Love Me to the End

|17 - Talk to Me|

TW: Graphic Sexual Scenes ahead, read with caution!

Iris POV

"Alright, everyone! Good work today!" I exclaim as everyone packs their bags and begins to head out.

Our routine for the first song was fully choreographed and although it took a while, given the difficulty of all the movements, footwork, and the moves Ryan and Ace had to bust off in the middle of the show...I think it worked out pretty well.

Cleo lingers a minute or two longer while I disconnect my phone from the speaker and pack my own bag. Before she opens the door to leave, she coughs and the sound disrupts me from my thoughts.

"Earth to Aesha," she calls, waving a hand in front of my face, and I roll my eyes.

"I can hear you just fine, Cleo."

She giggles and motions for me to go first as she opens the door. A jingle of the bell comes seconds later as it closes behind us.

We start walking back to campus and Cleo nudges my arm playfully, her eyes sparkling.

"I know the unexpected visit from your parents probably surprised you," she starts, and I sigh.

Surprise was a light way of putting it.

"Monica told me about, um, what they mentioned."

Of course she did, I think, but I silently thank her for conveying the news I would have struggled to tell her myself.

Cleo chooses her words wisely, knowing that even though it's been a week since my parents came and all hell broke loose, I was still a bit sensitive whenever someone mentioned it.

"But.... you totally aced that test this week, right? I'm sure you'll be fine."

A loud ringtone interrupts her and she pulls out her phone after a couple failed attempts of fitting her fingers into the tiny hole of her bag.

"Speaking of the devil..."

She swipes right and holds up the phone with her left shoulder and puts back the hairbrush, compact mirror, and extra sweatpants she took out in order to find it.

"Hey Ace!" She greets excitedly and nods along to his words.

"Uh, hmm, no. Definitely not. Yes. Maybe? Not sure. Mhm."

Cleo begins to walk ahead, sparing a glance back at me and placing the phone against her chest to muffle her voice.

"Ace needs me for something, but about what I was saying earlier...you seem sort of off, babe. Like your mind is somewhere else."

My smile dips, and she frowns before scurrying back to me. Cleo clasps her hand into mine and lifts my chin up.

"Whatever's going on with you, I don't know. But what I can tell you is that Iris Aesha Collins can handle anything the world throws her way, and we're all here to help. Talk to me about anything, babe. I'm always here."

A smile splits across my face and I immediately pull her into a hug. The scent of her Chanel perfume floods my nose, and I pull away before I lose my sense of smell.

"Thanks, Cleo," I say, and she grins warmly.

A loud gagging sound erupts from her hand, and we both look down in wonder. It had slipped our minds that Ace was still on the phone.

Cleo rolls her eyes and takes the phone off of the speaker.

"Shut up, Ace, my gosh. Anyway, bye Aeysha!"