Casters Book Two: Shadow Caster

Chapter Forty-Seven

There is this buzzing in my head. Loud obnoxious buzzing, like I'm standing too close to a really loudspeaker. I squint my eyes and force them open, a headache quickly forming. Dariyah is snoring softly, her arms still firmly wrapped around me. I turn in her arms and try to get more comfortable, that's when I lock eyes with Vega who is glaring so hard at me my heart skips a beat in fear.

I quickly sit up and pull out of Dariyah's embrace.

The buzzing stops.

Was Vega doing that to me?

"What is this?" Vega says, her voice filled with jealousy.

"Nothing, nothing I swear." I hold up my hands in innocence.

"Why was she—"

"We just fell asleep and probably drifted close in our sleep." I lie.

"Hey!" Vega pushes Dariyah hard.

"Huh?" she jolts awake.

"Get out," Vega growls at her.

"Ugh," Dariyah rubs the sleep from her eyes.

"Now!"

"Dude, what is your problem?" Dariyah grumbles but stands up and stretches.

"You don't get to hold her like that, stay away from my girlfriend," Vega gets between me and Dariyah.

Dariyah takes a cautious step back.

"Vega, nothing happened," I assure her.

"Sorry, geez." Dariyah moves to leave.

"Vega it's not like that. You know that." I assure her.

"Chill out, you're freaking her out. You're freaking me out." Dariyah says to her.

Vega clenches her jaw but takes a step back and a deep breath to calm down.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I grab Vega's hand in mine.

"Nothing, sorry." She says much calmer now.

"You know I'd never do that to you," Dariyah says to her.

"Sorry," Vega shakes her head, deflating a bit.

Dariyah eyes her cautiously before leaving.

"See ya later," I call to her.

She doesn't respond and just leaves.

I frown.

"Sorry," Vega says.

"What was that?" I turn to her.

"I just get jealous easily, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to freak you out. It's just sometimes... nothing, never mind." She shakes her head.

"Tell me," I sit on the bed and pull her to sit down next to me.

"Sometimes Dariyah just... oversteps. She, like, copies me or tries to take things that are mine, does things that I do. I know she's doing it because it's her weird way of showing me she admires and loves me, but I wish she wouldn't. It really bothers me."

"You're totally misreading her."

"What do you mean?"

"She's not copying you. She actually told me she actively watches what she does because she doesn't want to step on your toes. Maybe you two are just more alike than you think."

"Did she tell you that?"

I nod.

"And maybe all her strange behavior is because she has to tell you something."