I'll post the next one soon... probably...
With a new weekend a new chance for shopping has arrived. It was Friday and the girls agreed to go together, just that this time the girls have headed in the mall to buy things they would need for school. Something none of them liked. Spending money on drawing blocks and many different things they would ever buy if it weren't necessary. One of those things was special clothing item for gym class when they start with gymnastics. They could already imagine how the guys gonna react.
Millerna had a car of her own so calling a taxi wasn't necessary, or asking on of the guys. Not even Celena liked asking her twin to give her a lift. He was just like any other male specimen-constantly rumbling about girls and parking.
"We should have brought Van with us when he offered to come along." Iris said casually and three pair of eyes turned towards her. Merle ever felt her forehead in case she has a fever. She just grinned and explained "We could have used him to carry out stuff."
A wide grin spread on Merle's face "Good thinking. Although a bit to late."
Millerna laughed "I already thought you like him and wanted him to be constantly by your side."
"Don't joke with that." Iris said seriously.
"Yeah, don't." Celena agreed "You don't want Nina's cousin to hear you."
"Huh?" Iris turned to her friend "What do you mean?"
"There is a rumor spreading he and Nina are really close and that he would do anything for her." Millerna whispered.
"But it's just a rumor, right?" Iris asked worried. She didn't want to take any chances.
"Um… no. Not exactly just a rumor." Celena admitted "Nina once saw Van hugging me and I had a close encounter with that cousin of hers. I believe his name is Zongi or something like that. It's quite strange name. Anyway, he threatened me." Iris' brown eyes were wide "Nina and me were very good friends before that, but now I try to associate with her as less as possible."
"I understand that completely." Iris said a bit shocked.
"Ok, enough of that." Millerna said cheerfully "We all have our shopping lists so let's shop."
Two girls went on one side in the art accessory shop and other two tried to find a good shop with sport equipment. It was faster that way because they still had some assignments to write for Monday.
"Can I borrow your cell to call my brother?" Celena asked but got no response. Iris was a bit distracted. Turing back Celena saw exactly what distracted her friend and had to admit the new girl had a pretty good taste. The guy was hot.
"You asked something?" Iris asked when he went in a store and they lost him out of sight.
"Your cell phone. Can I borrow it? I left mine in the dorm cause the battery as empty."
"Sure." She answered and handed Celena the device before turning back in hope to see the hot guy again. She had no luck.
"Who is this Balgus?" upon hearing that name Iris froze "Is he a boyfriend?" Celena asked with a wide grin.
"Nah, he's just a friend."
The answer seemed to be good enough for Celena cause she didn't pressed the matter. Something Iris was grateful for. It's not like she could have say the truth. No, he's actually a Ceali agent and my link while I'm in the Protection Program. Yeah sure. Celena wouldn't probably believe it anyway.
Over an hour later all four of them were on the parking lot again and chatted while heading towards the car. Millerna and Merle had a good catch in the art shop but agreed Iris and Celena had a better catch when it comes to guys.
Millerna was a careful driver and everyone agreed it wasn't her fault after a drunk driver that was driving on the wrong side of the road smashed into the left side of her car. Back doors were crushed but the girls were extremely lucky. That is except Iris and the crack on the bone of her left forearm.
She was brought to the hospital right away and half an hour later Van walked in her room. Hitomi was a bit drowsy from the painkillers the doctors gave her but could clearly see the concern on his face.
"I'll be fine." It was dumb that she had to console him.
"Next time I'm driving you." He said seriously and Iris couldn't do anything else but nod.
The ride back was quiet after Iris snapped at her roommate that he was annoying and that she didn't needed anything. Although at the same time she was glad he actually gave a damn. Not that she would admit it that to him though. Ever.
Van was being a gentleman and opened the door for Iris and right away grabbed his duffel bag and mumbled "I'm off to practice now. Give me a call if you need anything." Before leaving her alone.
Iris groaned. The doctor was right. The drug they gave her stopped affecting her and the pain came back "Shit!" she snapped and slowly lied down on the bed. The last thing she needed to do now is move too much. And the best thing for relaxing is a good movie.
Halfway through it she got interrupted though. But seeing the name on the screen didn't bothered her at all. In fact he can interrupt her as often as he wants "Agent Balgus, I'm glad you called. Any news?"
"Not the kind of I would like to have." He answered honestly "So, how are things going in school? Is that girl giving you any trouble?"
"Girl? Oh, you mean Nina. No, I didn't even talked to her yet. Don't have a reason to." Iris smiled even though the Ceali agent couldn't see it "I'm having a bigger problem with a drunk driver and my roommate from time to time."
"Your roommate is driving drunk?" he asked shocked.
"No." Iris answered "A drunk driver crashed into a friends car today and I got…"
"You broke your arm?" agent Balgus got worried.
"Once again, no. It's just a crack on a bone."
"Ok, now that that is settled, about your roommate. Van, is it?"
Iris chuckled "He's… complicated. Sometimes it seems like he's only purpose in life is to irritate me… but sometimes… I caught him watching me other day. And I mean watching…"
"Oh, boys tend to do that…" a soft chuckle was heard "…when they like a girl."
"Not really something you should joke with." Iris said seriously "Van has a girlfriend."
"And a pretty good looking roommate."
"You make it sound like you're hoping he likes me!" Iris protested and agent Balgus just laughed on that "Now about my family. Have you heard from them?"
"Yes, and they are perfectly fine. I'll tell you more about them the next time I contact you. I need to go on a meeting with a director now."
"May I know what the meeting is about?" Iris asked curiously.
"We received some information considering 'your case'."
"Of with you them. You can't leave a director waiting." Agent Balgus just laughed and greeted Iris before a click was heard. Iris sighed and closed her cell phone.
The movie was over and it left Iris with nothing to do. She looked around the empty room and yet again wished she was home with her family and friends. Considering she didn't have 'real' friends here. How could they be real when she was lying to them the whole time?
After several minutes of self-loathing Iris stood up with attention to do the assignments she had but right after sitting down at the table something caught her attention. It was a reflection on the window.
She could not see her face clearly but still she already new everything that was fake on it. And she hated it. It hurt her deeply that she was forced to hide while the bad guy walked freely. Iris sighed once more and ripped the middle page from her notebook. And then she began to write.
"Tell me you don't see me,
Tell me you
don't care,
Coz every time I walk by
You always seem to
stare.
You don't know how its like
to be in someone
else's shadow;
forced to be someone I'm not.
All my life
I've been trying to find the answers
to the question I can't
seem to define.
Every time I look at me
I see someone else
looking back,
with a fake smile
and lonely eyes.
It's
hard to believe that the girl staring back,
the girl I always
see,
Is just the reflection of me.
Sometimes I think of
that girl in the mirror.
Hiding away the pain inside,
a pain
she truly wants to hide.
To everyone's eyes she's
happy.
In everyone's eyes she's laughing.
If they could only
see
that deep inside she's bleeding.
Then maybe I'll understand
me.
As I look once again at girl in mirror.
I turn my back
away,
wanting so bad to break free.
From the reflection of me."
After all the emotions were out of her system Iris headed in the bathroom to wash, somehow. And while she was in the smaller room Van returned from practice. And the first thing he noticed, except his roommate wasn't inside, was a piece of paper lying on the table.
When Iris opened the door she found him sitting on his bed with a paper in his hand. It was her poem.
"Can I keep this?" he asked after few moments and looked at her.
"Why?" the answer on the question was a brief shrug so Iris just smiled and said "Sure. Keep it. It's just rubbish anyway."
"No it's not. It's deep. And really beautiful." All the compliments on her work caused a faint blush to appear on Iris' cheeks. Something Van noticed easily and decided he likes. Not that he told her that.
Morning came way too fast for the guys of Escaflowne High. Because with Saturday the first game has arrived. Against the giants from Zaibach.
Iris thought they were just being silly or even a bit paranoid. But she was wrong. The players that walked on the field looked intimidating. Allen was the tallest in the team of Escaflowne High and yet he looked like a midget next to his opponent that stood next to him.
"There is no chance they win." Celena commented.
"Unless they use some unique tactic that was ever seen before." Merle agreed.
"How about Iris goes down there and whacks each one of them with her plaster?" Millerna asked cheerfully.
All three of them looked at the blond girl "You seem a bit to happy. What did you do?" Merle asked eyeing Millerna.
"Very funny." She acted insulted before leaning closer "I heard the newest rumor about our least favorite snake. Her father might get transferred to Chesario, and that's far away from here."
"When?" Merle and Celena asked together right away.
"Hm… no idea."
The girls groaned and turned their attention to what they came here for, the game.
It was no surprise that Escaflowne High was losing. The surprise was then the guys started to catch on, and even in one moment were in lead for one point. Shock was clearly seen on everyone sitting on the bleachers.
Last two minutes of the game lasted like an eternity and students as well as teachers were sitting on the edges of their seats. But when the horn announced the game was over and the board wrote 85:82 for the hosts nothing managed to stop the stamped of students that ran down on the field to congratulate the winners. It's been a genuine miracle.
"You brought us luck!" Dilandau hugged Iris and swirled her a couple of times, something other guys saw and agreed it was true. It didn't mattered to Iris though. For the first time she had something to be happy for.
