31. Dont Fuck With My Boys

Don't Fuck With My Boys

Only I Get To Do That

A fter class, I'm surprised to see Sebastian leaning against the wall outside the room, waiting for me. Skylar and Hazel exchange glances before launching into their usual routine of mockingly ogling him.

"Hey, Sebastian," Skylar says, drawing out his name in a sing-song voice, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

Hazel gives him an exaggerated once-over. "Looking good, as always."

Sebastian, ever the smooth operator, just smirks at them but keeps his focus on me. I cross my arms and raise an eyebrow. "What's up? What are you doing here?"

For a moment, he seems hesitant, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "Zaria, don't panic..."

I roll my eyes. "Sebastian, the first thing anyone does when they're told not to panic is panic. So, spill it. What's going on?"

He runs a hand through his hair, glancing at Skylar and Hazel before sighing. "During our class, Derek... uh... got into a heated debate with Miles."

I narrow my eyes. "And?"

"And... well, Derek kinda... shifted. In the middle of class."

My mouth drops open. "He what? Sebastian, what do you mean, shifted ?" Dumb question , Zaria, you know what it means.

Sebastian grimaces. "Look, I'm not entirely clear on the details, but there's a chance that Miles might be missing a piece of his ear... but, y'know... who's to say?"

I gape at him. "Are you kidding me? What the hell happened?"

He shrugs, trying to play it off, but it's clear this is more serious than he's letting on. "One of the teachers had to give Derek a sedative. He's in the nurse's office now."

I don't waste another second. Turning on my heel, I start power-walking toward the nurse's office, my mind racing. Sebastian falls into step beside me, keeping up with my hurried pace. "What the hell could've provoked him?" I mutter mostly to myself, my hands fidgeting with the straps of my bag. "Derek's always so calm, so level-headed. I swear if this has anything to do with engaging with Kyla and her band of pom-poms and douche brigade…" Just as I reach the hallway that leads to the nurse's office, Sebastian steps in front of me, blocking my path. I stop short, nearly bumping into him. "What the heck, Sebastian?" I snap, glaring up at him.

He crosses his arms, looking down at me with an unreadable expression. "I'll tell you what happened—what Miles said that made Derek shift. But you have to promise me something."

I narrow my eyes. "Spit it out."

"Promise me you'll be there for Derek, defend him. Don't lash out in anger. He doesn't need you storming out of here like a hurricane."

I huff, crossing my arms over my chest. "If you don't tell me soon, Sebastian, I might just lash out at you ." He raises an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed by my threat. I let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine. I promise."

He gives me a long look, like he's assessing whether I really mean it. Finally, with a resigned sigh, he says, "Miles called you... a dim-witted slut of a witch. Said the only thing you're probably good at takes place on your knees." I blink, the words sinking in slowly, followed by a rush of anger that ignites in my chest like wildfire. I can feel my blood boiling, my hands curling into fists at my sides. That asshole. But then I catch myself, remembering what Sebastian just said—Derek needs me to be calm, to have his back, not to turn this into a full-blown disaster.

Taking a deep breath, I force the anger down. Barely. "Well, that explains it."

Sebastian watches me carefully, his expression softening. "Zaria, I mean it. You need to stay level-headed. Derek's already in enough trouble."

I nod, though my jaw is clenched so tight I can almost hear my teeth grinding. "Don't worry. I'll handle it. But trust me, Miles will regret that." With Sebastian at my side, I make my way into the nurse's office, mentally preparing myself for what comes next.

I push the door to the nurse's office open, and immediately spot Derek on one of the cots. He's sitting up, his broad shoulders tense under the thin white sheet draped over him. His usual calm expression is gone, replaced by something more troubled—like he's wrestling with himself.

The nurse gives me a nod, recognizing me from previous visits, and steps out of the room to give us some privacy. Sebastian lingers near the door, arms crossed, watching but keeping his distance for now.

I walk over to Derek, who looks up at me with a mix of frustration and guilt. I sit on the edge of the cot, leaning in close enough to see that while his usual cool exterior has returned, there's a flicker of self-doubt behind his eyes.

"Hey," I say softly, trying to gauge how bad it really is. "You alright?"

Derek sighs, running a hand through his messy hair. "Z, I'm sorry. I lost it."

I raise an eyebrow, keeping my voice light despite the situation. "Lost it? I heard you bit part of Miles' ear off."

He winces, confirming what Sebastian told me. "He just... he crossed a line, and I couldn't hold back. I shifted before I even knew what was happening."

I reach out, gently taking his hand in mine, and squeeze. "You don't have to apologize, Derek. You were provoked. And honestly? I'm more pissed that I wasn't there to shut Miles down before you shifted."

Derek lets out a frustrated chuckle, shaking his head. "Yeah, well, I'm guessing I'm in trouble for this one."

I glance at Sebastian, who steps forward now, his expression softening as he speaks. "The teachers know you were provoked, Derek. Miles isn't exactly an innocent party, and everyone knows that."

Derek leans back against the wall, letting out a deep breath. "Still. I lost control. It's not something I'm proud of."

I tilt my head, studying him for a moment before deciding it's time to shift the mood. "Well, considering Miles called me a dim-witted slut, I'd say he's lucky he didn't lose more than just a piece of his ear." Derek's eyes darken slightly with renewed frustration, but I squeeze his hand tighter, pulling him back before he can dwell on it too much. "Seriously, Derek, you did what you had to. Besides, if anyone's gonna make Miles regret what he said, it'll be me. And trust me, I've got plans."

Sebastian smirks from behind me, his arms still crossed. "If there's anyone I wouldn't want plotting against me, it's Zaria."

Derek finally cracks a smile, albeit a small one. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

I give him a teasing nudge. "See? Now, stop beating yourself up. You've got nothing to apologize for. Besides, if I'm not mad at you, nobody else gets to be."

Sebastian steps forward, his voice taking on a lighter tone. "She's right, you know. And I'm not gonna lie—if I'd been in your place, I'd have done the same thing."

Derek shakes his head, but I can see the tension in his shoulders start to ease. "You two are something else."

"Yeah, well, we're your something else—whether you like it or not," I quip, standing up and pulling him with me. "Now, come on. Let's get out of here before someone starts asking more questions. We've got bigger things to worry about." Derek stands, and I'm relieved to see the guilt fading from his expression. As we walk toward the door, I give Sebastian a playful glance. "Ready to go deal with the aftermath?"

He grins, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Always."

As we walk through the halls, my mind races with one singular thought: I've had enough of Kyla's manipulations. She's gotten away with too much, and now it's time to take action. Real, serious action—something I never thought I'd have to do. The anger brewing inside me has reached its boiling point, and I know exactly where to go.

"The principal's office?" Derek asks as we head in that direction, eyebrows raised. "You're not serious."

"Oh, I'm deadly serious," I reply, my voice clipped. "Miles is probably playing the victim somewhere, milking the situation for sympathy. But enough is enough."

Sebastian chuckles behind me. "This should be interesting."

When we arrive at the principal's office, I don't bother knocking—I just push the door open and march inside. The principal, Mr. Halford, is sitting at his desk, a middle-aged man with thinning hair combed back like he's in denial about the receding part. His office is as minimalistic as his personality: bare white walls, a neatly stacked desk, and a single, boring motivational poster that says something like "Strive for Success." Yeah, because that's inspiring.

He looks up, startled. "Miss Vexx. What can I do for you?"

"I've got something important to say," I start, my voice steady but fierce. "And as a reminder, it was my parents who funded the new gym equipment for the school, so I'd like to be heard."

Mr. Halford blinks, clearly unsure of where this is going. He gestures to a chair. "Would you like to sit down?"

I shake my head, the adrenaline surging through me. "Thanks, but I'm too upset and wired to sit." Derek and Sebastian lean against the wall, arms crossed, watching with amused but supportive expressions.

Mr. Halford, still looking slightly confused, leans forward. "What seems to be the problem, then?"

I take a deep breath, steadying myself. "A little over a week ago, I found out that the grimoire I was supposed to hand in for my assessment was swapped. My real one was handed in under Kyla's name, and now she is getting it published as her own original work in the library." I can feel the heat rising to my face, but I keep going. "I have proof of this, but honestly? I don't care about exposing her. What I want is permission to ignite an old tradition—" I pause, watching the principal's expression flicker with confusion. "The Rite of Arcane Reckoning," I declare, the words heavy and meaningful in the room.

Mr. Halford's eyes widen, and he sits back in his chair, clearly caught off guard. "You want to engage in an Arcane Reckoning? But… Miss Vexx, if you have proof, we can resolve this through formal channels. Why would you want to challenge her to a magical duel instead?"

I turn to Derek and Sebastian, gesturing dramatically. "Let me ask them. If you had the choice between kicking someone's ass or exposing their dirty secrets, which would you pick?"

Derek and Sebastian exchange a glance, and without missing a beat, they practically shout in unison, "Kick her ass."

Sebastian smirks. "No contest. Every time."

Derek nods, adding, "Besides, you've been itching for this, Z."

Mr. Halford pinches the bridge of his nose, clearly trying to process everything. "Miss Vexx, I'm not sure the school board would approve of—"

"I don't need the board's approval," I cut in, my voice rising. "The Rite of Arcane Reckoning has been in place for centuries. It's a sanctioned tradition where two witches can use any spells they know against each other, barring death spells, of course. It's an honor-bound duel, a way to settle disputes with magic."

"But—"

"I'm not asking for permission, I'm asking for support," I say, my voice firm. "Kyla's been hurting people, manipulating them, and now she's trying to erase my work. This isn't just about the grimoire anymore—it's about everything she's done. And I want to face her in front of the whole school."

The principal sits there for a long moment, staring at me like I've just grown a second head. "Are you sure this is what you want? If you have proof—"

"I'm positive," I say, my voice steady. "Proof won't satisfy me. I want to take her down, and I want everyone to see it."

Derek and Sebastian, clearly impressed by my resolve, chime in again. "Come on, Principal Halford," Derek says, grinning. "You know this would be epic ."

Sebastian nods, arms still crossed. "Think about the spectacle. The students would never forget it."

Mr. Halford sighs deeply, rubbing his temples. "Fine," he says slowly, clearly regretting this decision already. "If that's what you really want, Miss Vexx, I'll make the arrangements. But know this—it's dangerous. You're taking a big risk."

I nod, feeling a surge of triumph. "I know. But trust me, it'll be worth it. Besides, chances are Kyla will reject the challenge—she stole my spells and cheats every chance she gets. She can't cheat during a Reckoning." With that, I turn to Derek and Sebastian, both of them grinning like they've just won the lottery. "Let's go," I say, heading for the door. "We've got some ass to kick."

The principal's voice follows me as we leave. "I'll make the announcement tomorrow. Be prepared, Miss Vexx."

"Oh, I will be," I call back, already feeling the fire burning in my veins.

As the door closes behind us, I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. This is it. The battle is on, and Kyla has no idea what's coming her way.