Weird but Fucking Beautiful

Chapter One: A Few Moons Ago

Cassia's POV.

The glass breaks at my feet and I immediately bend down to clean it up, feeling a bit disoriented. I need to gather myself. Is this a dream? Could that really be Ronan? What day is it? Who was that other person I heard? I accidentally cut myself on the glass, lost in thought and shaking a little. I can sense tears welling up in my eyes. The sight of red blood and pain from the cut brings me back to reality, to this present moment. Ronan quickly grabs my wrist and pulls me upright.

"Shit, Cass, are you alright?" He asks, leading me away from the crowd towards a restroom. I feel another wave of dizziness, perhaps from the cut. The urge to vomit and a pounding sensation in my head make things worse.

"I... I'm a little confused right now... what's happening?..." I inquire as Ronan runs my hand under cool water, presumably trying to clean it. He looks at me with a puzzled expression.

"Are you feeling okay? Have you been drinking? You're at Chris' house... at a party... coincidentally, I also happened to be here. I saw you dancing and thought I'd say hello since we haven't seen each other since Evie and you moved in... Do you need me to take you home? You seem intoxicated," he states, grabbing some paper towels to apply pressure on my hand. After that, he locates a first aid kit and properly bandages my hand.

My thoughts start to regain clarity. Ronan is here, talking to me. I'm at Chris' party... this happened about three months before Ronan's accident... someone was listening. I've been given an opportunity to save him. That must be the reason I'm here. Overwhelmed with emotions, I embrace Ronan.

"I've missed you," I whisper into his chest, surprising him. I practically grew up around him but I don't think I have ever hugged him before. Ronan has been a constant figure in my life, however there has been some tension since their mother and Evie's father passed away. Tears continue to stream down my face. He must be so bewildered right now.

Ronan's POV.

Cassia hugs me tightly, expressing how much she missed me. I can feel her tears as they soak through my shirt. I hug her back, albeit more loosely. It's quite apparent that she is intoxicated. I gently pull myself away from her embrace after a while

"Should I take you home?" I inquire sincerely. She shakes her head.

"No, I'll be fine. I'm here with Evie, anyway. I can't leave without her," she mutters, wiping away her tears. Her blond hair is disheveled and cascades down her back. She doesn't have her shoes, and her mascara is smeared quite evidently on her face. But, sure, she claims to be alright. However, she's correct about one thing: if she arrived with Evie, she certainly cannot leave with me. Evie is already pissed at me.

"Alright, let me at least help you in finding Evie, so I can ensure she gets you home safely," I suggest, hoping she won't oppose. She gazes at me, briefly giving me a slightly worrisome look. She can be quite stubborn.

"Okay, you can help me find her," she replies, shrugging. I proceed to walk back towards the party, scanning for my sisters. Unfortunately, my sister is more challenging to spot in a crowd than Cassia. With her blond hair and bright clothing, I could easily spot Cassia from a distance. In contrast, Evie has dark brown hair and typically wears darker attire. When I finally stumble upon my sister, I almost mistake her for someone else. She's in Chris' backyard, making out with a guy I've never seen before. Not exactly the image you want of your little sister. I can barely recognize her with some Rando's face attached to hers.

Suppressing any inclination to start an argument, I sigh and tap the guy on his shoulder. "Hey, Evie, Cassia needs a ride home," I say, avoiding eye contact with both of the professional PDA-ers. Evie lets out a sigh and disentangles herself from the guy.

"I'm a little busy right now, Ronan... I'm sure she'll be fine," Evie retorts, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Yes, because a lone, clearly intoxicated girl at a party is the epitome of safety, Evie," I roll my eyes in response. Evie shoots me a glare.

"If you're so fucking concerned about her, then you babysit Cassia, like the great knight in shining armor you think you are," she retorts. Cassia starts crying again.

"You should really be... nicer... to Ronan...he could like...die one day," Cassia sobs, giving me a peculiar look, as if I were some sort of ghost, and hugs me once more. What's gotten into her? Even for someone who is drunk, she's acting oddly. She's genuinely sobbing. Evie gives Cassia an odd look.

"Good luck with her, it seems she really wants to spend time with you... just in case you kick the bucket later," my "loving" sister quips, laughing at me, before returning to her random make-out session. I gently extricate myself from Cassia's grasp and grab her wrist, leading her back inside.

"I'm sorry... for bothering her... I'll be alright... You don't have to worry about me," Cassia sobs, her blue eyes filled with tears.

"Absolutely not, come on, I'll take you home myself. It's no trouble at all. I was done with this party anyway," I say, attempting to guide her outside towards my ol' faithful. Cassia adamantly refuses to walk, to the extent of sitting on the ground while crying.

"You can't take me home... My house is too far away, and it's unsafe. Something could happen to you... please..." she mumbles, looking down. Is she insinuating that there might be a risk if I drive her home? I mean, I know her father is strict, but I wouldn't think he would be opposed to me driving her home while she's intoxicated. Nonetheless, I have a feeling she won't relent on this matter.

"Cassia, come on, I'm not leaving you in this state at this party. I really need you to come with me. I can either take you home, or you can stay at my house tonight if you need to, and I'll sleep on the couch," I suggest, hoping this back-and-forth and this peculiar night can finally reach a peaceful resolution. Cassia sighs and looks up at me with sorrowful eyes.

"Okay... we can go to your place," she mumbles, standing up.

"Alright, but only if you're certain that's what you want... I don't mind driving you all the way home, though," I assure her as we continue our short walk to my car parked across the street. She follows me to my parked car, and I assist her in getting into the front seat. I then drive her to the house I share with my bandmates. Once we get there, I offer my support as she exits the vehicle and guide her to my bedroom.

"You should take my bed for the night, while I will rest on the futon," I propose, settling onto the futon in my room. Cassia lingers near the doorway, gazing in my direction. Eager to rest, I hope she will not object. "There's really no room for discussion. It would be best for you to lie down," I mention, successfully persuading her to lie on my bed.