R o n a n

Fourteen years ago, I got into my first ever fight. I was eleven years old, and it was in the playground of my middle school. I remember the adrenaline coursing through my veins when I first bashed my fist into his face, I remember the row of crimson that seeped down his nose, I remember everyone crowding around us. I remember getting detention, getting a long talk from my parents, a high five from Ace, and a hug from Zella.

I remember it like it was yesterday.

But the reason I hit him was because he said something disgusting about the girl I adored. And I would do anything to be her knight in shining armor, so I punched him in the face and broke his nose. She didn't say anything, she only smirked at the boy on the ground, grabbed my hand, and took me to the nurse's station to patch up my bruised knuckles.

Mina.

She was the girl who gave absolutely no shits about anything. The girl that everyone stared at when she would walk down the hallway. The girl who would flirt with boys and break their hearts. The girl who would make you fall to your knees from the sight of her smile.

She was the girl you are not supposed to develop feelings for.

Hence the fact that I also gave absolutely no shits.

She was the girl that parents didn't want around their children. In fear that she may "corrupt" their pretty little lives.

But, oh, how I love to be corrupted.

✥

"Ronan, get your head out of your ass," I hear Cartier grumble from beside me.

"I think I have a permanent residence there," I mumble under my breath, looking up and watching as his arm comes out to hit my shoulder. I laugh and lean my head back on the seat of the booth. Wrapping my arms around my chest.

"Where's Athena?" Ace asks, peering his head up and looking around the dinner.

"Probably with Chad in the back office," I murmur, Sipping at my soda, only to feel a jolt underneath a table land right on my shin. "Ow," I wince and set my glass down. "Damn, Ace, I didn't say you couldn't join them."

Eve bites her lip and hides her face in Oscar's shoulder. I smile proudly and see Athena out of the corner of my eye, walking over with a tray full of milkshakes. "Aw, she got us milkshakes," I smile and reach forward, pulling her down beside me and wrapping my arm around my shoulder.

"Strawberry for Ace," she hands it to him and he smiles, reaching for it. "Chocolate for Cartier and Oscar, Vanilla for Eve, and a swirl for Ronan and I." She hands it to me and takes one herself.

"God bless you, Athena, what would we do without you?"Oscar asks in-between sips of his milkshake.

"Starve," I mumble under my breath.

✥

"I can't believe out of all of you, I'm the single one," I shake my head in disdain. "I'm the most attractive-"

"No, sorry, I have to interject, I'm the most attractive." Cartier shakes his head.

Ace snorts and hides his head in his hands. I reach for an empty cup and throw it at him.

"You guys know we're the most attractive," Eve points between herself and Athena. Smiling softly as Athena's lips turn up in a smile.

None of us object.

✥

"Can I get a coffee, please? Black." I say to the waitress, nodding softly at her and sitting up straighter in the barstool seat. She nods and walks off, I look down and rub my eyes before resting my hand on my chin.

I hear the chair beside me being pulled out, and I glance to the side to see a blonde who smiles at me and twirls a piece of hair between her fingertips. She tilts her head and murmurs, "What's a guy like you doing alone?"

I nearly snort. "Please tell me that if you're flirting with me, that's not what you just said." I say, turning to lock eyes with her. She giggles and looks back to the waitress as she comes back with my drink.

"Expresso," she says bluntly to the waitress. Not bothering to say thank you or please. I shoot her a glance. People doing that sort of thing tick me off.

"Thank you," I furrow my brows and take my coffee. I smile at her and sip at it.

"I'm Lily," the girl beside me says, reaching her hand out for me to shake. I look her up and down before carefully straining my hand out and shaking hers.

"Ronan," I introduce myself, not wanting to draw out this pointless conversation. I nod and sit up from the stool, tucking my sweater closer to my body and sighing as I reach for my coffee. But then I wince and look down to see the black liquid dripping down the white marble top and onto my sweater.

"Oh, for fucks sake," I mutter under my breath, catching everyone's attention. I look up and reach for the wad of napkins. "Sorry," I say to the poor waitress that's looking at me like I'm a lost puppy. "It um, it slipped," I continue to stammer.

"It's alright," she nods. I bend down and grab the discarded cup.

"Lily, you ordered without me," a voice says from afar, grasping my attention almost immediately. "I thought you would wait."

I freeze completely. Trying my hardest to wrap my mind around that voice.

"A mocha for me please-oh, wait, do you guys have whip cream?" The girl asks softly. The waitress nods. "Then a mocha with whip cream for me, please, thank you!"

I drop the cup again and turn to face the girl, and I'm utterly lost in confusion as her eyes find mine. Her body tenses at the sight of me. Her beautiful brown eyes are still the same, and the scar underneath her jaw is still there.

Her eyes slightly widen, a crease appearing between her brows. As if she can't see me right in front of her.

My smile is so soft, it could put the devil on his knees.

"Mina?"

✥

this chapter was so bad and its short but we're just gonna pretend like it's not.
this isn't gonna be written like saving athena, ronan has a different perspective on life. athena thinks everything is beautiful and ronan thinks everything is pointless. so please excuse the absolute garbage writing. love you guys <3