Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Shocking things had happened over the past couple of days. Ruby had finally managed to find a dress, a beautiful creation her sister was making from scratch. But disaster struck when an accident with a hot iron left a gaping hole in the middle of the fabric.
To make matters worse, Ruby had snapped at James during class yesterday, hurling not-so-nice things in his direction in a fit of frustration.
Today, I found myself walking towards the lacrosse field. Why? I felt a strange compulsion to apologize to James on Ruby's behalf and for everything else. Despite our families' small rivalries, I wanted to start over.
Taking a deep breath, I stepped onto the field where James was currently alone, doing ab workouts. He noticed my presence and stopped what he was doing, propping himself up on his elbows to look at me.
"Are you going to report to Lexington about my free time too?" he asked with a playful smirk.
I forced a smile, feeling the weight of the situation. "I wanted to apologize for everything. And for Ruby, even though it's not really my place," I admitted, my voice tinged with sincerity.
James sat up fully, wiping sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. "Apologize for what? Ruby's outburst? Or the fact that she hates my guts?" He raised an eyebrow, his tone challenging.
"Both, I guess," I said, taking a step closer. "Look, I know things haven't been great between us. But I think we can turn this around."
"I'm sorry for being a bitch sometimes," I admitted, meeting his gaze as he stepped closer to me.
James stared right into my eyes, his expression softening. "I'm sorry for always being a dick to you," he replied, trying to keep the conversation going as I was about to leave.
"How's the gown going?" he asked.
I had already turned to leave but stopped in my tracks, turning back to face him. "Not quite as planned," I said, stepping closer.
"What happened?" he asked, his gaze softening even more.
"It burned," I said, trying to restrain my laughter.
"Burned?" he asked, clearly amused.
"Burned," I repeated with a shy smile.
James chuckled. "The poster probably won't be our best, but, oh well." I spoke, looking around the field as I started to feel nervous under his intense gaze. "You can't win all the time," I added, trying to lighten the mood.
He raised his eyebrows, a small smirk playing on his lips. "True. Sometimes, it's about how you handle the losses."
We stared at each other for a moment, the silence stretching between us. I suddenly felt shy and shifted my weight. "Okay, then," I said, feeling the need to break the silence.
"See you on Monday," he replied as I began to walk away from the field.
"And tell Lexington I said 'Hi'," he joked.
I flipped him off playfully as I walked away but couldn't help glancing back over my shoulder. He was watching me, a loving smile displayed on his face.
⋅˚₊‧ ★ ‧₊˚ ⋅
I was watching a movie with my brothers when I felt my phone vibrate. I unlocked it and saw a message from James.
James I arranged for access to the archive. We can go see the gowns in London - J.
Iris Are you serious, or am i going to be ambushed by strippers in London? - I.
James Just wait and see. - J.B.
Iris Is Percy taking us to London? - I.L.
James Yes, He will pick you up. - J.M.B.
Iris PS. How many initials do you actually have? - I.J.L.
James Apparently as many as you do. - J.M.B.
Iris When do we leave?
James How about right now?
I stared at his message, eyes widening in surprise. I quickly got up, startling my brothers, who looked at me curiously as I peered out the window to see James's car parked outside.
"I'll be right back," I texted him before heading to my walk-in closet. I changed into a short white box pleat skirt paired with a sky blue polo knit sweater and white heeled boots. I grabbed a bag and kissed both my brothers goodbye, ignoring their puzzled expressions.
As I jogged down the stairs, my excitement built. The idea of a spontaneous trip to London was thrilling. When I stepped outside, I met Percy waiting outside the car who opened the door for me.
"Thank you, Percy," I smiled brightly as I stepped out of the car.
Inside, I found James on the phone, discussing something with an intense focus. He was sketching on a notepad, the dim light casting shadows that highlighted his sharp features.
"Hi," he said, hanging up the call and looking up at me.
"Hi," I began with a small smile. "Thanks for picking me up."
He nodded, his eyes flickering between mine. I could feel the weight of the silence, so I quickly looked for a topic to break it.
"So... why the change of mind?" I wondered, genuinely curious.
"It's no big deal," he replied nonchalantly. "We'll go, take care of what we need, and leave." His eyes shifted from mine to my lips before looking away, the brief moment of awkwardness hanging in the air.
I decided to steer the conversation in a different direction. "You know, I never really pegged you as the type to help out with something like this."
He chuckled, the tension easing slightly. "There's a lot you don't know about me, Iris. Maybe you'll get to find out."
I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh, really? Like what?"
James leaned back, a playful glint in his eyes. "For starters, I'm actually quite good at navigating these kinds of situations."
I laughed softly. "Oh yeah? Like organizing events and dealing with stubborn DJs?"
He smirked. "More like managing chaos. Comes with the territory of being a Beaufort."
The conversation flowed more easily after that, touching on random topics that ranged from school gossip to personal interests. By the time we arrived at the archive, the initial awkwardness had faded.
