Casters Book Two: Shadow Caster

Chapter Twelve

I had completely intended to sleep in and stay all warm and cozy cuddled up with Vega. I mean, it sounded like a good plan. Classes were over, I didn't have to start training until lunch. Just me and Vega, in the silence of my room, being cute together. Really, what could be better?

Sadly, even the best of plans go array. Bright and very, very, very early. Almost too early for even the sun, I hear my bedroom door creak open. I try to ignore her, being half asleep it was easy to do. But then I felt this looming presence over me, which I knew couldn't be Vega because she was curled up next to me. A looming presence I was very familiar with.

I cracked open one eye and Dariyah was inches from my face.

I flinched in surprise.

"What are you doing?" I grumbled a complaint.

She smirked at me before cracking her knuckles. My body tensed up in response. Then, as if I weighed less than a feather, she jerked me out of my bed and flung me over her shoulder.

"Ah! Dariyah! What are you doing!?" I repeated, now very much wide awake.

"You and I have a date with tryouts." She said.

"No!" I whine and struggle in her grasp.

Vega groaned a complaint and rolled over in bed. No help at all.

"Put me down! I'm not going!"

"Coach said if I could get you there, she'd actually take my tryout seriously." She proceeds to carry me out of my room in my pj's.

"Vega!" I shout for her.

"You'll be fine," she grumbled half asleep.

"Vega!"

"She knows of my plan, and approves." Dariyah boasted as she carried me to the elevator.

"You two are so dead!" I screamed as the elevator doors closed.

"Oh, stop whining, you'll never make it on the team. You just have to endure for a few hours and make me look good." She finally set me down.

I angrily punch her in the arm as hard as I can. She barely flinches. I glare at her. Worse than waking up early in the morning, is being forced to get up to do something you really don't want to do. I can't think of anything more evil in this world. Honest.

"I'm going to let that slide but touch me again and it's your face. I don't care what Vega says." She threatens.

"You're the worst." I snap at her.

"Thank you, I do try." She pretends to toss her hair.

I pout, on the verge of frustration tears. All I want to do is go lay back down and cuddle with my treacherous girlfriend. My bed is warm and soft, and cozy. And tryouts are out in the snow, and I don't even have shoes on! Ugh!

"You'll live," Dariyah says to me as she forces me to walk with her to the gym.

I have to cross my arms and borrow someone's rain boots by the door to walk to the gym. It's so early the sky is still mostly purple and dark blue. My teeth start chattering halfway there.

When we get to the Gym coach smirks in satisfaction at my very distraught and grumpy presence. She checks my name off her list. I look around and see a bunch of other tired girls getting dressed out for tryouts.

"I don't even know anything about this stupid game," I say as I get changed into the body armor uniform.

"That's because you," Dariyah pauses to put on her boots. "are a moron."