Chapter 8: A dog and a bastard

After leaving Julian's room, Aiden returned to his own, the quiet hallway giving him a moment to breathe. The moment he stepped into his room, he exhaled deeply. Everything still felt surreal—being here, being accepted, being the only human.

To distract himself, he unpacked. He carefully arranged his clothes in the wardrobe, folding each item neatly like his mother would've wanted. Then he moved to the bathroom, placing his toothbrush, soap, and other essentials in order. It didn't take long, but it was just enough to make the space feel a little more like his own.

By the time he was done, exhaustion hit him hard. He flopped onto the bed without bothering to pull up the covers and, within minutes, drifted off to sleep.

A sharp knock startled him awake. Groggy, he rubbed his eyes, unsure what time it was. The knocking came again, firmer this time.

"Coming…" he mumbled, dragging himself off the bed.

He opened the door to find Julian standing there, arms crossed, lips tugged up into an amused smirk. "It's time for dinner. Or are you planning to sleep through the night on an empty stomach?"

Aiden blinked. He hadn't even realized how hungry he was until Julian mentioned it. The last meal he had was breakfast at home, before the long journey here.

"Oh, crap," Aiden muttered. "I totally forgot. Can you give me twenty minutes to freshen up?"

Julian nodded. "Sure. I'll wait outside."

Aiden quickly closed the door, grabbed a clean change of clothes, and rushed to the bathroom. After splashing water on his face and brushing his teeth, he ran his fingers through his hair until it looked passable. He changed into a black hoodie and jeans and hurried out, finding Julian waiting patiently at the bottom of the stairs.

They walked to the cafeteria side by side. As soon as Aiden stepped through the entrance, a hush seemed to ripple across the room. He felt it instantly—eyes turning, whispers spreading. The tension prickled on his skin like static.

Julian leaned close and nudged him gently. "Don't think too much. Just ignore them."

Aiden gave a weak nod, trying not to let the stares get to him. Of course the rumors had already started. A human attending a supernatural school? He might as well have been a unicorn.

They grabbed trays and picked up dinner—steaming bowls of soup, bread rolls, and grilled vegetables. Julian led them to a table in the far corner, away from the heaviest clusters of students.

Aiden sat down and set his tray in front of him but didn't touch his food right away. Instead, his eyes wandered across the cafeteria, scanning every face.

Julian noticed. "Looking for Ryker?"

Aiden's gaze snapped back to him, a little guilty. "Yeah. I was hoping I'd see him."

Julian sighed. "You won't. Trust me."

Aiden furrowed his brows. "Why not?"

"I really thought after everything I told you today, you'd start letting go of this Ryker obsession," Julian said, shaking his head. "But clearly, you haven't."

Aiden offered a sheepish smile. "I know it sounds pathetic… I mean, I get it—he's out of my league, probably doesn't even remember me. But he was my first crush. The first guy I ever… you know, really looked at and felt something. I followed him all the way here. Is it so wrong to just want to see him again? Just once?"

Julian leaned back in his seat, watching him for a long second before replying. "Ryker doesn't come during the first week. None of the student council does. They usually show up mid the first week, second week at the latest."

Aiden blinked. "Wait, what? But aren't they supposed to be in charge of regulations or something? Shouldn't they be here on the first day to welcome students, help things run smoothly?"

Julian shrugged. "You'd think. But no one ever questions it. It's just… how things are."

"That's weird," Aiden muttered, more to himself than Julian.

There was a short pause before he turned to Julian again, a curious look on his face. "You're a first-year student like me, right? How do you know so much already? It's like you've been here for years."

Julian chuckled. "The thing is, most students here already have some kind of connection—an older sibling, a family friend, someone in the faculty. People talk. So, by the time you get in, you've probably already heard a bunch of stuff about how the school works."

"Huh," Aiden said, nodding thoughtfully. "Guess I'm the odd one out again."

Julian gave him a sympathetic smile. "That's not a bad thing."

Still, Aiden's mind drifted back to Ryker. "So… does that mean I'll see Ryker next week?"

Julian hesitated before shaking his head again. "Not necessarily."

Aiden frowned. "Why not? Didn't you just say—?"

"I said usually, not always. The student council… they're different. Sometimes they show up when they feel like it. Ryker especially. He's not exactly predictable."

Julian leaned against the edge of the cafeteria table, his voice low but clear as he continued speaking to Aiden.

"You'll barely ever see Ryker eat with the rest of us," he said, casually stabbing a piece of fruit with his fork. "He despises sitting with people—especially students. He only shows up here when he has to, and even then, it's usually just to pick up his fiancée and he always look like he's being led to a battlefield any time that happens."

Aiden's heart gave a small, involuntary twist at the word fiancée. No matter how many times he reminded himself that Ryker was way out of reach—supernatural or not—the ache inside him never got easier to ignore. There was nothing he could do about it. Nothing at all.

He dropped his gaze to his tray, pushing the food around with a spoon, not quite hungry anymore. He didn't notice the subtle rustle of footsteps behind them, nor the sudden drop in volume around their table—until a shrill, cutting voice rang in their ears.

"How dare you speak Ryker's name with those filthy mouths? Who do you two think you are?"

Startled, Aiden and Julian turned at the same time to find a girl standing behind them. She was small in stature, but her commanding presence seemed to fill the entire space. Her features were pretty—delicate even—but the superiority written all over her face made her beauty cold and unapproachable.

Julian's face immediately darkened.

Aiden glanced between the two of them, sensing something unspoken. Judging by Julian's reaction and the familiarity in the girl's tone, they clearly knew each other.

"Wow, wow," the girl sneered with an overly sweet tone. "If it isn't my dear younger stepbrother. I'm not even surprised to see you talking to a loser like him." Her eyes flicked to Aiden with blatant disdain.

Aiden blinked, confused but quickly growing angry. What did I even do to her?

Julian's jaw clenched, his lips thinning into a hard line. He didn't respond to her insult. Instead, he turned toward Aiden and said firmly, "Let's go."

But the girl wasn't finished. "Yes, yes, take your dog and run, Julian. That's what you're good at, isn't it? Running. Just like a coward. And you—" she spat at Aiden, "—you're just a pathetic human. A joke. You both suit each other."

Aiden froze, his fists clenching at his sides. His chest flared with heat—anger, shame, and a raw urge to retaliate. He could feel his face burning, his thoughts a storm of disbelief and fury. Who did she think she was to say something like that?

He took a step forward, ready to fire back. But Julian's hand closed around his wrist, pulling him back with a firm tug.

"Don't," Julian said quietly. "It's not worth it."

Aiden glanced at him, brows furrowed. "But she—"

"I know," Julian cut him off, his voice still low but sharp with emotion. "But let it go. Please."

Aiden looked around, suddenly realizing that the entire cafeteria had gone unusually quiet. Whispers and murmurs rose all around them like a growing tide. Dozens of curious eyes had turned toward them. Fingers pointed. Lips moved behind palms. The attention was suffocating.

He gritted his teeth but nodded, choosing—for Julian's sake—to swallow his pride.

They walked away together, heading for the exit as laughter and whispers rippled in their wake. Aiden could feel every stare prickling against his skin like invisible needles.