AN: here's chapter 23. Enjoy, people.
"You ready to go?"
Iris looked up and nodded, sliding her phone back into her pocket- on which she had been pretending to scroll through something in order to avoid awkward eye contact with the leaving crowd. Now, the hallways were desolate and she found herself unnerved by the silence.
"Elijah is waiting outside for us." Julian adjusted his backpack so it slung over his right shoulder.
That's going to hurt his back. Iris thought with a nod, then she mentally shook herself. Wait, why do I care about him?
Outside, the freezing air nipped at Iris's cheeks and she sucked in a sharp breath, feeling the crackling cold burn inside her lungs. Her cheeks flushed and a grin curved her lips upwards, remembering how winters were always her mother's favourite season. The smile died as she realised this would be the first of many without her.
"Over here!" A shout drew her attention to the gates where a man was waving with much too excitement for a school night.
"What the hell is he wearing?" Iris asked, aghast.
"Hmm? Oh, right, you haven't been here long enough. Elijah has a slight... well, you could call it an obsession but I prefer addiction to the most ugly sweaters and jackets imaginable."
"That's a jacket?" Iris squinted. "I thought a Christmas tree had thrown up on him or something."
"He does seem to have gone on the deep end slightly with this one."
"It's yellow."
"It's an abomination." Julian locked eyes with her and they shared a single nod of agreement.
I cannot believe I share DNA with this person. Iris shoved her hands in her pockets and stormed towards a beaming Elijah, praying that there were no criminals out tonight who would flock towards them like moths.
"What do you think?" Elijah asked proudly, doing a little spin. The ridiculous tinsel tassels caught on the nearby streetlight and made it seem like he had his personal halo.
Despite her pursed lips, a giggle broke free of Iris. "How charming. Mum loves ugly sweaters too—" she broke off and looked down for a brief moment. "Loved ugly sweaters."
"Ah." Elijah flinched, unsure how to feel at knowing he shared something with his biological mother. "That's- yeah, that's nice."
"Shall we go now?" Bless Julian and his emotionally short-sighted heart.
After the generic questions about their day- to which Iris gave brief, monosyllabic answers- the trio walked in an uncomfortable silence. Iris pretended she didn't see the glances between Julian and Elijah, pretending to be focused on walking on the very edge of the curb.
She looked up upon hearing footsteps and tensed as a hooded figure walked towards them, shrouded by an orange glow. They crashed into Iris and apologised as she almost stumbled onto the road, but were gone before Julian or Elijah could grab them.
"You okay?" Elijah asked, blue eyes swimming within concern as he scanned Iris for injuries.
She grinned and unfolded the note that had just been slipped into her hand. "Perfectly." It was of an address- one that she unfortunately knew very well.
Iris let out a frustrated yelp, glancing between the boys and the darkening horizon. I don't have time to go home, sneak out and get there. I guess I have no choice.
"Elijah, do you have your gun?" she asked, tearing the paper into tiny pieces and stamping it into the wet pavement with the toe of her shoe.
"What? Why would I bring a gun to your school? And how do you even know I have one?"
"It's strapped to your side under that monstrosity, isn't it?"
"Of course it is." He crossed his arms. "Why do you ask?"
Iris ignored that question and turned to her stepbrother. "Can you defend yourself in a physical fight?"
"Of course."
"Excellent, you will be in charge of holding my bag."
"What's going on, Riss?" Elijah was too wary to hold back the old nickname.
Iris flinched, but regained her composure, a glint of mischief in her eyes. "Don't call me that. We are going to make a slight detour. Now take off that atrocity, Elijah- where we're going, you do not want to stand out."
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Where do you think they're going 👀 ?
I hope you guys liked it!
Stay safe and thanks for reading :)
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Going back
ActionA socially awkward teenager with a love for weapons must work with her ex-family in order to solve the mystery of her mother's death. ** After the unexpected death of her mother, Iris is forced to go back to the family that abandoned her. They're e...
