"That was so cool!" Iris yells. "How are you that strong? The only other person I've seen that strong is your-" Jordan is suddenly interrupted by my mother "Sister" my mother blurts out. "That's not what I was going to say. Yes her sister is strong but not like this. This is more like L-" My mother cuts her off again. "I haven't told her so shut up." she seems angry. "If you are going to continue to keep secrets I'm going back up stairs and I'm not helping anyone." I yell grabbing everyone's attention. "Calm down Ash." I hear Iris say quietly. "Is it a bad thing I don't want to listen to people talk about secrets they haven't told me but they want me to still help them. I'm not having it." I say as I leave heading back up the stairs and out the tiny door. Iris follows behind me trying to me calm down.
"Iris stop. I don't care if they think this is a good idea. I hate secrets." I say huffing. "Well if you hadn't gotten caught fighting Lila Thompson maybe we-" Iris mumbles "We nothing. I usually don't get caught when I fight and I usually don't get caught. I only got caught because I was on campus. It's my senior year it won't be long till I'm gone and out of the way of my parents. Being I want to go to college in Cali." I say packing a backpack. I pause. "Would your mom allow me to spend the night?" I ask. "I don't think she knows your suspended for the week." Iris says sheepishly.
"I'm sorry for getting angry at you.." I say genuinely "It wasn't your fault and I shouldn't have taken it out on you." She wasn't looking at me but I could sense her being upset. I walk up, pick her up, and hug her from behind. She squeals "Ashlyn put me down." "Not until you accept my apology. I can hold you for a long time and you know it." I say hugging her tighter. "Okay okay I accept now put me down please." I set her down gently. "Can you text your mom and ask then?" I continue packing like nothing happened. "She said it's okay." "Yay." I grab my bag and leave a note on the counter for my parents then we take my car to Iris's house.
"Any updates I need to know before we get to your house?" I ask hoping to not have to talk to her twin brother or her little brother. Her twin brother, Coby, has had a crush on me since we were 7 even though he is dating Lila. Her little brother, Max, likes to hit me in the leg with his toy trucks. Though Coby is really fun to play basketball with, I always win of course. "Well Max just turned 8. Coby still likes you and he has hit 6'2. My mother thinks you are a good influence on me while my dad thinks you are hella cool and you're his favorite out of all of my friends. I don't think Coby has Lila over but I can check." Iris replies. "Nah don't bother him, if she is there it will be one hell of a night. She might end in a hospital." I say a little to happily.
Is Lila there? Will Coby beat me at basketball? Will all of Max's trucks disappear?
"Hey mom." Iris yells when we enter the house. "Hi honey. Would you and Ashlyn like a snack? We have black berries." "No thanks Mrs. Raina." I'm trying to not get hit by Max's trucks. "Thanks anyway." I rush to Iris's room. I pass Coby, who doesn't have his girlfriend over. "Sup Coby." I say as pass. "Sup Ash. Wait Ash.. I didn't know you were coming over." He hops out of his gaming chair and through the door. "Yeah it was a decision that was made 10 minutes ago." I say walking into her room and setting my bag down. "Doesn't it take 10 minutes to walk over here?" He is leaning on the door frame. His shirt lifting a bit showing his abs peaking out. " I used 5 to pack and 5 to drive here. Anything else?" I pull out my phone to check the 12 texts I got from my parents asking where I am. I ignore them and start searching for my wireless earbuds. I find them and start playing music. " Uh yeah... Rematch?" "Again? I beat you every time and you're 5 inches taller than I am." "Yeah. It's fun watching you do your cute little victory dance." "You think it's cute? Of course you do, not a surprise." Iris walks up behind Coby and scares him by jumping on his back. "Geez Iris you didn't have to jump on me. Get off me." He says after almost falling over. "Then get out of my doorway and stop flirting with my best friend and Ash stop flirting back." Iris jumps off and shoves him out of the way. "Wait you were flirting back?" He says startled. "Yes Cobes I was. It's kind of cute watching you get your hopes up."
I walk into the hallway heading to the backyard. Coby follows behind me almost tripping over Iris. "Don't fall." I say watching Coby fall into the couch after Iris pushed him. "God my friends are idiots." I mumble as I basically jump over both of their dogs, Tucker and Bella. "Hi Tuck, Hi Bella" I pet them then grab the basketball. I chuck it at Coby as soon as he makes it outside. "Really. You did that again. I always catch it." "Always?" I throw 3 using super strength and he doesn't catch any of them. I accidentally put a dent in the side of the house. "Oops." I say with a smirk. "That's no fair. You just gained super human strength out of nowhere." He says standing stunned. Then he walks over and hugs me reassuring me that it won't happen again. Iris bursts into laughter. "That wasn't a one time thing." She gasps through the laughter. "Iris no. What part of secret means tell people?" I say a little upset. "What does she mean not a one time thing?" He says curiously. "Nothing, s-she was joking." I stammer. "You stutter when you lie." "No I don't." "I have watched you for 11 years. Trust me, you stutter when you lie. Not every time but if it's about something big you do." "Stalker much. Why did you pay that much attention?" "Because I have a massive crush on you." Iris chips in "No you're a simp." Coby looks a little offended. "I am not a simp." "Mmhm sure." I laugh. "Call it a crush, call him a simp, he doesn't just like me.." I start joking around making fun of him "He's in looooooove." "Please never say my brother is in love with you. It's weird." Iris says fake gagging. "It's true isn't it." He starts blushing really badly. "I turned your brother into a tomato." I giggle trying to make it worse and he blushes deeper. "Okay okay let's stop torturing him now." I look away from him and see Lila flaming mad standing in the doorway to the back yard. "Uhmm Cobes I think you have a visitor.." I look down not wanting to start anything right now.
"Hey 'Cobes'" she makes quotes mocking my nickname for him. "Hey babe... How long have you been standing there?" He says embarrassed. "That was one long hug." She says staring me down. "Unless you want to lose against me in a fight again I suggest you stop staring at me!" I say with spite and a growl. "I highly doubt a mutt like you could do anything twice." She smiles. "Wanna bet?" I step forward but Coby blocks me. "Ash, not the time. Iris, take Ash to your room." Iris and I leave to her room, which just happens to have a window facing the basketball goal in the backyard. I watch Coby and Lila to see what happens but I can't hear them.
What are they saying? Are they going to break up? Is Coby going to save his relationship?