Chapter 37

"Don't pick me up anymore. I'll just see you at school," Evadne said flatly over the phone.

"What? Princess, I'm already on my way," Casadin replied, his voice tinted with confusion and worry.

Truthfully, Evadne's house was way out of Casadin's usual route to school, but since the third day of school, he'd been showing up at her front gate every single morning like it was instinct.

"Just don't, okay?" she said again, firm this time.

"Shit… is your dog there?" Casadin muttered.

"Yup," she answered coolly, lips twitching. "And he's talking to Mommy and Daddy right now. So don't push it."

Evadne heard Casadin sigh deeply on the other end of the line. She bit her bottom lip, suppressing a smile. This was part of what they'd talked about yesterday, when they decided to take their relationship a step further. Slowly. Quietly.

"Fine," he grumbled. "I'll wait for you in the parking lot. You better bribe me with something later or I'm sulking the whole damn day."

She rolled her eyes, amused despite herself. "Okay, okay. I'll see what I can do."

"Bye, Princess. I love you," Casadin said, low and sincere.

Evadne's lips curved into a soft smile. "Thank you. Drive safe."

And she ended the call, because if she waited for him to do it, they'd probably be parked beside each other at school still on the phone.

Evadne walked downstairs toward the living room, where her parents were in pleasant conversation with Hades.

The moment he saw her, Hades stood up and met her halfway with a smile, and without warning, pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"Good morning, Vee," he greeted, voice smooth, charming as ever.

Evadne blinked, surprised by the sudden contact, but recovered quickly. "Good morning," she replied, tone neutral.

She'd been meditating for almost a month now, and she was proud of herself. She had finally gained enough control to block the thoughts around her. The world was too loud when she let everyone's minds in. So she stopped listening, except when she needed to.

Which is why moments like this caught her off-guard.

Because she hadn't been listening.

And Hades wasn't predictable.

After polite goodbyes to her parents, the two headed out.

As usual, Hades was the perfect gentleman. He opened the car door for her, even leaned over to buckle her seatbelt, too close for comfort, but still polished and polite.

Once the car pulled out of the Monteverde estate gates, curiosity got the best of her.

Evadne tilted her head and listened.

'All things bright and beautiful. All creatures great and small…'

She burst into laughter, loud, sudden, uncontrollable.

Hades glanced at her, frowning. "What?"

"Seriously?" she teased, wiping a tear from her eye. "All things bright and beautiful? I thought you were more of a Shakespeare kind of guy. 'To be or not to be…' and all that brooding darkness."

"Stop invading my thoughts!" Hades snapped, temper flaring instantly. His jaw clenched tight, his hands white-knuckled around the steering wheel.

But Evadne only laughed harder, leaning back in her seat like she was enjoying a show.

"Stop laughing, you crazy mermaid!" he growled, practically seething.

"Oh, I'm dying," Evadne wheezed between laughs, holding her stomach. "You're seriously going to give me more abs with this."

"I swear," Hades muttered, eyes narrowing, "I will find a way to put you in a tank. I'll expose you. Let the world know you're a psychotic, telepathic mermaid."

And just like that, Evadne's smile faded. She blinked slowly and turned her head, expression now serene and almost too calm.

"Hubby," she said with exaggerated concern. "Are you okay? Did you forget your meds again?"

Hades blinked. "What the fuck…"m

"Should we call your doctor?" she continued sweetly. "What mermaid are you talking about? Should I call Mom and Dad? Maybe you need bed rest. I understand, you're depressed, right? So depressed you had to chant All Things Bright and Beautiful just to feel okay this morning."

"Fuck you, Evadne!" Hades roared, his patience snapping as he slammed his foot on the gas, sending the car lurching forward with a growl.

Instead of fear, Evadne laughed harder.

Unbothered. Unshaken. Her laughter only seemed to fuel Hades' rage further, until the veins in his neck pulsed and his grip on the steering wheel turned white-knuckled.

But then, without warning, she slammed her foot down on the brake pedal from the passenger side.

The car screeched, tires screaming against the pavement.

The traffic light had already turned red. And if she hadn't stepped in, they would've collided straight into a speeding bus from the crossing street.

"Do you have a death wish, you little shit?! Don't drag others with you!" the bus driver roared out his window, honking aggressively as the vehicle swerved past.

Only then did Hades come back to his senses, the heat of his anger draining from his face as he turned ghost-pale.

He looked at Evadne, shaken, but she only raised a brow in that same annoyingly calm, unbothered way that made him feel like the child in the room.

Then came the knock on the window.

Hades flinched.

A police officer stood outside the driver's side. Stone-faced. Ready.

He rolled the window down with stiff fingers.

"License," the officer demanded, tone clipped. "You ran through a red light, ignored traffic warnings, and were overspeeding."

His hand trembled as he handed over his license. It was the first time, ever, that Hades had been pulled over. He was known for being a meticulous, rule-abiding driver.

But today, he lost control.

"Do you understand what could've happened because of your recklessness?" the officer asked sharply, eyeing the school uniforms they wore. "You're just a student, and already driving like some arrogant punk."

Hades opened his mouth, but his voice failed him.

The panic had settled in his throat, thick and immovable.

To the officer, it looked like defiance.

"Step out of the vehicle. You're coming with me to the precinct."

The words hit Hades like a slap.

He stiffened.

But Evadne… sighed.

Long and theatrical. Then unbuckled her seatbelt.

She leaned across him, resting one arm on the edge of his window as she looked up at the officer with wide, calm eyes.

"Mr. Officer," she began sweetly, voice soft and pleading, "I'm really sorry about this. You see, my fiancé is recovering from… depression. I was supposed to be the one driving, because honestly, he's not in the best mental state right now. But he insisted, and I, I didn't want to upset him. If our parents find out I let him drive, they'll be furious. With me."

She gave him a tiny, vulnerable smile.

"Please," she said. "Just this once. Let us go. I swear it won't happen again."

Her eyes locked onto the officer's like a spell, and for a moment, his rigid stance softened. Something strange passed between them, an invisible thread that tugged at his resistance and dulled his suspicion.

"Alright," the officer muttered. "But don't let this happen again, you hear me?"

"Thank you, Mr. Officer," Evadne cooed, voice syrup-sweet as she smiled once more.

The man blushed slightly and gave her a parting wave before walking back to his patrol car.

Only when the door closed behind him did Evadne's expression drop, hard.

She turned slowly toward Hades.

Her voice, when it came, was like frost.

"Looks like I saved your ass. Again. That's twice now."

She held up two fingers. "There won't be a third."

Her eyes, once soft and charming, now gleamed with warning.

"The next time I have to clean up your mess, I'm collecting payment. And I promise, you won't like what it costs." Her tone was steel wrapped in silk. "You're not fun to play with anymore, Hades."

Then, without another word, she sat back, buckled her seatbelt with elegance, and turned her gaze out the window as if he no longer existed.

Hades stared at the steering wheel, hands shaking violently.

And when he finally began to drive again, he did so carefully.

Quietly.

The rest of the drive to NYE was tense and silent.

Evadne didn't bother speaking to Hades. She didn't tease him. She didn't even listen to his thoughts.

And that silence, more than anything, unnerved Hades. His heartbeat was still pounding from earlier, his hands still cold from the scare. He barely even registered the part where Evadne had told the officer he was "not in the best mental state."

As they approached the school parking lot, just like he said earlier, Casadin was already there, leaning against his car, flanked by Flynn and Delvin, casually laughing about something as they waited.

The moment the vehicle slowed down, Evadne unbuckled her seatbelt and stepped out before it came to a complete stop, not sparing Hades a glance.

She walked toward Casadin with that calm, composed stride only she could pull off, radiating elegance and quiet rebellion at the same time.

"Good morning, Princess," Casadin greeted her instantly, voice brightening just at the sight of her.

"Good morning, Vee," Flynn and Delvin echoed in unison, grinning.

"Good morning," Evadne replied smoothly, turning to face Casadin with a playful glint in her eye. "I brought my bribe."

Before he could even reply, she tiptoed slightly, and kissed him.

Right there.

In front of the faculty.

In front of the entire parking lot full of students.

It was just a quick smack on the lips.

But it was enough.

Enough to make Casadin freeze in place like someone had unplugged him from reality.

Enough to make Flynn and Delvin's jaws drop.

Enough to turn heads all across the parking lot.

And before he could recover, Evadne had already turned away, walking confidently toward the high school academic building like nothing had happened.

"…What the fuck, bro?!" Flynn was the first to recover, smacking Casadin on the shoulder. "Are you officially dating now?!"

Before Casadin could even answer, Delvin had him in a playful headlock from behind.

"Fuckin' hell! You better pay for the shoes you puked on, bro," Delvin said with a mock scowl, but his grin ruined the act.

Flynn jumped in too, throwing fake punches at Casadin's stomach. "So that's why your status was DND yesterday, you sly bastard! Look at that grin, bro, your mouth's about to split open. That smile is illegally wide!"

"Hold up, guys," Casadin said, pushing them off gently and suddenly straightening with a serious face. "Wait. Something's weird."

The two blinked.

"What do you mean?" Delvin asked, confused.

"Why does the ground feel soft?" Casadin asked, brow furrowed. "Is it made of clouds or something?"

Then, bam, that grin came back, full force, as he looked at Evadne ahead talking to Bea and Amanda. Without missing a beat, he jogged after her.

"You're such a dork," Flynn muttered, laughing.

"Hopelessly corny," Delvin agreed.

"You're just jealous," Casadin called over his shoulder. "You don't have inspiration!"

When he reached Evadne, he didn't hesitate. He slipped his arm around her shoulder and dropped a casual kiss on her temple, subtle, but intentional. A silent statement.

She's mine.

And everyone who saw it, including the male population of NYE, got the message loud and clear.

The day began bright and lighthearted for Evadne, Casadin, and their circle. Playful teasing. Quick kisses. Stolen glances that said more than words ever could.

But somewhere behind them in the lot, still sitting inside the car, Hades watched.

Stone-faced. Silent.

And where Evadne's day bloomed with warmth, 

his began with a heaviness that would not leave him…

Not even after the final bell rang.