I Kissed A Boy.

25.

**Ziggy.**

I thought about it all weekend.
The idea of getting my schedule changed.
But what if I was actually misreading what happened and Zeke was just being his typical self?
He came to this school for his own entertainment.
Which meant, he would say and do things that would get to me.
So..
What if he was lying about Mr.Levine?

I wanted to bring it up to Kaiser, but yesterday our phone call was cut short, he sounded.. worried about something.
And that only put an unwanted knot in my stomach.
Did something happen while I was here sick?
It frustrated me.
Because not even Rocky messaged or called me yesterday.

"How are you feeling this morning?" My uncle asked me as I walked into the kitchen to grab a banana.
"Better.. I think it was just a bug." I told him.
My uncle nodded as he put his phone away.

"Good, I'm glad to know you're feeling better, listen Ziggy." My uncle came over to me.
"I know those boys from your old school are now attending Autumn Lake, and I want you to push past those fears of yours when they're around, I'm not sure if you've noticed? But you've changed since you started going to your new school, and changing homes also helped." He looked at me with this soft expression.
"You even started dating someone new." He added and it made my face grow warm.
It made him smile softly.

"I just wanted to let you know, I'm proud of you." He told me.
My brows knitted as he grabbed his car keys.

"Ready to go to school?" He questioned after throwing all of that at me.
I couldn't even respond from how flustered it made me.
But.
It was enough to make me smile softly.
-------
When I arrived at school, something didn't feel right.
And I wasn't talking about my health.
I mean.
My friends all looked bothered about something.
I was confused when I didn't see the twins or Dorian.
They were usually the first ones to arrive.
But they weren't here.

"Zigzag!" Rocky greeted me first with a grin, but it was obvious he was faking it.
It only confused me more as I looked at him.
"I-Is.. everything okay?" I asked him.
Rocky blinked but he smiled softly.
"Everything will be." He told me.
I made a face.
"What do you mean..?"

"Ziggy."
My eyes left Rocky as I found Kaiser, leaning against Stetson's truck.
His hand was opened for me as I left my friend and made my way over to Kaiser.
It was a weird feeling.
How such a small action, could say so much.

I walked over to Kaiser who took my hand and carefully brought me into him, embracing me as my brows knitted.
I couldn't sense it at first, but his expression told me.
I looked at him.
"Are you hurt?" I asked.
Kaiser frowned at me.

"He's sharper than I expected." Stetson commented which made Kaiser glare at the other.
"Stet." He frowned.
Stetson raised his hands in defense.
"Sorry, it was just an observation." He shrugged.

I looked at Kaiser worried.
"What happened? Are you okay?" I asked him.
Kaiser blinked but he smiled softly.
"I'm fine." He told me.

"Where are you hurting?" I frowned at the other.
Kaiser's brows furrowed now.
"Ziggy, it's-"
"P-Please." My face burned.
"If we're dating.. I-I want to know if you're okay, your  pain... is my pain." I told him.

"Wow." Jackie grinned at Kaiser.
"He's really trying here, Kai." He told the other.
Kaiser glared at him before sighing softly.

His eyes fell back on me before raising his shirt and my eyes grew wide with tears that fell.
There was a deep scar on his side and it was obvious, it was fresh.

"W-What happened? Who did this?" I asked him.
Kaiser looked away as I did the same before frowning deeply.

"Was it Devi?" I pushed.
"Ziggy-"
"Was it?" I demanded with a soft glare aimed at Kaiser whose eyes widened.
"I never thought you could make a face like that." He pointed out.
Tears burned my eyes.
"D-Don't dodge my question, is he who hurt you?" I asked him.

Kaiser's expression softened.
"Yes, but-"
"This isn't okay, why did he hurt you?" I frowned at him.

Kaiser looked to the others but everyone went tight lipped.
He sighed softly looking at me.
"There was an accident yesterday involving Joshua." He told me as my brows knitted.
"What-"
"And it led to him getting killed by Devi, but Stetson confirmed that Joshua would be transitioning into a vampire." Kaiser explained.

I pushed myself away and ran over to the tree, losing all the contents of my breakfast which was just coffee and a banana.
My throat burned like fire.
Why?
Why did I keep trying to tell myself that Devi wasn't the bad guy?
He was worse than Zeke.
Tears fell as I stood by the tree.

"Ziggy-"
"Why did Devi kill Joshua?" I asked, staring hard at the grass.
"What could Joshua have done for Devi to kill him? To hurt you?" I cried turning to Kaiser who actually flinched but he moved forward, bringing me into an embrace.

"Joshua did nothing, Devi told us he wanted Joshua as a vampire so he could mark him." He told me.
My brows knitted.
"T-That's not fair, did he even ask Joshua first?" I asked him.
Kaiser's silence was enough to give me my answer.

I walked past Kaiser who took my hand.
"Where are you going?" He frowned at me.
I looked at him.
"To talk to Devi-"

"No the fuck you are not, have you lost your mind?" Rocky walked right up to me frowning.
"We just lost Joshua for a while, Devi turned him for his own selfish desires, you on the other hand? He would kill you just for the hell of it, Devi is not going to listen to you Zigzag, you're a human." He glared softly.

I frowned at him.
"I.. I want to try, I already have to deal with Zeke and Asher being here, and.. If Devi really wanted to kill me, I think he would have done it in the library when I was alone." I turned to Kaiser whose brows were furrowed.

"Ziggy, it's not worth it, what-"
"Do you trust me?" I asked him.
Kaiser frowned at me.
"Do I-"
"Do you trust me?" I frowned at him.
He stared before sighing softly.
"I do." He cupped my face.
"But what you're wanting to do? Is dangerous." He told me.

I placed my hand on top of the others, looking at him.
"I'll be fine." I promised.
Kaisers brows knitted, sighing he leaned in and pressed his lips to mine.
"Don't let your emotions get to you, he feeds off of that." He informed me.

I nodded turning to Rocky whose arms were crossed.
"You're being a total dumb ass, Zigzag." He frowned at me.
I looked at him.
"My uncle pointed out this morning, I was changing, everyone here is the reason why.. I think that's why I want to talk to Devi, I want to talk to him." I told him.
Rocky frowned deeply.
"Ziggy-"
"Please, Rocky." I pushed as Rocky let out a low growl before throwing his hands up.

"Fine, but I'm staying outside the auditorium." His eyes fell on Kaiser.
"I feel like if you show your face around Devi again? He might actually kill you." He said before following me into the school.
----------
I looked to Rocky whose face screamed he was against this.
"Don't bite off more than you can chew in there." He told me.
I nodded pushing open the auditorium doors and made my way inside the cold room.

"Oh, it's my new friend."
I frowned seeing Devi sitting on the edge of the stage, looking right at me, but he wasn't alone.
Four other people were with him.
And one was that Quin guy who seemed like he didn't like me.

I could feel the fear trying to hold me down as I stood there.
"C-Can we talk?" I asked him.
Devi tilted his head before smirking.
"Come down here, you're my friend, don't hide up there." He told me.
My brows knitted but I moved forward, coming closer to the other.

Devi grinned softly.
"You're pale, did something happen?" He questioned.
I frowned at him.
"I..-"
"Use your words." He told me.

Flinching, I looked at him.
"I found out this morning, something bad happened yesterday." I felt my eyes burning.
"It involved Joshua... can I ask if you were the reason behind it?"
Devi stared before scoffing with a smirk.

"Do you know what I like about you? Instead of coming in here like a typical hot head, demanding answers or accusing me, you actually questioned if I killed your friend." He jumped down and it made me step back, frowning softly at the other.
"Did you..?"
Devi walked right up to me, grabbing my face as my heart pounded hard against my chest.
"Would that be the end of our friendship, if I said yes?" He smirked.

Tears burned my eyes.
"H-He's not really dead.. he'll be like you.."
"That's not answering my question." Devi grinned as his eyes danced dangerously to black.
"Knowing that I killed your friend, do you hate me? Do you wish someone would have killed me for my actions? Do you want to stop being my friend over what I've done?" He questioned.

My face was hot standing there.
"I-I-"
"Oh ENOUGH WITH THE STAMMERING!" Devi yelled pinning me to the ground.

"Ziggy!" The door slammed opened with Rocky there, his eyes black but he wasn't alone.
Kaiser and the others were also there.

Devi grinned wickedly at them.
"How utterly amusing, such the babysitter club." He looked down at me.

"Now then, before I get angry, answer me without stammering. Are you still my friend?" He asked me.
My brain went blank as the tears slipped.
"I am." I answered him.
Devi smirked softly, his fingers brushing against my cheek.
"Good boy, was that so hard? All of that stammering is holding you back from what you could be." He grinned deviously, his eyes locking with Kaiser's who glared harshly at him. 

"Don't you fucking touch him." Rocky growled storming forward but Stetson ripped the other back.
"Let me go, Stetson!" Rocky demanded.
"You'll get yourself killed!" Stetson glared.

Devi watched the two, his eyes locking with mine.
"Now, how should I corrupt your fragile little mind? It's obvious you're in need of an upgrade, but how big of an upgrade do you need?" He was asking himself this.

"Devi!" Kaiser yelled from the door, glaring harshly at the other.
"Whatever you're thinking about doing, don't. Ziggy just wanted to talk to you, there's no reason for you to hurt him!" Kaiser glared.

Devi sighed.
"See? This is what I'm talking about, I can't stand the hot head type." He looked at me.
He looked up at Kaiser.
"I wasn't planning on hurting him, but if you don't shut that mouth of yours, I will fuck him in front of you." He warned.

"N-No." I cried as Devi grabbed the back of my hair, he smirked leaning in.
"Don't worry, as cute as you are? My eyes are already set on the one I killed, plus. Your emotions are enough to exhaust me, ah. That's it!" Devi grabbed my face.

"Let's have fun with this, I want you to swallow your fears, live with no regret and be a wild card." He told me with his eyes locked with mine.
"You'll be my loyal little puppy." He smirked.

"DEVI, DON'T DO THIS!" Kaiser stormed down the stairs after us.

Devi smirked wickedly.
"I'll be your protection and you'll be my entertainment, and if you entertain me enough? You'll get the same reward as your friend did, eternal life." Devi grinned at me as tears slipped past my eyes.
"Now, entertain me." He snapped his fingers as I blinked.

And all of the fear, sadness and anger was gone.
My mind was empty.

I stood up and turned to Kaiser who froze looking at me.
"Ziggy-"

"Don't." I told him.
Kaiser's eyes grew wide standing there as he glared at Devi.

"What did you do?" He demanded.
Devi only smirked softly.
"I made him more lively." He shrugged.

Kaiser glared.
"You do realize we also control compulsion? I can remove it-"
"Sure, so he'll go back to an emotional headache?" Devi asked.

Kaiser looked to me with furrowed brows before frowning deeply at Devi.
"He was never a headache to begin with! You keep fucking with my friends lives and now you've messed with my boyfriend, he just wanted to talk to you, let his mind go, Devi." He growled.

"But he'd be so much more fun-"
"You have Joshua, isn't that enough?" Kaiser glared.
Devi stared, his eyes fell on me before scoffing.
"I was doing you a favor-"
"That's no favor, that's ruining his life, he's overcoming so much without you using compulsion." Kaiser frowned deeply.

Devi looked at me before rolling his eyes, he snapped his fingers and my mind returned as I looked around before my eyes found Kaiser.
"Kai-"

"This is my warning to everyone here." Devi jumped onto the stage as Kaiser grabbed me, pulling me into him as he held me.

"The next time any of you decide you want to test me? Whether it's questioning, demanding or yelling at me without your facts? I will fucking kill you, human or vampire, your lives mean NOTHING to me." His eyes locked on me now, this irritation in his eyes.

"I thought you and I could be friends-"
"We can be." My brows knitted.
"Devi-"
"No, you lost your chance, when Joshua is transitioned into a vampire. He will be mine, he will belong to no one here, your little friendships with him? Over, family ties? Torn apart-"

"Don't fucking do that to Joshua!" Rocky screamed with black eyes.
"His family is already going through enough shit, do NOT tear him and Jayce away from each other! I'll fucking kill you myself, Devi!" Rocky yelled with tears in his eyes.

Devi smirked, his eyes on Kaiser.
"I guess you should have let me had my way, because now? We get to do it the hard way. What was it that you told me last week, Rocky? When I told you that you were rude to me?" He looked right at Rocky with jet black eyes.

"Oh yeah!"

"Get over it."