An apology without change is just manipulation.

Think about it.

I didn't think about it. I never thought about it.

That's how I got mixed up with seventeen-year-old Zane Maserati when I was fifteen.

A man who could certainly draw you in immediately with his sweet talking and good looks, a man who knows manipulation at its finest.

A man who drew me in so close I started to believe he was never insane to begin with.

But he was.

He is.

And he came back to get me.

******

FIVE YEARS AGO,

MARCH 4TH, 2021.

LAKEWORTH COURT OF THE LAW.

"Daisy Marie Saunders, you are sentenced guilty for aggravated offense, and voluntary manslaughter. That gives you a total of 40 years in prison."

I don't respond, leaning against the chair.

"Would you like to take the stand?"

I smirk.

"Yes."

"Of course. Come on up."

I feel the eyes of others on my back as I walk forwards, approaching the stand.

I clear my throat and look at everyone in the room.

"Hi. I'm Daisy. You may think I killed Zane Maserati, but I didn't. I promise you I didn't. One last thing,"

I look at the camera from the stupid true crime show that's documenting this shit.

"Fuck you, Zane. Karma's a bitch and I'm gonna get my sweet as revenge on you."

******

THREE YEARS AGO,

MAY 20th, 2023.

Daisy's 23rd birthday.

Yay.

It's my fucking 23rd birthday.

Just another day to rot in a prison cell.

Solitary to be exact.

I was trapped in here for assaulting a police officer.

Don't ask why.

I was in a bad mood and they were bothering me.

Another year was added onto my sentence for that.

I couldn't care less.

At this point I might as well perish.

I wish I was Dylan right now.

Dead.

Or Zane.

Not in prison.

Lying bastard.

Left me to die.

Hypocrite. Said I was selfish for leaving him for three months then he leaves me for three years.

Nice to know you have a really manipulative crush, Daisy.

Idiot.

Fucking idiot.

I've resulted to staring at nothing until I actually see things.

Jayden has been flying off her rockers, while Jaylen hasn't said a word.

I'm starting to believe the girl went mute.

Salem looks like absolute shit. Not to seem rude, but he isn't doing well.

At all.

Whenever he's let out of his cell he just sits in the corner and stares at the wall.

Or a random person.

Max simply cries in her cell all day.

Also talks to this girl named Kirstie who she says is a reincarnation of Lucinda.

Roxie is just Roxie.

But a little more depressed.

Ever since Dylan died she's been less bubbly. But Roxie loved her so I'm not one to judge.

I loved someone too once.

I still do.

I don't know how to solve my problems. I can't.

Shane has been visiting me as much as he can, saying how sick he is.

He tries at least to mark it to each birthday me and the rest of us have.

It's the only thing we look forward to these days.

"Inmate 2048! You have a visitor!"

I stand up and the guard opens my cell door, pulling me out harshly before dragging me towards the visiting room.

He opens the door, sitting me down in a seat before standing stilly behind me.

I smile at Shane, picking up the phone.

"Hey."

He smiles weakly back.

"Hey. Happy 23!""

Shane coughs twice before continuing.

"Sorry...I haven't been feeling the greatest lately so I couldn't come to visit as often. How is my little Daisy doing?"

"Probably better than you. But not great at all. I hate it."

"You know if bail you guys out in a heartbeat if I could. But you have no ability for parole."

I roll my eyes.

"I'm aware. Thank you for visiting. It's the only thing I look forward to these days."

He smiles at me through the glass, adjusting some sort of tube attached to him.

I frown.

"What's that?"

"Since I'm getting worse I need tubes to assist my breathing. I still wanted to come visit you guys before surgery though."

"That's very sweet of you...but you know we'd be fine, right? We don't want to trouble you if you aren't feeling good."

"I love to see how my friends are doing."

Before I can respond the officer yanks me up.

"Visiting time is over. Back to your cell!"

Shane waves with a small smile which I retain, being harshly led back to my godawful cell.

I frown as I sit back on the bed, leaning my head against the padded wall.

You can do this Daisy.

Only 13,870 days to go.

******

FOUR DAYS AGO,

JUNE 15th, 2026.

I sit stupefied on the floor outside, and I feel a presence next to me.

"Roxie if it's you I swear to god, I'll rip your—"

I move my head to the side, gasping a little.

"Holy shit. I'm sorry. I thought you were Roxie."

"Nope."

The girl smiles at me, before moving her eyes away.

She has long, dark black hair that stops at her back, and pretty hazel-brown eyes.

"Are you new here?"

I smirk.

"I'm sure I would've remembered a face like yours."

She giggles.

"Aren't you silly. My name is Tanya Lopez. I'm new to the crowd."

"You look too innocent to be in high security prison."

"Oh really? I'm here for murder. First degree."

My eyes widen.

"Jesus."

"I know. But I don't regret it."

She smirks.

"You're Daisy. I've heard a lot about you."

"Bad things I assume."

"I met someone who claimed they knew you...I was intrigued by you to say the least."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Inmates! Back inside for lunch!"

I smile at Tanya, standing up.

"Sit with me and the others at lunch?"

"Most definitely."

******

PRESENT DAY,

JUNE 19th, 2026.

4:49 AM.

Another sleepless night.

I'm not surprised.

You know...after five years of sitting here and rotting in a prison cell...you kinda start to go mad.

Don't get me wrong, I'm fully aware that I was mad in the first place.

But if you have to sit in a cell by yourself, isolated from everyone, it really takes a toll on you.

I once started talking to the wall because I thought I was talking to Dylan and Zane.

I simply can't face the fact that she's dead.

That he's gone.

Shane is deteriorating away on a stupid hospital bed.

I should say more of a death bed.

Shane's been in a fucking coma since like four years ago.

He still hasn't woken up.

I was the last person he talked to, you know, before he passed out and never woke up.

He came to visit me in prison.

To visit all of us.

Something is telling me he knew something was going to happen.

Shane passed out in the middle of talking to me.

It was scary...he had all these tubes and things attached to him so he could breathe.

I really hope he's okay...the doctors told his parents who told me that Shane has heart disease...which I'm not entirely sure he can recover from.

It fucking sucks in here...trust me.

I might as well get up.

I won't be able to fall back asleep anyways.

I sit up, staring at the wall again.

I stare for a good ten minutes until I start to see her.

She waves.

"Daisy!"

I smile.

"Dylan! Hello!"

"How's my favorite flower doing?!"

"Not good."

"That sucks."

She giggles and grabs onto someone's arm, dragging them forwards.

Zane waves to me.

"Hey, babycakes."

"Hi, Zane!"

I smile, and both of them smile back.

My smile soon drops as they fade away.

No.

They aren't dead, Daisy. They aren't gone.

They aren't—

I blink and they disappear, and I'm back to staring at an empty space.

I'm going completely and utterly insane.

"Who told her I was here?"

"Aren't you dead already? Oh! Wrong year!"

"See you soon, Daisy."

The more I stare at the wall the more voices echo in my head, and I lay back down, burying my face in the pillow.

I don't like it.

I don't like it at all.

I shut my eyes tightly, silently wishing I'll go to sleep and never wake up.

*****

But I did.

Only two hours later to the guards' loud voices.

"Inmates! Up for breakfast! Move your asses to the cafeteria now!"

I hiss under my breath.

If they don't shut the hell up I'm going to tear my ears off my head.

I'm done. I'm done. I'm done.

I get up, smoothing down my ratty hair before walking out my open cell door, venturing down the halls to the cafeteria.

Time to eat more slop.

I swear I got food poisoning the last time I put this shit in my mouth.

I don't know how this is considered fucking edible, it looks like my old chihuahua, Lucy's vomit after she ate a dead bird.

Don't ask.

My chihuahua was a fucking maniac.

I threw that thing back in the shelter.

Scary as fuck.

I collect whatever shit they're serving us for breakfast before sitting down with Salem, Max, Roxie, Jaylen, Jayden, and Tanya. There's quite a few of us now, besides Emerson.

He left us for the weird wannabe bad-boy dudes who got in jail for assaulting a bunch of poor old people. They stole their stuff and knocked them to the floor.

They got concussions...that's what I heard.

I may be psychotic, but I would never openly beat up a ninety year old person. In broad daylight as well.

Fucking doofuses.

Roxie stares at her plate blankly.

"How the hell do they expect me to put this in my mouth...? Horrid."

"Tell me about it." I say, before flinging a forkful of mush behind me, that hits a girl named Bria in the face.

"Hey! Bitch!"

She throws an apple which nails me in the head, and I stand up, grabbing my tray and chucking it at Bria's head.

I sit back down with a sly smile, and Roxie starts laughing.

"You really just chucked a tray at her, didn't you?"

I smile.

"I did. And I don't feel bad about it."

I feel a hand on my ponytail, yanking me backwards.

I let out a yelp, rubbing the back of my head.

Bria glares at me, a chunk of "meat" still stuck in her hair.

"Listen to me, bitch. You don't get to throw your whole garbage tray at me and get away with it."

I roll my eyes.

"Wow, I'm so scared Bria."

She throws a punch at my head which I dodge, kicking her ass in the face and watching as she falls on the floor with a splat.

"Ugh! You bitch!"

"Speak for yourself."

As I'm about to sit down I feel a tight grip on my wrist, spinning me around.

I become face to face with one of the guards.

"Arden...hello."

"Don't hello me, Saunders. Get your ass out here. Now."

******

I follow the warden, or Arden, out of the cafeteria, flashing a smirk at my friends who watch me wide eyed in return.

He stands in front of me, seemingly exhausted.

"Aww. Don't look so down, Arden! You're gonna get wrinkles!"

"Please be quiet. How much trouble can one girl get into?! And I thought we could let you out of solitary for good behavior, but you pull another stunt every time you go somewhere! You have to stop this reckless behavior, you're never going to get out with this attitude."

"Attitude? Dude, this is just how I act!"

"Don't dude me, Daisy. I'm not your bro, but your warden."

I pucker out my lip in a mock frown.

"Oh, I'm so scared of mister warden! What's he gonna do? Spank me?!"

I start laughing and he smacks his forehead.

"You are acting extremely inappropriate. That's five more days in solitary for you, Saunders. If I let you back in there, will you act normal and not beat the absolute shit out of someone?!"

I frown.

"So I can't do the fun stuff?!"

"You're a lunatic. Beating people up isn't fun. Don't make me have someone watch over you for the remainder of the day."

My eyes expand.

"Oh no! Don't do that!"

He gives me a small smile.

"I thought so. Now go eat. Don't throw your lunch at someone's head this time."

"I won't..."

"You better not."

I walk back inside the cafeteria, and I feel everyone's eyes on me.

I pause mid-stride.

"What the fuck are y'all looking at?! Eat your shit and quit looking at me! I mean...I know I have a big ass and a cute face, but that doesn't mean you have to stare."

They all look away, and I sit next to Roxie again.

"Hey."

She gives me a look.

"You can't just hey me after what you just did, Dais. What happened?! You were alone with our super-hot warden...did anything happen?! Ass grabbing?! Kissing?!"

"Ass grabbing?! What type of shit are you thinking of?? This is not fantasizing about screwing the warden."

"What?! You can't blame me. He's hot. And only twenty eight."

I make a face at Roxie and she smiles in return.

"You are one strange girl."

"Inmates! Exercise time! Get on moving to the yard!"

Ah great. Just what I needed.

To have to exercise in the middle of June with sweatpants on.

I mean...hey. At least I'll burn some calories from all the fat that's probably in those shitty meals we're fed.

We all move along to the yard, where we have to do fifty push ups.

Prison? No, more like military camp...I mean holy shit. I do like 240 push ups everyday.

****

After that wreck, we get free time! Yay!

So cool.

Wow, Daisy. So funny.

I sit on the floor where I usually do, watching everyone simply do their thing.

Roxie bugging Salem as she usually does, Max, Jaylen and Jayden seemingly scheming together, and Tanya and I on the ground watching people.

"Don't you ever wish, that you could just start your life over again?! Reverse all of the wrongs you've committed?"

I turn my head to look at her.

"No. Not really."

She frowns.

"I do all the time. I'm done with this life, really."

"So am I, but you just gotta deal with what you got. That's the way I see it."

Tanya nods.

"Makes sense. Do you ever regret meeting Zane?"

A small smile crosses my lips.

"I wouldn't change meeting him for the world."

"You really do miss him, don't you?"

"Every day. The guy makes me go crazy. Even more crazy when I have no idea where he is. The only thing I do wish is that everything could be normal...I could be a normal twenty-five year old and have a stupid ordinary life."

Tanya shakes her head softly.

"But what's living life...if you don't have any craze in it? Any flaws?"

I smile at her.

"Nothing really. Aren't you a therapist."

"I tried to be one. I was rejected."

"Well crap. That sucks."

Tanya laughs and we both look up at the clouds, sighing.

"I want to see the outside world again."

"Same here. I was only here for five days now and I'm fucking tired of it."

"Try five years. I'm taking a nap."

"On the nasty floor?"

"YOLO."

Tanya laughs, and we both lay on the floor, shutting our eyes.

******

"Rise and shine, bitch! It's 6:00 PM!"

Tanya and I jump at Roxie's voice, and she kicks my shin harshly.

"Get up! You're practically late for dinner!"

"It's three...I only missed lunch."

Roxie smacks her forehead.

"Six, bitch, six! I said six! Now get your asses up!"

Tanya and I sit up, and Tanya yawns.

"I'm tired."

"Boo-hoo, bitch! So am I! You don't see me napping where people probably shat!"

"Ugh...ew..."

We both stand up, and Roxie drags us back to the cafeteria.

We sit with the rest of everyone, and Jayden looks between me and Tanya suspiciously.

"You fucked each other."

"What?!"

I look at Tanya then Jayden.

"The tatted up hair, smudged lipstick, ruffled clothes, it says it all. I knew you were lying when you said you didn't like her."

My cheeks flush.

"What the fuck?! We were napping on the concrete! Not doing the business!"

Jayden smirks.

"Aww...you're blushing. I love ya, cutie. And I'm just joking. Well all know I'm the first person you'd talk to when you fucked a girl for the first time."

Everyone laughs and we eat whatever the hell it is we're eating, before we're all sent back to our cells.

As I walk back to mine in solitary, a guard runs up to me.

"Hey. The warden noticed how you fixed up your behavior and said you can sleep in one of the normal cells tonight if that's okay with you."

My eyes expand a fraction.

"Oh! That'd be cool...I guess."

I turn around, following the guard to a different cell with actual bars rather than some heavy metal door.

They unlock the cell, allowing me inside.

"Have a good rest, inmate."

"Thanks."

The guard walks away, leaving me laying on the uncomfortable bed.

Extremely uncomfortable.

Prison beds are not a go.

I soon drift off, being sucked into my own mind.

*******

NINE YEARS AGO,

APRIL 7th, 2012.

I hold a black rose in my hands, glowering at its petals.

"He loves me..." a petal falls to the floor. "He loves me not..." I toss another one off the balcony. "He loves me..." I pluck a midnight petal. "He loves me not..."

I throw another petal, about to say something when—

"Maybe he does love you." He sits down next to me. "Not."

I jump, a thorn on the midnight rose scratching my fingertip.

"Ugh. Rude."

"I was just kidding, babe. He probably does love you. I mean, how could he not?"

Zane pushes my hair from my face which hid my pinky cheeks.

He smiles.

"Aww...you're blushing."

He looks out into the distance as I continue to helplessly pluck petals.

"But who is this guy? I'm jealous of him that I don't get the attention. Is he really stealing my little flower's heart?"

"Yeah. He really is."

"Don't be shy...tell me who it is. I'll be like one of those stereotypic boy crazy blonde chicks. Is he hot? Is he totally a hunk of meat? A six course meal?"

"Yep. Definitely."

I'm staring into the distance, trying to find a way.

He's just going to reject me like the rest. Might as well not ruin our friendship.

"Wow. I really need to know who this guy is. Then maybe I can get some tips from him."

"You don't need tips from him."

He looks at me confusedly, and before I could stop myself, it all came out.

Word vomit.

"Because you are him."

*******

I wake up with a start, letting out a small gasp.

My fingertip burns where the thorn scraped me, and I frown.

"Zane..."

I here a groan from above me, gasping again.

Is there someone else...here?

I stand up, climbing a few steps of the bunk bed's ladder to see.

There is someone there.

I immediately duck my head down when they jerk their head up.

I jump back to my bed, staring wide eyed at the ladder.

I see someone coming down the ladder, my breath hitching in my throat.

"Hello?"

I see a person...petite. A woman.

She looks around, before sighing.

"I must be mad. I swear I saw someone."

I should say something. I shouldn't. Maybe...?

"I'm here."

She lets out a small yelp, ducking her head down.

I wave slowly, and she holds her chest.

"Holy. I thought I was going insane. But there is someone here. I thought I heard something as well. Was that you?"

"Yeah...sorry."

"I'm Lily. Lily Billimyer."

My eyebrows furrow before I continue.

"Billimyer? Are you—"

"The Vice President's daughter, yes. That seems to be the only thing people know me for. And you must be...?"

"I'm Daisy. Daisy Saunders."

"Cute name, dear. I've heard about you."

"You...have?"

"Yes. From a friend of a friend."

She climbs back down from the bunk bed, sitting on mine.

"You certainly gave me a fright...but it's a pleasure to meet you, cellmate."

"You as well, Lily. How the hell is the Vice President's daughter in jail?! What could you have done?! Broken some ancient vase in the White House or some shit?!"

She laughs.

"Oh no! Much worse than that. So, me and friends, Kaden and Zane may or may not of blown up a place with over 350 people in it."

"Why the hell did you do that?!" I have a brain fart for a moment before continuing. "Hold up...you said...Zane?"

"Zane is his name, yes. A handsome young man he is, you know."

"Does his hair happen to be green...?"

"Green?! No. He doesn't have green hair."

I release a breath.

"Phew. Okay. Not who I thought it was."

"Alright then." Lily yawns. "Well I'm sleepy, dear. I'm going to go to sleep. I'm glad you're my cellmate...you seem to be a cool chick."

"Right back accha, Lily."

********

I wake up again in the morning in a better mood than most mornings, and when I open my eyes I already see Lily attempting to fix her hair.

"I should've mentioned how it's a pain to get ready here...you have nothing besides a lousy toilet, a moldy sink, and these cardboard beds."

Lily laughs.

"Aren't you a silly one? I'll have you meet my friends. They're here as well."

"Yes! You can meet mine too."

"Cool. I'd love to."

"Inmates! Cafeteria, now!"

Lily and I exit the cell, walking side by side to the cafeteria.

She lets me in on everything that happened, and we just sort of click.

We walk into the cafeteria, and Roxie's eyes widen.

"Who's the hot chick you pulled outta nowhere, Dais?"

"This hot chick has a name, Miss Firecracker. I'm Lily Billimyer."

Roxie smiles.

"I love her. Isn't she the Vice President's daughter?"

"Yes. She's going to sit with us if that's okay."

As soon as I sit down, I frown.

"Where the fuck is Jayden?"

Salem shrugs.

"Over there. She's all over this guy...who doesn't seem to be minding it at all."

We all turn our heads, and Lily shakes hers.

"What is it?"

I ask, and she smirks slightly.

"Your little friend is flirting with Kaden. That guy's a real player...he tries to get in anyone's pants. He's quite similar to Zane, actually. Except Zane is a little more mentally unstable."

I move my eyes over to Jayden and Kaden, and Kaden's eyes lock on mine for a split second.

He smirks before turning back to Jayden who's swooning over him.

"He certainly has the eyes. Captivating."

Lily smiles.

"Don't let the guy get to you."

Jayden approaches us, smiling widely.

"Okay, guys! This is my new friend, his name is Kaden Maroon."

Everyone waves and he sits down next to Jayden, smiling.

"Hello, everyone. I'm here with my friends Lily and Zane. I have no idea where that douchebag is."

Lily rolls her eyes.

"Speaking of the devil."

Someone comes up from behind Lily, smacking her head with a corn dog.

"Ew, Zane! That's disgusting! Get that away from my hair you big fat bastard!"

She attempts to whack the person, but not before they grab her wrist, placing it back down next to her.

"Come down, my feisty little British girl."

I recognize that voice.

Everyone looks up, and we wave.

"Hello, people. I recognize a good bit of you. Do y'all remember me?"

We all look at him.

He has neon blue hair that curls slightly, lightly tanned skin and bright hazel eyes that have a tinge of orange.

We all shake our heads and he rolls his eyes.

"Rude ass bitches. All I did was change the hair from green to blue and you don't even recognize me?! Come on. Does Zane Maserati ring a bell?! I thought at least my little flower would recognize her screwball lover."

He sits in the empty seat across from me, and the more I stare at him the more I realize it's actually Zane.

"You aren't...home?! Where the hell do you come from?! What made you think it was normal to run away and disappear for five years than come back?!"

Zane shrugs.

"I don't know. It was fun to mess with your brains. I made new friends with a fellow fuckboy and a prissy president's daughter."

"Thanks for that."

He smiles at Lily.

"You're welcome my good-for-nothing Bimbo."

"I appreciate your slut shaming nicknames and all, Zane, but if you must know I'm still a virgin. So those can't really apply to me."

Zane nods nonchalantly.

"Thanks for that information, sweetie pie."

Lily gives him a tight smile.

I'm not even surprised at this point that the guy's back.

He disappears and reappears ten times a year. It's just his thing.

As soon as I'm about to say something I hear a loud screech, and we all turn our heads to two girls running aimlessly into the cafeteria with mortified looks on their faces as they scream bloody murder.

"Help! There's a fucking dead body in the shower room!"

Everyone gets up, and we run towards the bathroom before the guards can get there.

I get inside before everyone else, and my hand flies over my mouth in disgust and horror.

Bria, the girl from yesterday, is hanging by her neck by a ripped cord, with her chest ripped open and blood spilling like a waterfall across the floors.

Her eyes were gouged out, and she has a carved smile on her face.

As I start to hyperventilate images of Dylan's dead body with the same exact carved smile on her face strobe through my mind, and tears start streaming down my face.

As guards push past us to her dead body, I stare at the symbol on her arm.

A pitchfork with the number six striking through it.

Then underneath it a sticky note.

With writing written in blood.

This is what happens when you tell lies, Daisy. Don't think we aren't after you next...when the truth comes to light? Killers come to light.

Lies and Love,

The Devil's 6.