I walk into the room with a sigh. I slam the door close as I rest my head on it. 'Today is not my day.' The sound of footsteps approach behind me and I straighten up, and smile. Can't let him see me down.
"Hey, where were you?" His gentle voice brings me back to reality, as I turn and look at him.
"I was at work, it was a long day." 'Oh who am I kidding, I was fired two weeks ago.' He looks at me, disappointment in his beautiful face.
"Iris, your work called today. You have yet to clean out your desk." He sighed and moved to the couch that sat about three feet away. I follow him,
"Why didn't you just tell me?" He asked, and I groaned,
"It's not something I can just blurt out." He stood, rather quickly.
"Two weeks, I. Two weeks." 'He's weak.' The only thought that came to my head, as I heard his voice crack. This happens every time we argue. He cries. I roll my eyes and walk away.
"Where are you going?" He asks, as I pull on my jacket.
I look at him, "Out." And I slam the door behind me. Leaning against the door, I take a moment to enjoy the silence filled in the halls of our apartment. Suddenly my phone rings, I groan as I check the caller ID, and answer immediately.
"Hello?" I say, 'he's never called me before.'
"Iris, we need you to come home." Those six words sent me over the edge as I let some tears fall.
"When?" I take a shaky breath, trying not to remember what it was like there.
"As soon as possible, we need to talk." I nod, before realizing he can't see me, and I take a deep breath.
"Yeah, okay, I'll be there tomorrow." It's silent on the other end, before I hear him chuckle.
"Okay, see you then." Not knowing what to say, I end the call, and lean against the door.
Why did he call me, and not mom? That's the thought running through my head as my heartbeat picks up. It's about mom.
The realization scares me into action. I rush into the apartment, ignoring the man in the kitchen and race to our room. He follows behind, asking me the rush, and what's going on, but I ignore him, finding my bags and packing some clothes.
"Iris, what is going on?" He asked, annoyance starting to over take him. I stop and look at him. He's angry, and annoyed. I sigh,
"Dale called, he wants me to come back home, I think it's about mom." His eyes light up,
"Wonderful, I'll come with, let me pack first."
"No!" I say, almost too quickly, before composing myself.
"No. Dale hates you, Eric." 'That's the only reason I'm still with you.' I sigh at that passing thought, the same thought that occurs every time I look at him.
"Your mom loves me right?" I smile,
"Mom loves everyone, Eric." 'That's why she's with Dale.' He smiles,
"Please let me go, I want to be there for you." He steps closer, I step back.
"I'm not sure." I say hesitantly, my mind racing.
He came closer, and I just tried to ignore him, packing my bag. I turn my attention to packing, when I felt his hands on my waist. I sigh, 'Get your nasty hands off me.'
"I know you wanted to wait till marriage, but, since you're leaving, can we please?" He tugged on the bottom of my shirt, I push him away,
"Go get packed." I say, so he doesn't ask me for something i don't want to do, and he smiles,
"Yes ma'am." He kisses me.'Do not ever do that again.' I let out a sour face as he walks away, sighing as I fix my shirt.
I close my eyes, and let the vibrations of the airplane soothe me. I smile as I think back to my mom. She was amazing. She was funny, and she never let me just settle. My thoughts are ended by someone grabbing my thigh. I open my eyes and look down, seeing his hand creeping closer and closer, before he reaches the end of my shorts. I shift uncomfortably. I move his hand off me, before he puts it back.
We play this game for about five minutes until I stand, aggressively. I smile before mouthing, 'bathroom.' He smiles and nods. I make my way to the bathroom, before closing it and sighing.
I step off the plane and take a deep breath in, smiling at the fresh air. I rush off the plane and through the airport looking for my mother and stepfather. As I finish finding my bags, I turn around and bump into a chest.
"I'm so sorry, I wasn't watching." I mumble, taking a step back and tripping, him catching me.
"It's absolutely fine, you almost died there yourself." I smile, he chuckles, and moves to the side. "Sorry for almost murdering you." I nod, a blush of embarrassment filled my cheeks as I left him.
My mother appeared from the crowd and I rushed to her, enveloping her into a hug. She chuckles and smiles, "Iris." She's crying, causing me to feel the familiar lump in my throat and the burn in my sockets.
"Mom." I'm crying, happy to see her again. Dale comes into my vision and he smiles. I smile back, only to be nice. His smile falls when he looks behind me, turning my head I see Eric walking towards us, and I let out a victorious smile. He walks closer, "You're still with him?" He sounds panicky, as if it's an issue. I look between him, and my mother. "Yes..?"
He looks at me and sighs, he grabs my shoulders, and forces me to look at him. "You need to end things between you two." I open my mouth, to oblige, but I cannot. I've wanted to for so long, but it always brought a smile to my face to see my stepdad scowl in his presence. I almost nod, before my judgement returns, "I cannot. I, I love him..?" It came out as a question, of course I do not love him. I never did.
The car ride, was very quiet, and very long. It was a Twenty minute ride, going the speed limit, but it felt as if an eternity.
Pulling into the driveway, I feel my heart pounding. I take a deep breath as I open the back door, and step out, into the freshly paved gravel. I look below me and chuckle. "New gravel again?" Mom smiled, "Yeah, the old one was getting a little worn down." I open the trunk I and grab my bags, Eric right behind me. I ignore his proximity, although, I'd prefer him farther away. I grab my bag and turn around to give him a small smile, when Dale walks out on the phone, looking, rather pale. I walk closer, never seeing him nervous .
"Yeah, that's the issue." He groaned, and I hear him groan. He makes eye contact with me and quickly ends the call in the next second.
"Hey kiddo, you knip that in the bud yet?" I shake my head, hoping he won't drop it, so I can do it right now, much to my dismay, he drops it and makes his way into the house.
I follow him, and see my mother standing in front of the bar, with her arms crossed, glaring at Dale. I look between them, having a silent conversation in their eyes.
"Fine, you tell her!" She stomps her way around the kitchen. "I'm cooking dinner."
She walks around the kitchen, occasionally growling, because we are in the way, so I leave, and go up to my old bedroom. I walk into the room with a sigh. I close the door and rest my head on it. 'Breathe, Iris, Breathe.' I take a deep breath, and close my eyes. I turn, to look at my old room, when I was younger, and see Eric standing at my dresser, looking at me.
"You good?" He chuckles, walking closer, the only light in the room from my window. I groan, and make my way to my bed, avoiding him completely, and he follows.
"You remember." He chuckles, and continues, "How when we were younger, we would lay here and just talk." He starts to play with the ends of my hair as I look at him. The guilt in my chest suddenly becomes heavy, and I release a smile. He sighs, "It's been what?" He counts on his fingers. "Six years?" He chuckles, "And you're still a virgin, the one bet, I never won." I roll my eyes and groan, "I told you, I wanted to wait until marriage." I smile,' I just didn't and don't want to sleep with you.'
"I know, I know, I just, we've been together for so long you know?" He starts to play with my fingers and he pouts. I cringe my eyebrows together.
He looks at me,grabs my hand, and smiles, "Will you, marry me?" I jerk my hand away, and stand from the bed. "Marry? You?" 'I don't even want to be around you.' "I can't. I'm sorry."
"Wait, why?"
I walk out of the room, as fast as I could and come down the stairs, in time to run into a hard figure. We both stumble, I fall onto the stairs, I yelp, my spine hitting the stair and I groan in pain.
"I am so- Iris?" I look up at the sound of my once best friend, and see her brown eyes. I smile, the pain duller than before, and stand slowly. "Cordelia." I say. We chuckle. I walk up to her and wrap my arms around her, taking in her scent. I feel tears burn my eyelids as they threatened to spill as I buried my face into her neck. She chuckled and patted my back. "I missed you too." I pull away, to where she was at arms length, and I smile. "I'm so glad you're here." She smiled, "Me too."
Dinner was a bit awkward, considering the man I don't love asked me to marry him. I never felt as if we belonged together, I always felt uncomfortable in being around him, but I suffered through. My stepfather hates him, and that was enough for me to 'love' him.
"So, Iris." Dale said, standing from the table. I drop my fork casually, and look up at him.
"I need to talk to you." I slowly nodded and stand, my heart pacing. I followed him out of the dining room watching as Cordelia stood as well.
"Iris, I need to tell you something." He said, as we entered the kitchen. I closed the door, "Yeah dad?" Dad, such an easy accident to call someone who has been in my life since day one.
He takes a deep breath, "I was hoping for a little extra time, but he wants to come see you tonight." He mutters and I pick at my unmanicured nails. "Dale, what is it?" I ask, peeling off a bit of the old, blue nail polish.
"Iris. I sold you."