The layers of Kaid Isherwood (The 1st book in the 'Layers' series)

Chapter 5

Lucan's POV

To say I was basking in the glow of Kaid Isherwood's fury would be an understatement. The glower he'd leveled at me before storming out of class could have curdled milk. But instead of withering under his glare, I just smirked. Maybe I shouldn't have—the whispers filling the room suggested I'd poked the proverbial bear.

"He's never looked that angry before," one student murmured in awe.

"You're dead by sunrise," another hissed, casting me a pitying glance.

Honestly, I might've believed them if Kaid wasn't such a recluse. Sure, I'd won this round of our little game, but I'd also declared war. Revenge was practically a guarantee, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't already imagining the creative ways he might strike back.

Would he prank me? Humiliate me in public? Slip something unspeakable into my shampoo? Nobody knew. Kaid was an enigma, shrouded in a fog of unanswered questions and suspiciously convenient deflections. He barely left his room, and honestly, why would he? The guy had a bathroom, a kitchenette, and a mini-fridge. For all I knew, he had a black market in there too.

He seemed to have a bulk supply of hair dye under the bathroom sink—enough to make Hot Topic look understocked. Silver, black, pink, red—he probably had every shade known to man. Sometimes I caught myself wondering what his natural hair color was. Blonde? Brunette? Or some shade so mundane he'd decided to obscure it with a rotating palette of chaos? And the colored contacts... I mean, who even has silver eyes naturally? Kaid Isherwood was a Rubik's cube of mysteries, and the more I tried to solve him, the more questions I had.

By lunch, my little stunt had become the talk of the school. The cafeteria buzzed with speculation about Kaid's mood, which ranged from "seething" to "a human volcano ready to erupt." I joined my older brother Jonah's table, sliding into a seat as he greeted me with a knowing smirk.

"So, you're the guy who dragged Kaid Isherwood into class in his pajamas," Jonah began, barely containing his amusement. "Bold move, Lucan."

"You should've seen his face," I said, stifling a laugh. "He probably started drafting my eulogy the second he sat down."

Jonah's grin widened. "Word is he stormed straight to the Headmaster's office after class. Came out looking angrier than when he went in."

I raised an eyebrow. "The Headmaster? What could he possibly want there?"

"No idea," Jonah said with a shrug, "but I'd brace for impact if I were you. Kaid doesn't seem like the type to take things lying down."

Casey Izhim, one of Jonah's friends, plopped down next to us, looking like he'd just sprinted through the halls. "Lucan, you've got a bigger problem than Kaid. Apparently, some girl is out for your blood because you dared to touch him."

I blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Millina Quartson," Casey elaborated, lowering his voice like he was delivering state secrets. "She's got a... history. Tried to stalk Kaid back in seventh grade after confessing her undying love. It didn't end well."

Jonah snorted. "Oh, her? I heard she dyed her hair to match his once."

"What happened?" I asked, leaning in despite myself.

Casey swallowed hard. "Kaid found out everything about her, wrote her a letter detailing every embarrassing secret she had, and threatened to glue her... um, personal items to her dorm door if she didn't back off."

Jonah burst out laughing. "That's... diabolical. I respect it."

Before I could respond, the cafeteria doors slammed open, and a girl with lavender hair stormed in. Her hair was dyed so hastily that purple stained her nails, and black roots peeked through the chaos. She zeroed in on me with the precision of a heat-seeking missile.

"Stay away from my Kaid!" she shrieked, pointing an accusatory finger at me.

The cafeteria fell silent. Heads turned, eyes widened, and somewhere near the door, someone let out an audible gasp. Following their gaze, I saw the Headmaster standing there, arms crossed like a disappointed parent.

"Millina Quartson," he said, his tone sharp enough to cut steel, "Kaid Isherwood is a person, not a trophy. And might I remind you of the consequences should you continue to... overstep?"

Millina froze, her face flushing crimson, before she stomped over to the Headmaster and disappeared with him down the hall. Jonah whistled low.

"You're right, Casey. She's completely nuts."

"No kidding," I muttered. "Why would anyone want to chase Kaid if he threatened them?"

"Maybe she thinks the threats are a love language," Casey suggested, earning a groan from Jonah.

Lunch ended soon after, and the rest of the day dragged by. Classes were dull, filled with the kind of lectures designed to lull students into a false sense of security before midterms obliterate them. When the final bell rang, I trudged back to my dorm, bracing for whatever retribution Kaid had concocted. Exploding glitter? Tarantulas in my shoes? A PowerPoint presentation on my most embarrassing moments?

But when I opened the door, the room was empty. No Kaid, no notes, no booby traps. Just silence. I blinked, staring at the space where he should've been.

"Great," I muttered, tossing my bag onto my bed. "Just when I think I've got him figured out, he pulls a vanishing act."

Whatever revenge he was planning, it would come. And knowing Kaid, it would be the stuff of legends.