I Kissed A Boy.

14.

**Kaiser.**

It was Monday, and my thoughts were on nothing but on, Ziggy.
I stood in that parking lot, waiting for whoever it would be, to drive up and drop him off like usual.
But it didn't happen.
Was he taking today to settle in with Mr.Mitchell?
Something felt..

"Something's off."
My eyes fell on Rocky whose brows were furrowed standing at the lockers with crossed arms.
"He's usually here by now, so where is he?" He questioned.
Devin shrugged looking to the other.
"He has a lot going on, it's possible he's just not coming today because of moving homes?" He suggested with a soft frown.

"That's not what Zigzag does though, he's a shy guy but.. I'm sure if something was going on today, he would have told one of us." Rocky's eyes fell on me and I could see the actual worry in his eyes now.

I ran a hand through my hair, feeling frustrated I pulled out my phone and went straight for Ziggy's number.
My brows furrowed before I pressed dial.
{"The number you have dialed is currently unavailable, please redial or try again later."}
"His phone is off." I frowned.

"Okay, now I am worried." Rocky stormed towards Mr.Mitchell's class with the rest of us following him.
But, the feeling of confusion hit us when we saw a sub in Mr.Mitchell's place.

"Where's the teach?" Rocky questioned approaching the sub who looked up to us.
He looked concerned about something before frowning.
"Mr.Mitchell had a family emergency this morning, he won't be here for a few days." He told us.
I felt everything in me trying to shatter all at once.
A family emergency?

"Did they tell you who the family member was?" Rocky pushed, he was sounding desperate for answers now as I frowned at the other.
The sub shook his head.
"No sorry, I wasn't given much information, I was only asked to come in and teach until your teacher was able to return." He explained.

Rocky stormed out of the classroom.
"Rocky-"
"I need him to stop messing around and call one of us." Rocky hissed.
"Rocky-"
"I mean, he's obviously alive right? There's no way that his abusive family would ki-"
"Rocky!"
"WHAT?!" Rocky spun around to Stetson who was glaring at the other before relaxed himself.

"Panicking is not going to help, I know you're worried about the kid-"
"Damn straight I'm worried about him, he's a friend, and I need to know if he's okay." Rocky glared at the other.
Stetson went to glare, but didn't as he sighed in response.
"I won't count the strike this time, because you're being emotional, but-"

"Guys!" My eyes fell to the door as Jayce and Joshua ran in with Dorian right on their heels.
Jayce looked like he was going to cry, but so did Joshua.
My brows knitted looking at Dorian.
"Whats going on?" I asked him.

Dorian rubbed the side of his neck.
"On our way to school this morning, we passed by Mr.Mitchell who was doing about eighty in town, choosing to be curious over being late. I turned around and chased after him." His eyes fell on me.

"Ziggy's in the hospital." He told us.

That was all I had to hear.
"I'm going to kill that family." I went to storm past him but Jackie stopped me.

"Wait, I know you're pissed, I know both of you are pissed." Jackie's eyes locked on Rocky whose eyes were jet black at this point.
"But we don't know why he's in the hospital, if you go to that house demanding answers, you'll make things worse for the kid, instead of wanting blood like a dehydrated vampire. How about we just go to the hospital and see what happened?" He suggested.

I wanted to argue about him being wrong.
But I knew he was right.

I just stood there, trying to make myself cool down as I ran a hand through my hair.
"Let's go, like hell I'm staying in this school after knowing what we know." I said storming outside into the pouring rain.
Rain..
I guess that should have been a sign, something was going to be wrong today.
-------
"The roads are slick, slow down so you don't get us in a wreck." Stetson told me as I glared at him.
"Getting in a wreck is the last thing on my mind-"
"Okay fair point, but if you do get in a wreck, all we're going to do is end up faking our injuries at the hospital." Stetson growled as I rolled my eyes before trying to slow my speed down.

"I know you're worried." Stetson said a lot calmer.
"I'd be worried as well if something happened to Rocky, or well, I guess to any of you idiots." He frowned looking out the window.
I looked to him.
"Are you worried about Ziggy?" I asked him.
Stetson rolled his eyes.
"The kid's a human, and you like him, so of course I'm worried." His eyes fell on me.
"I don't think I could call myself your best friend if I wasn't worried." He told me.

When we got to the hospital, we were all rushing inside as I looked around for anyone.
Until my eyes locked on Mr.Mitchell and his mate, Hyde.
They were in the waiting room.

"Mr.Mitchell." Rocky went straight up to our teacher who looked confused seeing all of us there.
"Rocky? Boys, what are you doing out of school?" He asked us.
Rocky glared at him.
"We heard that Ziggy was in the hospital, did you really think we'd sit in class after knowing that?" He asked him.

Mr.Mitchell blinked before he sighed softly.
"No, I guess you wouldn't."

"Is he okay? Did they say what happened?" I questioned looking at our teacher who blinked before rubbing the side of his neck.
"According to his aunt Shay, she found him this morning laying in bed with his pillow soaked in blood."

I felt sick.
How long had he been like that, until she decided to check on him?
Was he going to survive this?
I could heal him..
But.
He doesn't even know about us yet.
And the worst thing he could do, was reject being a vampire.

"Can we see him?" Rocky asked with knitted brows.
Mr.Mitchell frowned softly.
"He's resting right now, according to the doctor, he did lose quite a bit of blood so they had to do a blood infusion. You can't see him yet, but you're more than welcome to wait until Ziggy is conscious enough to have visitors." He told us.

He didn't have to tell me twice.
I took a seat as the rest of our friends sat down as well.
There was silence as I looked out the large window at the pouring rain.
He didn't deserve this.
He was a sweet guy.
Shy and timid.
But he was working on being comfortable with us.
Why did it feel like.
This would only nail those four walls up the moment he's awake?
What happens if he shuts all of us out?

"Where is that family he used to live with?" Rocky asked our teacher who blinked before frowning.

"Sitting right over there." Hyde spoke up looking in the far corner of the waiting room.
I looked over my shoulder and felt this spiking irritation.
None of them looked the least bit worried.
They were probably only here to make themselves look good.

My eyes fell on that cousin of Ziggy's, I think his name was Bryce.
But there was another face I didn't recognize.
His  blue eyes were locked on Bryce's phone, watching whatever the other was doing.
He had messy brown hair and wore a solid black shirt and black jeans.
It looked like he was attending a funeral.

Rocky was glaring harshly at the two before rubbing his eyes.
"I hate this, I want to see him." He hissed.

Stetson looked to him.
"Just who are you dating here, exactly?"
Rocky glared at him.
"You obviously, but I'm allowed to be worried." He told the other.
Stetson stared before pulling out a magazine.
"I was just making sure we were still dating, thank you for confirming." He said as Rocky blinked before looking away, his face growing red as he glared.

My eyes fell on the doctor who walked in.
"Who are the legal guardians of Ziggy Jones?" He asked.
"We are." Mr.Mitchell spoke up, getting to his feet as Hyde joined him.
The doctor nodded in response.
"Your nephew is awake, so if you'd like to go see him you can." He told the two.

Mr.Mitchell looked like he was going to cry on the spot before nodding, he took Hyde's hand and followed after the doctor.

"He's awake, let's get out of here." I heard Ziggy's other uncle speak up as he got to his feet.
His aunt frowned at the other.
"Tony, let's wait-"
"I don't care to see that brat, his life was so damn bad at our house, he got my fag brother involved and we were humiliated in that court room. I came for you, he's awake and I'm leaving." Tony said.

"Piece of shit." My eyes locked on Rocky who was glaring right at Tony now.
"Excuse you?" Tony glared at Rocky who stood to his feet, Stetson behind the other as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"No, excuse you. Use those things attached to your head known as ears, and learn to use them. I called you a fucking piece of shit." Rocky growled.
Tony stormed right up to him.
"If I were you, I would watch how you speak to an adult, you are being very disrespectful-"
"I'm being disrespectful?" Rocky's eyes widened as he smiled, and it actually sent shivers down my spine standing there.

"Ziggy could have died last night from blood loss." He glared.
"Are you that much of a shitty ass person, that it doesn't even phase you when another life almost died in your own home? He's your nephew-"
"I don't claim him as my nephew." Tony cut the other off as Rocky growled stepping forward.

"Enough." Stetson cut between the two.
But I glared seeing that Bryce and his friend were now both over there as well.

"Yeah, back your bitch up before he gets his ass beat." Bryce spoke up.
Stetson blinked before practically throwing Rocky at me and Dorian.

"I'm sorry, but what did you call him?" Stetson cocked his head to the side, his brow arched.
Bryce stepped up.
"A bitch, what are you going to do about it?" Bryce taunted before smirking at how fast Stetson grabbed the others collar.
But my eyes were on the brunet who had his hand wrapped around Stetson's wrist.

"We're in a hospital, all of you should learn some respect for those in the hospital beds right now. Everyone is allowed to have opinions on each other, but fighting here is not the way to go about it. Either step outside and cool your heads, or go home." The brunet told them.

Bryce looked to the brunet.
"Hey-"

"Let's go, Shay. I'm done." Tony spoke up storming past all of us now.
I watched Ziggy's aunt continuing to sit there, she looked hesitant before getting to her feet.
She hung her head down as she walked past us, but she paused at Rocky's side.

"Please tell him, I'm sorry." She said before leaving with Tony and Bryce.

I was surprised to see that brunet go back and sit down in the corner.

"You're not going with them?" I found myself asking.
The brunet looked at me.
"Nah, when Tony gets like that, we end up butting heads and I don't need anymore drama." His eyes closed as he rested his head on the back of the chair.

Jayce looked in his direction.
"Are.. Are you a friend of Ziggys?" He questioned.

The brunet smirked softly.
"Something like that, he's a handful, but he makes things entertaining for me." He shrugged.

"Who are you?" Rocky asked now, glaring softly at the brunet whose eyes opened and looked right at the other.
"Right, I'm in a room of strangers and none of us know each others names. I'm Ashby Parker." He introduced himself.
But something felt off with that name.

Jayce blinked.
"I'm Jayce Rhodes, we're friends with Ziggy as well."
Ashby stared before smirking softly.
"I'd hope you were his friends and not a bunch of stalkers." He replied.

"What was that?" Rocky glared.
"Easy." Stetson told him.

"Did you attend Silver Falls with him?" Devin frowned at Ashby who nodded.
"I still go there, I was honestly surprised when I heard he got himself expelled, he was quite the prankster though." He said.

I made a face.
"It's a little hard to believe he was a prankster, when he's as timid as a mouse." I commented.
Ashby looked at me with a smile.
"He's definitely timid, but he loves things that send a thrill through him. I mean, he asked Lexi Torres out in front of the whole school one morning, and fell in love with her so fast. But, it never stopped him from doing pranks, he was always into mischief." Ashby smiled.

"I feel like we know two different Ziggy's." I frowned at him now.
Ashby shrugged.
"Probably now, trauma does that to a person, but he's desperate to be liked. His uncle Tony nailed it in his head, that the gay kid was unlikable and no one would ever want to be his friend." He said.
"His uncle lied." I frowned.

Ashby blinked before smirking softly.
"His uncle is a damn headache, the whole family is." His eyes closed as he yawned.

"Do you happen to know a Zeke Vega in that school?" I heard Rocky ask, glaring softly at the other.
Ashby kept his eyes closed, but he smiled.
"I sure do, we're actually a lot alike." He answered.

Rocky glared at him.
"So you're okay with him bullying and mentally abusing Ziggy?" He pushed.
Ashby didn't open his eyes as he sat there.
"His business is not my business, that's between him and Ziggy." He responded.

Rocky looked like he had more to say, but Stetson made the other sit down.

"Stop, all you're going to do is work yourself back up, do you want Ziggy to see you like that?" Stetson asked.
Rocky's brows furrowed.
"No."
"Then behave and stop picking locks, as soon as his uncles are done visiting. You'll have your chance, just don't smother him as soon as you see him." Stetson told the other.

I had to promise myself not to do the same.
I wanted to embrace Ziggy.
Especially after all of this.

He's awake.
I just need to see him.
And when he's more functional.
I'll ask him.

Who Ashby Parker really is.