𝐃𝐄𝐏𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐃

22

HER PREY

"I'm glad I have one friend by my side, Channin," I sighed, laying across my bed and holding one AirPod in my ear as I FaceTimed my friend.

The early morning sun shone through my slightly cracked blinds and illuminated my entire bedroom.

"I don't think Naryna meant any ill will last night, Casei," she sighed.

"Oop. Never mind. I said that too soon," I scoffed.

"We've all been tight for awhile, and I know my cousin very well. She was just lookin' out for you. Had to be. What use would she have stirrin' up the drama that she did?"

"Lowen and Chocolate beefin' means that fast forward through everything, Maeve's gonna get an ultimate ass whoopin'. Naryna sees Lowen as if she's on Maeve's side, even though she's not, so Naryna is takin' this as a win. The way I see it."

"If Lowen stopped fuckin' with Arah, then nobody would think she was on anybody's side."

"I have a feelin' it would take a lot to stop that. Their bond seems...unbreakable," I commented, trying to keep the slight...(jealousy, was it?) out of my voice.

"Lowen had no shame in admittin' that she cheated on Dylandra and no shame in tellin' other people that she did," Channin shrugged, "They might be fuckin'. Or...might have at some point."

"I know you're gonna hate me for this, but...did Naryna tell you what she heard about Lowen? What the big deal was with whatever bit of info Chocolate revealed to her?" I asked.

Channin sighed heavily. "I mean, she isn't even textin' me back and I was nowhere to really be found when all of the arguin' was happenin'. I was just chillin'. Swear that girl love to be mad."

"Well, if you hear anything, lemme know, okay?"

"Because you wanna know," Channin finished.

"Yeah, duhh," I rolled my eyes, kicking my legs.

"You seem a little nosy and interested over there. Lemme find out you like Lowen," Channin giggled.

"Hey...it's a lot of shit that has to be cleared up before I even consider that idea."

"Casei!" my mother shouted from across the apartment.

"Well, I gotta go. Talk to you later, ight?"

"Okay, bye," Channin waved.

I got up and found my mother at my father's desk, shifting through papers as she always did when he was out of the crib.

"Help me look for something right quick," she ordered. "Matter of fact, look out the window and let me know when he's comin'. Go on, go stand by the window," she shooed me away.

I went and sat up post by the window, peeking out the blinds to see when my dad was coming up the stairs. Across the street, I spotted Dylandra slipping out her crib and getting into a vehicle, but it wasn't Lowen's and she didn't seem too happy about getting in.

I forced my eyes away from that. I was done fooling with Dylandra too. I owe Lowen that much even though she claims that she couldn't care less about what happens to the girl and what people do with her.

The lock twisted and I ran back to my mom to tell her that my dad was here. Shit, I had gotten distracted.

"Damn, Casei. I need more of a heads up next time," my mom hobbled away from the desk, pretending to be inspecting a floorboard as my dad came in.

"Two of my most favorite girls," he grinned widely, coming in and heading straight to his fridge. "What you doin' up outta bed, Teresa? Ion want you hurtin' the baby doin' allat bendin' and squattin'."