Moonlight Tempest (Completed)

Concensus

Chapter 44

9 Weeks Ago...

Zing kept pacing. Back and forth, back and forth.

He hated this.

The constant worrying, the uncertainty, the agony of being separated from her.

It was torture.

"Where could she be?" Zing wondered aloud. He stopped pacing.

"Stop talking to yourself. It's really annoying." Shela said. Zing had come to the sitting room to think after everyone went to sleep, but Shela was already there, lounging on the couch staring at the ceiling.

"Shela. I'm worried. Just because you aren't worried doesn't mean everyone else isn't."

She scoffed. 'Who says I'm not worried?" Zing gave her a look. "Okay, fine. I'm not worried. And you know why? It's because unlike you, the rest of these chuckleheads or Deandra, I actually think Kari is strong enough to handle herself no matter the situation."

Zing frowned. "Really? I didn't think you liked her. Let alone believed in her."

"What kind of shit are you spewing? Who said I don't like her?"

Zing blushed. "I- Well..."

Shela raised an eyebrow. "Spit it out."

Zing sighed. "I thought you didn't like her because... You confessed your feelings to me before, and I rejected you because of Kari..."

Shela chuckled. "You think I'm that petty?" Zing shrugged. Her expression softened. "At first glance, I didn't like her. I thought she wasn't right for you. But then... I saw how she looked at you. And I realized that no one looks at someone that way superficially. She cares for you and it runs deep. And I knew. I knew that I couldn't look at you that way. I could love you, but not that deeply."

She laughed. "I got all that from the first few minutes I saw her." Zing was surprised by how insightful Shela was. "Anyway, once I got to know her, I found that she and I are kinda the same. We're both fierce and hot. Mostly hot. She's relatable, and I consider her a friend. Despite our shared feelings for you, I like her."

"Oh, wow. I- I'm glad." She rolled her eyes. "Shela, you are a good person. I appreciate you telling me that."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now would you go to sleep? You need to rest."

"Yeah, I guess I do." Zing said. "But, what about you?'

"What about me?"

"You should rest too."

"I'm good."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yep." She popped the p.

"Okay. Sure." Zing went to the couch and sat next to Shela. "Then I'm good too."

"Urghhh, go away." Zing sat back into the couch and stared at Shela. She started to squirm and blush under his gaze. "Alright! What do you want? Stop looking at me!"

"Why don't you want to rest? Are you afraid to sleep by yourself? You usually sleep with Deandra but she's with Billy tonight. Is that why?" Shela blushed.

"No! Believe it or not, I'm a big girl who can sleep by herself!"

"Okay. That's nice. Let me walk you to your room then."

"I don't want to sleep."

"We can stay here then. You can sleep on my shoulder." Zing didn't think Shela could get any redder, but she did.