The Distance

~ Chapter II: part 3 ~

Iris POV

   Everything was a blur, I fought with all my strength and block all her attacks but somehow she managed to hit me a few times and nick me. I groan in pain and cover my eye as I growl at her, "you're dead now Rose!" I sprint and dodge her attack as I grab her shirt, staring down at her as the blood from my now eye scar on the right drips down onto the floor. Everyone was watching with anticipation and some gasp, knowing that Rose was about to lose this match and will get severely hurt with what finishing move I have planned. There was only one minute and ten seconds on the clock and I have her in my grasp, I saw the fear in her eyes and it made me more angry but in the inside... it reminded me of when I was little when I couldn't do it. I tighten my grip on her shirt and felt like I'm shooting lasers into her eyes with my glare, "you're nothing... just another problem to my list so don't you dare look at me like that.." I say angrily but in a soft voice as I lift my sword up about to finish her.

    Before I was able to strike, the big alarm went off and some people groaned since they really wanted to see me finish her off with my sword and I wanted to as well. The headmistress gets back onto the stage and lifts her hand up, "From the amount of attacks that she has done and damage she took, Iris takes the win." She announces as I still grip hard onto Roses' uniform top and watch everyone cheer for my victory until I see her friend upset but mostly worried for Rose. Sinclair gives her the medal and waves, "Now everyone enjoy the rest of the period and when the bell rings, go to your next hour." She announces then leaves the stage, heading back to her office maybe. I focus my sight back onto Rose as I punch her in the face hard, throwing her off the stage and walks right off the stage with the feeling of guilt deep inside me which bothers me because I never felt that for anyone. "Fucking cunt... she didn't even bother trying." I say under my voice as I start coughing up blood since she did a big blow to one of my ribs.

Cybil's POV
 
    She fought really well and I could tell she was very strong but I manage to get some hits on her when we were battling. But I'd say that punch to the face really did a lot to my health, my body was covered in bruises and cuts and I was bleeding from my nose and lip.. I was a complete wreck from the fight. My aura shield was even broken and now it'll have to take probably a day or two to fully come back so I'm basically defenseless without it. When she gave me that glare down, I saw something in her eyes and I knew she really didn't want to finish me off because I was truly terrified to be dead on school grounds like that while everyone praises "little miss strong stuff" here. I lay there on the floor and was unconscious for sure, everyone went over to Iris and was talking up the storm about the fight and my friend had to immediately rush me to the infirmary as she glares at Iris, "you know.. you really are just a cold hearted fighter.. no one likes that." She says and walks right out of the fighting hall.

    ~ after school ~

    I slowly wake up and groan softly in pain as I look down at my body, seeing I was covered in bandages and medical tape from where I got hit. Eventually, I look up with fear in my eyes again as I quickly scoot to the backboard of the infirmary bed as I pull the sheets to cover my torso, "Iris what are you doing here?! Where's Joan? What you do to her?!" I raise my voice but then starts coughing bits of blood. She didn't look angry but had a serious look on her face as she glances out to the window, not wanting to see me and let's out an angry sigh, "Look your friend and I had a fight but she won.. she told me that I should talk to you and that she had to go home since she's busy with other things." She says in a soft voice but I could tell she didn't seem to care for me or the situation but just had to do what she was told.

    She glances back at me but kept her eye contact with me, "I felt your fear and saw it in your eyes... I use to be like that but don't tell anyone or else I will actually finish you off with no hesitation Rose" She says with a stern voice and clenches her fist like she wanted to start beating me up again but she didn't. I got scared and nod, staying quiet so I can listen to what she have to say since it seem like she wanted to tell me something that happened to her in the past, in which I will not use to go back at her for humiliating me on stage. Part of me really wanted my eyes to wander but I know if I break contact and see something that makes me feel something, then I will most definitely have my head through a wall within seconds. I really wonder why she actually showed up to see me, if she wanted to, she could of just left me here and I just have to go home by myself since Joan have some other things to do back at her house apparently but I think think was a set up, knowing her. But then my eyes did wander down to see that her top was risen up to see the bandages and the eye scar was still there but wasn't bleeding anymore and I think to myself, 'honestly I feel bad to give her that scar but god... she looks more attractive with it, stop it Rose!' My face slowly turning red and wishing I didn't have these thoughts.

Iris' POV

  When I fought with her friend, Joan, I got furious that she won and left me because I know my father would want me get home straight away. I let out a sigh but not just any sigh a really annoyed sigh since I didn't want to even talk to her after that fight we had which I'm glad that I won and wish to tell my dad but nope. I walk down the hallways then stop in front of the infirmary and try to pretend I actually care when I don't for this student, I don't even want to know that they exist but somehow they jusy happened to annoy me when we first bumped into each other. I open the door and walk to the bed where Rose is laying and I could see that she was still asleep so I just waited till she wakes up since I don't bother to wake someone up, especially my enemy. I waited until I saw that she was slowly waking up and look at her but not angrily since I'm not angry anymore but just annoyed in the inside but pretend to show empathy at least for now then glance out at the window since I don't want to look at Rose from how pathetic looking she is.

   After we talked a bit, I let out a sigh and start telling a past story of why I use to be weak before I was taught to be a strong fighter like any hero in a story or just a legend perhaps. "So um, when I was about 16 years old.. I was just like you, I was happy and I had many friends.. you know the joyful fun life that any teenager would have until.." I stop and slowly take a deep breath then exhale as I gather up my words and try to not show any tears. "My mom stopped loving me like she use to then my dad barely pays no attention to me so I hit that depression stage, my brothers even ignore me and still think I'm not good enough, they just give me a cold look and it angered me.." I raise my voice loud enough that it echoes since it was just me and Rose only in this infirmary, everyone had gone home. I look back at Rose and could see the sorrowful look on her face from my story, she probably feels empathy and I wish she hadn't, I don't want anyone trying to fix me because I've become perfect to everyone even my family but they still don't accept it... no matter how hard I fought and try. "The person I looked up to has disappeared... she left when I turned 16, thinking she would come home with a gift from her travels..." I got up from the chair and walk over to the red-orange haired girl, glaring down at her as I grab the backboard of the bed, hovering a little bit over her, "and that's the sad story about the popular girl, Iris Walker." I say and was about to walk off but something suddenly grabbed my wrist.