Casters Book Two: Shadow Caster

Chapter Forty Six

After a fairly normal lunch with Vega and telling Dariyah the extent of my knowledge regarding the mysterious cult-like group we went back to my room to just relax for the rest of the day.

I can't help but notice Dariyah is being weird around me now, and it has nothing to do with the cult of freaks. There is always at least a foot of distance between us now. She's not so handsy anymore. Plus whenever we lock eyes on accident, there is this awkwardness in the air that gets thicker with each glance.

"Are we going to talk about it?" I ask.

"Talk about what?" she flips through the channels on my tv.

"Uh... whatever is weird between us now."

She sighs and turns the tv off before turning to face me.

I turn to face her, giving her my full undivided attention.

She takes a deep breath before she says,

"I'm... not fully straight."

"Oh. Okay." I'm not surprised, at all. She made it kind of obvious.

"I'm pansexual." She goes on.

"What's that?" I ask.

"It just means that I am sexually attracted to anyone of any gender, gender identification, or sexuality. Basically, I like everyone."

"Oh. I've never heard of that before." I admit.

"You're the first person I've told." She says.

"How come?"

She shrugs.

"Vega would understand."

"It's not that I think she won't understand, it's just all my life I've always been second fiddle to Vega. Sometimes my family would accuse me of copying her on purpose just so they would like me more. I feel like if I come out, they would just accuse me of copying Vega again. It's not that I think they won't accept me, it's more like I think they will just use it as more fuel to the fire against me."

I can understand that I guess. Her family isn't exactly very supportive of anything she does. They have labeled her as a problem child and will always see her as such. That must suck.

"Well, I'm happy you told me. It doesn't change anything though. Also, I always suspected that you were just a little fruity." I tease.

She giggles.

"So why are you acting weird around me now?" I push.

She blushes and avoids my eyes.

"Is it because of what Joni said?"

She looks at me then.

I feel my own cheeks blush.

"Okay, I know this is going to sound like super weird and gross but for like a second I actually pictured us kissing." She admits.

"Ew!" I say, but in reality, my heart races at her admission.

"I know right!" she forces an awkward laugh.

"That would be super weird," I say.

"Totally, plus you're dating my freaking sister. Talk about awkward."

"Uh yeah."

"It's just... you're kind of the first girl I've ever pictured kissing."

"No way, I don't believe that for a second. You, you, never ever pictured yourself with a girl before?" I push.

"I haven't for your information. I always stayed away from girls, that was Vega's thing." She says.

"Being a lesbian isn't exclusive. Anyone can like anyone."