"Is this seat taken?"
Vi didn't bother looking up. She dipped a French fry into a puddle of ketchup so deep it almost drowned, then threw it into her mouth and chewed with the ferocity of someone considering murder. "Do you see a body in it?"
"God, Vi. Where are your manners?" Ren asked as slid into the seat across from her, too smooth for someone in some deep shit. He planted his brown takeout bag on the table between them, his knee brushing the edge of hers under the table — not enough to be an accident.
She raised an unimpressed brow. "I ate them for dinner last night after someone stood me up on our anniversary date!"
He laughed, deep and gravelly, knowing she liked the sound, but would deny it to her dying breath. Ren opened his food container, pretending everything was normal. If there was something the boy could do well, it was pretend.
He'd first met Vi at this very table in the cafeteria, four months ago on a random Tuesday morning. The memory crept up on him — bittersweet and vivid. A faint smile flickered across his lips as he drifted off, lost in the thought of that moment… when he met this kind, unsuspecting girl who really didn't deserve someone as twisted as him.
FOUR MONTHS AGO
The cafeteria sounded like a jungle of teenage chaos. There was merging sounds of unpleasant chatter, chairs screeching, sneakers squeaking on the ceramic floors, someone cackling too loudly over a TikTok video in the corner. Ren stood at the edge with his tray on one hand, scanning for a place to sit.
After scanning the room for half a minute, his eyes landed on the only open chair in the far corner. Across from it sat a pretty girl with her sneakers up on the bench, a muffin half-dismantled beside her paired with a recyclable cup of coffee, and a pink hoodie that declared in bold black letters: THINK TWICE. I BITE.
He almost kept walking.
But she looked up at the exact moment, and smirked. As if she was beckoning him to her.
He put on his charm and walked over.
"Is this seat taken?" Ren asked, nodding at the spot.
She blinked slowly, tilted her head slightly to the side, like she was deciding if he was worth her time. Then, "Only if you're boring."
Ren broke into a grin. "I'm borderline tragic. But charming."
"Good, you can sit." She sat up straight, and gestured toward the chair. "Tragedy's my favorite genre. And charm is really just... manipulation with better PR."
He slid into the seat, tray thudding down, and stole a quick glance at her muffin.
"'The hell is that?" he asked, making a face. "Banana glue?"
She gasped, mock-offended. "Excuse you, sir! This is a banana walnut muffin with chocolate drizzle. It's like, the queen of muffins. It's that superior. And don't you argue with me on this, you'll lose."
He reached over and poked it gently like it might bite him back. "Looks like a piece of shit with all those drizzles."
She leaned forward, narrowing her eyes. "You clearly lack taste, young man."
"I'm sitting with you, aren't I?"
She snorted into her coffee. Smiled. "Okay. One point for you."
He smiled at that — dimples and all. It was a real smile, not the easy, fake smirk he gave most people.
"I'm Vi," she said, licking muffin crumbs off her thumb. "Like violent and vile, not vibe."
"Ren. Like... renovation."
"Terrible," she said, shaking her head. "I take back the point I just gave you."
"I usually say 'like renaissance' but that feels a bit pretentious this early in the morning."
Vi tilted her head. "You say this often?"
"Only when I'm trying to impress girls who defend their breakfast with their lives."
She laughed, warm and clear and loud enough that two people turned to look. Ren felt the melody deep his chest, a tug of something magnetic.
They chatted for a while. Getting to know each other. Joking around and teasing each other. Just... connecting.
Then she unlocked her phone to show him a meme of a pigeon wearing AirPods, and the lock screen flickered up. Just for a second.
A photo.
Beach. Sunset.
Vi and an older man, hugging each other, smiling happily.
Ren's breath caught in his throat.
It was him.
Same worn leather strap on his watch. Same chiseled jaws. Same crooked grin he used to press into Ren's neck when he thought no one was watching. Same perfect lips that used to leave hickeys all over Ren's body.
Ren blinked.
Vi was still laughing at the pigeon.
"You okay?" she asked when he didn't react fast enough.
"Huh?"
"You spaced out like I just confessed I was in a cult."
He shook it off, forcing a laugh. "Sorry, uh– just remembered I forgot to submit my assignment. Had a mild existential crisis."
Vi raised her coffee cup in solidarity and said, "Well, mood."
Ren gave her a half-smile, though his stomach was churning.
She didn't know. She couldn't.
This girl — this beautiful, reckless, funny, kind-of-glorious girl — had no idea the man in her phone had once told Ren he loved him. Had kissed him in secret corners. Had broken something soft inside him when he ended it.
And now?
Now fate had served her up like bait. Sweet and smiling. Completely unaware.
He leaned back, letting the weight of it settle behind his eyes, and then looked at her again, really looked.
Vi.
Jeff's daughter.
"Well," she said, stretching her legs out under the table until her foot tapped his. "You passed the muffin test. Didn't argue. You might live."
"I'm honored," he said, smiling again, softer, almost sincere. "And also slightly terrified."
She grinned, face bright. "Good. Fear keeps things interesting."
Ren lifted his tray, poked at his fries, and made a silent promise to himself:
He'd play this right.
Win her over.
Get close enough to the man who left him.
And when the moment came?
He wouldn't be the one heartbroken this time.
PRESENT DAY
"Digging your grave deeper, aren't you?" Vi's voice pulled Ren back from out of his head. They'd gone on a study date the next day, which didn't involve much studying, but the rest was history.
He blinked, as if snapping back to reality. "What?"
She sighed. "You're not listening to me on top of ditching me yesterday. You know, sometimes I feel like I'm alone in this relationship."
Then, a desperate whisper, "I said I'm sorry, Vi. What more do you want?"
"Well, right now it'd be great if you disappeared form my sight."