CHAPTER FIVE:
KISSING THE WEIRD GIRL
⠀⠀You and Ziggy arrived at the cabin where you two got the bugs and worms to prank on your stepsister. You closed the door and turned to Ziggy. "Oh, my gosh! That was hilarious and amazing."
⠀⠀"She sounded like a frog." Ziggy snickered before mimicking Sheila's scream but funnier.
⠀⠀You and Ziggy laughed together as you two wandered around the cabin. "See, what'd I tell you?"
⠀⠀Ziggy grinned and throwing her hands in the air in defeat. "Fuck paint."
⠀⠀You nodded. "Fuck paint."
⠀⠀"I mean just fuck plain paint. Your idea was amazing. Insects with paint? Freaking awesome." Ziggy faced you and smirked. "Who are you and what have you done with (Y/n) Roberts? It's weird hearing you say that. I thought you never swear."
⠀⠀You shrugged. "This place has changed me and now I just want to swear all day and all night."
⠀⠀Ziggy stifled a laugh. "You remind me of my sister sometimes but you're way more fun to be with."
⠀⠀Your face lit up in joy and content to hear those words from her mouth. "Really? You meant it?"
⠀⠀The redhead nodded and smiled. "I do."
⠀⠀You smiled in return before picking up a stray ball from baseball and showed it to Ziggy. "Let's play a game. Whoever has this ball gets to ask a question."
⠀⠀Ziggy smirked and nodded. "Sure."
⠀⠀You offered the ball and once Ziggy was reaching out for it, you quickly walked away and yanked your arm back. "I made the game and found the ball so I get to ask first."
⠀⠀"Alright."
⠀⠀You walked around the place while tossing up the ball and catching it as Ziggy leaned against a container. "Hmm... what is your greatest fear?"
⠀⠀Ziggy blinked in surprise. "Oh, wow. Going deep already?"
⠀⠀"I want to know more about you."
⠀⠀She sighed as she shrugged. "I don't know. Snakes?"
⠀⠀"Any other fears there other than reptiles and animals?"
⠀⠀"Losing my loved ones," Ziggy confessed. You stopped just behind her as she looked down. "And it turns out my greatest fear has already happened: Dad's gone, Mom started drinking, losing the house, and Cindy going off to college."
⠀⠀"I'm sorry."
⠀⠀"It's okay, I don't expect you to understand—"
⠀⠀"But I do." You interrupted. "I lost my mother."
⠀⠀Ziggy immediately faced you as you sat on a chair, sighing. "Mom died when she was giving birth to Edric." You explained. "Thankfully, Dad didn't blame me nor my brother for it. But I was pressured to become this good influence to Sunnyvale."
⠀⠀"Because you're Dad is just as famous as the Goodes?"
⠀⠀You nodded. "And then Dad married Sheila's mom. I have to deal with her as if I wasn't already stressed enough. She's a nightmare." You stifled a laugh and so did Ziggy. You continued your story. "Sheila's mother is a good woman. I'm starting to believe that Sheila's adopted."
⠀⠀Ziggy snickered and sat down with you. She stared at you while you looked back at her. You wanted to tell her how you really feel but instead, you gave her the ball. "Your turn."
⠀⠀Ziggy looked away for a moment to think. "Why did you and Nick Goode broke up?"
⠀⠀You scoffed. "Why that?"
⠀⠀"Because I am curious, Roberts."
⠀⠀You frowned but sighed. "Fine. Nick Goode didn't pay much attention to me. Probably because he was pressured for becoming an heir or something. He was secretive and cared too much about what other people might think. I thought he was different. I thought I could get to be myself when he's around. Instead, I still have to act like Miss Perfect all the time when I'm around him."
⠀⠀Ziggy nodded in understanding while you cleared your throat. "Alright, next question."
⠀⠀"Go ahead."
⠀⠀"Do you and your sister ever get along?"
⠀⠀Ziggy frowned before standing up and throwing the ball towards you which you caught. "I missed the part where this game is supposed to be about easy questions."
⠀⠀"Well, it didn't start in easy questions so..." You grinned.
⠀⠀Ziggy leaned down when she spotted a snake in the cage. "God, I hate snakes."
⠀⠀You crossed your arms and legs. "Why are you dodging my question?"
⠀⠀Ziggy fixed her posture and turned to you, scrunching her nose. "Why do you care"
⠀⠀You frowned. "Come on, Berman. I'm curious."
⠀⠀Ziggy smiled. "I've hated her since I was a baby. Next."
⠀⠀"Christine!"
⠀⠀Ziggy gasped loudly. "Did you just call me by my real name?"
⠀⠀You held your head high and proud. "Yes I did, Christine. Why? Do you hate it?"
⠀⠀The redhead crossed her arms as she leaned against the wall and stared at you. "Do you like the name 'Christine'?"
⠀⠀You shrugged. "Sounds pretty. You know, just like you."
⠀⠀Ziggy bit her inner cheeks to avoid smiling in front of you. "Fine. You can call me by that name." She didn't know why and how she's weak and soft whenever you're around or when you say those words to her. "Do you like the weird girl from Shadyside?"
⠀⠀Your eyes slightly widened and you softly gulped. You looked away to avoid her stare and felt your cheeks burning. "I asked you first, Berman."
⠀⠀"So you don't like the weird girl?"
⠀⠀You faced her. "How will I get to like her and know her when she keeps dodging the question I just asked her?"
⠀⠀Ziggy stared at you for a moment before pushing her back away from the wall and walked towards you. She stood a few feet away from you, facing you, and leaning her lower back by the table behind her. "There was a time when things were good between us. When my Dad was around and my Mom was happy, and my sister and me, we would, um..."
⠀⠀The red-haired girl smiled as she remembered her memories with her older sister. "We'd throw toilet paper on Mr. Corkle's tree, and then go jump in the lake in all our clothes and... and now..." She sighed as her smile faded. "Now it's just gone and everything's shit."
⠀⠀She looked at you as you stared back at her. "Because that's what happens when you live in Shadyside." She continued. "Everything turns to shit eventually. But I wouldn't expect a Sunnyvaler to understand."
⠀⠀You broke your stare as you looked down. "I do. I mean, seeing you and the other Shadysiders, I feel like I do understand how it is in Shadyside." You explained. "Ziggy, you and I aren't really that different. I mean, we are different but if you look closer, maybe we aren't."
⠀⠀You leaned your arms against your thighs and looked up at her. "We're both struggling in our lives." You cleared your throat and glanced at the window. "But, uh... can we go back to the easy questions?"
⠀⠀You and Ziggy chuckled together as Ziggy sighed and glanced up. "I thought we didn't start off in easy questions."
⠀⠀"Then just ask an easy question."
⠀⠀Ziggy thought for a moment as she walked towards you with her hands tucked inside her pockets. "How about, um..." She leaned down to look at you, your faces were inches away. "Would you ever kiss the weird girl?"
⠀⠀You stared at her in shock and your mouth slightly parted as you tried to speak. "I..." Her question took you by surprise. After you left Nick Goode, you somehow found comfort and happiness when Ziggy was around. You envied how she was free-spirited, strong, confident, and honest. Too honest. So right after you saw her setting fire to the flags in Camp Nightwing, you knew you were in love.
⠀⠀You slowly nodded as your gaze towards Ziggy didn't break. Ziggy caressed your cheek with her hand before leaning closer and closing the gap between your lips and hers. Your eyes widened but you closed them as you kissed back.
⠀⠀Your hand reached to her cheek as you two continued kissing. You pulled away to catch your breath and locked eyes with Ziggy. Ziggy smirked. "So how was the kiss with the weird girl?"
⠀⠀You exhaled as you stifled a laugh. "The best."
⠀⠀Suddenly, the two of you heard screaming outside. You and Ziggy glanced at the door before you stood up and looked outside the window. "What's happening out there?" You asked.
⠀⠀You and Ziggy arrived at the scene where people were crowding, specifically the crowded people were a bunch of Shadyside kids. You noticed Nick Goode with your best friend Keanne while Ziggy investigated what was inside the cabin. You approached Keanne. "What's happening?"
⠀⠀Keanne gasped in relief and pulled you in her arms. "Oh, God! You're safe!"
⠀⠀You hugged her back before pulling away in worry. "I'm fine. Where's Edric?"
⠀⠀"He's back at the Mess Hall with his friends." Keanne replied. "(Y/n), we have to get out of here."
⠀⠀You furrowed your eyebrows in confusion and glanced at Nick. "Why? What the hell happened?"
⠀⠀"He's dead!" You heard a boy screaming in fear. "Jeremy's dead!"
⠀⠀Your eyes widened as you quickly made your way into the crowd, ignoring Keanne's calls. You got yourself out and stood beside Ziggy to see a puddle of blood and the boy's corpse just beside it with an arm stretched out. You breathed heavily as your eyes widened to see the horrific scene.
⠀⠀"No, you guys! Okay? Hey!" Gary, one of the counselors, tried to calm the kids down. "We're done. Everyone get back! Color War's done! Alright?"
⠀⠀You saw the boy's eyeglass broken and cracked. You glanced at Ziggy in fear and she quickly held your hand for comfort. Nick, just a few feet away, saw your hands intertwining with Ziggy's.