Ice Cold Love

Part 12

Warning: language, mention of substance

Ronan's POV

Izzy slept like a baby the whole night. I, on the other hand, barely got a wink of sleep since I kept getting up to check on her. I even pressed my hand to her forehead a few times to see if there was a fever, but there wasn't.

I kept going over the words and accusations Amelia had thrown at me the previous night, and I couldn't help but think that maybe, just maybe, there was some truth behind them.

Maybe leaving Izzy alone in a house full of intoxicated students wasn't the best idea. Maybe, if I had checked on her more, I would have known she wasn't in my room. Maybe, if I'd been a little more responsible, last night's events could have been wholly avoided. Maybe, maybe, maybe.

My mind was a whirlwind as I sat up on the sofa in my room and pressed my palms to my eyes. Frustration coursed through me, and I knew I wouldn't be getting any more sleep. Stars danced before my eyes as I got up, threw on a pair of clothes, and, after checking on Izzy, left the room.

I checked my phone as I made my way to the kitchen. It was 7 in the morning. Just looking at the time made me yawn; I'd barely slept. I could hear voices as I descended the stairs and went to the kitchen, stepping over plastic cups and broken bottles and puddles of I don't even want to know what.

I found Mason and Veronica lounging at the island and Hunter standing by the stove, cooking something up. "There's no way I did that," Veronica was saying, outraged. Mason shook his head at her as a chuckle escaped him.

"Did what?" I questioned as I approached the counter and took a seat next to Mason. Despite having slept late, Mason didn't look too tired. Veronica, on the other hand, looked like death itself. "Don't be so loud," she winced. Hunter threw us a knowing smirk over his shoulder. Yup, she was hung over alright.

"We were talking about how little Vicky here crashed a beer pong game. They couldn't play because she drank all their beer," Mason pointed a finger at Veronica.

"Oh yeah, I remember," I played along, "but was that before or after she stole their table tennis ball and tried to flirt with Barry?"

Veronica groaned and let her head drop into her hands as Mason and I laughed. "Shut up you two," Hunter said as he flipped a pancake. He tried consoling Veronica and looked over his other shoulder, "don't listen to them Vicky," he told her, clearly annoyed at our antics.

We knew Veronica was a light weight, and she was usually out like a light halfway through a party. Hunter, being the caring guy he is, usually doesn't let Veronica out of his sight when she was drinking to make sure she doesn't do anything he knows she would regret. It's always quite amusing, really, seeing how different drunk Veronica and sober Veronica are.

"It's alright Vicky," Mason leaned over to pat her back sympathetically, "at least you were too drunk to remember." Veronica let out another indignant groan as Mason cackled at her.

His laughing, however, didn't last long, because Hunter turned to us suddenly, a can of whipping cream in hand, and aimed it at Mason's face.

"Stop increasing my girlfriend's misery," Hunter said protectively. Hunter was always ready to defend the people he loved, even if was all just fun and games, and that's something I truly admired about him.

Mason was similar but he was also annoying as hell; I think it was part of his personality. He usually did all the tormenting. He didn't, albeit, tolerate anyone else doing it.

"You wound me, Hunter Williams," Mason declared after licking his fingers. He put a hand over his heart and pouted. "Yeah, yeah, whatever," Hunter shrugged him off and turned back to the stove as he asked me, "How was Izzy last night?"

"She was fine. I was worried about nothing," I admitted, though I was relieved. I don't know what I would have done if she was seriously hurt.

"So," Mason was smirking at me, "Amelia was right, huh." Of course he'd say that, but knowing that didn't stop me from scoffing at his words.

"Whatever," I muttered, suddenly finding the countertop really interesting. That is some good quality marble, I must say. At the mention of her friend, Veronica peeked up at us from where she had laid her head in her arms. "What's Amelia got do with anything?"

I was about to explain myself, but Mason jumped in, "Hunter didn't tell you? Ronan and Amelia were about to rip each other's heads off last night," Mason seemed to find this hilarious, because he was grinning at me like an idiot.

"Don't be drama-"

"Ronan! You were supposed to be nice to her," Veronica scolded. "Yeah, Ronan," Mason was lucky I was too tired to lean over and whack him across the head.

"Oh," Hunter started, and I knew he wasn't going to help me plead my case, "Ronan was nice alright, if nice means calling people stupid, that is." See? I called it.

I heaved out a sign. My friends were idiots. "That's not what happened," I drawled. "But didn't she help Izzy?" Veronica asked. I guessed that Hunter or Mason filled her in with all the details. "Why were you mean to her if she helped?"

Mason seemed to be hell bent on being a total shit head this morning because he said, "Ronan's mean to everyone, Vicky. I'm starting to think it might be a kink or something."

My shoulders dropped in defeat. I didn't even bother turning to Hunter for help after I heard him join in on their laughter. "You're all a bunch of shitheads," I grumbled, because they were. They were, unfortunately, my shitheads.

Even Veronica, who both Mason and I grew close to, regardless of only having known her since she started dating my other best friend during the summer.

"Did you at least say thank you?" Veronica asked as their laughter died down.

"Thank you?"

Veronica face palmed herself and then moaned in pain, the action probably causing her already hurting head to ache more.

What was I supposed to thank Amelia for? Thank you for your basic human decency? Thank you for screaming at me? Nuh uh, hell no.

Mason noticed how baffled I looked. "Ron, you're fucking with us right?" he asked in disbelief.

Why was he surprised? Amelia didn't do anything extraordinary. And she certainly wasn't nice about any of it.

"She took care of your sister for you, you dumbass," Mason tried explaining.

"Any decent human would have done what she did, man. I don't see why I should go out of my way to thank her for what, the bare minimum?"  I paused, before adding, "And she was out of line last night. She was screaming at me like it was all my fault."

"But man," Hunter started, "she only reacted like that because she was worried for Izzy. She didn't have to check if the guy was still there, or take Izzy to your room and help her get into bed, but she did." He pointed an accusing finger at me.

"You, on the other hand, didn't even offer her a towel to dry herself with, you prick. Poor thing, she was freezing her ass off."

His words sparked a twinge of guilt in me. He was right about the last part, as much as I hated to admit it. I could have been a little nicer, but then again, she could have been nicer as well.

Did I really owe her gratitude? Or an apology, like Hunter was trying to point out? I pondered the thought for a moment. Then, I laughed.

"She won't even want my apology or gratitude after last night, never mind accepting either. I'm not wasting my breath on it, guys, it's just stupid."

Mason shook his head at me helplessly and Hunter just hummed to tell me that heard what I said. Veronica remained silent for a few beats, but then she said quietly, "She might not want it, but she'd definitely appreciate it, Ronan."

I didn't understand what Veronica meant, but before I could begin to ponder upon her words, Hunter slid 3 plates staked with pancakes on the counter in front of us.

I told myself I would think about it later as I dug into my breakfast.