One Last Shot

[17] Practice Buddies

        Liam

I can't stop thinking about the way Iris looked at me. The way her eyes seemed to drink in my body, it's taking up my entire existence. What I liked even more, was leaving her speechless. I finally got her to be quiet, so maybe I'll have to shower around her more often. After about 9 days, the girls' house is recovered and they move back in, and everything's right with the world. However, now that Lix and Marcus are getting more serious, we're always over at Marcus' house. Iris tends to not be there, probably studying, but my mind occasionally flashes to what I heard at the party about Iris being the campus slut.

Sure, she's definitely not a virgin, but does she really sleep around? She seems like her morals would be solid, and I never pegged her as a type to engage in hookup culture.

 We're all on the couch one Friday night watching a movie, Archer asleep in my lap, when the door opens and Iris walks in.

"Nice of you to join us," Violet mumbles.

"Sorry," she's soaking wet. "Got caught in the rain."

"From where?" I scoff, "the fucking waterpark?"

"It's pouring outside dipshit," she spits back. "On my way back from the store. I needed new heels."

"It's 8 P.M."

"They don't close until 9." I sigh, giving it to her, still trying to figure out if she sleeps around, and if she just came back from someone's house. Her feet squeak as she walks to her room from the wetness of her clothes, and I decide to get some answers to my ongoing questions. I gently place Archer's head on the pillow before getting up and following her. I knock on the closed door, and don't touch it until she opens it. Her hair is soaked, but she's in a pair of athletic shorts and a hoodie. "Can I help you?"

"I have some questions." She rolls her eyes before opening her door wider, inviting me in. I've never fully seen her room before, so I take it all in. The walls are gray, and everything is very minimalistic. I sit on her bed while she slumps into her desk chair.

"What questions could you possibly have for me?"

"Well, I was just thinking about that party." I see her eyes go dark. "And I feel like we left a lot unanswered."

"For good reason."

"I'd like to know a little bit more about you if we're going to be constantly with each other because of Lix and Marcus."

"Yeah, like my favorite food and color, not my dating history."

"I just think it could be important to know."

"I had a messy breakup."

"I know that much."

"That's all I like to talk about."

"Okay, what about you being the campus slut?" I see her eye twitch at the phrase.

"I don't know if I'd consider myself the campus slut, I mean, I've had sex. A lot. But I don't actively look to sleep around. I have a few people that are down to just be friends with benefits. Of course, like everything, it all gets misconstrued because of college."

"Interesting." My phone pings.

Dad: "Your mom has another round of testing tomorrow, can you watch Katherine?"

Me: "They like the name Kai. I've told you this. I have practice tomorrow."

Dad: "Well then take Kai with you, just take her off my hands."

Me: "*them".

"Okay, your turn. Why are you so secretive about your family?"

"Too personal."