Cuts

3. The Inauguration - Stone and Iris

He had moved in to the new house two weeks ago, but just now he had the time to throw a party. Not the time per say... only now he had some furniture in the house to make a party look decent. Nothing fancy, but neat. Though the house wasn't big, he had invited all his friends and they were all there with the exception of the boys from Soundgarden as they were on tour around Europe. Music was blasting loud. People were drinking and talking and smoking. A thick white cloud fluttered in the air, blurring the scenario in his living room. The scent of weed was notorious. One could get high just by breathing the living room's air. Iris was there too in tight black ripped jeans and a black top that wrapped well around her bust curves. To contrast with her sole black outfit, a pair of yellow ankle size Docs. He loved her style. Her hair was loose that night, falling down her back and wavier than usual due to the humidity in the hair. She had arrived with a thick black coat that she lost somewhere around the house and was now just in her sleeveless top. Stone was near his window watching her as she laughed with Maggie and Jeff. It had been three weeks since they met. Two weeks since their adventure at the Crocodile and one week since they an encounter in Jeff's bathroom, and he had thought about her the entire time. He was so lost watching her that he didn't notice how suddenly, she was watching him too. Her eyes were so beautiful... Stone waved and smiled and Iris smiled back. Then, he saw her talk to Maggie and Jeff and she started walking in his direction. Stone took a quick sip of the beer he had in his hand, feeling his throat drying quite fast acknowledging she was approaching him. His heart accelerated. Iris pulled things out of him like no one else.

"Hey..." She smiled as she stopped in front of him. "The party is really nice."

"You're not drinking anything?" Stone curled an eyebrow as he noticed so. "There's beer in the fridge, California." Iris shook her head.

"I'm fine... for now..." She pulled a strand of her hair behind her ear and smiled at him. "The house is pretty nice too." Stone shrugged and looked around.

"It's not much, but I'm glad that I am finally capable to leave my parents' house. This is all I can pay."

"I am sorry for what happened to your band." Iris said as she had just learned from Jeff that their band ended due to a fatal disaster.

"We'll come back... how... I don't know..." He pressed his lips together, thoughtful and Iris felt the need to run a hand over his face. His eyes turned so sad that very instant that she regretted she mentioned it. He had never mentioned it to her.

"I'm sorry, Stone." She shook her head. "I shouldn't have..."

"No." He raised a hand to stop her. "It was a car crash... a fatal car crash... I just don't like to talk about it. It's too soon, I guess." Iris nodded, understanding him.

Stone might give the impression that he doesn't care about anything, but in fact he's probably the one who cares the most. He was that kind of person and if you paid attention to him, you'd get it too. Iris paid all attention to him. Ever since she got to the party that she doesn't look elsewhere, and she loved it when he took her for a tour around the house.

"But I have been playing. I have been recording some stuff with a guy I met in school." Stone explained. "Jeff is playing with us now too..."

"It's good." Iris smiled at him. Their eyes locked. "You should go on."

"But I don't want to bother you with this music stuff..." He smiled at her. "What do you think of the house?"

"I think it's great." Iris leaned against the wall, her hands crossed on her back and Stone turned on his side to face her. "I particularly liked the chess game in your bedroom." She giggled and he rolled his eyes.