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ALL OVER DEVIL'S KETTLE, KIDS WERE GETTING READY FOR THE DANCE, BLISSFULLY IGNORANT THAT SOME POOR CHUMP WAS ON THEIR WAY TO BEING SATAN CHOW.

At the dance, Nate poured some punch into a cup about to sip from it when he cringed.

He got the strong scent of vodka coming off from his cup. He placed the cup down, not wanting to drink spiked punch tonight.

He wore an all-white suit with a black bow and pants. It was all he really could afford and didn't put much effort into it like Casey would've made him.

Speaking of, Nate's eyes scanned over the crowd of students. There was no sign of Casey or Jonathan in sight.

Meanwhile, Casey was walking to the dance when someone stalked close behind her.

She stopped to glance over her shoulder and saw no one.

She turned forward to keep walking when she gasped to see Jonathan standing in front of her wearing a nice black suit.

"You scared me," she stated.

"Didn't you hear me calling your name?" Jonathan asked.

"You weren't calling my name."

"Yes, I was."

Oh, maybe he was. "I-I couldn't hear it. Sorry," Casey apologized.

Jonathan ran his tongue over his lips as he spoke, "Listen, I need to talk to you about you-know-who. Our little Nate."

Casey slowly nodded. "Yeah, he-"

"I mean, are you worried?" Jonathan cut her off, running a hand through his hair. "Because I am. He's really freaking me out." He looked around cautiously. "We should move out of here."

Casey followed Nate to some trees nearby as she spoke, "He's been acting a little off lately."

Jonathan leaned against the bark as he said, "Look, I think I know what's wrong with him."

"Well, what is it?" Casey questioned.

Jonathan looked down at the floor. "You know how Nate has been really upset since Cara Gray died?" Casey nodded. "Well, it's not just because she was killed..." he trailed off with a sigh. "I really don't wanna say this-"

"Say it," Casey replied.

"Nate and Casey were intimate," Jonathan answered. "And by that...I mean they were fucking on a semi-regular basis."

Jonathan held in his satisfaction as he watched Casey's expression drop. "No," she mumbled.

"I know it's hard to believe but he and Cara were doing things that belong in 50 Shades of Grey. Okay? Like rough BDSM stuff," Jonathan continued as Casey stared down at the ground in sadness. "I just can't believe that she would mess with your head like this." He grabbed Casey's hand, interlocking her fingers with his. "I care about you, Case. I just couldn't bring myself to admit since you were always with Nate. He didn't deserve a beautiful girl like you."

He cupped Casey's cheek who leaned into his touch almost immediately.

At the dance, Nate cast his gaze to the stage as the Principal approached the microphone. "Welcome to the Spring Formal!" Everyone cheered. "I hope everybody has had an opportunity to consume some of the pecan sandies and Cran-Grape that were so generously donated by the parents club."

More light applause. This time, Nate decided to go back and grab the cup he had, deciding if he had to sit through this terrible dance, one drink couldn't hurt.

The principal continued, "But the real treat is yet to come. We have some special guests this evening. These fine young gentlemen have been generous enough to take time out from their sold-out national tour...to play our dance for free." Nate raised the cup to his lips ready to drink. "Boys and girls, please welcome...Low Shoulder!"

Upon hearing the name, Nate lowered his arm in shock. He watched as the band got on stage as there was immense cheering around him.

Nate glared at Nikolai's figure approaching the microphone as their song Through The Trees began to play.

He's never felt more hate for anyone than he does with Nikolai for destroying his best friend...

Jonathan pressed his lips to Casey who hesitantly kissed him back.

She continued to kiss him back, her hands resting on his neck as Jonathan slipped his tongue in her mouth.

After a moment, he pulled back. "Say I'm better than Nate," he breathed against her lips.

Casey looked back at him. "What? Why?" she asked him.

Jonathan just rolled her eyes before bringing their lips back together...

Nate zoned out away from Nikolai and gingerly touched his lips with his fingers.

He could taste Jonathan's green apple lip balm along his lips and then...he felt her favorite strawberry lipgloss.

"Casey," he mumbled in realization as he dropped his cup full of punch.

Nate turned on his heels to leave...

Casey pulled back away from Jonathan to utter, "Can we go somewhere else?"

The boy nodded, grasping her hand and pulling her towards the pool house...

Nate ran as fast as his legs could carry him, running into Casey's neighborhood.

He ran much faster despite his legs burning when Casey's house came into view.

He hurried up her porch, panting heavily as he rang the doorbell as much as he could.

The door opened revealing Casey's younger sister to which he pulled a fake smile. "Hi, Camille. Hey!" he panted. "Is Case home?"

The door opened wider revealing Casey's mother. "Nate, is something wrong?" she asked.

"Where's Casey?" Nate questioned.

"She left for the dance at least 20 minutes ago," she answered.

Nate's gaze widened. "She walked?"

"It's only five blocks." That's when his mother noticed how ruffled and wrinkled his suit was. "My God, your suit is-"

"Which way did she go?" Nate cut off. She probably didn't have much time.

"She usually cuts across the park," his mother answered.

With that, Nate bolted towards the park.

***

They entered the pool house to which all lights turned on.

Casey looked around in disgust as she spiders webs all around, the pool was dirty like it hasn't been cleaned in years, and there were many flies all around.

Her gaze moved to Jonathan who was walking all along the edge. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"Swimming," Jonathan answered, still walking along the pool's edge with a small smirk as Casey followed him. "Come on, Casey. Show me your breaststroke."

Casey rolled her eyes with a small smile as she and Jonathan sat on the edge of the pool.

Jonathan stared ahead, rubbing his stomach. "I feel so empty," he mumbled.

Casey didn't know what he meant but just agreed. "Yeah, me too."

Jonathan looked at her. "Come here and kiss me again, beautiful."

Jonathan cupped her face, bringing their lips together again.

Only moments later, Casey pulled back with a small headshake. "I can't," she told him, making Jonathan's expression. "I'm sorry. You're a good guy but this just feels weird."

Jonathan's expression contorted into anger as he grabbed the front of Casey's dress, yanking her into the pool.

He jumped in after her, pushing her down into the murky water...

Nate panted as he kept pumping his arms and legs to keep moving.

He stopped when he saw a purple hair clip on the ground. He stopped to pick it up, remembering it was Casey's favorite hair accessory-

His head shot up towards the pool house when he heard screaming. He stood back up and ran towards there.

He ran towards the closest way in which was a small gap in the building. He crawled through, falling in and cutting his hand on branches nearby.

He wiped the blood on his pants and looked towards the pool where one figure had the other pinned to the pool wall.

Jonathan looked back at Nate with a growl as his mouth wide, full of sharp teeth and blood as Casey's neck was bleeding badly.

"Nate," Casey uttered when she saw her ex-boyfriend.

Nate gaped with wide eyes, backing away in fear as Jonathan returned to sinking his teeth into Casey's neck.

Nate pushed all his fear down as he closed his eyes, mumbling, "St. Jude, patron saint of hopeless causes, please give me the power to crush this bitch."

He then ran forward, jumping to the pool, forcing Jonathan to turn away from Casey before both boys disappeared under the water's surface.

Casey looked around weakly as she held a hand to her bleeding neck wound that leaked between her fingers.

Nate resurfaced shortly with a gasp. Looking over Casey in worry but not before focusing ahead as he saw a splash nearby.

"Nate," Casey uttered.

He looked back at her to which she tossed him her pepper spray. He caught it and looked ahead as the splashing only got bigger and closer.

Jonathan resurfaced in front of Nate to which Nate pressed down on the pepper spray's trigger, spraying it in Jonathan's eyes who let out a yell of pain.

He slammed his fists against the water in frustration and began to gag as Nate backed away towards Casey.

Black goo began to emit from his mouth, covering Nate and Casey in the tar-like substance.

Jonathan shoots straight up into the air like a god, hovering ten feet above the pool. His eyes burn. His skin is corpselike and he was drenched.

"He can fly?" Casey croaked as she and Casey made their way towards the pool ladder.

"He's just hovering, Casey. It's not that impressive," Nate remarked, climbing up the ladder.

"God, do you have to undermine everything I do?" Jonathan asked. "You're such a player-hater."

Nate glares at Jonathan, surprisingly fearless as he stood up. "You're a dick," he remarked.

"Wow. Nice insult, jockstrap," Jonathan replied, landing on the floor, a few meters away. "Got any more harsh digs?"

"You know what?" Nate spoke, shaking his head. "You were never a good friend. Ever. Even when we were little. You used to steal my toys and pour lemonade on my bed to get me in trouble."

"And now I'm eating your girlfriend," Jonathan replied. "See? At least I'm consistent."

"Why do you need her?" Nate questioned. "Huh? Why do you need the one girl I've ever loved? You can have anyone you want now, Jonathan! So why Casey? Why her? Is it just to piss me off? Or is it because you're just really that insecure?"

Jonathan scoffed as Casey weakly climbed out of the pool. "I am not insecure," Jonathan replied. "Nate. God, what a joke. How could I be insecure? Every girl in this goddamn school wanted me!"

"Yeah, almost a year ago," Nate continued. "When you were socially relevant."

"I am still socially relevant," Jonathan snapped.

"And when you didn't take enlargement pills to make your dick bigger," Nate remarked.

A look of abject horror on Jonathan's face, his eyes blazing. It was evident that Nate had hit Jonathan where it hurt.

Jonathan opened his mouth to speak, "I am going to eat your soul..." He stepped closer towards Nate who backed away. "AND SHIT IT OUT, LESNICKY!" he roared.

"I thought you only murdered girls," Nate mumbled.

"I go both ways," he answered.

He hurtles himself toward Nate, roaring, his eyes were white-hot, his jaws agape. Casey suddenly stumbles in front of Nate and holds the handle of a pool skimmer in front of them like a spear. As Jonathan flies forward at demonic speed, she impales his entire torso on the handle.

Jonathan gasps in slight pain as Casey weakly collapses to the floor.

"Ow," he groaned through gritted teeth and with a yell, slowly pulled the pool skimmer, dropping it on the floor.

Blood slowly leaks through Jonathan's stomach to which he pressed his hand to.

He looked weakly down at Casey, noticing she was still awake. "You got a tampon?" he asked, nodding towards his stomach. Casey didn't answer but Nate just merely shook his head. "What? I thought I'd ask. Seemed like she might be plugging."

Jonathan weakly stumbled past Nate, crawling through a window and jumping out.

Nate kneeled beside Casey, his eyes welling with tears when he saw blood was still coming out of her. "Shit, Case," he mumbled.

She reached a bloody hand out to him. "Nate. I should have believed you. I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry," Nate whimpered. "Listen to me. I'm gonna get some help."

He grabbed his phone, trying to dial 911 as Casey coughed, wheezing out blood.

He began to panic before looking at his phone. "Fuck! There's no signal."

Casey lightly grabbed his hand. "Nate, I'm gonna die," she uttered.

Nate shook his head. "No, you're not gonna die, okay? Don't say that."

"Yes, I am," she told him. "I think I already died before you got here, but I woke up when I heard your voice." Tears began to pour down Nate's cheeks as he began to sob but Casey only smiled. "I love you, Nathan Lesnicky."

"I love you too," Nate uttered.

Casey's smile grew bigger. "And you look totally hot in a white suit."

Nate sniffed, his suit wasn't even white anymore. It was covered in the black ooze Jonathan vomited. "You're clearly delirious."

"No, I'm not," she mumbled before her hand limply fell from Nate's, and her heavy breathing came to a stop.

"Case-" Nate spoke, lightly tapping the side of her face as he continued to sob. "No!" he yelled, his voice echoing throughout the poolhouse.

***