Dear Iris [h.s]

chapter forty.

Harry Styles

"Do you want to dance?" Someone asked me, a woman with blonde hair and a yellow dress.

I got nervous and don't know what to say. Of course I didn't want to dance with her, I wanted to dance with Iris but I couldn't because of the fact I can feel her brother watching me every time I move. This is so unfair.

"He's with me." Some butted in, looking at the girl with a fake smile.

I don't even know who this girl is, but she just saved me and I'm also 90% sure I saw her speaking to Iris earlier, meaning she can't be that bad. Iris wouldn't talk to someone for as long as she did if she didn't like them, and I trust her judgement.

Rightly enough, the blonde girl walked off and I was left standing with this other girl I don't even know. I was just praying that she was friends with Iris and I wasn't involving myself with people I don't want to be involved with.

The girl rolled her eyes and stood in front of me, necking the last of what was in her champagne flute before setting it on the table and clearing her throat. I was a little surprised at that, but didn't really bat an eyelid, well, I tried not to anyway.

"My name's Christina by the way, I'm Iris's best friend." She introduced herself, filling me with relief and also allowing me to understand that this wasn't just some weird possessive woman. "We're going to dance."

She told me we were going to dance without letting me answer. It wasn't a question and I barely had a chance to respond until I was standing on the dance floor with her. Christina seems to be very bold, which isn't a bad thing, I'm just very confused and have absolutely no clue what I'm supposed to even say.

"Iris is my best friend, okay?" Christina told me, really trying to push that message across so I didn't get the wrong idea. "I heard your twat of a brother saying he was gonna get her to dance with him so the photographer guy can put it in his memorial book. Then you know what happens?"

Suddenly, this girl became very intimidating and I was absolutely terrified. First of all, I didn't know there was a photographer, which in hindsight was stupid because it's some celebratory event. Second of all, I didn't even know what comes next. Christina is clearly good at this, and I'm glad.

Iris is so lucky to have her, she deserves someone who cares about her as much as her scary friend does.

"I don't know..." I said nervously.

"People talk shit." She says bluntly. "People start thinking they're together and I don't want that for Iris, and with all due respect, I don't mean to invade on your personal life, but I don't think you want that either."

"Erm...no." I swallowed.

She's right though, I don't know how I didn't think of that. The second anyone gets word of Iris and George it's game over. Everyone will assume they're together and she doesn't deserve it. That'll make her so upset and I don't want that to be the case. It basically says to everyone that yet again. Her dad wins. The things that went on with her ex sound identical to what'll happen if she ends up with George and I can't let it happen.

I don't want to see her as upset as she was the night she told me ever again.

"They're dancing together, but this song is good. This is good." Christina is like some sort of MI5 agent. It's kind of terrifying. "You know this dance? We switch partners during this dance."

"Oh?"

"Yeah 'oh'. C'mon." Suddenly we were dancing over to my brother and Iris, which wasn't the best sight to see, but I trust Christina, for some reason.