“Emery,” Cyrene calls my name.

“Hmm?” I look up from the book I was reading.

“We have to talk about this. What happened last night was—”

“I have to study for my test.” I cut her off and continued reading.

She sighs and eyes me.

According to this book, sometimes it takes years for Casters to develop powers after their birth, and their marks are shaped by the magical energy in their body. Scientists believe a Caster’s mark is made by their brain, the reason Caster marks take distinct shapes is still unknown. Interesting.

“If you won’t talk to me, will you at least talk about it with Dr. Ross in your session today?” Cyrene says.

“Shh!” I hush her.

She frowns.

“Morning,” Lorelei walks in.

“That’s it, I can’t study in these conditions.” I quickly get up to leave.

“Emery! Emery!” Cyrene calls after me.

I make my way to breakfast, skipping my midweek morning session with Cyrene. Vega stayed with me last night, after what happened. She wants me to talk about it, but I just can’t even think about that right now. I have a million and one other things to think about, including passing these tests so I can move up with the rest of my class.

“And then she just shut down, didn’t want to talk about it at all,” Vega says as I approach her from behind.

Everyone at the table is giving her the shut-up sign. Dariyah kicks her under the table. She turns and we lock eyes, I raise an eyebrow.

“Hey! What are you doing here?” she laughs nervously.

“Couldn’t focus in Cyrene’s office, decided just to skip it.” I sit next to her.

“Oh.”

I sigh and pull out my book again.

Everyone is quiet.

I frown and look up, they all quickly look away from me.

“Stop being weird,” I grumble before going back to reading.

“So, anyone want to come to our showcase?” Bastion changes the subject.

“When is it?” Ro asks.

“This Sunday, we are performing it before the final sermon of the semester, before everyone goes out on break. Sort of like a preview before the competition starts.”

“Yeah, sounds fun.”

“Count me in,” Darko says.

They all agree to go.

“Emery?” Vega asks me.

“I’ll be busy,” I say without looking up from my book.

“With?” Nerissa pushes.

“Stuff.” I turn the page.

“What kind of stuff?” Dariyah challenges.

I sigh and look, everyone is eyeing me.

“Stuff, taskforce stuff,” I say.

“Oh,” Bastion says in disappointment.

I frown.

“You okay?” Darko asks me.

“I’m fine!” I snap at him as the lights flicker.

Everyone eyes me.

“Look, I have a test to prepare for.” I get up and walk away just as the morning chime dings.

It's hard to focus on anything with everyone staring at me, expecting me to do something. I don’t know what they expect, I have other things to worry about. Who cares if Darius is a thug now. I don’t. He can do whatever he wants. Doesn’t bother me, not at all.

I end up finishing my test pretty early and just get up to walk around campus a bit before my next class. The lights flicker every time I walk by.

I walk outside, my feet crunching the snow. I can see the tree from her, the dummy is gone now, but the branch still sags.

“Nice day isn’t it, very pretty.” Someone walks up beside me.

I flinch.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you. I just like looking at the fresh snow, untouched, all powdery and fluffy looking.”

I turn and see a guy about a foot taller than me. He’s very pale, brown hair with an orange hue to it. Dark brown eyes, glasses, a small five o’clock shadow forming. He’s very well dressed. His shirt buttoned all the way up, his black uniform blazer form-fitting, He has a purple scarf around his neck. On his jacket pocket is the symbol of a snowflake. He’s an Ice Caster.

He turns and looks at me and smiles softly.

“Yeah, it is pretty I guess,” I say.

“I’m Shamus.” He says.

“Emery.”

“Snow is kind of my specialty,” he points to his snowflake pocket.

“You’re an ice Caster?”

“Yeah. You know some say Ice Casters are just a different type of water Caster. But despite our scientific similarities, our magics are actually quite different. Water is malleable, adaptive, flowing. Ice is more…sharp, ridged, cold. It’s not as forgiving as water.”

“Wow, sounds interesting,” I say.

“Emm,” he turns back to look at the scenery.

“So, you like the snow? I figured since your magic is ice, you might be tired of it by now.”

“You never get tired of it. It’s a part of who you are. Actually, it’s times like these where I feel my energy swell, I always feel stronger when it snows.”

“Wow, that’s interesting.”

He outstretches his hand and I watch the snow come off the ground and over to him, forming a ball in his hands. Then the ball grows little legs and arms. He pokes two eyes into it and uses his energy on it.

It jumps up in his hands, alive.

It waves at me.

“Wow! How did you do that!?” I say in amazement.

“This is the energy of ice and snow, come to life. My connection with ice is so strong that it manifests itself around me. It likes to play with me.” he smiles

The little snowball jumps around, pretending to fight him.

I giggle.

“There are different energies all around us, some energies are stronger at certain times of the day or in different weathers. It’s almost like they are spirits in a way, little life forms gifting us with their powers. The deeper the connection, the stronger your power.”

“That’s so awesome.”

“Yeah,” he tosses the snowball up and down, it looks like it’s getting dizzy and tries unfruitfully to catch itself time and time again.

I laugh.

“Here,” he hands it to me.

It looks up at me, I swear it blinks.

“uh, hi,” I say.

It leaps out of my hands and runs back into the snow, dissolving into nothingness.

“What happened?” I ask.

“It went back to being just energy.” He shrugs.

I stare at the snow.

There is still so much about Casters I don’t understand.

When I turn to ask Shamus something, he’s gone.

I frown.

“Hey, what are you doing?”

“Jesus!” I whirl around and face Nerissa.

She smirks.

“How did you do that? Are you masking your energy? Usually, I can sense you a mile away.” I say.

“I’ve been working on it,” she says proudly.

“You gave me a heart attack,” I complain.

“Why, what are you up to?”

“Nothing. Just finished my test early.”

“Emm.”

“And you?” I ask.

“I already finished my morning class, I have an off period until the new semester. I was just going for a walk.” She shrugs.

“Well make a noise or something,” I grumble.

“So, what’s it like working with the task force?” she asks.

“Awful, boring, stressful, draining, all the above.” I sigh, my breath fogging the air in front of me.

“You’ve been pretty busy these past couple of months.” She comments.

“Yeah, I know.” I pout.

“Maybe too busy.” She adds.

I eye her.

“Don’t you find it odd that the councils just took you under their wing?” she asks.

“I don’t know, I try not to think too hard on it.” I shrug.

“Like maybe they are just trying to keep a closer eye on you and shut you up by keeping you busy?”

“What are you saying?” I ask outright.

“Come on Emery, one minute we suspect the council is behind everything, the next you are their little lacky. Their pet!”

“What! I’m no one’s pet.”

“If the shoe fits.”

“Okay, I understand why you are upset, but Cyrene said it was for the best. And I trust her, how can they make any moves with me right there?” I challenge.

“You’re an idiot, they have probably made tons of moves already and it just went over your head.”

“I’m not a complete moron!” I get defensive.

“You are in over your head. You are lying with lions! And your just you, you know nothing about anything. They are just trying to shut you up and control you.”

“Just stop! I have enough on my plate to worry about as it is. I don’t need you adding to the pile. I’m trying so hard to get some sense as to what is going on around here. You’re not helping. You want to find out what’s going on, be my guest. See if you get anywhere by yourself. Meanwhile, I’m going to keep doing my tactic.”

“Which is what exactly? Suck up to them and hope they pity you?”

“Rude! I’m getting up close and personal with them, learning their personalities and possible motives. So yeah, I’m smarter than I look. Jerk.” I turn and stomp back inside and away from her.

“You’re in over your head!” she calls after me.

I roll my eyes and ignore her.

“There you are,” Vega jogs over to me.

“Ugh!” I stomp past her.

“Uh, what happened?” she asks.

“Nerissa is so ugh!”

“What? What did she say?”

“She says I’m the council's lacky, their pet! That I’m basically a complete moron and that I’m in over my head. She has no idea!” I huff.

“Shh, maybe we shouldn’t talk about this out loud?”

“Whatever,” I grumble.

She sighs and follows me.

We go to the teacher's lounge.

“Hey, calm down.” She pulls me into her arms as the lights flicker in my presence.

“I’m so tired!” I say as my eyes water. “Emery do this, Emery do that, don’t say this, don’t say that. Visions, outsiders targeting me, tests, and trying to control my powers. Not to mention my family will be here soon and I have to seem like I’m put together, that I have some clue of what I’m doing and not completely falling apart. It’s just so much,” I pull away from Vega and grab fists full of my hair.

“Well screw it then, forget Nerissa. Forget the visions and everything. Just stop. Live in the now. Stop worrying about tomorrow. Stop investigating all of this. It’s not your job, leave it to the people whose job it actually is. You’re not a pet, or a lacky, you are just a girl trying to be the best Caster she can be.”

“But—”

“No buts, just stop Emery. Look at me.” she grabs my chin and forces me to meet her eyes. “Do you trust me?”

I nod.

“I’ll protect you. I won’t let no stupid outsider, no psycho council member, no one hurt you.”

I sigh.

“Focus on just living in the experience. We can start planning that Christmas party, and plan what we are going to do on our winter break. We are going to Bastion’s showcase; I don’t care what you say. We are going to have some fun, real fun. Okay?”

“Okay,” I agree.

“No more stupid taskforce stuff interrupting your life. No more worrying about these visions. No more trying to be sneaky and investigate things. Just enjoy this. You and me, here at Belmore. All alone all winter break.”

I smirk.

“Did I mention I make a mean hot cocoa?” she smiles.

“Okay, you convinced me.” I giggle.

“We can cuddle up, with a Christmas movie, a cup of cocoa, just you and me in our cutest pj’s.”

“That does sound nice.”

“Or you and me, under a mistletoe. Or making snow angels and snowmen. Wrapping gifts together. The options are endless.”

“Okay, okay, you had me at cuddles and coco.”

“Good, no more stressing about this stuff. Just let it go. You’re here now, that’s all that matters to me.” she says before kissing me.

I kiss her back hard before pulling back, “Don’t think I forgot about you talking about me this morning to everyone.” I say to her.

“I have no idea what you are talking about,” she smiles before kissing me again.

“Emm hmm,” I hum as we kiss.

She giggles.

When we pull apart, I just rest my head on her chest. Something about her presence in my life just feels so right. Like our lives were always destined to be intertwined with one another. Our hearts belong to each other.

I still don’t fully understand it, but I can’t deny the more I get to know her, the deeper in love I fall. I used to think it was impossible to love someone you don’t know, but I think deep down, subconsciously, I really do know her. Which still freaks me out, but I don’t hate it, I just don’t understand it.

Magic is weird.

“Want me to come stay with you again tonight?” she asks.

“Please,” I don’t let go of her.

“You just like cuddling with me,” she kisses the top of my head.

“Guilty as charged, but you like cuddling me more than I like cuddling you.”

“True.” She giggles.

She tries to pull away but I hold her firmly in place.

She pets my head.

“What’s your favorite color?” she asks me.

“Guess.”

“Hmm, I feel like you like something basic.”

“I’m not picky.” I agree.

“Blue?”

“What shade of blue?”

“Ocean blue.”

“Yeah.”

“Really?”

“Yep.”

“Okay, now you guess mine.”

“Neon pink.”

“Why would you think that?”

“Because it looks so good on you.”

“Every color looks good on me,” she giggles.

“Okay, real guess now. I feel like it’s a warm color.”

“It is.”

“Not red.”

“Correct, keep going.”

“But definitely in the red family, magenta? No, wait, hot pink, No, no, no okay magenta final answer.” I say.

“You crack me up, but yes. It’s magenta.”

“Okay, how did we know that about each other?” I pull back to look into her eyes.

She shrugs.

“This is too freaky,” I sigh.

“Don’t question it,” she kisses me again.

I wrap my arms around her neck and deepen the kiss. I get goosebumps on my skin when I feel her hand snake under the back of my shirt and up my back. Our tongues twist and turn around each other, she lets out a soft moan.

It’s weird, having no prior romantic experience before her, but as I said somehow I just know what to do, how to do it. It’s not awkward, I don’t mess it up all the time, it’s just right. We are just right for each other.

Someone clearing their throat makes us spring apart.

Asherah raises an eyebrow at me.

I feel my face turn bright red.

Vega clears her own throat and fixes her tie.

“Ladies, I’m not sure this room was intended for that kind of activity.” She says.

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

“I came to fetch you for something. If this is what you two are always up to, I might have to suggest a tutor change.” She says.

“No! I mean no, of course not. It was a one-time thing.” I say.

She eyes me, unconvinced.

“Please don’t, we’ll actually do the work, promise. We do study, I swear.”

She sighs, “Fine, come with me, Emery.”

“I’ll see you later,” Vega says.

I nod at her before leaving with Asherah.

She smirks once we are out of the room.

I eye her.

“So, the girl who you are skipping class with is your girlfriend. I called it.” She says matter of factly.

“Ugh,” I run my hands down my face.

“Don’t let me catch you again,” she pats my head.

“Okay,” I sigh.

“Now, back to a more serious matter.”

“What?”

“I have the police here ready to take your statement for last night and the night before.”

“Oh,” I look down.

She rubs my shoulder and leads me towards the police.

So much for moving on from the problem.