tragedy

chapter eleven

word count: 911

"I've totally got this," Iris said quietly to herself as she walked down the hallway. "I've totally got this right?" This time it was a question rather than a statement and she turned her head towards Alli who was walking right beside her. "Yes. You're going to tell him off and then you're going to be happily in love with Eli." Iris rolled her eyes at the last part of Alli's response. "Yeah, right." She shook her head. "I don't even know what's going on with him. I don't even know if there's actually something there." Iris told her best friend. She knew that Alli was just trying to hype her up but sometimes she was delusional. Iris fixed her hair a bit as the two turned the corner and saw Declan standing by his locker. "You're a bad bitch." Alli whispered before pushing Iris towards him a bit, following slightly behind her just in case.

To say that Iris was terrified as she walked up to Declan would be an understatement. She tried her best to hide her shaky breaths and clenched her fists at her sides to keep her hands from following suit. "Declan," Iris spoke quietly. Declan turned around at the sound of her voice and he looked rough. His face was still a weird shade between black and blue and the look that he had on his face was the same one he had every time something like this happened; the look of agony. Iris almost felt bad for him at that moment. She was reminded of why she had stayed around for so long. She was reminded of the obligation that she felt that she had to try to fix him. Iris looked back at Alli for support and she just waved her along.

"We're through Declan. Over." Iris spoke again, this time a bit louder and more confidently. "Baby, I-" Declan began to plead as he tried to hold her hands. "No. I'm done with this. I'm done with being scared. I'm done with you. Don't try to talk to me, don't try to call me, don't even try to catch my eye. This is really the end." The words came out of her mouth quickly and harshly. She took one last look at him before she turned around and walked away with Alli, their arms looped together; and she swore that she could see a tear falling from his eye.

——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ———

Iris felt as though she was floating through the day. There had been a weight lifted off of her shoulders and she had never felt lighter. She had finally escaped the cage that she had been in for two years and she was relieved now that she was free. Iris had forgotten all of the doubts that she had about Eli by the time that she reached the doorway of their English classroom. She was just excited to tell him what she had done. She figured that he would be proud of her for standing up for herself... and her fate. If Iris could prove that she could change her fate then maybe she could inspire Eli to do the same.

Iris's eyes fell on the boy as soon as she walked into the classroom. She was surprised to see him actually using the headphones that he walked around with constantly; she couldn't remember a time that she saw him using them before. Iris hoped that he would look up and catch her eye before she made it to her seat but he kept his gaze pointed down at the book he held in his lap. She couldn't help but be disappointed. She just needed to see his face to know if things were okay.

Eli didn't talk at all during class and Iris knew that something was up. There hadn't been a day since he had been there that he didn't say at least something in class. Iris didn't know how but he always had something to say, or so she thought. When the bell rang, Iris noticed the way that Eli rushed to get out of the room. Noticing his speed and knowing that she wanted to talk to him, she quickly packed up her things and had to practically jog in order to catch him in the hallway. Iris pushed her way through the rest of the crowded students, stopping at Eli's side. "Are you okay?" She asked with concern, trying her best to catch his eye. "I have to go. I have to talk to Mr. Donahue." He mumbled, not meeting Iris's gaze. "What-" "Look, I'm sorry." Eli cut her off and his head snapped up to finally look for her.

Similar to what Iris saw that morning with Declan, Eli looked rough. He looked like he hadn't slept in days, his eyes bloodshot and dark circles sitting under his eyes. Iris opened her mouth to say something else but Eli had already rushed ahead of her and she lost him to the sea of students. She had no idea what his problem was but she didn't appreciate the cold shoulder. After what had happened, they needed to talk and she was angry with him for running away from it. Iris thought that Eli would be the one that she could talk to about the relief that she was feeling and instead he was putting the weight right back on her shoulders.