Why is there a student/teacher relationship in Cassidy?

Here it is, the one everyone's been thinking about, why is there a student/teacher relationship in Cassidy?

One word.

Power.

And no, it's likely not what you think, because I'm talking about Cassidy's power.

There's a reason I'm writing it as student/teacher, not teacher/student, and that's because the ball is always in Cassidy's court. Cassidy orchestrates the relationship, Cassidy encourages the relationship, and when the time is right Cassidy ends the relationship.

Now before I continue, in case you haven't read Cassidy yet, Cassidy is 18 for the duration of the relationship with Finn (27), and is also the insinuator of said relationship.

*The rest of this post will contain spoilers for Cassidy is Queen*

So, let me explain, up until Cassidy meets Casper he doesn't know how it feels to be in love, he's never been loved, and never loved in return. Does that make his relationship with Finn right? Absolutely not! But it does start to piece together the context of how we ended up in this situation.

To Cassidy sex = power, it's as simple as that. He's known by all as willing, as always in somebody's bed, and sure yes he is, but there's so much more to Cassidy than just the Ravenwood 'bike', because we come back around to sex being power, and it's a power that Cassidy has harnessed.

Because even though everyone whispers about Cassidy they also crave him, they want to be chosen by him. They need the validation that the Queen can provide, they're easy to Cassidy, and so our Queen needs a challenge, *enter Finn*.

Finn is forbidden, Finn is off-limits, and Cassidy will do whatever it takes to gain power - at least at the beginning (or where our story begins), and he succeeds.

When we first see Cassidy and Finn together (chapter 3, it's quite spicy!🌶️🌶️🌶️) you are led to the assumption that this is a seedy relationship, that it's all Finn, that it's your run of the mill teacher manipulating the situation, but as the book goes on, as you get to know Cassidy you soon see that it's a bit more complicated than that.

And, of course, once Cassidy meets Casper, and starts to experience love, and what a healthy relationship can be, Cassidy begins to question his own morals, and the other relationships around him.

Cassidy ends the relationship and that in itself equals power.

Yes, Cassidy and Finn become friends following Cassidy's graduation. They go on to be good adult friends as Cassidy finds that Finn is one of the only legitimate relationships he has and once Cassidy has left school their power balances each other out.

But before that we as readers explore the meaning of consent, of healthy relationships and communication, and we see as Cassidy, this smart, revered, powerful person learns how to love.

From a writers perspective, the relationship between Cassidy and Finn is invaluable to the book, it adds so much to the dynamic of Cassidy's relationships, and in the understanding of who Cassidy is at the beginning of this book - which, to be honest is quite an unlikable character - and then plays a pivotal role in who he becomes and how he develops as a person, how he becomes Cassidy, rather than the Queen.

Because all things considered he is still a teenager, he is still in school, he's still learning, and he's allowed to make mistakes, and Finn just so happens to be one of those mistakes.

From a personal perspective I do not support or condone teacher / student relationships.