PLEASE READ… because my friend got me a SIMS game and caused my current addiction this chapter was delayed for way too long. It won't happen again. I still have 15 planed chapters to go and I assure you they will be very interesting.

I have received a review request not to discontinue the story and I am taking this opportunity to promise I will not do such a thing. This story WILL be written till the final chapter.

Now that I have said what I believed should be said… on with the story…

Iris glanced at her roommate. Van was acting strange ever since they returned from their weekend at his house. She tried to talk to him about it but he would just shrug her off or change the subject. Soon she gave up trying.

Merle noticed it too after few days "What's going on with Van?" she whispered as they were walking in the gym "He seems so distant lately."

"I know as much as you do." Iris answered honestly.

"Did something happened when you were at his house?" the redhead asked confusing her friend with her question.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked back "Nothing happened!"

Merle eyed her strangely "I meant between him and his parents, silly." She then grinned "What did you think I was referring to?"

"In the past month I'm here I realized how your mind functions Merle." Iris' answer made her frown.

"Are you saying I have a perverted mind?"

Dilandau and Celena were standing behind them and heard the whole conversation and decided to join. Celena was first to speak "Well I wouldn't say exactly perverted…"

Her brother nodded and added to his sister's words "Perhaps a bit improper."

Merle glared at the twins but they just chuckled and started to do laps as the teacher ordered. The redhead acted insulted, but they know better. They knew that inside she knew their words were true. She refused to speak another word with any of them through the entire class. Luckily it was the last one for the day so when the students were walking out of the gym she was her old self once more.

"Oh, today is movie night." She mumbled to herself like some lunatic "Hopefully who ever picked it made a good choice this time. The last one bored me to death."

Iris was observing her from the safe distance when Millerna came closer and informed the confused girl "She does that every time we have a movie night. She's never pleased with the choice but when someone dares to suggest she should pick a movie she throws a fit saying she doesn't have the time or that she isn't interested in the thing anyway."

"She seems interested though." Iris commented.

"Yeah, and that's why no one is willing to admit who picked the movie for tonight. She'll suck that persons brain out." The blond girl said seriously.

A thought made Iris grin "Can we tell her it was Nina who made the choice?"

Millerna's eyebrows rose as she observed her friend closely. After several moments of silence she muttered "I like you Iris, you're sneaky."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

Iris Yuri was seriously confused. She was in the mall walking next to Van who was talking about the movie they were watching last year and in generally acting like everything was normal. Even though just few hours ago he behaved like the sky crashed down. She wanted to ask him about it but reconsidered. It wasn't really her business.

"Anyway, it's always fun to watch in such large groups cause you can barely concentrate on the screen." He explained when she interrupted him "So what's the point of actual movie when no one is watching it?" Van looked at her like she had gone crazy and said in a matter-of-fact tone "We are discussing the movie."

Iris rolled her eyes "You mean you make fun of it."

"It's the same thing." Van shrugged and entered a shop with a very serious mission he was honored to accomplish; he was supposed to buy snacks.

The room where students gathered looked everything but like an actual cinema. Instead of usual in line ordered chairs there were soft bag-chairs on the floor placed in smaller groups so it was possible to walk though and not bother anyone. The screen was on the wall opposite of the door and was a bit smaller then the cinema screen, after all the room was smaller as well.

"Come on." Before Iris managed to gather her thoughts she was being pulled to the right. Turning her head she saw it was Merle, but something looked different on her friend.

A smile spread on her lips as she recognized what the redhead done "Those pink highlights look good." She commented.

"You think so?" Merle turned back and smiled, her blue eyes twinkling "It's not too much?"

"No, it looks awesome." Iris answered honestly "It suits you."

"Aww, thank you." Always friendly girl was touched. But that didn't stop her to unceremonially push Iris on one of the soft chairs before she sat on the other one. There were few ones around them that were still empty but they were very soon filled as well. Dilandau and Celena found places behind the two girls, Allen sat on Iris' left and Van and Nina occupied the places in front.

Millerna was approaching the small group when she noticed how awkward Iris felt with Allen next to her; it was clearly visible on her face. So as any good friend ash walked to Allen and said "Move unless you want to be caught between girls when we start to talk about female stuff."

The threat worked right away. Allen stood up and sat next to his younger brother, still to close for Iris' taste but at least he wasn't next to her anymore. She made a mental note to thank Millerna later privately for saving her.

As she could read minds Millerna leaned closer to Iris and whispered "You're welcome."

Halfway through the movie Iris stiffed and tried to sit different but Dilandau who was sitting behind her asked her to be still cause the movie was really interesting. Iris just rolled her eyes; it wasn't the movie that was interesting. It was the couple that was currently making up on the screen. If Merle doesn't strangle who ever picked the movie she would. Pervert.

But it wasn't the fact they were watching a half-porn that bothered her. It was the problem that followed her for years; sitting calmly in a not so comfortable position always caused cramps in her legs that would last very long and be very painful. And even larger problem was they would bother you not only as long as she was sitting, cramps would come in the middle of the night as a delayed punishment.

"You alright?" Merle whispered not even looking in Iris' direction. The events in the movie were hypnotizing.

"I'll probably sleep here tonight." Iris answered honestly confusing the redhead.

"Huh?" Merle turned to her to see if she was joking.

"I got cramps in both of my legs." She answered and tried to massage them but the pain was unbearable.

"If your muscles don't relax by the time the movie is done I'll carry you to our room." Van leaned back and whispered.

Nina turned to him suddenly but didn't say a word. She didn't seem pleased with his offer but knew making a scene right now would only make her look bad in front of everyone present.

Van was standing behind his words. As soon the lights were on he stood up and turned to Iris offering her a hand to stand up.

"Thanks, but I'll manage." She said smiling to her roommate. That didn't convince Van. He held her forearm and helped her up. Merle looked at him and pouted "Awww, that's so sweet of you."

Nina rolled her eyes and stormed off muttering something no one understood. Van ignored his girlfriend and helped the girl he was boarding with to limp back to their room. The bed never looked so inviting as it did that evening.

Van closed the door and walked to Iris. He sat on her bed and grabbed her leg startling the girl who right away started to kick and in process of doing so kicked Van of the bed. The black haired boy looked at her annoyed from his position on the floor before he stood back up and started to stare at her.

"Are you crazy?" she asked after several moments of his irritating glare.

"Are you crazy?" he asked back "I wanted to massage your legs and ease the pain, but instead you caused me pain."

"You should have told me what you intended to do first! How in the world am I suppose to know that?!" she asked him sitting up on the bed.

"Well now you know." Van said back and sat on the bed before he once more placed a hand on her right leg.

For few moments he was doing fine but his hands were obviously not made for massaging, more like for fighting. He pressed to hard and Iris flinched "Not that hard! Can't you be a bit more gentle?"

Snicker was heard from the other side of the door and a shadow was visible under it. Someone was eavesdropping and they had a guess it wasn't one of their friends or anyone with good intentions. But Van refused to drop on that lever. He shook his head and continued his mission to help the girl that started to grow on him so he couldn't stand to see her in pain. Only that this time he was indeed gentler.

"Is everything alright Van?" she asked suddenly interrupting the silence. His sienna eyes looked up but he didn't answered; instead he bent his head again "I'm not pressuring you to open. I'm just reminding you that if you need someone to talk to, someone who would listen what ever you have to say I'm right here for you."

Van smiled sadly "Thank you. Maybe I'll manage to tell you eventually."