ntrast to the teacher's tirade. "The reason Cas has been absent

ead snapped toward her, his eyes w

g? Please. He's more likely t

reshman who was being harassed by a couple of older guys. He was trying to protect

explained his injuries,

He didn't confirm it, but more importantly,

arring with the possibility. "If that's true, who wa

. He begged Cas not to report it, not to get his parents

ainted Cas as noble and protective, not just

ectful but firm, "that when a student is injured while performing a her

She had made Cas the hero and Mrs. Gab

d. To punish Cas now, especially with Genesis Greene-daughter of one o

wer. I'm sure Cas learned that getting hurt was a lesson in itself.

rom Genesis's earnest face to Cas's bruised, unreadable one

This time. But one more misstep, Rile

e hand. "Get out of m

een them thick with unspoken words. Genesis could feel h

reached the class

ed too, turni

e thawed, just a little. His lips parted, as if to say something, then closed again. He strug

managed to p

ank

the note. This was face to face. The word was quiet, rough arou

spread across her fa

s a hero. In realit

r, and she saw it-a tiny crack in t

to the classroom. He didn't tell her to get lost. He did

-