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

Chapter 19

  Lucan Ashworth's POV

I glanced back at Kain, who was staring at me with this unsettling mix of amusement and something else I couldn't quite place. My mind was running a mile a minute, bombarded with questions. Are they actually twins? I mean, they looked alike, but I had spent most of my time noticing Kaid's aggressive personality, not his appearance. But now, as I really looked at Kain, it started to make sense—mainly because Kain was wearing glasses, and Kaid usually wore glasses. Sure, that might not sound like a big deal, but trust me, it was. It was like I was looking at Kaid with an upgrade—like the deluxe version, but with extra charm and a slightly less psychotic look in his eyes.

They shared a lot of features. The same sharp jawline, the same piercing eyes, the same general vibe of "I'm-too-cool-to-care," but Kain had a slight edge—he was taller, more muscular, and his natural hair and eye colors didn't scream "I'm hiding something." Kaid, on the other hand, had emerald green eyes, but he wore colored contacts to keep that on the down-low, and his hair? Well, it was dyed raven black to avoid any embarrassing moments where his natural brown hair might actually make him look human.

"Why did he respond like that?" I asked, the words slipping out before I could really consider the tone I was using. It wasn't exactly an easy question, and Kain's gaze met mine like he was weighing whether to punch me in the face or just drop some major truth bombs. Turns out, truth bombs won.

"He disowned me," Kain replied, his voice flat. "Have you ever wondered why Kaid always has to win? It's not just some stupid competition to him. He's obsessed. Doesn't matter what it is—whether it's a game or, like, life—he's playing mind games with everyone. And it's not just a 'ha-ha, I beat you!' thing. No, it's like he gets off on it. It's like he's a weird, twisted version of a motivational speaker who only knows how to break people down." Kain shook his head like he was reflecting on a particularly awful season of a reality show he had been a part of. "I didn't mean to mess him up more than he already was. But I thought if I gave him a taste of his own medicine, he might get it. Turns out, Kaid's just gone full throttle into Crazyville. He used to just hurt people temporarily, but now? He destroys them. And he enjoys it."

I absorbed that bit of information with the seriousness it deserved. Kaid was worse than I thought—if that was even possible. "So you beat him at his own game?"

Kain nodded, his expression more somber now. "Yeah, I did. And honestly? I regret it. But there's nothing I can do about it now." He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "He used to be messed up, but now he's just... psychotic."

My mind raced. So, what happened with the whole 'taking your mom's maiden name' thing?

"Why did he take your mom's maiden name when you were younger?" I asked, trying to steer the conversation into murkier waters. Kain visibly stiffened, like I'd just poked a beehive.

"He said he didn't want to be associated with anyone wicked," Kain said, his tone suddenly cold, and the subject seemed to be over. He wasn't about to elaborate, and I wasn't about to press any further. Not yet, anyway.

I could tell that was a door I wasn't going to pry open, so I changed the subject. "Well, it was nice to officially meet you, Kain Licanian," I said, offering him a smile as I started to turn away.

"As it was to officially meet you, Lucan Ashworth," Kain replied, a faint smirk playing at the corner of his lips. But before I could get too far, I heard him mutter something under his breath, almost like a warning.

"Oh, and Lucan, one more thing," Kain called after me. "The student council president? He knows Kaid personally. So if he's telling you that he doesn't know anything about him, you can bet your boots that he's lying through his teeth. He probably knows Kaid better than I do."

That stopped me dead in my tracks. I nearly tripped over my own feet in surprise, my mind immediately conjuring up a theory. The student council president knew Kaid? This wasn't just some random tidbit of gossip; this was a major plot twist. If the SCP (Student Council President) knew Kaid, then why was he so keen on keeping that secret? What dirt did Kaid have on him? What was this? A campus-wide conspiracy?

I called back, not turning around, "Thanks for the heads up."

I needed that information like a coffee addict needed caffeine, so I made a mental note to figure out why the student council president was playing the Kaid Isherwood card so close to the vest. Maybe the guy was really good at keeping secrets—or maybe Kaid had a secret weapon of blackmail material so damning that the SCP was trying to protect his cushy position by keeping Kaid's past on lockdown. This was getting real interesting.

I was so caught up in my thoughts that I didn't see what was about to hit me next.

I was on my way to the meeting, minding my own business, when I turned a corner and stumbled upon the most... unexpected sight. There, in the shadowy alcove by the back of the building, was none other than Kaid Isherwood—with a broken leg—being kissed. By a junior. A guy junior.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm totally chill with whatever people want to do with their personal lives. I'm not about to start throwing stones in my glass house. I wasn't shocked by the fact that it was a guy kissing another guy. No, I was shocked because it was Kaid. Kaid Isherwood, the human tornado of drama and misery, was being kissed by a junior? Wasn't he supposed to be the guy who always tore people down, not... you know... make out with them in public? This was definitely not the Kaid I thought I knew.

But I kept walking. You know, because there's a rule about not staring at people's personal business. Sure, I could've lingered and made a comment, like "Hey, Kaid, since when are you into junior high school romances?" But that would've been rude. And honestly, who was I to judge? Kaid's a good-looking guy—objectively speaking—so if someone had a crush on him, who was I to interrupt the love affair? Besides, he had a broken leg. At least he wasn't doing the leg-breaking. That's a plus.

I shook my head and continued walking. It wasn't like I needed to get involved. Not now, not ever. I had a meeting to get to, after all.

I finally made it to the meeting, not late, not early—just the perfect amount of punctual.

"Lucan! Are the rumors true?" Andrew asked, practically jumping out of his seat as soon as I walked in.

"What rumors?" I asked, my brain still trying to adjust to the whole Kaid and Junior thing.

"Kaid Isherwood was the Starfish Stripper," Andrew said with a smirk, like he was waiting for me to either confirm or deny the scandal.

I couldn't help but smirk back. "Well, he was wearing a stripper boot when he got back," I said, suddenly aware that I might've just accidentally spilled some major tea. "According to his brother, anyway. Specifically, the one I hit him with this morning. And the picture on the internet."

There was a collective gasp. Everyone was leaning in, probably wondering if I'd just confirmed one of the wildest rumors to ever sweep through the student body. I froze, realizing what I'd just let slip. Kaid has a brother.

"Kaid has a brother?!" they all echoed, eyes wide, looking at me like I had just announced I had discovered the cure for cancer.

I nodded, awkwardly shifting on my feet. "Yeah, I guess. Didn't really mean to say that out loud."

Before I could get a chance to backtrack, I saw Kaid's furious face flash in my mind. Oh god, if he finds out I told anyone about his brother...

"But that's not the only thing," I mumbled, not wanting to get into details about what else Kaid might've been up to with that junior. That was definitely not going to be a story for this room.

I could practically hear Kaid's voice in my head, warning me. If you tell anyone, I will make your life hell.

And you know what? He probably would. And I'd be damn lucky if I made it out of this semester without mysteriously disappearing into the ether.

But for now, I was just trying to keep my head low and avoid any further revelations about the mysterious world of Kaid Isherwood. Because if there's one thing I've learned today, it's that you never, ever, want to get too close to that guy's secrets.