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ps: ahem. ahem. long long chapter.
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Iris
She looks like a model if I am being honest. I can feel her confidence radiate as she walks towards Noah with appreciative blue eyes. She is wearing a halter neck simple black silk gown that more of feels like it is wearing her. Her long blond hair has been put up in an elegant bun. She is taller than me, even without the heels, I can tell that.
As she stands, besides Noah, they look perfect together like one of those golden couples.
"I was finding you." She says, looking at Noah.
Noah looks at her and nods. "Why?"
She smiles. "Why not? We're friends."
Friends?
All of them turn towards me and I realize I have spoken out loud. After looking at me from my hair to heels, she smiles at me. In her eyes, I can see a glimpse of distaste before she oh so sweetly introduces herself.
"Oh, of course. I guess you haven't been around much to know that," She says.
This is exactly why I never ever will enjoy these kinds of parties. Rich people's childrenâones who are fed by the damn silver spoonâknow nothing except how to look and judge others.
Then, ignoring me, she looks at Noah. "Oh, Noah. You knowâ"
I blank out, purposely. I have literally no business staying here while this woman just is hereâoh, now, she is touching Noah's arm and looking at him like she just wants him here and right now, in front of us.
"Danielle." I look at Adi and he nods towards the woman. "Her name's Danielle. She is Noah's ex if you wanted to knowâwell if you call your last friend with benefit as your ex."
"I don't care," I say in a clipped tone, turning away and look at this Danielle.
"But you kind of glaring at her."
"I am not."
"Iris, you are." He waves off my glare at him and smiles, slyly. "And why does it matter that if Noah is into blondes?"
I repeat, "He is into blondesâof course, he is."
"It doesn't matter, right?" Adi says. "It isn't that you are jealousâ"
"I am not jealous." I scoff. "I am not. Jealous? Not me. You are."
Why would I be jealous when I know Noah and I are friends, truly just friends? I am not jealous. I guess, I just am shocked that Noah and Danielle are friends after all that friends with benefits Adi is telling me about. I have known Noah for a few weeks and this is just mere proof of how little I know him.
Again, I am not seeing green. Being jealous arises feelings and I do not want to experience those feelings not againâespecially try to risk a good friendship.
Adi nods, slowly. "Okay, I guess the discussion is over."
"You are rightâit is," I reply.
Blondes. His type. Of course.
"Come on, Noah, let's go to the pool house," Danielle says to Noah and he shakes his head.
Of course, he is so sweet with her.
"You go, I will be right there."
Disguising her disappointment, she smiles. "Fine, then. I will wait for you," She says, before going away from us.
I turn to Noah, raising an eyebrow. "That's your girlfriend?"
Noah scrunches his eyebrows. "I do not have a girlfriendâespecially not Denali."
"She told her name like forty-nine seconds, ago. Her name's Danielle," I say, gaping at him. "No wonder you call me Bella. You must forget my name, too."
I can't even take back my words, now. I cannot.
I do not know what I am feeling or supposed to but all I know I am not jealousâI have never ever been jealous in my life. Okay, except when Caleb met Chris Evans in a supermarket in LA.
Before Noah can reply anything, Chris interferes, looking at me. "I heard Percy got hitched with your sister."
"They are official, now," I reply, trying to mask up a smile, as we move inside.
"Okay, I have to ask. Do you have any other sister?" Chris asks me, making a puppy face, and I laugh, lightly.
"Chris, I have cousins who are already married and I do have a sister but she is younger than Tiffany."
"Well, it would have been good to get someone as hot as you and Daisy are."
"At least you tried?" I say to him but I can't ignore the guilty feeling towards what I commented to Noah. "So, where are we going?"
"Pool house where the real party is going on." I hear Adi say, nudging me a bit. I can, literally, feel Noah is walking behind me but I do no effort to look at him.
Once we enter the pool house, I can see a bunch of teenagers and people in their twenties around the place. With the party vibe going on in here, I am not surprised to find some girls wearing their shortest dresses, drinks passing on from one hand to another hand and couples grinding on each other.
This is differentÂâtoo different from what's happening in the main house but still, I prefer this to what we came from.
As we enter, I can see half of the girls staring at us â actually, more of staring at the boys. Noah stands beside me and from the corner of my eyes, I can see him looking at me but I give him no attention.
"Let's go!" A hyped-up Chris says, loudly. Noah pulls Adi away by his hand while Adi whines about how much he wants to party and drink.
I don't know about best friends but Noah is the babysitter for Adi.
But I am left alone, now.
Moving in some direction, someone gives me a red cup. Smelling and looking at it, I think it is just champagne. So, I drink it because who doesn't love champagne.
"Iris!" Daisy says, sitting on Percy who is sitting on a couch, as I go into the party.
I sit on a love seat across them, drinking some more from the cup. "How did the meeting with the parents go?"
"Dad likes her. I know that. They, practically, talked about Anime and cooking." Percy says as Daisy keeps her head on the nook of his neck.
"Really?" I ask, amused.
"Yeah."
"Your Mom?" I ask and, instantly, regret it as Percy and Daisy still and, then, look at each other.
Daisy sits down on the couch, holding Percy's hand, and looks at me. "Iris, Percy's mom..."
"...is not here at her own daughter's birthday," Percy says. "Not that we didn't expect that."
"I didn't mean toâ"
"No worries, Iris." Percy lets out a laugh. "Mother and Dad don't get along very well after their divorce. So, it is all fine."
Percy, even though smiling, doesn't seem okay with it. Daisy notices this too and thus, wraps her hand around his. Percy looks at her and smiles like Daisy is the only star in his night sky.
Only if I have anyone who looks at me with such warmth.
"Where's Noah, Iris?" Percy asks, turning towards me.
I can't help but scowl. "I don't know. Why would I even know? You know, I don't think I know Noah even. I have known him for 20 days and I didn't know he has a girlfriend whose name he forgets every time." I pause. "Okay, not his girlfriendâhis friends with benefit or whatever."
"Who? Danielle? They are not..." Percy trails away, looking behind me with confusion. I turn and find Noah and Danielle, ferociously, making out with each other on the opposite side of the room.
Oh, I see the friends with benefit is still in play.
Rolling my eyes, I look at Percy's shocked expression and Daisy's intense gaze at them. I take a long sip from the cup, keeping it on a counter behind me as it empties.
"Why are you, guys, shocked? I am definitely not."
"Last time I checked Noah didn't like her," Percy says, more like to himself.
"Milady!" Adi comes to us, grinning, with two bottles of water and gives one to me.
"Why do I need this?" I say, looking at the bottle.
"Uh, you drank the spiked drink. So, you need to chug it down before the effects start."
"Spiked? Effects?" I gape at him and he nods. Quickly, I open the bottle and drink the whole thing.
"Wait, how were the drinks spiked? Sam and I had checked it five times since the morning." Percy glares at Adi and I can see how quickly his vibe of scary and serious is showing on him.
"Bro, just found out one of our cousins drugged a few of the glasses but I disposed of them all."
"Sam!" I grin. "How are you?"
Sam looks at me and grins.
"Science-y girl, Iris!" He says and hugs me, tightly. He pulls away and says, "Roses are red. Tomatoes are redder. I think you already know I like you, better."
I laugh. "Sam, really?"
"I thought you liked me better?" Daisy says, narrowing her eyes at Sam.
"Hey, Daisy! Didn't see you there..." He looks like an emoji in a tux as he shrugs, sheepishly.
"You definitely didn't."
"Is Gus with you?" I ask him, smiling.
"Without looking at such a handsome man, you are finding the handsome man's ugly best friend?" He makes a tsk sound, shaking his head and Adi laughs.
"Gus as in Augustus Kim? As in my best friend's brother?" Daisy says, raising her eyebrows.
"Yup," I reply to her.
"Wow. Small world," Daisy says and all of us let out a laugh at her expression.
Percy looks at his watch, before looking at us. "We should go, now. The dance's about to start."
"Say what?" I look at him, excitedly.
He smiles. "You heard it."
***
Two waiters open a pair of double doors as tall as the ceiling and I watch it open to a huge ballroom. It is a sight to see all the chandeliers lit up and the room is full of tables draped in white and completed with towering centerpieces. A huge space is in the room, lighted with different colored lights, hanging from the ceiling.
For a second, I forget I am at the eight-year old's birthday party. Wait, I am forgetting it a lot.
"This is way... enormous?" I test out the word if it fits what I see.
"They never cease to not surprise me," Adi comments, rolling his eyes.
"Iris!" I feel my dress pull a bit and I look down at Tiffany gaping. "There are so many presents!" She squeals and Sam, laughing, puts his hand over her mouth to stop it from increasing.
Percy leads us to our table, which has Adi, Tiffany, Chris, Percy, Daisy, Sam on my right, and... Noah on my left, which is empty right now, and there is another empty chair.
"Iris and Daisy?" I turn and see Gus.
"Hey!" He gives me and Daisy a hug, before sitting across me. "How are you?"
"I am alright." He smiles at me and I notice he still has his serious vibe. Sam narrows his eyes at Gus.
"What happened?"
He gives him a dry look. "Ms. Hamley is what happened."
"Who's she?" Daisy asks, voicing out my thoughts. All of the men scoff, together.
"The fresh meat hunter," Adi says.
"The what?" I ask, looking at all of them.
"Ms. Hamley. In her fifties. Bloody Rich. Going through her sixth divorce." Chris replies. "I literally had to save myself from her touchy hands." He shudders.
Percy says, now, "Hands? Remember that dinner we went to last year, she wanted to play footsie with me."
"Oh my god," Daisy says and we, both, start to laugh.
"She asked me to give her personal lessons on American philosophy," Gus says just when Noah, sits beside me, breathless. He is wearing the black tux jacket, now, but the tie is still unmade.
"Who? Ms. Hamley?" Noah asks, running his fingers through his hair.
"That woman just knows how to fuck," Sam states, taking a glass of sparkling wine from one of the waiters' trays.
Adi gives me a look, before looking at Noah. "Where were you?"
"Oh, with Danielle," He says and from the corner of my eye, I see he gives me a sidelong glance.
I smirk, tilting my face. "So, she is your honey boo boo, now?" I ask, teasing him.
He gives me a look. "Let's stick to Danielle for now. It took me some time to remember her name."
"Oh, Noah. I am not going to let you live this onâ"
"What is fuck?" All of our heads turn to look at Tiffany who is looking at us, confused. Percy glares at Sam.
"Uh... well, shit," Sam murmurs. "It is the... rhyming word of duck. Yes. Yes, it is!" He replies like it is the best thing he has ever said.
"So, ducks are like fucks?" Tiffany tilts her head, confused. I put a hand on my hand to prevent myself from laughing while Noah bites his lower lip, trying to do the same.
"Goodness." Daisy looks up at the ceiling. "No, Tiffany, ducks are not that word."
"Are they assholes?" Tiffany asks and Noah and I almost let out a laugh before controlling it, again. That's what happens when you put a kid with adults.
"Now, who said that in front of her?" Percy says, looking at us, and Chris rubs his neck, sheepishly. "Chris."
"What? Adi was the one who almost agreed to marry our little sister!" Chris protests.
"Hey! Don't blame me for being absolutely amazingly delicious." Adi protests back.
"Do you want her to have the diseases you get from having sex?"
"What is sex?" Tiffany asks, again. Chris's eyes widen while Percy gives him a glare. This gets me and Noah cackle while Daisy, trying to control her own, explains something to Tiffany at which she nods.
"So, it is something bees and birds do to have babies? Do you and Percy will do the same to have babies?" Tiffany says, looking at Daisy and Percy.
This makes the whole table laugh, Noah and I harder than anyone, as Percy shakes his head and Daisy looks away, blushing.
***
Everyone is sitting and chatting in the room but like the curious person I am, I decided to roam around the house alone.
Actually, no. I am just lost.
Nine minutes and five seconds ago, I remember asking about the bathroom, and in the next two minutes and thirty seconds, coming out of the bathroom, I forgot the way.
Yeah, yeah. Silly me.
Thinking this is the one, I open a wooden door but the room is definitely not what I was searching for.
It is a study. In fact, it is a very messy study with papers all over the room but that is not the thing that catches my eye.
There is a painting of closely knitted houses â actually, room-like structures. The background is just brown that I think depicts the sky. Except one, in every room, there are creatures; not only humans and animals but many fictional creatures of every mythology and stories created by authors.
"It is very beautiful, isn't it?"
I turn towards the voice and see a woman looking at the painting and holding a mug as she walks towards me.
She is beautiful, anyone with eyes can see it. The way she walks reminds me of Mom; the confidence in her stance that no one can break her down. It is the exact way Noah walks. Her blue eyes resemble Chris's own and the same brown hair too. Her facial structure reminds me of Amelia. She is tall in fact.
I know, now, she is their mother.
She is wearing a blue long lacey dress that brings out her blue eyes and I think somehow, I am going to get along with her.
"You didn't answer my question?" She says, smiling, and her thick English accent is very evident. It is just like Aunt Gaby's.
I look back at the painting, feeling a bit shy, but I do reply to her. "It is very beautiful and meaningful."
"Then, tell me what do you see?"
"Excuse me?" I look at her confused.
"Tell me what do you infer from the painting."
Again, I look at the painting. "Stories. A lot of untold stories. Every room is unique. Everyone in the room is suffering from something."
"So, in a way, everyone is not exactly unique?"
"Maybe. Maybe not." I look back at her and see her looking down at me with a smile.
"I am Melody Radcliffe. You must be Iris?"
I look at her, surprised, as we shake hands. "Yes- yes, I am Iris. Um, how do you know, ma'am?"
"I know. Anyway, do not call me ma'am. Call me Mel."
"Mel." I smile at her. "I am sorry that I disturbed you or anything..."
"Do not be sorry. I was not doing anything productive and I am enjoying the company." She replies, drinking whatever is in the cup. "I needed to take a break. I may be a fashion designer but... these types of events do exhaust me."
I think I see a bit of a sad expression, way before it disappears.
Four seconds later, we are walking â actually, she is walking towards somewhere and I am just following her.
"So, Iris, you are Daisy's sister if I am not wrong?" Mrs. Radcliffe asks, looking at me.
Okay, she knows me like that.
"We don't look very similar but yes, we are siblings," I reply.
"Iris, I am not Percy's mother but he is like my child. So, answer honestly. Do you think they are good for each other?"
I look at her, answering, "Yes, I do. They are perfect for each other. They could have never met each other after their break up but they did. Even if Noah wouldn't have pushed him into the house, I still think they would have met each other."
Before she can say anything, we are ushered into the ballroom and Gus almost crashes with me and Mrs. Radcliffe. She chuckles. "Augustus. Be careful."
"Sorry, Aunt Mel." Then, he turns to me, extending a hand. "May I have the honor to dance with you, Iris?"
I look behind him and see many people waltzing on the dance floor. My dancer-self jumps out and I grin at Gus, taking his hand. "Sure."
"Don't tell me to do any complicated steps. Please, Iris?" Gus says, smiling at me.
"No promises." Gus puts a steady hand above my waist and I put mine on his shoulders. This time I take notice of his outfit and burst out laughing. He is wearing almost the same tux as the other boys but with a tie that has squid prints on them.
"What? Am I dancing wrong? Shit, I knew those online ballroom classes won't do any good." Gus says and I shake my head, mumbling a no.
"You have a tie of squid prints. Bunny ear flip flops and now, squid print ties? What's next? Panda prints boxers?" I say and he immediately blushes. I, again, start to laugh.
"You do!"
Gus rolls his eyes. "Okay, Iris. I think that's enough teasing for me."
I calm myself down and nod. "Yeah, but I am telling Ava about it."
He gives me a look. "You wouldn't."
"Trust me. I would." I say, as seriously as him, and he scowls. Three seconds later, he raises an arm and spins me away to another person while he has another girl in his hands.
Even after four different dances, I don't end up with anyone I know but I try to keep up the conversations between me and whoever I danced with.
As I turn, I slip a bit on my heel and lose my balance but instead of falling on the ground and embarrassing myself, I fall into someone's chest.
The familiar scent of lemons makes me known who I am dancing with.
"Bella, if you keep on falling on me, I will start to believe that you just want to get on top of me," Noah says, steadying me with his hands wrapped around my waist. I look up and find his amber eyes dancing in amusement as he looks into mine.
"Oh, shut up. Tell any other girl to give you a hand job or something." I retort, rolling my eyes, as I regain my steps, keeping my hands on his shoulders.
"Had fun with your girlfriend?" I say to him.
He raises his eyebrows. "You want to know about my sex life?"
My eyes widen and shake my head. "Hell, no."
He gives me a crooked smile. "To answer your question, it is surprisingly good."
"Surprisingly?" I look at him.
"She is not my girlfriend, Bella," He tells me, looking at me, intensely.
"Noah, I do not care whether she is your girlfriend or not." I turn away from his gaze. "I do not."
"You do," he whispers and I look into his eyes. "You just don't know it yet."
"Let's not talk about what I know or don't," I murmur, tucking my hair behind my ears but still being curly, the tips poke my cheeksâwhat? They do poke.
"Wait," Noah takes out his unmade bow tie from his collar. After brief contact with my eyes, he softly pulls up my hair and ties it to make a ponytail.
Even though it takes mere seconds to do that, he certainly takes a lot of time or maybe it is the time that freezes when his rough and cold fingers touch my sensitive skin on the neck. A shiver runs down my neck and I purse my lips, not wanting any sound to pass from them.
"Your signature is your hair tied up," He says, looking between my eyes. "Don't lose that, Bella."
He pulls away from me but I pull him back. Surprised by the action, he looks at me. I say, "I want to dance...with you."
"Bella," He starts to say something but I stop him.
The song changes but we don't budge from the spot, looking at each other. I am hoping for somethingâanything, while Noah looks between my eyes with a blank expression.
I smile. "Remember that soccer match we had? My wish is that I want to dance with you."
My, my love had been frozen
"Sure," He replies, pulling me ever closer and tightening his arms around my waist. He smirks and says, "You just want to touch me."
Despite the tension rolling off us, I laugh and he smiles at me.
Deep blue, but you painted me golden
"Stupid," I say as I wrap my hands around his neck. "You are obsessed with yourself."
Oh, and you held me close
"No, people do have an obsession with me," He replies, keeping his head in the crook of my neck. "Like you," he whispers.
Oh, how was I to know that
I clench my hands from pulling him any closer than he is, already. Whatever this is, I would be lying if I say I didn't feel goodâbetter.
"You know someone needs to call up a doctor to treat your OCD," I say, rolling my eyes. Then, a small touch on the curls of my hair makes my blood flow fast as I feel Noah's long fingers twirl them around it.
People started talking, putting us through our paces
I knew there was no one in the world who could take it
"I like your hair in curls... and I don't have an OCD, Bella," He, merely, whispers and it takes me five seconds to think of a reply.
I whisper back, "You do have an OCD of talking about yourself like you are the freaking beauty role model for every guy."
He chuckles, "Only you, Bella. Only and only you would come up with those insults."
I had a bad feeling
I frown at how I cannot think straight now and cannot refrain my words likeâ
"Is it bad thaâ"
Noah dips me down so suddenly that I think my heart stops, temporarily.
But we were dancing
He smiles, softly, at me and says, "Never bad, Bella. Never."
Dancing with our hands tied, hands tied
He pulls me back up I come back to his chest, flushed than ever before. His hands are on my hips and every electron in me ignites on that touchâsoft yet so firm. If there was a certain personal space before that dip, there is none now. There is literally no space between my bodies, except for our faces which are still inches away.
Yeah, we were dancing
Even with heels, I still only reach his chin. I have to lean up to look at his eyes which are staring back at mine.
"Chocolate," He whispers and I am numb yet feeling so many emotions at the same time. "Your eyes are a perfect color of chocolate."
Like it was the first time, first time
He leans in, brushing his nose against my collarbone.
Yeah, we were dancing
Before I know it, his lips are taking action, now, as they trace upon every bone defined on my skin. Slowly, they move up to my neck as his hair tickles my face, making me tighten my grip on the collar of his shirt. His tongue lightly trails down my neck, before he tightens his grip around my waist. This makes goosebumps rise on my skin and makes me feâ
Dancing with our hands tied, hands tied
Noah separates from me, abruptlyâno touch, nothing. We look at each other, wide-eyed and very aware of what happened. My body, my heart, my soulâeverything feels on fire but so alive. Cold at the absence of his touch but I know better than to pull him back to me.
Yeah, we were dancing
Noah mutters something in Italian, looking away and running his hand through his hair. He looks back at me for a second, before he closes his eyes and turns in the opposite direction of me.
And I had a bad feeling
Though he is a few steps away from me, I know, at this moment, he is miles away.
But we were dancing
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- a u t h o r ' s n o t e -
as promised! long chapter and updated today! about this chapter: i have nothing to say... i mean imma just leave this with you all and go away...
bis später
Inerys
oh and listen, please please check my other story "Into the Abyss" I want some feedback on that! <3