Chapter Eleven: When Ren Met Serenity
Ren was in the middle of a nuclear war between one girl, his best friend for years, Scarlet Lister, and someone he had just reunited with a few months ago, Serenity Winters. Serenity decided to sneak inside Ren's room and do pretty much whatever she wanted, while Scarlet had just seen her walk out of the bathroom with little clothes on.
Putting Ren right in the middle of this situation.
Ren watched while the two bickered in front of him and just decided to stay silent on this one. After all, he technically didn't do anything wrong, so why jump in the middle of a minefield?
However, Serenity had Ren deep in thought. When was it that those two met exactly?"
*6 Months Ago*
Ren and his friends Scarlet and Lily, along with another student, Autumn, and Ren's rival, Callum, were competing in a five-on-five mock battle simulation with the Miami Academy, who they crushed without issue. Scarlet and Callum reigned chaos on the frontline, while Autumn and Lily were taking care of any of them that separated from the pack. Meanwhile, Ren was directing everything while also fighting.
"And your winners are the New York Academy!!!!!" The announcer yelled on the microphone as cheers and claps erupted from the audience.
Ren and the others got out of the simulation; however, Callum walked away from the group almost immediately while being pissed off. He wanted to be the team captain, but instead Ren, the guy he hates, was given that position; he didn't even name Callum Vice Captain. Instead, Lily was the vice captain.
After Callum left the stage, the others were greeted by the Miami team. Their captain was named Shaun Conley; he was the #1 ranked student at the Miami Academy.
Shaun walked over to Ren and shook his hand in respect; however, Ren noticed the anger in his eyes along with the nervousness of most of his team, especially a girl with short pink hair and glasses who simply smiled at Ren and walked off the stage with her team.
After the celebration and congratulations went around, Ren realized he forgot his phone in the team locker rooms, so he walked over and overheard something from the Miami team's locker room.
"You fucking worthless idiots!"
"We're sorry, Shaun."
"I don't care if you're sorry; we lost. No, we didn't just lose; we got our asses kicked because of you!"
Ren walked closer to Miami's team door to continue listening in.
"And the most worthless of you is that bitch right there." Shaun yelled, pointing at the girl with pink hair.
"I...I tried." the girl said, whimpering.
"You tried? That's hilarious; you were eliminated in the first four minutes of the match." Shaun said. "Number six ranked student in the skill, my ass."
"Shaun, you gave the orders; you are at fault just as much as we are." one of the teammates said.
"Oh really...." Shaun said, stepping up closer to the teammate.
"So tell me, Josh." Shaun then punched Josh in the face, knocking him down. "Who's at fault?"
"Serenity is..." Josh said, selling out his teammate.
"On that, we agree. Now, Serenity, what should I do to punish you?" Shaun asked.
"I...I..." Serenity couldn't say anything; she was terrified. It wouldn't have been the first time Shaun had hurt one of them, but they had never lost before; this was a brand new type of anger.
It was then that Shaun shoved Serenity down and clenched his fist in anger.
He pulled his fist back past his head and took a swing at Serenity.
Fear crept into the eye of Serenity, who knew what was coming. She closed her eyes in fear....but nothing came.
"Who the fuck are you?" Shaun said.
"Oh? Did you already forget my face?"
Serenity didn't know who Shaun was talking to since she still had her eyes closed.
She began to open her eyes, seeing someone she wasn't too familiar with but had met before.
Ren, the person they just competed against, was now holding back Shaun's arm with little effort.
"Let me fucking go!" Shaun yelled before swinging his other hand at Ren, who quickly grabbed his other hand and kicked his shin, knocking Shaun to one knee.
"I guess your mother never taught you respect, huh?" Ren taunted Shaun.
"Shut Up!" Shaun yelled while trying to escape.
Ren, sick of Shaun's yelling, hit Shaun in the jaw with his knee cap, knocking out one of Shaun's teeth and dropping him to the ground completely.
"Any of you have something else to say?" Ren asked the other members of the Miami team.
None of them did anything; they just looked away or shook their heads; after all, he just dropped their team captain and the #1-ranked student of the Miami Academy with little effort.
"Good, you guys can clean him up...when he wakes up, that is." Ren said, looking at the unconscious Shaun.
"Now, do you want to stay here, or do you want to come with me?" Ren asked Serenity, who was still shocked on the ground.
Ren reached out his hand and waited for her response.
Serenity looked up at Ren and smiled while grabbing his hand.
Ren and Serenity started to walk out of the academy, but Serenity, too nervous to speak, kept silent next to him.
"Hey are you hungry? We can go get some lunch, my treat." Ren offered the nervous serenity.
"Uhm, I can pay..." Serenity said but Ren wasn't hearing it.
"Nah I got it; anything you especially want?" Ren asked.
"Anything's fine..." Serenity said.
Ren smiled, looking at her. "Well, I know a good restaurant nearby; their fries are delicious."
"That's fine..." Serenity nervously said.
The two walked to the restaurant Ren was talking about and took a seat at one of the tables.
Serenity noticed how friendly Ren was, even though they had just met. She also started to blush when she looked at him, her heart beating faster and faster.
The waitress came over and asked for orders from the two.
"Do you want anything special, Serenity?" Ren asked.
"Uhm, can I have some chicken fingers and fries, please?" Serenity said.
"Sure! And how about you, sir?" the waitress asked.
"I'll take the same, actually, but can you put some buffalo sauce on the side?" Ren ordered.
"Sure, no problem; I'll be back in a bit." the waitress said as she walked off.
"You like spicy stuff?" Serenity asked.
"Yeah, spicy seasonings and sauces I love on just about everything I eat." Ren said.
"Uhm Ren?" Serenity asked while starting to fidget.
"Yes?" Ren responded.
"I just want to say thank you. For saving me from..." Serenity was saying but couldn't finish speaking when remembering what happened.
"Hey it's okay. You don't have to thank me. Just what's with that asshole I knocked out?" Ren asked.
Serenity took a deep breath and started to explain: "Shaun comes from a very rich but also very strict family. He's expected nothing but the best, and when he fails...well it's not good. He isn't a terrible guy, but when things go wrong or don't go his way, he lashes out."
"Do you hate him?" Ren asked.
"I don't hate him, but I don't want to be around him either; sadly, I have to stay at that academy."
Ren started to think to himself. She didn't want to stay there, but she had to for some reason.
"Well, hey, at least when you graduate, you can go pretty much anywhere you want to, especially if you become the #1 ranked student. Then every ship out there will try to recruit you." Ren said.
"Me number one?" Serenity asked in confusion.
"Yeah, in that mock battle, even though you were quickly eliminated, you were the only one trying to keep your team together, and if you had just a bit more confidence, I think you could've given us more of a fight. You have potential as a pilot; hell, you could have taken Callum's dumbass down if you didn't second-guess one of your shots. Don't let Shaun or any other jackass keep your potential down." Ren said.
Serenity remembered a moment in the mock battle where she had a clear shot at one of the mechs but because of Shaun's orders she didn't take it because wanted to handle it himself.
Serenity had never even thought about becoming the top-ranked student in the school. She thought it was impossible.
"Okay, let's make a deal." Serenity said with confidence.
This confidence surprised Ren, since she had been nervous since they started talking.
"Sure, what's the deal?" Ren asked.
"I will do everything I can to become the #1-ranked student, but in return, you have to reward me. Three rewards, to be exact." Serenity said.
"So basically, I give you three wishes." Ren asked.
"Yes! and if I get first ranked in my school the next time we meet, I'm allowed to start using them." Serenity said.
Ren agreed to Serenity's deal; after all, it was highly likely they would never see each other again.
Once the food arrived, the two ate, and Serenity fell in love with the french fries, which Ren predicted. The two sat there and talked for hours until it was time for her to leave on her team shuttle.
Ren walked her to the shuttle, but before she went on board.
"Hey Ren?" Serenity asked, her cheeks blushing.
"Yeah?" Ren responded.
"Can we take a picture...together?" Serenity asked.
"I'm okay with it; are you sure?" Ren asked.
"Yes!" Serenity quickly responded.
Serenity got one of the nearby employees at the spaceport to take a photo of her and Ren together, the last time they would meet for six months.
During those six months, Serenity trained like crazy; she wanted to reach the #1 ranked spot so that when she met Ren again, they would spend more time together. She used that photo as her motivation to find her confidence and reach the top spot. She grew her hair out, and her body grew as well, making her the crush of every boy at the Miami Academy. Then, in the final week of school, she challenged the #1-ranked student, Shaun, to a mock battle as the current #2 student.
The two fought fiercely, but Serenity had a secret weapon up her sleeve: she had the photo of her and Ren in the cockpit on the simulation sentinel that she used as motivation. She just barely came out on top and graduated as the top-ranked student at the Miami Academy.
Not long after she heard the #1-ranked student at the New York Academy chose the UNS Eternity to serve on, when Captain Aurora went to recruit her, she had one demand: she would sign up without hesitation. Put her on the same team as Ren.
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