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Iris
We, three, look at each other, surprised, before we rush towards the kitchen. The worst part is I know that voice since I heard it in Noah's house.
"Anna, be still," Percy says again, putting Daisy's finger under the water, as we enter the kitchen.
I look down at the shattered glass and spilled wine on the floor and then towards Percy and Daisy. Percy looks at her finger, before looking at Daisy while she looks up at Percy. They both look at each other until Daisy looks away first.
"Um, we left for some time," Colt says, looking at the mess. "and you both are breaking glasses?"
I look at Colt in confusion.
He knows about them?
Both of them turn towards us, shocked, and then, look down at the floor.
"I remember my Nani telling me broken glasses is a bad omen," Adi says and all of us look at him. He holds up his hands. "It is a superstition; not a real thing."
Daisy murmurs, "Oh no, it was Mom'sâI will have toâ"
"No, you wouldn't. I will do it," Percy says, looking at her with determination in his voice.
"Butâ"
"I will do it, Daisy. It is my fault and let me correct it."
They, both, have a stare-off until Daisy looks away in twelve seconds. Percy sets his lips into a tight line, before looking at us.
"We were drinking and the glass slipped off from Daisy's hand, hurting it on the way. I will clean it uâ"
"We will clean it up," Daisy says, sternly, but doesn't look at him.
He sighs. "Iris, where's the first-aid?"
"Top left cabinet, next to you," I state, before turning towards the boys. I get them away from the kitchen into the living room. I ask, "You both know...?"
Adi pouts. "Noah explained it to me after he pushed Percy towards Daisy. Why did he notâ"
"Not to make you feel any worse," Colt puts a hand on Adi's shoulder, grinning. "But he told me, last night."
"He told you?" I pause, gaping like a fish. "He asked for your help instead of mineâthe person you initiated the idea in the first place?"
Adi looks offended as he pushes away Colt's hand. "I cannot believe Noah's cheated on me."
He scoffs and looks at Colt, muttering a string of words in a language neither Colt nor I can understand. But, honestly, knowing for some time now, Colt and I know better than to ask him to translate the words.
I turn to Colt, making him look at me. "What did he ask you to do?"
"Not much, actually," Colt replies, shrugging. "Just to make sure Daisy is at home when he gets Percy here."
I blink. "What? Thatâthat's it?" I scoff. "Do not tell me his plan literally was to do nothing from his end and just get his brother over here?"
Adi draws out, "Well, gas isn't free..."
"And driving takes energy," Colt adds on.
I ignore them. "Really, why the hell couldn't he tell me? And why did he do that when I was not home?"
I sit down on the couch, frowning and crossing my arms.
Adi, slowly, grins and turns to Colt. "I would like to make this small human my best friend, you can takeâ"
"Nope," Colt stops him. "This human is my best friend, none of yoursâthough you can be her good friend."
Adi pouts but nods in understanding. "Honestly? Only I can handle my big moody human unless someone would to like share the responsibility..."
"Yeah, good luck finding that someone," I say. "I already had a crappy date anâ"
Colt turns to me in a second and sits in front of me on the floor. Since he is already tall, his eye level is the same as mine when he sits in front of me.
"Why? What happened? Did that guy do anythingâ?"
"Heck, no," I scoff. "Just mentally scarred me with that open-mouth eating."
"So, it was shit."
"It was bad."
Colt gives me a dry look. "Alright, mother. It was bad."
"How bad?" Adi asks, curious, as he sits beside me.
I am about to reply when I realize something. "Where's my Yeti?" I ask them. "I don't care about anyone else but my Yetiâ" I pause. "I mean I do care about everyone but it's Yetiâmy baby..."
Adi laughs, shaking his head. Colt rolls his eyes, knowing my antics.
"With Caleb," He, simply, replies.
"Why?" I whine and Adi goes on a laughing spree.
"Caleb took him to his house. Don't worry, he will come back."
"He better do," I frown. "Otherwise, you are going to be the only brother to me, existing," I say, determined.
Colt sighs. "Now, would you tell me everything about the date?"
"Yeah, I am interested too." Adi pipes in, grinning.
I make a face but tell them everything.
"Cristo," Colt runs his hands across his face and looks at me with a grin. "Iris Cooper, you didn't throw apple fucking cider on the guy."
"I sure did."
"Holy shit!" Adi bursts out laughing. "You should have punched him."
"I wanted to strangle him to death," I tell him. "Also, how can people diet?"
"I know, right?" Adi and I give each other high-fives, and Colt gives us a look.
Colt tells us, "I have a specific diet, remember? I mean I eat Kit-Kats now like thrice in a month rather than thrice in a day."
"Big... sacrifice," Adi muses, and I can't help but chuckle at it.
Before Colt can comment, his phone starts ringing. At first, I am confused about why he changed his ringtone but when I see a smile on his face, before even looking at his phone, I get to know why.
Apparently, I am not the only one who noticed this.
"Blushing, blushing, huh?" Adi smirks.
"Go," I tell Colt, poking him with my bare feet.
"Butâ"
"Go to her. We'll talk later. Go!" I urge him, again.
"Yeah, Milady's right. You go get your girl."
Adi hoots and Colt's cheeks turn a bit pink. Ignoring our teasing looks, he gets up and hugs me.
Just before going, he turns and tells us, pointing towards the kitchen, "Tell me everything later."
"Will do!" I say.
As Colt goes to meet with Victoria, Adi turns to me, excited but there is something else tooânervousness.
"Want to try out my new game?"
"Wait, your game?" I start smiling. "Do not tell meâ"
"Yes, I am a game developer but mostly, I am a software developerâor I think so, I am," He adds the last line, hastily.
"You must be good," I say, punching him, slightly.
He laughs. "You are too nice, Iris." He looks at me, expectedly. "Wanna try still?"
"Hell, yeah!"
Fifteen minutes and six seconds later, I groan out.
"What? That had to be right."
Adi and I are in my room. I look at Adi, now sitting in the bay window while I on the bed, to give me hints but no, he has to look at me with an amused expression.
"I didn't think it would come sooner but I hate you, AS."
"All my love for you, Milady, is still the same," He says, laughing.
"Shut up." I look at the rabbit on my laptop screen and groan, again. "I hate these rabbits," I murmur, starting the game again.
Adi starts to explain, "It is an IQ based gameâ"
"Ah! What theâ" I close my laptop, angrily huffing.
"You couldn't even cross round 3?" Adi bursts out laughing.
"Because my IQ level isn't like a hi-tech alien," I say, dryly, and he starts to laugh more.
"You know I think you are pretty much obsessed with aliens," He says, after laughing for thirteen seconds.
"Because when aliens do come to Earth and conquer it, I don't want them to kill me," I state, as a matter of fact, emphasizing more with my hands.
"I think creatures do exist but Alien is a cliché term for them."
"Adi, you literally named one of the characters as Alien," I tell him, giving him a look.
"Because I was out of names for a weird creature! What would I have named it anyway? Alinus Enmosa?" Adi defends himself.
I pause. "Alinus Enmosa?"
"Yeah, then its initials would be Ali En. Get it? Ali En?" He asks, grinning.
"What the hell?" I frown. "You are mocking me"
Adi laughs at my antics. "Milady, you are too nice and cute, and no," He answers. "I am not mocking you. Also, I am not really a game developer and I like making software applications more than this."
I look at him, confused. "Then, why are you making it?"
"Um, time pass?" He rubs the nape of the neck and looks at me, sheepishly. "Can I lay on a small secret?"
I put my laptop, away, and give Adi all my attention. "Do you want to?"
"Yes," He starts. "I have a pen name. You wouldn't have heard about it but hey, I trust you enough to tell you this."
I smile at him, encouraging. "Thank you, Adi, but you are killing me with suspense here."
He tells me, "I am Socrates."
"No, you are not. Socrates was aâ"
"Not Socrates with an s, but Socratxâreplace the es with x."
There is some laptop falling from my lap onto the bed and a lot of shocks as I gape at this eighteen-year-old boy.
Sky is an emerging e-commerce company, started by two people: Socratx and Arixtotle, five years ago. It was, mainly, targeted towards single parents who can get babysitting facilities. Slowly, it started selling school stationaries and necessities for the parents, especially for single mothers.
Now, five years later, it is one of the best e-commerce companies. Now, it sells almost everything, except groceries, for everyone but there is still a specific different part of the app for only single parents.
Socratx is the developer and is one of the founders.
And Adi claims to be Socratx.
I justâ
"Shut up," I let out a laugh. "You are joking, right? Socratx is some twenty-year-old guy notâI don't believe you."
Adi smiles as if he expected me to say this. "Listen to a recent radio interview and you'll know."
"You're messing with me, no?" I say, scrambling towards my phone to listen to an interview with Socratx. I look through the internet and click on a random radio interview of Socratx...and weirdly, the voice seems similar to...
"Holy shit," I say, looking up at Adi, who is looking back at me, amused. "Socratx is in my room? The rumored President of Sky is in my room?"
"You flatter me too much, milady." He waves it off. "I am not going to be the President; I am just the developer."
I hold up my hand. "Alright, give me a moment. Let that information sink in."
"You are so dramatic," Adi says, laughing.
"Says you," I retort, laughing with him. "You are eighteen and have co-founded this whirlwind company and have launched two more applications? Wow, I get now why you don't do your homework."
"I get grounded, too, and I still have to go to college, otherwise Ma will..." He gestures cutting his throat.
"Hold up," I look at my closed laptop. "Am I the first to try the... game?"
"Yes"
"Oh my god" I look at him. "Noah knows about you being...?"
"Obviously," He replies.
"Then, why didn't you ask him to check this...?"
He gives me a look as if I should know the answer. "He's busy with... some stuff," He says, shrugging.
I frown. "Where is that idiot?" I ask him. "I need to talk to himâabout his so-called plan and also, how can heâ"
"I am ready for torturing!" He takes out his phone as it starts ringing. He sighs, pouting. "I hate chores."
"Just like a normal human being," I state, and, when he gives me a dry look, I laugh. "We have left Daisy and Percy for enough time."
Adi has a wicked gleam. "They must be doing freaky things..." He starts wiggling his eyebrows.
I look at him, confused. "Halloween is in October, Adi."
He blinks, before bursting out in laughter. He mumbles something about innocence. "Anyway, can you drop me off at my place?"
"Sure," I say, getting up from the bed. "If you tell me where Noah is."
"If I tell you, he might never come to me in one piece."
"Hey!"
We both laugh.
***
It has been an hour and five minutes since I dropped off Adi under his apartment. Knowing that he is a famous gamer and designer, I shouldn't have been shocked about where he lives â a penthouse on the top floor of the apartment.
Since Julio called me to come to school, I am in school, practicing my routine for nationals (that's in progress), though I have no idea what's the theme for this year. But Julio isn't here when I reached.
"Damn. Damn. Damn," Someone says as I lift myself from the bridge with the beat, ending the song.
I turn to see Julio, leaning on the door frame, with a proud smile on his face.
"That was perfect."
"Gracias," I say, breathing properly, and turn off the music.
I have been so into the idea of practicing alone in the studio that I forgot to wear my normal attire; I am still wearing the white dress as my jacket is kept over one of the chairs (thank goodness, I ain't sweating).
"So, Julio, what are you doing here on a Sunday?" I ask, interrupting him.
"I actually called your cell but you didn't pick up. So, I called your home and Daisy picked up â why didn't you tell me she is in town? You do know she is one of my closest friends, right?"
"Well, I am sorry," I say, not at all sorry.
He just shakes his head "I didn't think you would come, though." He smiles, smugly. "Because of a certain date."
"Daisy," I grumble. "I swear I should have been her elder sister."
Before Adi and I left the house, we both had peeked into the kitchenâonly to find Percy and Daisy kissing. All I have got to say after that is things escalate so freaking fast.
Julio sits down in his favorite chair. "The theme for the dance fest has been announced."
"Wow, seven days before the actual thing. So, what it is?" I ask him.
"Uh, uh. Not gonna tell you, hun," He says, shaking his head.
"You are kidding." I gape at him. "I have to tell Kei, too."
"No."
"Wha-what? Then why did you call?"
"To tell you that it has been announced."
"You can just message me that."
"Yeah. But the anticipation makes your life much easier, right?" He pursues his lips to stop himself from laughing.
"You sound like my favorite webtoon creator who loves cliffhangers and flipping the plot. I hate you so much, Sir," I say and he starts to laugh.
"Oh-kay, now, off you go."
He gestures for me to go out. I look at him, confused.
"I don't have any idea and now, you are kicking me out."
"You know the only moment I always see you free and unstressed? When you dance. All I am going to tell you is that, after you find out the theme, find your home â your heaven. Now, you go."
Speechless, I nod and go out of the room, thinking about his words.
That's right, actually. I feel like all of my problems, whether relevant or not, are taken away for that particular moment. I just feel free and happy. This is one of the many things why I love dancing.
You may see me stressing about it a lot but at the end of the day, I forget the reason I am dancing because I am just dancing and I love it.
In another way, I can say it is an escape; escape from the way people judged my dancing, from my anxiety and overthinking abilities, from people who still talk shit about me, and... from grieving Grandpa's death.
A sound of a ball striking a pole brings me out of my reverie. I look around and find myself in front of the entrance of the soccer field, which is open.
Coach Tucker isn't here in school... howâ
Again, the same sound comes from the field and this time it is harsh. Snapping out of my frozen state, I go towards the field but stop as I see a man, having his back towards me, slowly running towards the ball.
In a matter of two seconds, making a really good arch, the ball goes into the goal post.
Looking at him, I lean against the bleachers. Not too far away from the goal post, Noah is kicking the balls. I take my time to look at him, before announcing that I am here.
He has worn a classic white t-shirt and black jeans with black converse shoes as his jacket is kept just beside me. His body is sweating off so much that his t-shirt is now clinging to his body, revealing his abs and toned arms and shows off his lean and muâ
"I know you are watching me, Bella." He doesn't look at me, running his fingers through his wet by sweat hair.
"How? How do you know I am here?" I ask, surprised. "I didn't even make any sound."
He doesn't reply as my phone rings with the Kim Possible beep. I take it out of my jacket only to see Caleb has messaged me.
Caleb
3:45 pm
get some chips when u r back
Iris
3:46 pm
Why?
Caleb
3:46 pm
just do it, sis
I roll my eyes, just as I feel a presence beside me. I look up and find Noah, amused, as he looks at me. Since hasn't worn his jacket yet, my eyes divert to his arms but I turn away my eyes before he can notice me staring.
I hear him say, "You look..."
I raise a brow. "What?"
"You look unlike you." Something passes on his face but he quickly hides it with that never-changing blankness.
"What do you mean by that, Noah? Tell me honestly."
He tilts his face and murmurs, "How, how do you not see it?"
"Human eyes aren't exactly functioned to see their owners," I reply, stupidly. He chuckles and looks away.
He comments, "You are so... not normal."
"Hey!" I push him on his arm but he doesn't fall offâI am sure he is made up of cement. I frown at him and say, "So, leaving Percy to handle it was your plan?"
He shrugs. "Percy is an adult; he is fully capable of handling the situation alone."
"Well, I thought you were going to pull up a plan like the one in The Parent Trap," I say, frowning. "I was so excited to do something but no, Noah the Stupid wouldn't let me."
He, very calmly, replies, "That would have been complicated and we didn't need any more complications than they already have."
"You know what happened?" I ask him, alert.
"No but Percy promised me to tell me later and I think Daisy will tell you too."
"They were acting all cozy with each other, last time I checked," I say and he chuckles.
"I wouldn't have been surprised if they would have jumped upon each other at the first sight."
"I know, right?" I let out a laugh.
After four seconds, I look at him as he runs his fingers through his hair. Being this near, I can see some dark circles under his eyes, and, suddenly, the ambers have turned into a very ugly yellow shade.
I don't like this shade.
"Something wrong?" I ask, nudging him by his shoulder, as a strong breeze passes. He looks at me, conflicted. "You don't need to tell me if you don't want to," I say, quickly, as I turn to look away.
"It is not that I don't want to. I just don't know what to say," He says, sighing. "Can I stay at your place today?"
Taken aback by the question, I look at him, surprised. "Why?"
"I'll tell you later, Bella. By the way, your hair..." He points to my head. I touch my hair and feel my hairband has gone away.
"What theâ? Ugh. I don't have another band, right now." I groan and he chuckles. I tuck some of my hair, falling on my face behind my ear. "One of the many reasons I cut my hair, this." I point towards my hay-wired hair.
He laughs, heartily, and I smile. Unlike my open mouth and loud laughter, his laugh is more musicalâsuiting his velvety, with a brush of rasp, voice; a kind of laughter that can make a baby stop crying.
I wonder why doesn't he laugh so much.
Noah looks at me, smiling lazily. "I like long hair, though."
"It doesn't matter to me what your opinion of my hair is," I say, dryly. "I never tell you that your hairstyle reminds me of a palm tree."
A lie.
Pursing his lips, he looks at me as if he knows I am lyingânot possible, I don't believe he knows that.
"I have one-of-a-kind style. Not everyone can pull up this look," He replies.
"Don't flatter yourself so much, Noah," I say, smiling, and we fall into a comfortable silence.
"Well, this was great. I think we should go," I say, after seventeen seconds. We both get up and start to move towards the school parking lot.
Suddenly, Noah takes out his keys, pressing some buttons, and I hear a car unlock sound.
"Rich people," I mutter, rolling my eyes. He just chuckles and doesn't reply. Coincidently, his car â a black Bugatti â is parked just a car away from mine.
"Nice car," I tell him, opening my own.
He looks at mine, smirking, and says, "Yeah, I know." When I give him a look, he just shrugs. "Just telling you the fact, Bella."
"Suddenly, I am getting Batman vibes," I tell him and he shakes his head, amused, as he leans on his car.
Before I get into the driver's seat, I turn towards him, saying, "You can stay tonight. I'll let you crash in the guest room but you have to tell me the reason."
He sighs, running his fingers through his hair. "Thank you, Bella."
Muttering a bye to him, I get into the car and pull out of the school.
***
Before I head home, I go to Caleb's house, buying chips on the way. His house is forty-five minutes away from mine and I actually like his house more than mine because it always smells like something good is being cooked.
Reaching the door, I ring the doorbell twice.
"Coming...!" Five seconds later, Aunt Stevie opens the door and pulls me into a hug, tightly. I smell the atmosphere and damn, it smells cake and something like cheese.
"Hello to you too, Aunt," I say, smiling and hugging her back. She pulls back, looking at me. "Where is everyone?"
"His room," She states, smiling. "What have you got there?"
"Caleb asked for chips," I say, moving towards his room but Aunt's voice, makes me turn on my heel.
"Before you go home, meet me in the kitchen. I have made lasagna. So, take it home, will you?"
"Heck yeah! I love you, Aunt Stevie." I grin at her and rush towards Caleb's room. As I open the door, Yeti yelps and run towards me. "Missed me? I know you did," I say, petting him.
"Did you get the chips?" I hear Caleb ask me.
"I am fine, bro. How are you?" I throw the packets toward him.
I look at everyone, a second later. Michael, Caleb, and Tom are playing Call of Duty, Alyssa is showing Nick something from her phone and he makes a face at it while Victoria and Colt are, on the bed, very cozy with each other but fighting about something.
I go and sit between them (third wheel, much?) while Yeti on the cushion, Caleb kept for him. Finally, they both look at me.
"Iris, tell this dumbfuck..." Victoria points to Colt and he scowls. "Summer is better than Winter."
I look at both of them. "Is this what you both are arguing about?"
"Iris, you know how Summers are... sticky and sunny- too sunny," Colt tells me.
"Iris, you know how Winters are... snow and wet and we have to wear too many clothes," Victoria tells me.
Then, Tom pitches in, without looking at us. "If you don't want to wear, you can always take them offâwhat the fucking hell? You traitor!" He shoves Michael.
"Ignoring that... I think any season that doesn't include raining much or snowing much is better," I tell them.
"Rains are romantic," Alyssa says, looking at me.
"I agree. Like in The Notebook..." Victoria says and they sigh, dreamily. "Ryan Gosling is a dream," She says.
I share a look with Colt, who is raising an eyebrow. He says, "Ryan Gosling has been everybody's crush at least once."
"Have you seen Timothee Chalamet? The guy is H-O-T hot!"
"Yeah and Liam Payne..." They both sigh again.
"Okay, now that guy is a dream," Alyssa says as a matter of fact. "What do you say, Nick?"
"I'll prefer Harry Styles. Thank you, next," Nick tells them, scrolling down his Twitter feed.
"Weren't you guys talking about Summer and Winter?" Caleb asks us, as Michael and he eat a lot of chips together.
"Ya, this conversation..." Tom says, waving over Aly, Nick, and Victoria. "is so weird. Like dude, why do you need them when you have got handsome and hot men right in this room?"
Colt nudges me, mouthing, "Fight is coming."
"Go shove your ego up your butt, Archiekins," Alyssa throws a pillow at her twin.
"Shut up, Little Red Riding Hood." Tom throws the pillow back at her.
"Oh, you did noâ"
"PILLOW FIGHT!" Caleb screams and within two seconds, all of us are beating each other with pillows. Before I can take him away from here, Yeti yelps loudly and goes to sit a line outside of the door of Caleb's room.
After a lot of fight in four minutes and five seconds, I slide underneath the bed, breathing properly.
Just then, I hear Nick say, loudly, "WE ARE NOT KIDS, PEOPLE. STOP THIS TORTUROUS CHILDNESS!"
I snicker just as Victoria slides under, beside me.
"It is like a stampede in the outer world," She tells me, nodding towards our wild friends.
Before I can reply, my vision is white and my face and mouth are filled with cotton and... feathers? It takes me a second to see Victoria's horrified expression and in two seconds, we both start coughing.
"When we say 'pillow fight', we include everyone!" I look up to find Tom and Michael giving each other high-fives, laughing.
Victoria and I look at each other and I know we both are thinking the same thing.
"ATTACK!" we both say, scrambling out of the space. I pounce over Tom, taking his pillow out of his hands, and I start to tickle him.
"HAHA- stop it, Cooper. FUCK, HAHHAH!!" Tom tries to roll over but I don't give up and continue my assault.
"What is... how many times do I have to remind you not to have a pillow fight?" I hear Aunt Stevie's stern voice and everyone stops, becoming a statue.
She stands at the door, gaping at us, and beside her, Yeti whines. I take this as a cue to notice everyone.
Both Alyssa and Victoria are on top of Michael on the floor, who has his hands protecting his face. Caleb is on top of Colt, who is trying to get him off his shoulders with a pillow while, the most â or, what I thought he is â mature man, Nick is standing on top of a table, cupping his mouth as if he was going to shout.
"Uh... hi, mommy dearest," Caleb says, dumbstruck, looking at his mother. Aunt Stevie gapes at him, shocked.
"Caleb Humphrey Wallace." The rest of us let out a laugh. "Get down this instant," She tells him, breathing. "Whose idea was this?"
"Caleb," We all say, except the guy himself.
"I thought we all were 'One for all and all for one'..." Caleb says, coming down from Colt's back and Colt breathes in relief. We all stand properly, beside one another, giving each other amused looks.
"I want this cleaned in five minutes otherwise everyone is chugging down a liter of kale smoothie," Aunt Stevie states, pointing at every one of us.
"Butâ" Caleb is cut off by his mother's voice.
"The time starts now!" She says and goes away, followed by silence in the room.
3, 2, 1...
All of us burst out laughing.
"Time is ticking away!" Aunt Stevie yells out.
"Okay, you heard Stevie. Get it all cleaned... fast! I don't want to drink kale smoothie." Nick says, clapping, and we all get to work. "If you all had listened to me, we wouldn't be in thiâ"
... And the rest of us throw the pillows at him.
ââââââââââââââââââââââââ
- a u t h o r ' s  n o t e -
ah, i love the gang. the chemistry and the fun... hmm, i wish i had a gang like this. hey, a gang of pillows count, rightâah, nevermind. ð¤·ð»ââï¸
also, what do you all feel about daisy? also, percy? tell me in the comments.
until next chapter,
Inerys