Iris laughed at Lumi's petulant expression.
"Well," Lorna started. "He certainly has gotten somewhat better over the years."
This was true. When they were younger, Perseus would get incensed if another boy so much as looked in Lumi's direction. He hated their leers, but has refrained from causing bodily harm. Well, he has for the last few years. He had caused so many incidents in the past with her male classmates that Lumi thought it would be better for them to be homeschooled. It was so strange how he went from the boy people were wary of to the boy so many of their classmates fawned over. Especially the girls.
"It must be tough on you," Iris teased her.
Lumi rolled her eyes. "You don't have to brag about how lucky you are."
Though she guessed they were not completely spared from her brother's overbearingness. He always acted as their bodyguard. Yeah, he may go overboard with his sister, but he never failed to check on the well being of her friends. Because he knew they were her girls. He looked especially moved when he had first heard Iris say that.
"She's your what?" He had asked the darker skinned girl, prompting her to repeat what she said. The other children continued to giggle and shriek int the background of their fourth grade classroom.
Iris had rolled her eyes at him. "She's one of my girls. Which means I got her back and I'm not going to let anyone mess with her."
Perseus had stared at her for a full minute before giving her a blinding smile. "Yeah!" he had agreed, his ten-year-old self practically bouncing in excitement. "And you're my girl too!"
It had taken Iris's pure look of disgust for him to reevaluate what he had said before he rushed to clarify that he only saw her as a sister, and that he was sorry, and "oh god, don't hit me."
Lumi snuck a glance at Iris.
She really did seem to bounce back from yesterday's ordeal. The bags were still there, but less prominent. Her swimsuit was a cute white bikini paired with tiny matching shorts adorned with black polka dots. Her hair framed her face in a soft, gravity defying afro. The tight coils were sprightly and lustrous. She stole a few looks from meandering groups herself.
"Why are you checking me out girl?" Iris interrupted her observation.
"When are you and my brother going to get together?" Lumi asked innocently. She tried to copy Lorna's earlier look but felt ridiculous as it was not an espression she usually pulled.
The question caused Iris to stumble. Lorna, who was studying the ocean waves broke out in uproarious laughter. She made a show of snorting and slapping her knee, causing Iris to push her in retaliation.
"You know we're just friends," Iris explained to her. "He's too focused on taking care of his baby sister."
Lumi felt a twinge of guilt. She knew that Iris was not being accusatory. Still, it did not negate the fact that Perseus was more occupied with his sister than any other girl At times, it leaned on the obsessive side.
"You two are always together though." She did not just say that to take the attention off of her. It was just the truth. Whenever she got out late from school due to extracurriculars, these two were always together.
Iris studied her for a minute. Her gaze was not scornful, but it was not kind.
"Trust me, I'm not on his radar."
The girls quieted down; the silence strained for some reason. Iris continued to study Lumi. Lumi avoided her gaze, looking off into the distance.
A boy called out to somebody on her left.
"Hey, you guys," Lorna called out to them. "We shouldn't be stressed by what can't be changed."
The boy called out again, louder and closer.
"We're not worried," Lumi reassured her.
"Yeah," Iris agreed. She crossed her arms and looked at the tanned girl. "We're just acknowledging the fact that her brother is a weirdo."
This offended Lumi for some reason.
"Yet you love his eccentricities." She cajoled the dark-skinned girl. She would not allow anyone to insult her brother.
Iris swished her attention back to her, her expression displeased. "And yet he won't show off those quirks to any other girl but his precious boo-boo." Her voice dropped to a sickly coo.
"Can you just—" The boy was just being obnoxious now. Lumi was vaguely aware that he was calling out to someone in their direction. She would have been tempted to look around if it was not for the fact that she wanted to win the argument at hand at the moment. Before she could say anything, she heard the boy give an impatient huff. She paused. Was he...calling out to one of them? To her? That had to be impossible as she didn't have a wide range of friends. Especially ones who could not call. Her. By. Her. Name.
She had something more important to focus on anyhow.
"Of course, if you're always there he may not notice your uniqueness," she fluttered her eyes at Iris.
"I have never—" Iris became fired up ready to go for the throat. Then she herself paused. She was also getting irritated by the boy's constant calling. She was going to lay into that guy and his friends if he did not fix whatever his problem was now.
"Guys," Lorna tugged at Iris's arms, tilting her head towards Lumi's direction. This made Lumi even more upset. Was she signaling to Iris that she was off her deep end? Why did it seem like they were siding against her.
Iris brushed her off. "It would have been great to show off my skills." She was in Lumi's personal space. The girls had long since stopped walking as this weird, heated argument escalated. "If there wasn't a bug buzzing in his ear."
This actually hurt more than anything she has ever heard. More than the other kids mocking her and Perseus for becoming orphans. More than when they were teased for being the new kids. More than anything that has ever said in the heat of the moment in their entire lives. But why was she so upset? Why did she feel like screaming at the other girl? She had no problem with the idea of her and her brother getting together and have tried so many times in the past to set them up. Heck, she and Iris have danced around this topic for years without becoming this angry. What was different this time?
"Guys!" Lorna again tried to get their attention. Iris didn't even allow her to grasp any part of her as she made sure to keep her back to her. Lumi's eyes flicked to her for only a moment then became rooted on Iris.
"If you would just stop your incessant bickering—" The boy interjected.
"What?!" Both she and Iris screamed at the aggravating intruder.
But there was no one there.
Lorna used this as an opportunity to get between the two girls.
"Not that this conversation is not riveting," she said as she grabbed each girl by the arm.
"Truly, but um..."
"What is it La Llorona?" Iris said, her voice never failing to adopt the accent on the name.
Lorna nodded to behind Lumi. The girls looked in the direction she indicated and saw...what could only be described as a floating ghost boy glaring them. The one who was in the opposite direction from where they initially looked.
"Have I gotten your attention now?" He asked them sarcastically.
It wasn't until much later that he was confirmed to be the nightmare prince.