Chapter 7

"Mrs. Gable," Genesis began, her voice calm and even, a stark contrast to the teacher's tirade. "The reason Cas has been absent is that he was involved in stopping a mugging outside of school."

The words hung in the air. Cas's head snapped toward her, his eyes wide with pure, unadulterated shock.

Mrs. Gable scoffed. "A mugging? Please. He's more likely to be the mugger than the hero."

"It's true," Genesis pressed on, her confidence growing. "He stepped in to help a freshman who was being harassed by a couple of older guys. He was trying to protect him." She gestured toward Cas's bruised face. "That's how he got hurt. In the fight."

The lie was seamless. It explained his injuries, his absence, everything.

Cas stared at her, his mouth slightly agape. He didn't confirm it, but more importantly, he didn't deny it. He let her speak for him.

Mrs. Gable was momentarily silenced, her suspicion warring with the possibility. "If that's true, who was the student he supposedly saved? What's his name?"

Genesis had anticipated this. "The freshman was terrified. He begged Cas not to report it, not to get his parents involved. Cas was respecting his wishes, keeping it quiet."

It was the perfect, unverifiable story. It painted Cas as noble and protective, not just of the victim's safety, but of his privacy.

Genesis pressed her advantage. "I would think," she said, her tone respectful but firm, "that when a student is injured while performing a heroic act, the school's response should be commendation, not punishment."

She had turned the tables completely. She had made Cas the hero and Mrs. Gable the villain who was persecuting him.

The teacher's face was a mottled mess of red and white. She was trapped. To punish Cas now, especially with Genesis Greene-daughter of one of the school's largest donors-as a witness, would be a disastrous move.

Genesis offered her a way out. "Of course, violence is never the answer. I'm sure Cas learned that getting hurt was a lesson in itself. I'm positive he'll find a better way to handle things in the future."

The silence in the office stretched on. Mrs. Gable looked from Genesis's earnest face to Cas's bruised, unreadable one. Finally, with a sigh that was pure theater, she relented.

"Fine," she snapped. "We'll let it go. This time. But one more misstep, Riley, and you're out. Do you understand?"

She waved a dismissive hand. "Get out of my office. Both of you."

They walked out into the empty hallway, the silence between them thick with unspoken words. Genesis could feel his eyes on her as they walked, a heavy, questioning gaze.

Just before they reached the classroom, Cas stopped.

Genesis stopped too, turning to face him.

He looked at her, really looked at her, for the first time. The ice in his eyes seemed to have thawed, just a little. His lips parted, as if to say something, then closed again. He struggled for a moment, the way a man who has forgotten how to speak might struggle to form a word.

Finally, he managed to push one out.

"Thanks."

It was the second time he'd said it, but this was different from the note. This was face to face. The word was quiet, rough around the edges, but it landed in Genesis's heart like a warm stone.

A real, genuine smile spread across her face. "You're welcome."

In her story, he was a hero. In reality, he was her hero.

He held her gaze for a second longer, and she saw it-a tiny crack in the frozen surface of his composure.

Then, without another word, he turned and walked back into the classroom. He didn't tell her to get lost. He didn't push her away. And for Genesis, that was everything.

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