𝕺𝖈𝖊𝖆𝖓 𝖊𝖞𝖊𝖘 [Mikey]

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 6

I tried my best to accept the fact that Mikey wasn't going to visit me anymore. But, it wasn't easy.

After only a few days, I realized just how lonely I was without him. I missed seeing him waiting by the door with our meals—whether it was dinner, lunch, or breakfast. I missed his dumb jokes about us being a "couple." I missed how he'd get tired after eating and fall asleep on the couch, snoring lightly. I missed him, more than I care to admit. 

I regretted pushing him away. I regretted not letting him talk while we ate. I regretted shutting him out every time he tried to reach for me, both emotionally and physically. Most of all, I regretted not being honest with him about who I really was. Well not really, but I did feel confused about why he was so hurt.

I hated how he made me feel. If I had never met him—if I had just ignored him that day at the pond—maybe I wouldn't be in this mess. But deep down, I knew that wasn't true. I was glad I had met him. I couldn't erase the impact he had on me, and I didn't want to.

In fact I hated myself for feeling that way. This wasn't who I was.

Mikey helped keep me grounded, even if I didn't want to admit it. I should've been upfront with him, but the truth was, I couldn't bring myself to. My insecurities ran deep, especially about who I used to be.

When I was younger, I couldn't handle the fact that my mother always favored my sister. I acted out because of it, seeking attention in all the wrong ways. I wanted my mother to see me too, to acknowledge that I existed, that I wasn't just Naomi's shadow. But the more I acted out, the worse it got. Violence became a habit, a way to get noticed. It was like an addiction—the thrill of hurting others, the rush it gave me.

And now, even with Mikey, all those feelings I had buried were resurfacing.

Mirei Noelle - Past Part 1

"I don't want to hear any more complaints from your teachers. Behave yourself," my mother said, hands on her hips, her tone exhausted. She was done with me, and I could see it in her eyes.

"Yeah, whatever," I muttered, rolling my eyes. She never understood, and I didn't care enough to try and make her.

"Why can't you be more like Naomi? She gets straight A's, has nice friends, and never gets into trouble."

I hated hearing it. Naomi was the golden child. The perfect daughter. Always praised, always adored. I was just... me. The screw-up, the mistake.

"Mom, Noelle is just going through a phase. Don't be so hard on her," Naomi said, always trying to smooth things over. She was the picture of perfection, the one everyone loved.

"Nobody asked for your input," I spat as I stormed out the door, slamming it behind me.

Naomi and I were like oil and water. We never got along. She tried, but it was always with that sweet, perfect smile, like she had all the answers, like she knew how to fix me. I didn't need fixing. I needed her to stop making me feel small.

At school, everyone compared me to her. They couldn't believe I was related to the "perfect Naomi," the girl who had graduated three years ago.

My classmates avoided me, and honestly, I didn't care. I didn't attend class anyway. I spent my time behind the school with the delinquents in the so-called "Area." It was a place where people like me could belong, or at least feel like they did.

The Area was where things happened. Where rules didn't exist. People smoked, fought, bullied, and did whatever they wanted. It wasn't just a place—it was a feeling. A rush of freedom.

I went there often, especially because Ichinose-Senpai was always around.

"Did you finish Manami-Sensei's homework, Noelle-chan?" Ichinose asked, his voice casual as he cut another student's hair. The poor kid looked terrified, probably regretting getting involved in the wrong crowd.

"No, but I can do yours," I said, pulling out my pencil. Anything for Ichinose. He was the one who pulled me from the darkness, the one who gave me a sense of worth when I didn't think I had any.

Ichinose smirked. "Nah, just copy mine." He gestured to the kid, Date, whose hair he was currently butchering.

"F-Fujioka D-Date," the boy stammered, his voice shaking as he tried to back out.

Ichinose chuckled, enjoying the power he had over the situation. "Date-chan promised me his answers are perfect."

I took out the piercing tool Ichinose had given me weeks ago. "You still have that?" he asked, his voice almost amused.

Date flinched as I brought the tool near his ear. He trembled, trying to back away. "Wait, my mom—"

Before he could finish, I pressed the tool into his ear. A piercing scream echoed around the Area.

"Leave my friend alone!" another student shouted, charging at us. His name was Shun, and he was too dumb for his own good.

I stepped forward, grabbing his fist before he could throw it. When he raised his other fist, I caught that one too, twisting it until he crumpled to the ground, groaning in pain.

"Shun!" Date screamed, but Ichinose was getting impatient.

"Shut up," Ichinose muttered, releasing his grip on Date. He wiped the hair off his pants, unfazed.

Just then, Katsuya arrived, grinning wide. "Senpai! Me and Teru got a mystery box!"

Ichinose rolled his eyes. "What now?"

"Look!" Katsuya opened the box to reveal a tiny crown. "It's for Noelle."

"Give it to her," Ichinose said.

Katsuya grumbled but handed it over. "You're welcome, Noelle."

I took the crown, a small smile tugging at my lips.

But the moment was interrupted by a shout from an officer who was always around, trying to catch us.

"Don't you have a grave to fill?" I snapped.

Ichinose laughed and knocked the officer out with a single punch.

"Don't be so hard on him," Katsuya said, rifling through the officer's wallet. "He's not going to last much longer, anyway."

Katsuya pocketed the cash, but Teru slapped his forehead in frustration. "Can you stop being such a mess?"

Teru was the only one in the group who seemed to have some semblance of sanity, but even he wasn't immune to our chaos.

We were a force—unpredictable, dangerous, and feared. And we were the "Predators." Everyone at Saitama Middle School knew what we were capable of.

Ichinose, the leader of our crew, was the head of West Side, a gang that ruled the city and surrounding areas. No one dared cross him. His words were sharper than knives, and his presence alone could crush anyone in his path. He didn't love anyone; everyone was just a pawn to him.

Teru, the playboy, used girls as his toys, breaking their hearts just for fun. He was volatile, quick to anger, and often unleashed his rage on anyone unlucky enough to be around when Ichinose or I wasn't there to reign him in.

Katsuya was a loud, obnoxious idiot. But even he had his moments. He was the guy who would give false hope, only to tear it all down.

And then there was me. Mirei Noelle. The girl with the power. I was the brains of the operation, and no one dared mess with me. I was the Shadow, the West Side Princess. I could make or break anyone's life with a single word.

And that's how I earned my place among the most feared group at school. I was untouchable. At least, I thought I was.