Where Iris Bloom

Ch 26. Spectrum

"You think they're together na?" Louise asked languidly while twirling the ice on her on the rocks lacking the energy to lift up her gaze.

Andy is quietly watching his best friend from the other side of the table sulking. He picked her up on the hospital and instead of going straight to a bar, they decided to go to somewhere chill where they can talk so they ended up going to Ybayo.

"But they look cute on her avatar, no?" She mumbled rhetorically before downing the whole glass making a face at the last drop.

The ambient music on the background seems to be lulling her unrequited affection. Her ecstatic mood to ask Iris out for a coffee was dampened by the sight of the two puckering their lips on Iris' avatar bringing a minuscule amount of pain in her heart.

"What if they are? Are you gonna stop being there for her? She doesn't even know that you are into her." Andy jabbed as he watch Louise pour herself another glass of liquor.

"Do you think letting her know how I feel about her will change a thing?" She asked wistfully seeking for something that will hush her wondering.

"I remember you telling me what you two saw at the coffee shop when you went together. What happened after?" Andy crossed his legs taking a sip on his own drink.

"I don't really have the slightest idea. All I know is Shelby was too livid when she heard about it. I can't forget that look in her eyes, that hurt and defeated look. She doesn't deserve any of it." Louise' face was etched with determination to protect her and give her what she deserves.

"Have you tried reaching out after?" Andy asked after taking a big gulp.

"I did but I guess she was too busy forgiving her supposed girlfriend." She replied with bitterness hating the fact that Iris is too good for this world.

Unbeknownst to Louise, while she was taking her shot in reaching out to the young doctor to extend some comfort, she was  under the care of Kim and being showered with utmost attention and most of all, pleasure.

"Give it another shot. You no weakshit." Andy lifted up his glass trying to boost Louise.

It seemed to work as Louise lifted her glass with her signature smirk on her lips. "Fuck yeah. Bahala na. As long as she needs me, I'll be there." She had her glass in one go making a whoa sound at the end feeling the kick of their booze.

Meanwhile.....

"So, did Nana tell you the recipe of your favourite crumble?" Kim jested and chuckled making Iris shake a little as she's resting on the older woman's chest. They just got back from their quick getaway and currently bundled up on Kim's penthouse savouring the cold rainy weather outside. Kim refused to let Iris go home and insisted that she just use her clothes for her work tomorrow.

Iris slapped Kim's chest playfully. "You know too well that even though I get the recipe, I can't cook." They both laughed and Kim pulled Iris closer to her body.

"Bummy," Iris sighed closing her eyes inhaling Kim's intoxicating scent that she has always loved and been drawn into.

"Hmm." Kim could only hum in response while drawing patterns against the younger woman's warm skin.

"I love how you smell. It's so addicting." Iris snuggled her nose on the crook of Kim's neck as she can't get enough of her. "Do you know, I have smelled your perfume somewhere before and since then, it became a muscle memory until I smelled it on you."

It's as if Iris is reliving the moment in her head where she first discovered that smell. It was that very first time they had met at Love, Nana that she has smelled that scent again after a long while. She never dared to buy the perfume even after learning what kind it was. It's something she loves to smell on someone else but not something that she's gonna wear on her own.

Kim kept her words as she doesn't know how to say it that the favorite scent of the girl she's holding in her arms is the scent that Becca loved to wear. It was something she wouldn't go around without wearing as a reminder of her departed lover.

"But I remember one time that I smelled a different scent on you, though." Iris looked up to Kim with a quizzical expression.

"You mean, this?" Kim reached out to the bedside table and opened the drawer fishing the blue bottle of perfume that she loved to wear but stopped using it after Becca's passing.

It was Kim's favourite perfume, Bvlgari BLV II. She hasn't worn it for a while until she started seeing Iris. She wore it once and it signifies something deeper than what it looks like.

It symbolizes her freedom from her chains. She had sworn that she'll be wearing Becca's perfume until she's worthy of forgiving herself from the tragic incident. She felt the courage to wear her favourite perfume the night that they made love and she felt a different liberty of being able to step forward.

"Bakit bihira mo gamitin?" Iris stared at her with puppy eyes making the older woman melt inside.

"Do you like it better?" Kim answered with another question assessing herself if she's brave enough to wear it again.

"Kinda." Iris puckered her lips subtly asking for a chaste kiss which Kim willingly gave.

"Here. Take this with you and whenever you miss me, wear it." Iris eyes lit up with the thought.

"But I like it better when you're the one wearing it." She pouted making Kim's heart swell.

The urge to say those three words is getting stronger but she's still taking her time making sure she has fully forgiven herself and ready to let go of the past to be able to start anew. So she can give what the woman in her arms truly deserves.