Chapter 11

(Iris POV)

I just got out of the shower and was getting ready. I figured this was going to be a nice event so I put on a teal cocktail dress that came up to my knees, this dress didn't have a very low neckline but just to make sure my stitches were covered up I put on a shawl. I was finishing up my hair when I heard my buzzer ring.

"Come on up." I talked into it as I buzzed him in.

I opened the door and it turned out to be Amber and Renee for our regular girls night...I totally forgot.

"Whoa, where are you going? Renee asked,

"I'm going to see the Phantom Of The Opera."

"Who are you going with?" Renee asked again while both girls looked at me confused. "Just a friend, I'm sorry I totally forgot about tonight. But you have to go." I said trying to push them out but they wouldn't budge. "Who is taking you tonight?" Amber asked.

"His name is Steve, no this isn't a date, we are just going as friends" I explained.

"Since when do you have guy friends?" Amber asked, "I am so confused, you've never mentioned him before."

"That's because we just met, he's going to be here any miniute so please go and I will explain everything to you guys okay." They both took a breath. "You better." Renee responded. I took a breath after I closed the door, only a few minutes later my buzzer went off again.

"Who is it?" I asked learning my lesson from before. "It's Steve."

"I'm coming down." I said, I look at myself in the mirror one last time to make sure I was covered up. I take a deep breath, "This is not a date!" I tell myself.

I walked outside and he was standing there in a very nice navy blue suit.

"Wow...you look beautiful." He said with a smile.

"Thanks, you don't look half bad yourself." I said as I straightened up his bowtie, God he smelled good.

He opened up my car door for me and we drove to the theater. I was definitely right about wearing a nice dress. After Steve opened up the door for me, he extended his arm for me to take which I did. We took our seats inside.

"Have you ever seen this before?" He asked me a little close. "I've seen the movie and know the songs but no never seen the actual play." I answered, he had a smile.

The Play started and it was amazing, the songs and the singers were fantastic. After the play we were walking back to his car "hey, isn't that Captain America?" I hear someone shout, Steve took a hard breath, he quickly brought me into the car before we got hounded. I could tell he was embarrassed.

"I'm sorry about that. I didn't think anyone would recognize me." He replied.

"It's okay, we got out of there in time." I said reassuringly, "That must be a pain in the ass to deal with."

"Yeah, it can be. You would think I would be use to it after doing all those USO shows but I was never comfortable with it." He told me.

"You think you'll ever get used to it?" I ask him

"I have no idea, but I better get use to it since it's not going to go away any time soon." He replied with a smile, "So, are you hungry?"

"Yes, very!" I answered quickly. We went to this little pizza parlor and ate outside.

"We're not too overly dressed, right?" He asked as I chuckled.

"I guess we are a little but who cares, no one else is here." I reply and he gave a little grin. We continued eating our pizza and I was having such a good time that I didn't even realize I was shivering.

"Oh here, you look like your freezing." He said while taking off his jacket and gave it to me, I smiled and took it. "Thanks." He rubbed my shoulders to warm them up for a few seconds, "but won't you be cold?"

"No, I am use to being cold. I was frozen for 70 years." He joked with a chuckle which made me chuckle back.

"I had fun tonight," I confessed. "Me too." He smiled as we continued to eat our pizza.

I let him walk me up to my front door inside my building.

"Listen, everyone is always making fun of me for not knowing very much about pop culture and movies and shows...I was wondering if you wouldn't mind watching some with me?" He asked suddenly, "Especially some of these movies."

He pulled out of his pocket a little notebook and inside were a list of all kinds of movies that was titled Need To Watch, I knew most of all of them like Princess Bride, Goonies, and some more classic Disney films and others I hadn't seen before either.

"Well, I couldn't let you go through life without see Beauty and The Beast." I said with a smile. We said our goodbyes and I walked in smiling and there was my two best friends looking right at me.

"I don't think I have ever seen you smile this much." Renee finally responded after a few seconds."And we can see why you tried to get rid of us so fast, the man is fucking gorgeous." Amber chimed in.

"How do you know? I asked confusingly.

"We saw him walk in as we left."

"Well, what are you guy doing here? I told you I would talk to you tomorrow." I said changing the subject.

"No, you said later, its now later." Amber said with her arms folded.

"There is nothing to tell, we are just friends...new friends but friends." I explained.

"That looked like a date," Renee mentioned

"It wasn't a date, you know me I hate and don't trust men, Steve has not changed my mind."

"Then what is going on?" They both said. I took a deep breath, went into my room to change into something more comfortable and after us sitting on my bed. I couldn't keep it from them anymore.

"I don't know how to tell you guys...it's difficult to talk about it..." I start to say.

"What? What's going on her?" Renee asked as they both looked very concerned.

I took another deep breath and told them everything including Steve. They were in complete shock, there were a lot of hugs and tears shed from all three of us.

"Oh my god Iris, why didn't you tell us sooner?" They both said with tears

"I don't know...I was ashamed," I could only say.

"We would have been here for you and we would never have left you to close the bar alone last night." Amber said. "I know. It's okay, I was fine."

"I just can't believe that happened to you, did they find the assholes?" Renee replied.

"No, not yet. I told the police so I am hoping they'll find them soon. I am terrified their going to come after me again and that's why I have been hanging out with Steve," I blurted out knowing I wasn't being quite honest. They both stayed with me that night which I really appreciated.

They are growing closer and closer and Iris is still denying her true feelings.