Caught in the Flames

Chapter 6

Iris didn't know how else to react to this Revealing apart from staring blankly at the screen. Moreso because of shock and the fact that she had just seen him. On one hand, Iris suspected him to be the rebel but she also didn't think that suspicion to be anything more than just that: a suspicion.

However, that didn't change the fact that she was staring at a screen that Braylon filled, unable to do anything but listen to all the rude comments coming from every specials in the stadium. The screen soon changes from Braylon to his parents, and Iris was able to see why everyone was so intimidated by Michael Torres. His cold eyes glared to the middle of the arena where his son was standing, but he didn't seem to be surprised at all. His expression made it seem like he knew his son would do something like this. Iris turned her attention to the woman crying beside Mr. Torres, and she assumed that was Braylon's mother. Her reaction to the news is completely different from her husband's as she actually showed how hurt she was by the news as well as seeing her son being verbally attacked.

Iris was able to relate to the mother's reaction. She remembered acting this way when she saw her best friend in the position that Braylon is in right now. It's hard seeing someone you care for being treated like filth when you know that they are worth far more than that.

"Iris, don't you know this boy?"she heard her mother's voice but she didn't take her eyes from the screen.

"Y-yeah. Not very well, but I know him." Iris responds, averting her eyes to the ground.

She wasn't sure why she was so confused, but she felt like this wasn't supposed to happen to him. After all, she had just spoken to him a few hours ago and now he looks exhausted and run down. Iris couldn't help but wonder how a few hours was able to change someone's appearance so drastically. What people go through in a small amount of time before they are revealed.

"Wait, you know of Michael Torres' son? How?" her father asks in confusion.

"Remember what I told you earlier honey. That's why she was home late." Iris' mother answers, knowing her daughter was in a state of shock.

Iris was thankful that her mother did so, because she didn't know how she would be able to respond, merely listening to what's being said on the television screen keeping her from hearing anything but the further information about what will become of Braylon after today.

This wasn't a regular Revealing. It wasn't just a family being revealed for breaking the 'mixed' law. This was a rebel being revealed, the first as far as Iris knew to have surfaced since this society was established. Not to mention that this is the son of the most respected family in this city, or was anyways.

"As for now, Braylon will remain with the exiled until we can think of a punishment more suitable for his actions." and with that, the screen goes black.

The Revealing was over, probably the fastest Revealing that was held in the history of this city. Though it makes sense since the one who keeps it running is Michael Torres, and since this was centered around his son, it was only fitting to make it short and simple so his own name wouldn't be tarnished even more so than it probably already has. The look on his face showed that he wished he didn't have to be there to see his son humiliated in front of the entire city. However, Iris knew that it wasn't because he cared for Braylon. She understood that much when she spoke to him.

"May I be excused to my room, please?" Iris asks, thankful when her parents gave her permission to leave.

Iris' shock was only partly because of who was revealed that evening. The main reason was how it was all handled, how everyone seemed so shocked, so clueless.

Iris saw the whole family on the news multiple times in the past and if that were the only times she had seen Braylon with his family, she would've thought everything was fine, that Braylon was just like every other specials that there was. However, now that she had an actual conversation with him, Iris knows that the perfect family the Torres' try to make it out to be is just an act. Maybe that's why everyone seemed like they were out of the loop with the family despite how 'public' they were. If everyone else had known that the family was slowly falling apart, maybe there wouldn't have been so many shocked faces throughout the entire arena.