𝐃𝐄𝐏𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐃

35

HER PREDATOR

Once I had Mystery taken care of and buried, I headed on to Casei's in my Jeep, a little hesitant to leave the house empty the few hours that my parents wouldn't be home that Willow would be...right next door with her snooping ass.

I checked my phone and apparently Casei had already called me three times. I was ringing her up, the phone in my lap as I made my way out of my neighborhood and decided to take the route by Naryna's way.

How was the info about me and Houston getting out so fast? As far as I knew, Sioyana was the one who came back and started this shit. I know Sioyana didn't give Maeve information, so that only left Naryna.

Casei didn't answer, and I left my phone in the car as I got out and walked up to Naryna's front door. I think the problem with this city, with this place as a whole, is that we all had entirely too much free time and everybody wanted to act grown.

Naryna answered, a messy bun plopped on her head, kind of leaning, a coffee mug in hand, no makeup hiding her natural underage darkness, and chapped lips. She chuckled seeing me, leaning in the doorway in a floral, silk robe like an ancient queen.

"We needa talk. You can come outside?" I asked.

"I'm not even dressed for that, Lowen. And besides, I don't wanna talk to you," she told me, blowing me a kiss and closing her door. I stood there, crossing my arms and waiting for her to come out.

She'd come out, right?

I waited there a solid fifteen minutes then left. As I drove away, I saw her staring out the front window, watching me go. I can't stand Quercitron girls.

I checked my phone and Casei had called again.

This time when I hit her up again, she answered.

"Hey, you on the way, Lowen?" she asked.

"Yeah, I just-

"Stopped by Naryna's. Yeah, she had text me."

"Hopefully I didn't scare her too bad. I guess we'll know if she felt threatened when I see cops trailing behind me," I told her sarcastically.

Casei laughed, "Why'd you go over there, Low?"

"Willow was snooping around my backyard," I said slowly, not sure how much I should say. I did just make a deal with the girl, after all. "And...shit, I'll tell you when I get there, okay?"

"Okay," she agreed cautiously. "I have a feeling this has to do with Maeve."

"Anything involved with Willow, has to do with Maeve. She wants to be her sidekick so fuckin' bad when she could be more than that. She seems like she could be a fuckin' powerhouse if she wasn't wet off Maeve's every fart and sneeze."

"Willow wasn't always like that," Casei sighed.

"Yeah, yeah. That's what everybody says."

"Talk to your girl Arah. Maybe she knows what was up with that," Casei suggested.

She was right. I hadn't even thought of hittin' up Arah, but I also didn't want to be around her no more either. "I might," I lied.

"Lemme know when you pullin' up."

"I'm about five minutes away," I told her.

"Your subdivision is five minutes away as it is. You over here takin' side quests and shit and you coulda been here," Casei stated. "The door's unlocked."

"Ight," I laughed.

Clearly, she couldn't wait to see me.

I hadn't seen Casei in the flesh since Tuesday or Wednesday, I think. I was just as eager to see her too, even though I still didn't know what we were doing as far as each other just yet.