Devin was one hundred percent sure she had no control over her limbs. He was controlling her again. But better for her, she thought. She probably wouldn't have moved on her own anyway.
As she walked up the stairs she remembered that they were one big of a class. There were probably about seventy people in the hall. The panic drastically decreased when she saw nobody paying attention to her.
She had never been so grateful in her life.
" Dev!"
Freaking scratch that.
Everyone in a that area turned to her and Kindynos as Lynn walked up to them. Ross was close behind her too. He gave her a look that suggested, " What the hell was that?". Lynn didn't have to announce Devin's presence like that. In fact it was a very not Lynn thing to do.
" Hey Dev, didn't think you would come." Lynn said whilst giving her a hug. She took a step back and tilted her head towards Kindynos. " I don't think we've met."
Devin suddenly became aware of the fact she was still very much holding him. " Oh, this is my friend. We have a thing later so, he's accompanying me for a bit."
Kindynos raises his eyebrows and grins deviously. Liar, He told her in her head.
She stared up at him. Get out of my head.
Lynn extended her hand for a handshake. " Nice to meet you. Do you have a name?"
Kindynos smiled at her faintly. " Kindynos, but it's best you forget that and call me something classic."
His words just rolled out of his mouth like spring water. Devin looked at him strangely, because he had just said the most absurd thing, but it sounded so right at the same time.
" That's nice. Can I borrow Dev for a second?"
" Of course." He responded. Releasing her hand from the hold.
Devin looked back at him as she watched him fade into the crowd. She was with her friends now but silently wished he had stayed longer. He was a neutral to her and she felt at ease with him.
" Excuse me? You had that hot of a friend, and forgot to inform me." Lynn began.
Ross grabbed a drink from one of the bartenders and handed a drink to each of the ladies. " Yeah, we didn't know you were seeing someone."
She took a small sip. " That's because I'm not. He's just a buddy."
Lynn looked into the crowd. " Well your buddy is a solid twenty. And he's so nice too. Is he from France or something? I heard french."
" Really? He sounded more like Turkish to me." Ross commented.
Devin looked at them confused. What Kindynos had was more of an English accent. Like Elijah from the originals obvious but not genuine. So how he sounded Irish or french was a mystery to her.
" I love that outfit on him. It kind suits him don't you think?" Lynn said to Ross.
" Yeah, I guess."
Devin took another sip of he drink when she realized what was going on. He used magic on them. Better explained, he cast an illusion of a typical white male on the them. That's why she felt strange earlier. The idea that he go around saying whatever he wanted and still seem pleasant to others baffled her. She wished she had that kind of ability. That way she wouldn't have to filter her words.
It made her wonder what else he could do and how often he did it. The more she thought about it, the more curious she was. Could she really wish for anything and get it?
" Is the drink getting to you already?" Ross asked her.
She chuckled. " No. I'm just not sure if I want to be here."
He grinned and then whispered in her ear. " I'm only here cus Lynn basically dragged my ass."
Devin couldn't help but smile. " Why?" She whispered back.
He pointed the blonde across the room. " Because Charlotte and her congress pack over there mention a bunch of crap about her to potential buyers of that new brand she's working on."
" Is murder gonna be involved?" She asked sarcastically.
He nodded. " Oh ..for sure. I already called back up to make it look like an accident."
Lynn swirled her glass." I can hear you guys?"
" Oh, we didn't mean to disrupt the process. What are you gonna do to her?" Devin asked in peaked interest.
" Simple. Casually bump into her when she's with the older alumini group and get her to self sabotage her rep I did some digging and it turns out her father is handing over fifty percent of his corporate shares to her half sister. How dare she come after me when she has underlying shit about herself?"
Ross and Devin exchanged glances that subjected they drop the matter very fast. One thing about Lynn was that she was warm and accepting until someone went behind her back. Then she drew blood.
Poor Charlotte.
" Do you need another drink babe? "
"No," she hands her glass to him, without looking. " I already had four." She walked towards Charlotte as soon as she switched to the alumni group she spoke of.
" I live with that woman." Ross said with a whimper, as he finished off Lynn's drink.
" At least you're protected?"
" Hopefully?" He laughed. His tone turned serious," I heard what happened. Lynn feels really bad."
The smile she held weakened. " It's okay, I was gonna quit when I got something else."
" Still..."
Just then she noticed Kindynos slip out of the room, like a man on a mission. He looked angry.
Sometimes she wished she had his ability to read minds so that she could read what was on his.
"So..." Ross watched her eyes, and his t
tone dropped. " Are you dating him, or is he an escort?"
His question surprised her, "Ross?"
" You don't have to hide it from me. I'm just... Curious." His eyes followed the demigod as he disappeared from sight. He leaned against the bar. " Strangers with benefits?"
Devin tilted her head towards him. " Wow. You really couldn't think of a nicer situation?"
" Okay, then neighbors with benefits?" He chuckled.
She couldn't help but giggle a little. " Shut the fuck up."
They held comfortable silence after the joke. There was nothing awkward about Devin's and Ross's relationship, aside from the constant PDA he and Lynn displayed. He really was one of her best friends.
" I want you to be happy. Doing modelling or even dating that European guy. I can ask around today for any job openings in your scope. I won't tell Lynn cus I know it'll somehow get to your sister. It'd be our little secret."
There it was. The Ross with a mind of his own. The guy that would do things for people because he could. It was time like this that reminded Devin that he was his own person.
She could not help but grin at him. "Thanks." She tried not to get too excited.
" Of course. Now come on." Ross motioned her to follow him, and she did. They mingled in the crowd with the other socialites and discussed the wavering grounds of politics and finance.
Every morsel in her being wanted to shrink away and curl into her bed. She hated pretending to enjoy this as much as she hated the idea of attending this gathering. She was only grateful that Ross was making due on his promise by subtly hinting she modeled.
Devin was stepping into the bar when she realized the evening was going better than expected. She thought that people would use her coming as an opportunity to mock her, but everyone was all smiles. Maybe Devin was a in over her head. Nobody cared about her.
" Did you see Devin?" A woman whispered.
Another one spoke. " She's hanging around Ross isn't she? What a leech." They all laughed. " She got disowned from her family and still has the audacity to show herself here."
They continued to chatter. " Doesn't Sarah Elroy basically own this building."
" I heard she's unemployed and that Ross is helping her look for a job." They laughed as hard as the first time. " Just how low can she go? Serves her right for acting like the shit back in high school."
" No... that was Lynn, that bitch. Devin was her plaything if anything."
Devin just stood there listening to the gossip. Although alot of it wasn't true, the words cut deep. It hurt worse knowing that most of the said were true.
Ross found her soon enough. " Hey, where were you?" He tapped her shoulder.
He surprised her. " Oh, I was just..." She looked down, embarrassed because he had clearly heard the whole thing.
He grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her to the open terrace. " Don't listen to anything they said. Charlotte is just being bitter because Lynn pet her in her place. I honestly hate these things." He sighed heavily.
She watched as the irritation reflected in his looks. Devin sighed to herself.
" You should head back in. Lynn will be looking for you in a minute. "
" I'm sure she wouldn't mind me being missing for a minute, Dev."
He was trying to be there for her, but that was only going draw Lynn out her with them. And she didn't need to draw anymore attention to herself. " I'll be fine Ross." She touched his arm to assure him. " I'll take a little walk and come back in I promise."
His eyes seemed unbelieving but unwilling to argue with her. " Fine..., but I don't see you in fifteen minutes I'm going to find you." He said before leaving her at the terrace.
Devin took a walk around the mini golfing course by the side of the building. She knew this place like the back of her hand, but the familiarity of it all was saddening. What was she even doing here? If Sarah or Tom found out she was here they'd-
" Margret?"
Devin spun her head around when the voice she knew also well called out to her. It was Sarah. Devin stared at her in shock.
The face of the woman she dreaded seemed calm and surprised almost. The old Elroy's face of calmness was suddenly masked by a look of disappointment. The woman scoffed.
" To think that you would be so down in the mud, and still have the gall to drag yourself onto my property." Her eyebrows lifted, making her wrinkled forehead wrinkle a bit more. " If I didn't know better, I'd say your at the worst point in your life."
Tears welled up in Devin's eyes. She turned away quickly before Sarah saw and kept on walking. Her step quickening with every moment. In minutes she was out of the course and put of the property, but even then she just kept on walking and walking.
This really was the icing on the cake. This was worse than anything she had ever gone through. Seeing and hearing her grandmother again only brought back the worst memories.
It didn't help that she was still a bitch.
As she walked over the bridge, a light flashed behind her brightly. It was too late before she realizes what was happening.
A car skidded off the bridge,but not before colliding with Devin.
She thought she was dead. No, she was not yet dead. Drowning most definitely in the lake that the great Elroys just had to build a bridge over.
Her body was numb and in pain all at the same time. Her eyes shut to silence the pain.
She heard a masculine voice in the distance." That's quite a predicament you've got yourself in."
She wanted to open her eyes, but it hurt.She winced. Definitelystillalive.
" Your outfits is all bloody ." The voice sighed. " I would help you but, I'm in no position to. What do you think, hmmm...?"
" How about you make a wish?"
Devin would have rolled her eyes if it didn't feel like her head was being drilled into. " You... devil." Was all she could say.
" No..." He squatted over her beaten up body. " How many times do I have to tell you it's Kindynos. I have nothing to do with that fiend. Just say wish and or a w sound if you'd like. Let's get this over with."
Maybe it was because her head was bad, but she wanted to see his face as he tried to persuade her. If she had the energy she would berate him with insults. She had no plans of yielding, even in her state. Pride was the one thing those her family taught her to never give up.
A half-smile swept across her face suddenly. " Fuck you... Dynos."