Her Name Was Aelin Ashryver Galathynius (A ToG High School Au)

Coffee, coffee, boy do I need coffee

Aelin POV

Lysandra was with Arobynn tonight. I wish I could help her pay off her debts to Clarisse; I hate it when I see her come back to our room, her eyes filled with sadness and pain. But I couldn't do anything yet. I made an oath to myself, that I would help her and get her free. Plus, as soon as she's free she will consider dating Aedion, and he's crushing on her big time. To take my mind off of everything I called Elide.

"Hey Aelin, what's up?" She asked when she picked up.

"Nothing really. Lysandra's out and I'm bored out of my mind alone, so do you want to get coffee or something? Just us two for once?"

"Sure! Give me ten minutes, I look like a Tim Burton character right now."

"Is Lorcan keeping you up all night?" I grinned. She struggled for words, and I could see her blushing in my head.

"I- He- Urgh! I'll be at your room in ten minutes. Be ready."

-

Rowan POV

I was in desperate need of some coffee. I got hardly any sleep last night - neither did Lorcan. We were worrying about Maeve and Arobynn. It was only half way through Saturday and I was falling asleep on my feet. Usually I can go a night without sleep okay, sure I'm a little sluggish, but it's nothing I can't handle. But today I was exhausted. Everything ached, and I had no idea why. Maybe I just needed sleep. I couldn't sleep, so coffee was my only option.

"I'm going out - do you need anything?" I called to Lorcan. He seemed to be sulking today - Aelin had probably gotten on his nerves again. Aelin. That girl. The tattoo on her back, written in the same language as mine. The way she didn't take shit from anyone, even us. No one had ever really talked to us like Aelin did. Bold and reckless. She kept interesting company though. Aedion, her cousin. He might as well have been her brother. Two sides of the same coin. Elide, Lorcan's girlfriend. Oh, Lorcan was not happy about that. He loves Elide but hates Aelin. It can be quite amusing though. And Lysandra. I'd never really talked or payed attention to Lysandra before. Not that it bothered me.

"If you can make Aelin piss off, that's be great." Lorcan huffed. So I was right, no shock there.

"Try telling her to. I'm going." I left Lorcan to sulk and went to a coffee shop not far from campus. Most students came here, it was called 'Mala's brews'. It was cheap and the food and drinks were alright. That's all a shop like this needs to be successful around here.

"I'll have a large black coffee. To take out." I ordered and soon it came. The shop wasn't as busy as you'd have thought on a Saturday afternoon. I got my coffee and walked out, when someone walked straight into me.

"Watch out." I barked, scolding coffee covering my t-shirt and burning my skin. Not painful at all.

"Maybe you should watch where you're going." Aelin growled at me.

-

Dorian POV

Call me - M

I read the note again and again. I had mesmerised her number by now. It could only be Manon, but why would she want me to call her? We've only ever had one conversation. Maybe she meant it for someone else. What would Chaol say about this? He'd call me crazy. He'd tell me to stay away from her, that she was nothing but trouble. But something in me wanted to call her. Fuck it. I thought and dialed the number.

"Hello Princeling." She said when she picked up the phone.

"Okay - one - how did you know it was me, and two, what is it with the whole Princeling thing?"

"Oh please. Only twelve other people have this number. And why? Do you not like it?"

"Oh no- I- er- I like it plenty. But I get to call you witchling." I blushed, and my palms started to get sweaty.

"And where did that come from?"

"Well I just happen to know the myth of the iron teeth witches - immortal beings with iron fangs and nails. And I can bet that is what inspires your bold nail choice, witchling." She let out a small laugh, like the kind when someone falls over and you know you shouldn't laugh but you can't help it.

"It can grow on me. Now then, why did you actually call me?"

"Well I was wondering - would you maybe want to get coffee sometime?" I mentally kicked myself. Did I really just ask Manon Blackbeak to get coffee with me? Manon Blackbeak? Oh, I bet my ancestors were turning in their graves.

"Sure. I'm free now. Where should I meet you?"

"Now? Erm... I guess - I guess now's good. Meet me at Mala's Brews in fifteen minutes?"

"I'll be there. And you better not keep my waiting, Princeling." She hung up, and I just stared at the wall. I was going to get coffee with Manon Blackbeak. In fifteen minutes. What had I done?

-

Elide POV

I was sat down, drinking my caramel macchiato whilst Aelin and Rowan were still arguing. I had waited in line, ordered, and had my drink given to me whilst Aelin and Rowan yelled at eachother. Honestly, those two.

"You walked into me you useless lump!" Aelin yelled at him.

"I seem to recall it was the other way around!" Rowan hissed back at her. It's been like this, back and forth, for a good ten minutes. Rowan's temper is hotter than the coffee currently spilled down his shirt, matched only by Aelin.

"You owe me a coffee and a new shirt!" I heard Rowan yell. Everyone in the shop seemed unfazed by the commotion, but considering how many people from Orynth Acadmey go to Mala's Brews frequently, I wouldn't be surprised if this happened often. At one point, Manon walked in, and looked around for someone. She spotted me on my phone and came over after ordering her usual. She has never told me what it is, but it looks kinda like blood.

"So what's going on over there?" She asked, eyeing up my arguing friends. Could I call Rowan Whitethorn my friend? I mean we've had some alright conversations, mostly because of Lorcan...

"They walked into eachother. Coffee was spilt. They've been fighting about whose fault it was ever since."

"How long?"

"Ten minutes." She rolled her eyes, and I did the same. Aelin is amazing, but her temper - you did not want to mess with her. I looked over at her and Rowan again - and she smacked someone right in the face. She was gesturing with her arms and hit the poor guy right across his cheeks. I looked closely, it was Dorian Havilliard.

"Oh my God, Dorian I'm so sorry." She turned to Rowan, "Look what you made me do!"

"I didn't make you do anything! You're the one flapping your arms around like a bird!" Rowan shouted at her. Dorian looked around, a hand on his cheek, and saw Manon and me. He walked over to us, his face going a darker red, probably embarrassed that we saw the whole thing.

"Ladies." He greeted us.

"Princeling." Manon said back.

"Witchling." He grinned. I looked between the two, I had obviously missed something. I drank the rest of my drink quickly and stood up.

"Well, I'm gonna go, because there is obviously something going on here." I walked back over to Aelin and Rowan, and grabbed the back of Aelin's shirt.

"Come on. We're leaving." I started dragging her out of the shop.

"This isn't over Whitethorn!" She yelled, but started walking with me. I sighed, and we walked back to campus in silence.

"Hey! I never got my coffee." Aelin realised as we walked through the entrance of the school.

A/n

Sorry this one took a while - it took me a while to come up with the idea. This isn't crucial to how this fic is gonna go at all, but I thought why not. Shits gonna go down in the next chapter, I think. I'm not fully decided yet :)