that had your class before lunch? Or better yet, couldn't you have asked a teacher?"

"I could have, yes," Thorne hummed as he slid his hands into his pockets, his blue eyes taking on an icy tone. "But I want (Y/N)'s help."

"It's fine, Cage," she mumbled, trying to remove herself from his grasp.

That only seemed to irritate him further.

Why was she trying to leave him?

After everything?

As he stared down at her, as he stared into her (E/C) eyes that looked up at him dully but with sparks of defiance, he realized quite instantly that he had been drawn to her because of those very eyes—those eyes that held the whole truth instead of the scheming gazes of those around him that sought his popularity, his wealth, or his looks. Perhaps he was puzzled about that and was the reason why he helped her so many weeks ago.

Cementing his relationship with her—becoming friends with her, even—was a strange occurrence.

It should never have happened.

Yet it did.

So now, Cage wasn't willing to let (Y/N) go.

Yet, just as this thought glanced through his mind, (Y/N) slipped free from his hold and disappeared with Thorne in the throng of students cramming into the hall for lunch. His anger flared when she was no longer by his side, harshly pushing and shoving people out of the way to reach Thorne's classroom, slamming the door open in a flurry whilst breathing heavily only to find them gone.

    In reality, it was never their destination.

    (Y/N) and Thorne were currently in one of the classrooms in a more scarce hallways that served as a room intended for supplies—a room that was also off limits to students unless they were with proper teacher supervision.

    So, it applied to the situation at hand.

    "Thank you... Mr. Henderson," (Y/N) muttered quietly as she stood just in front of the door, his back facing her.

    "(Y/N)..." Thorne began, unknown to her a frown tugging on his lips as his eyes lidded, a type of melancholy brimming within his gaze. "I usually don't get involved in a student's situation when I know it's a problem they can easily resolve by themself. However, even if you don't go to me or any other teacher for help... it's obvious that you're in a situation you don't want to be in." Turning around, Thorne met her eyes, concern awash over his expression as he continued, "I've called you here because I truly want to know if you need help. Cage isn't here right now. If I'm wrong, you can say that I'm wrong. But if I'm right... something should be done. You shouldn't be abused by anyone."

    (Y/N) stared blankly at the man.

    In that instant, he had lain everything bare when she had tried so hard to contain it.

    It was as if he somehow knew all along that he would have to find a way to speak to her without the prying eyes of other students or teachers, and especially with Cage. He created a situation where he would be able to help her.

    It was enough to make her heart swell.

    Letting the dam break to allow a rush of emotions flow through her because of Thorne's sincerely kind and selfless actions, uncontrollable tears ran down her face as she collapsed to her knees. Weeping from the weariness that Cage had pressed upon her shoulders, from the stress and guilt of wanting to take care of so many people, and from the shame of having to submit to him, (Y/N) sobbed quickly and violently.

    Thorne, shocked by the situation, was quick to snap out of his stupor to kneel beside her and comfort her, his brows creased due to her tears.

    It was obvious the control Cage had over her.

    His grip on (Y/N) was so strong that he had basically sapped any emotion away from her so that she was but a doll—a pretty doll that he could play with for his own twisted amusement. He had snapped her spirit and drove her into a corner where she believed that she had no one to rely on and could only face his terror be herself.

    Thorne exhaled softly.

    Bitterness flowed through him as he placed a comforting arm around (Y/N)'s shoulders.

    It was all he could really do.

    He had no words to say that could comfort her, for he didn't even know the full story behind Cage's and (Y/N)'s rather toxic relationship. Momentarily he saw that they viewed each other as friends to confide in, but something must have shifted within Cage specifically for him to change to such a degree all for the sake of completely controlling (Y/N)—as if she were just another one of his possessions.

    "(Y/N)..." Thorne began softly. "I—"

    He cut himself off when she suddenly wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest, his eyes widening from the sudden contact.

    It was clear (Y/N) needed someone.

    She needed anyone.

    Just one person who could support her.

    And for some reason, as Thorne returned her embrace, he believed he should be that person.

__________________________________

To be continued...