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ps: it is a short chapter, sorry. next one is gonna be long, pinky swear.
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Iris
The front lawn of the Radcliffe house is decorated with pink and gold; clear balloons having silver and gold glitter in it and pink balloons and streamers. The black comes in the huge electronic sign that says, "Princess Tiffany's Eighth Birthday" made up of diamond shapes. I can't shake the feeling that this was one of the triplets' ideas.
Cars are dispersed all over the neighborhood but the driveway is filled with some expensive carsâoh, my goodness. There is a freaking 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS that was in one of the fast and furious movies.
I, almost, faint looking at the next car.
"That's Ferrari F60 America," I breathe out.
Sensing my awe, Adi wraps his arm around my shoulder. "That's one of the Radcliffes' car."
"What?" I mouth, surprised, and he nods, amused.
"Too rich, I know."
I give him a look. "You are one of the founders of Sky."
"I am at least subtle about it."
Daisy seems so unfazed as we get out of the car. She says, "Why am I not surprised by the number of people here?"
"Because they fucking know a lot of people," Adi states.
"You got that right," I murmur.
As we walk towards the house, I notice white paper lanterns in various sizes have been put on the trees as the guests enter from a grand terrace, that I haven't seen in any of visits to the house but we stop, before entering, as Percy comes, smiling at Daisy.
"All the best," I say to Daisy but she is not listening or looking at me.
"You look good," Daisy comments, when Percy reaches us. He is wearing a black slim-fit tux over a white shirt with a blue tie.
"You are... beautiful, Anna," Percy breathes out before they kiss.
I groan, looking away. Adi shakes his head and says, "Percy, hello to you, too."
Daisy and I let out a laugh, while Percy gives him a smile.
"Adi." Then, he turns to me but when he looks at me, he looks surprised. "Iris, you look... unexpected."
Daisy laughs. "She does."
"Just because I am wearing this," I say, gesturing to my dress. "Doesn't mean I am way cool with it. I am really scaredâwhat if the back fallsâIâ"
"It won't." Adi and Daisy assure me.
Adi adds, "And even ifâa big ifâI will provide my jacket to you." He ponders. "The jacket will suit the dress too."
"Adi," I say, putting a hand on my chest. "You know, you are better than most men."
He winks at me. "I know."
Percy looks at me and I say, "I am still deciding for you."
Daisy says to him, kissing, "You are, for me."
"Okay, we will be going and hope that you both don't do anything kinky here," Adi says, leading me away from the main entrance, through the normal door we always enter.
The Radcliffe house always gets more and more beautiful and elegant whenever I come.
From what I can see, women are in way too good and flowing dresses with fancy hairstyles, and men in tuxes and suits are all over the place. Some are drinking sparkling wine while others are not and they are mingling around as if they have known each other for ages.
I had chosen this dress, unlike my usual style, because I wanted to fit in, but the more I am at this party, the more out of place I feel. Even the buffet tables with pastries and goodies cannot lessen the feeling.
Some people, holding cocktail glasses, look so uptight and rich that I feel like I am walking in a jewelry shop. They are looking at us but, I know, deep down, they are looking and judging me.
"I don't see kids. All are adults," I say to Adi, turning away from them.
"Trust me, the real party isn't here." He laughs while I look at him.
Due to these huge heels, I am wearing, I am almost at Adi's height and I notice more things about his face than I ever did.
He has a small (cute, may I add) dimple on the left side of his cheek. He does have facial hair but I think, he doesn't really prefer to grow it as they have been cut short. His eyes are a perfect shade of brown, not light or darkâjust brown.
"You have your ears pierced?" I ask him, shocked when I notice them. "I got my ears pierced like last yearâlet's ignore the fact that I do not wear earrings so much," I add when I see him pointing to my ears.
He calms down from his laughing and says, "Yeah, call it theâ" He holds out hands in the air. "âpunk age. I got my permission slip. Noah, of course, being the rebel, didn't but still manage to get his lip pierced."
"I knew it! I noticed a small itsy-bitsy hole on the side of his lipâ"
"Wait, what?" He stops us and turns me so that he can look at me. "You noticed his lips?"
"Yeah." I pause and realize what he means. "No. No. No. I don't like notice notice his lips or anything, okay? Like no. Uh, uh, not happâ"
"Iris? Is that you?" We turn towards our left and see Rina as comes towards us. She gapes at me as she says, "I literally didn't recognize you."
"Hi to you too." I smile.
"Recognize me?" Adi grins.
Rina turns to him with a dry look. "Go away."
"Will do no such thing until I meet the lady of the day." Adi pulls me away, before Rina and I can even say something to each other. "We will meet you soon."
Rina rolls her eyes but smiles and says to me, "Iris, you look amazing."
"Thank you!" I say, smiling back.
Adi comments, "It is 'Compliment Milady' day, isn't it?"
"Shut up," I mumble, looking away.
"Something wrong?" He asks as we step off the patio and are in the backyard.
"No," I admit. "Too overwhelming, I guess?"
"Don't worry about fitting in, Iris. Half of these are so fake that even Botox can't hide their fakeness." Adi says, hugging me.
"IRIS!" I hear an excited yell when we pull apart. I notice the surrounding then.
The large backyard is filled with Disney-themed activities and kids in the biggest bouncy-house castle, I have ever seenânow, it would not be a kids' party without the bouncy house. Kids, I expected to see, are jumping in it or are having a tea-party or talking to the walking Mickey and Mini. Also, some kids are grouping over something but it breaks when Tiffany walks towards me with a white with a lot of black stripes ball.
I am about to know that it is not a ball.
"Look, Iris, what Noah got me!" She holds out her hands and there it is. "I call him Zebra."
I don't know whether to ignore a) Noah gifted a kitten of colors black and white, b) that a kitten has been named Zebra or c) that he is one of the feline species.
Here is a thing, I do not exactly, quite literally, really... like cats or kittens or feline species as such. They are furry balls who absolutely do nothing, just want physical attention and if you want that, they will scratch youâ
"Meow?" The kitten looks at me with those watery green eyes andâandâ
Whoosh, there goes my hatred towards this kitten.
"Aw, he is cute." Adi bends down to take him from Tiffany but he glares at him and meows, sternly. He is taken aback. "...he doesn't like me."
"He is cute," I say, smiling, as I bend to Tiffany's height. "Happy birthday, Princess. Got you gifts." I show them to her.
"It's pink!" She says, excitedly.
"Yeah, it is!" I pull her cheek a bit, ignoring the kitten struggling in her arms. "I am keeping them on the gift table okay?" I say, putting them on the table full of gifts that they can make five gift threes.
"Zebra doesn't like me," Adi mumbles. "Everybody likes me."
Zebra, then, slides off Tiffany's arms and goes into the house, making Tiffany realize Adi's presence beside me.
She jumps into his arms. "ADDY!"
"Whoa, Tiff!" Adi says, grinning. "Happy birthday."
"Adi, now I am old enough. So, you can marry me." Tiffany gives a toothy grin and Adi's eyebrows shoot up.
Damn, this girl is all but subtle.
"Tifâ"
"No, Tiff, you are not going to marry this asshole of a guy." I turn around and see Chris, rolling his eyes. Like Percy, Chris is wearing a black tux over a white shirt but with a red tie.
"Very subtle use of words around an eight-year-old, Chris," I comment. He looks at me and stops.
Rapidly and frantically, he searches himself, saying, "Where is it? Where is it?"
"What?" I ask, worried.
"My heâ" He looks at me and smiles. "Oh, look, there you are, my heart."
Despite the heat in my cheeks and, definitely, the color, I scoff. "You scared me there for a moment, Chris."
"And you madeâ"
"She is off-limits, Christopher Robin," Adi says, glaring at him. Tiffany looks between us with curiosity. "Way off-limits."
"I can beâ"
"No. I have her responsibility and I am not letting any idiots like you near her."
"You are no fun."
"You are no fun. I am very fun." Adi turns to Tiffany. "Am I right, Tiffany?"
Tiffany answers, enthusiastically, "Yes. Yes, you are."
Chris glares at Adi. He takes her away from Adi's arms and makes her stand back on the ground. "You are not marrying him."
She says, giddily, "I will marry Stefan, then."
"Salvatore?" Adi and I ask, together. We both look at each other, shocked, but then, give each other low-fives.
Tiffany points towards a blonde hair boy. "He gave me a kiss."
"He gave you what?" Chris looks at her and back, at the boy. "We gonna have a long talk with that boy. I am going to come in a minute," He says to us but before he can do so, I pull him back.
"It is her birthday, Chris. Let her enjoy," I say to him.
He sighs. "I hate it that you are right." He looks at Tiffany. "Tiff, I thought you were finding Cinderella and was going to give her to the evil step-mother?"
I am sorry, what?
"Ah, yes!" Tiffany says, nodding her head before she runs off to the group of kids.
Chris turns to me with a smirk, that seems similar to Noah's. "So, Iris, are you an ice-cream? Cuz I wanna liâ"
"Christopher Robin Radcliffe." I hear a woman's stern voice, after smacking Chris's head. "What did I tell you about respecting women?"
I look at her as she comes in front of me.
She has long wavy chocolate hair, like Noah's, and blue eyes, like Chris. She is young, I can tell that, as she is wearing a black spaghetti with heartline neck long dress which has been paired with red pumps. She would be of Daisy's height, without the pumps.
"Amelia!" Adi exclaims, hugging her. Amelia laughs, hugging him back.
"My brooding brother's over-enthusiastic best friend, how are you?" She asks him, pulling back. Her eyes, finally, look at me and a smile spreads on her face.
"Iris Cooper, if I am not wrong," She says, holding out her hand, and I shake it, smiling back.
"Hello."
"I am Amelia," She says after we end our handshake.
"I have heard about you from Noah," I tell her.
"But I don't think he talks about me much as he talks about you." Surprised, I look at her but she just smiles, waving it off. "Also, should I call you Iris... or Bella?"
"Only I can call her Bella, Amelia."
I turn around only to find my breath taken away from me.
I have always thought that men in tuxes and bow-tie look really good and smart but I am changing my opinion, right now.
Noah Arthur Radcliffe hasn't ever looked better, till now.
He has worn a white shirt with black dress pants that looks like it was designed for him, the rolled-up sleeves making his arms look more prominent. An unmade bow-tie hanging off his collar of a white shirt with top two buttons unclasped as he holds the tux jacket on his arm. Except for his black converse shoes, he looks so formal.
His disheveled chocolate hair is falling upon his forehead and I take notice of the faint scar on his forehead, again.
"Bella," Noah looks at me. There is no smirk on his face; just a crooked smile that feels more personal than ever. For once in my life, I can't get myself to say anything as I look up at the light amber eyes.
My breath increases when he, slowly, slides his gaze on me. There is a series of emotions going through me; excitement, nervousness... and probably, the fear that I may die of how fast my heart is beating.
Finally, his eyes meet mine, and IâI feel likeâ
"There you are, Noah."
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- a u t h o r ' s n o t e -
hi. hi. hiiiii! LISTEN TO VIBEZ BY ZAYN! thank you for coming to my ted talk.
Odabo,
Inerys.