“Why do you do that? Why do you hide from who you are?” He asked turning on his side. He never understood her fascination with hiding her identity. She was skilled in her artistic abilities, she could be earning millions off pieces of art if she wanted, and she was a genius but hid it. She strived so much to not be like her mother and find her own identity, but he found it contradictory that she didn’t to want admit her status was a part of who she was. It was the same as being heir to a throne but denouncing it out of fear or selfishness.
“I’m not doing anything. I just want to be normal.” Iris said rolling on her side avoiding his gaze. She felt him scoot closer. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer spooning her from behind, and she fought the shiver. Why did he fit so well there? Why did he invoke such feelings from her?
I have got to get out of my feelings. Mufasa is not dying right now. This is not the Lion King. Sheesh.
“What is normal? It’s so overrated. I like you as you are.” He could sense her discomfort and like always he conceded. “Are there any guys you’re interested in?” He hated asking the question. His jealousy making the pits of hell look cold.
“What?” Her heart galloped at an unprecedented rate in her chest. It was the prize winner in the Kentucky derby and even broke world records, she was going to set another new record—her heart was going to launch itself out of her chest and lie on the ground exposing all her dark secrets. Eep!
How did he know? Did she slip up and say something? She sat up, running her hands through her hair she glanced at Chester. He laid there smirking at her. He did know?! What the hell?
“You jerk!”
“Iris, calm down. What did I do?” he said sitting up. Now he was bewildered. What was she exactly accusing him of?
“You know?”
“What do I know?”
Wait a minute…was her secret safe? She hunched over her secret like the golem that kept his ‘precious’ away from others; hissing at anything that was a threat. She was a volcano exploding, the magma devouring everything in its wake. Burning its way into her heart, her mind, the ground and her cheeks…because they were on fire. She hated boys!
Chester stared at the blushing young woman. Was there a guy she fancied? Someone that she was interested in? He suddenly felt like he had a case of heartburn, and it wasn’t pretty. Would it be unsightly to snarl…to snatch her and hide her away in a cave while he marked his territory? Pretty barbaric.
“I don’t know if I want to answer that question Cheese. I mean it’s different now that we’re older.”
“No it’s not. Nothing has changed,” he bit his tongue. He sounded desperate. He didn’t want their relationship to change. He didn’t want her to change. He wanted her to remain his forever, to be enamored by him…to love him. He wouldn’t be happy knowing she chose another; maybe he should leave sooner than he anticipated. If he did that, he would be running away. He didn’t want to leave her alone. What if she fell into the hands of a pervert? He would keep everyone away from her and when there was no one left but him, he would wait with open arms.
“Cheese, I don’t like that look.”
“Hmm?”
“It means trouble. C’mon we better go in. I have class tomorrow. What will you do tomorrow?”
“I don’t know. Work in the studio. Do you still have the studio here?”
“Of course. You know how dad is,” she said smiling.
***
The first day of class consisted of freshmen trying to find their cliques, stereotypical athletes pulling pranks, teachers rushing through the halls, and of course there was Iris who knew a little bit of everyone. She was an asteroid drifting along an undefined path until there was a gravitational force strong enough to pull her in. Every now and then she would get an occasional tug which led her to her greatest predicament, Axel. She felt a pull from him but she was still confused about Chester—more like terrified of him rejecting her. Still, she couldn’t deny the attraction she had for Axel.
“So what did you guys spend the summer doing?” Crystal asked as the group met up at the front of the school. Iris’ mind flashbacked to her first encounter with Axel. Would he find her? She wasn’t so sure. She had on blue skinny jeans, long sleeve collar shirt that stretched beyond her waist and golden sandals.
“Nothing much, you know how I am.” Iris was grateful when Natasha came to her rescue. “I was stuck watching my bratty sister all summer long.”
“What about you Amie?” they all turned to look at the shy girl who in turned looked at Crystal as if she was asking for permission. “I didn’t do much. Went to cheer camp.”
“I didn’t know you were interested in becoming a cheerleading.” Natasha asked genuinely surprised. “Yeah, I’m going to try out this weekend.”
Just then the bell rang signaling class would be starting soon. Iris glanced up when the girls in the group stopped. It reminded her of that cliché moment in the movie when the hot guy enters and everyone freezes, and bow down to his sexiness and prowess. She was grateful there was no awkward moment of her running into an open clocker or slipping and busting her butt.
Thump.
Uh oh. Her heart was doing that weird thing again and it felt like she had a stomach ache.
“Hi Axel.” Iris rolled her eyes at Crystal’s antics, at least she was braver than her. She felt Natasha elbow her in the side. Ugh! She hoped she didn’t give her away. She finally looked his way and watched his eyes widen slightly before he gave her a smirk. Did he recognize her? Why was he looking at her like that? Oh god…he wasn’t coming over here. Was he?
“Look, I don’t want to be late. I’ll catch you guys later.” She scurried away.
Iris sat in history twiddling her thumbs. She didn’t know why she had this nervous habit. She imagined her mother busting onto the scene shrieking like a mad woman and setting the place ablaze when Iris began to bite her nails. She shuddered at the thought, pushing it away, she focused on the task at hand. History…bleh.
She didn’t understand why any teacher would want to give sleepy deprived students another sleeping pill. She yawned and slunk further into her chair when Natasha came in. Crap. She forgot she had this class.
“So you wanna tell me what that was about?”
“What?” Walking over to her desk she watched Natasha slam her palm down. “You know what, McDerman.”
“Okay, okay, don’t cause a scene,” she whispered yelled to her friend while her eyes darted around the classroom.
“Is there something going on between you and Axel?” Natasha asked. Iris body became hot. Was it her or was it getting hot in here? What was up with all the questions? This wasn’t the Spanish inquisition.
“Umm, there’s not much Tasha.” She said as her face was set aflame. Damn this girl. Iris hated to be caught off guard. She didn’t know what that smirk from him was about. She was looking down at her desk hoping Natasha would go away. Shouldn’t class be starting by now? Why was everyone moving slowly? Giving up on the notion she faced Natasha. She was startled and suspicious by Natasha’s behavior. She didn’t like the smug look on her face.
“Hey, I didn’t know you had this class too.”
Her heart flat-lined.
It was Axel Rotterdam…and he was standing behind her.
7
I Won’t Fall for You
Axel was pleased to see the vivacious blonde from the weekend. Today she was dressed casually compared to the white dress he’d seen her in when they first met. His mind flashed for a moment almost as if he was missing something, he pushed it aside. He wouldn’t confuse the color of her dress. Blue jeans adorned her legs, nice collard long sleeve shirt hung loosely on her. She was striking and dressed very casual golden sandals added to her complete look. He’d never spent so much time observing what a girl wore. He wondered why he didn’t notice her before. A masculine chuckle fell from his lips, when he noted the blush that swept up the back of her neck. Her small hands were balled in
to small fists in her lap. It was cute.
He honed in on her. There was finally something he wanted to do, something he could pursue without pressure from his parents. Sometimes he felt they were living vicariously through him. His grin grew, this was a decision he made on his own. It wasn’t or hadn’t been planned for him. Finally.
“Found you.” He snickered noting her reaction. He’d have to thank her friend later for helping him. He took a seat behind her as the teacher entered the classroom. History, just got a whole lot better.
Iris sat in her seat quaking. Her desk rattled and rockets shot out of from it bursting in the sky spilling all her secret desires in the form of sparkling patterns. She gulped once again. Why must she be like every other stereotypical teenager with boy problems? If she had a choice, she would choose to be the confident, outgoing type—instead she was left with a horse galloping in her chest and dizziness. Did people still swoon?
She wondered why she was in history. She was a girl from a long-lost empire hunched in a cave coveting her surreptitious private affair, when the soldiers from a neighboring empire would discover her meager existence and drag her before their benevolent king. Just when she was forced to her knees to endure the king’s demands the heavens opened and shined down on her.
Holey grandmother’s panties! The bell has rung. I’m free!
Iris jerked in her seat and fled the classroom. She was Jeff Gordon wining the grand prix. She gave a shout for victory when she made it out of the classroom unscathed and Axel free. She was going to kill Natasha later. Her ass was grass. She glanced furtively over her shoulders expecting him to jump out at her any second. She ignored the sinking in her chest when she realized he wasn’t behind her.
Geez, I’ve got it bad. That jerk and his good looks. I hate it!
Lunch couldn’t have come fast enough. She decided to skip out on lunch with her friends today and spend some time under the large maple tree outside the school. Her friends were okay with it, even they were aware of her mood swings. She couldn’t believe she behaved in such a matter with Axel. She’d already met him for crying aloud. He probably was going to think her some weird strange chick. Besides, did she want to start something with Chester waiting at home for her? She didn’t know what she wanted anymore. She had intended to go after Axel all this time, but then Cheese showed up throwing a monkey ranch in all her plans. She felt like a washed-up ringmaster who couldn’t control what was going on in his own circus. Taking a deep breath, she scanned her surroundings. No Axel. Good. It was safe. Sitting down she dug into her lunch.
“I didn’t peg you as the shy type.” The apple she was preparing to bite into fell from her fingers. It rolled away from her like a lone tumbleweed in the desert seeking a home. She was petrified. Why was she suddenly so nervous? Was it because of Chester or was it because she was feeling something?
“I like it. A different side of the girl I rode with to the hospital.” Iris swallowed her trepidation. She could feel his body heat through the tree bark. “You must’ve forgotten the other time we met in the library. I remember a certain someone being a little shy,” she said smugly.
Axel froze. He didn’t remember talking to her in the library. His mind was an asteroid shower shooting off sporadically in undesignated pathways across the universe, having a sublime effect on all those who witness its brilliance. His mouth dried up. Standing suddenly, he approached her.
“I’m sure I would remember a pretty face like yours,” he said while leaning over her. Iris felt like she had a stich in her side from his sudden closeness. Now that she focused, she realized they were nose to nose and his breath fanned across her lips. Her vision tunneled. They were in an open field and it was just the two of them. Would he take it from her? She threw her head back and danced with arms stretched out. Looking up towards the sky her heart soared as she realized that it had already been taken by another.
“Don’t worry sweet cheeks, there will be other chances.” She looked at him perplexed. He seemed different now. The jarring bell alerted her to the afternoon classes ready to ensnare her and put her into an eternal sleep.
“Whatever lover boy,” she said rolling her eyes and walking away while her heart raced in her chest like sprinter doing the two hundred meter.
She groaned when she spotted Natasha, Amie, and Crystal at her locker. Looking at Crystal she knew she was jealous, but did a poor job trying to hide it under a friendly façade. Meh…she could go screw herself.
Looks like the wicked bitch of the west isn’t very happy with me. I wondered how it would feel to punch her in the throat. Probably good. I bet really good.
“We never got around to hanging out this summer,” Crystal said with jealousy reflected in her eyes. Well Iris supposed she would be jealous too if the guy she was interested in was vying for the attention of another girl. Her heart tanked thinking about her problems with Chester. What would they do if they knew she was friends with a rock star?
Bleh, like I’ll ever tell them.
“Yeah, I was busy helping my dad. Nothing exciting.” “Well I heard Axel sat with you during lunch.”
Ouch. She didn’t know Amie could be so bratty, clearly she’d been spending too much time with Crystal. Iris wasn’t a push over. She may be cool and down to earth, but she could be snobby when she wanted to, it was a talent that only those born from wealth could master.
“If I thought it was anything important I would’ve mentioned it.” Her inner girl jumped in glee clapping, cheering her on at Amie’s stained cheeks. Little brat. It’s what she got for trying to intimidate her. “Oh, don’t be that way Iris. Amie’s was just a little curious.”
Yeah right cow, and you’re hiding a hooker underneath that skirt.
Hell, she was probably the one that put little Amie up to it. “Axel sits behind Iris in history. It probably was something about class,” Natasha refuted for her. Thank the heavens the girl has gotten her marbles back, she clearly lost them or sent them scattering this morning when she set her up. She fought the urge to roll her eyes again, at this point they were going to get stuck.
“Yea, you’re totally right. I can’t see how it could be something more. He’s totally untouchable.”
Crystal, you slut! He very much wants this. Hag!
Iris would give anything to shove her fist down her throat. It was time to cut Crystal out of her life. She was no good.
“Look, if you’re going to be a bitch, you can fuck off.” She said looking Crystal in the eye. She sneered at her before stalking off to her next class. Dark satisfaction filled her giving her twisted pleasure at the fearful expression on Crystal’s face.
Ommgggeee, did she think I was going to hit her! I know that I’ve dreamt about it many times, but c’mon on I’m a lover not a fighter.
She hated drama.
***
Axel stretched before starting his laps. Iris filled his mind, his nostrils flared as he thought about getting his hands on her, she was certainly interesting and different. If he brought a girl like her home his parents would approve. Her friend Crystal had been forcing herself onto him lately and he hated it. He wanted to do the chasing. He wondered if Iris even knew. He bet she was probably the type of girl who didn’t care about stuff like that. Axel didn’t know what he exactly wanted from her. She made him forget about his home life. He lost himself in the rhythm of the beat as his feet hit the pavement while he ran. Running was his escape; it was the one thing he could do to release all the turbulent emotions inside of him that were building up waiting to explode. Running allowed him to have a cathartic released. If anything happened where he couldn’t run anymore he would fall apart.
“Dude, I heard through the grapevine that you were getting close to the innocent rose.” Axel didn’t understand where he was coming from. What were they a bunch of women? Apparently, Brad took this as a chance to further elaborate his thoughts.
“You know she won’t put out. Pretty much everyone has tried to get with her. Only two w
ords, epic fail.”
Axel didn’t know what came over him. He blanked for a moment. One minute he was running next to Brad like they were best pals and the next second he was staring at a bloody face. The blood coated his fist and his body still pumped it out furiously.
Blank.
He was in the principal’s office. His fists trembled as he looked around the cold hard exterior. He couldn’t have done that to Brad. The principal smiled at him and told him the school will handle it, but his parents would be arriving soon. He sunk further into his chair.
Blank.
The principal had left and his father was screaming at him, his voice reverberated around the small office, giving him a headache. He couldn’t hear anything but his father’s angry voice filling his mind, beating against his skull. He wished he would stop. He clenched his head. The thought of his poor mother at home sick and frail made him nauseous.
“Are you listening boy!” Axel grunted at the fist that twisted painfully into his abdomen. His breath left him in a whoosh and he slumped onto his father. His father stood back and watched as he fell to the floor grabbing his stomach.
“Get up boy.” Axel crawled into the chair and sat as the principal returned. Did he bruise his ribs? Everything ached right now. He felt sore and discombobulated. He kept his head down as the water gathered in his eyes. He couldn’t let anyone see. What would they think?