Veil of Secrets

Chapter Eighteen - The Ties That Bind

The hallways of Evernight High School buzzed with the usual chatter and clamor, but everything felt off to me. The familiar thrum of life didn't settle the gnawing guilt in my chest. Lucas was still in the hospital, and I hadn't visited him once. I kept replaying the promises I made-the ones I hadn't kept.

Emma walked beside me, her face a mix of concern and tension, clearly aware of my inner turmoil. But it wasn't until Ethan approached us at my locker that everything came crashing down.

"You still haven't seen Lucas, have you?" Ethan's voice was blunt, his arms crossed, eyes narrowed.

I flinched, slamming my locker shut. "I was going to-"

"Going to?" he cut me off, his frustration evident. "You promised him, Aria. He's been asking about you, waiting for you, and you haven't even bothered to show up."

His words hit harder than I'd expected. The truth, raw and undeniable, settled over me like a dark cloud. "I know, Ethan," I whispered, my voice strained. "I just... I've been dealing with a lot."

"Yeah, well, so has he. He almost died," Ethan snapped, his voice low but filled with anger. "You think you're the only one struggling? Lucas is going through hell, and all you've done is hide. It's selfish."

His words stung, each one hitting like a slap in the face. I clenched my fists, trying to swallow the lump in my throat.

"Ethan, that's enough," Emma interrupted, stepping between us. "You don't understand what she's going through."

"I don't understand?" Ethan's eyes flashed with disbelief. "I think it's pretty simple, Emma. If she cared about him, she'd be there."

"Shut up, Ethan!" Emma hissed, her voice fierce as she glared at him. "You have no idea what it's like for her. This isn't about not caring-it's about fear."

Fear. The word echoed in my mind. Emma was right. But I couldn't bring myself to say anything. Ethan's harsh words had cut too deep, exposing the guilt and shame I'd been trying to bury.

"Whatever," Ethan muttered, turning on his heel. "Just don't expect Lucas to wait forever."

As he walked away, the tension hung thick in the air, and I felt like I was drowning in it.

"Don't listen to him," Emma said softly, her voice much gentler now. "He's worried about Lucas, that's all. But you need to do this on your own terms."

I nodded, though the guilt still weighed heavy in my chest. Before I could respond, a familiar figure appeared at the end of the hall, his dark eyes locking onto mine. Sebastian.

For a moment, I hesitated. We hadn't spoken much all year, but the familiar pull I always felt toward him stirred something inside me. He approached with his usual quiet confidence, and suddenly, it felt like no time had passed at all.

"Hey," he said, his voice smooth but laced with something that felt almost like relief.

"Hey," I replied, unsure of what to say. The silence between us had stretched on for so long that I didn't know how to bridge the gap.

Emma glanced between us, sensing the shift in the air. "I'll catch up with you later, Aria," she said, giving me a supportive smile before walking away, leaving Sebastian and me alone.

Sebastian leaned against the lockers, his gaze never leaving mine. "You've been avoiding me," he said, a small smirk playing at the corner of his lips.

I let out a soft laugh, though it was more out of nervousness than amusement. "I've been avoiding a lot of people."

He tilted his head slightly, studying me. "You don't have to."

There was something so familiar about Sebastian-something that made it easy to slip into conversation with him. We hadn't spoken much this year, but being around him always felt... right, in a way I couldn't quite explain.

"I know," I admitted. "It's just been a lot lately."

He nodded, understanding. "I get it."

We stood there for a moment, the comfortable silence between us a reminder of the connection we once had. It wasn't until the background chatter of students reached us that we were drawn back to the present.

"I keep hearing people talking about this 'supernatural ball,'" I said, my brow furrowing. "What's that all about? It sounds like some weird theme."

Sebastian's smirk deepened, but there was a knowing look in his eyes. "It's not just a theme, Aria. The supernatural ball is real. Everyone at school is invited-humans and supernaturals alike."

I blinked, trying to process his words. "Wait, what do you mean 'real'? It's an actual ball?"

"Yeah. It's an old tradition," he explained. "It's been happening for centuries, though most people think it's just some elaborate school event. In reality, it's a way for supernaturals to gather in one place without raising suspicion."

"And humans are invited too?" I asked, my confusion deepening.

"They are," he said, his expression unreadable. "But they don't really know what's going on behind the scenes. They think it's all just for fun-a masquerade of sorts."

I stared at him, my mind racing. A ball where humans and supernaturals mingled? How had I never heard of this before? The idea of attending something so... dangerous sent a thrill of excitement and fear through me.

"I didn't know things like this existed," I murmured, more to myself than to him.

Sebastian's gaze softened as he looked at me. "There's a lot you don't know, Aria. But you're starting to see it now."

He was right. Every day, more pieces of the supernatural world revealed themselves to me, and every day, I felt myself getting pulled deeper into it. First the war, now this ball-it felt like there was no going back.

But as I stood there, talking to Sebastian, the weight of everything that had happened began to lift, if only slightly. With him, I could forget, even for a moment, about the guilt I felt for not visiting Lucas, or the fear I had about the growing feelings inside me.

With Sebastian, I could just... be.

For the first time in weeks, I felt like I could breathe again.