Casters (Book One: Star Caster)

Chapter Twenty-Two

After that fiasco, I grabbed a quick bite for dinner and headed to my room. I was eating my burrito on my walk back when Darko runs right past me, trips, and falls face-first into the sidewalk. I cringe and swallow down another bite of my burrito.

"You okay?" I ask.

He looks past me in fear as a few big guys come walking my way, laughing at his misfortune.

"Oh Darko, I got a knuckle sandwich with your name on it," the main guy sings.

"You guys are so cliché," I step in the way.

"Hey look, it's your girlfriend." They laugh.

"Leave him alone," I say.

"This doesn't concern you bigot, get lost."

"Not until you leave him alone." I cross my arms.

"Go away!" Darko shouts at me.

"And what exactly are you going to do if we don't leave him alone?" the guy with dark brown hair and equally dark eyes to match puffs up to me.

"Well for starters," I take a step back. "This!" I shove my burrito in his face.

"Ugh! You sick bi—"

"Let's go!" I hoist Darko off the floor and take off running towards my dorm.

He stares at me like I've just come out of the mothership.

"Get them!" that guy calls.

Teleportation would really come in handy right now.

We run up the steps and right into Dariyah. Of all people to run into, it had to be her. Must be karma or something for what I did to Cyrene. She stumbles forward and whirls around to face me. I flinch back, but when I turn around those guys are there. Talk about a rock and a hard place.

"Well, well, well, nowhere left to run," he flings beans off his face.

Dariyah narrows her eyes at me before looking behind me.

"Hey!" she shouts. "Is there a problem here?"

"Not with you, but with these two, you better believe it."

I feel Darko squeeze my hand.

"Well too bad, no one picks on this shrimp but me." she steps out in front of me.

I'm not that short.

"Just move out of the way," he warns.

"Or what?" she raises an eyebrow.

He's about to say something when Vega walks up behind them.

"Before you say anything, think twice." She threatens, her eyes flashing pink.

"Come on man, let's just go."

"You wait until next time," he spat at Darko and walked off.

I stuck out my tongue at them.

"Gee, thanks a lot." Darko pushes me before walking off.

"You're welcome! Jerk!" I call after him.

"Well, if it isn't my new best friend," Dariyah puts her hands on my shoulders.

I cringe.

"Aw come on, go easy on her. She's trying to become a decent person. That's a miracle." Vega says as she walks past us into the dorm.

"Thanks, I think." I eye her.

"You owe me one now," Dariyah whispers in my ear before walking after her.