Struggling to Breathe

Iron

It was completely silent. Meena was staring at Iris with a furious stare, and Iris was giving her the same look back. I fumbled to my feet and walked over to Iris, trying to find the words.

"It's okay," she said before I said anything, and grabbed me, never taking her eyes off Meena. Meena growled and stood up.

"Look here, Iris. He doesn't know what he wants, he's confused. He wants me. So you can go find yourself someone else, because Sebby? Mine," Meena hissed.

I didn't say anything. What could I say? Meena wasn't right, but Iris could tell, she knew I was hers.

Iris looked up at me and sighed. "Go away Meena, no one wants you right now."

Meena smiled evilly. "That's what you think, the next time I see you, you're going home black and blue Iris, I swear to fucking god."

I continued to keep my mouth shut. Iris wouldn't like it if I said I'd protect her, she constantly tells me she's not a child and that she can take care of herself.

Meena walked away, and I hugged Iris, holding her close.

Iris sighed in my embrace and swallowed loudly. "Sebs," she whispered.
"Mmm?" I replied.

"I'm afraid."

"Don't be. She's all talk, you'll be grand," I reassured her. She didn't believe me, but nodded anyways.

○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○

The next day, at lunch, I sat in a coffee shop with Iris, Mossy and Kobi. Iris was animatedly telling the two what had happened, while I leant back in my chair and looked out the window, sipping on my cappuccino.

I looked at a woman walked down the road with a dog. It looked to be a husky of some sort. The dog looked at me as they reached the shop. It's blue eyes stared into mine, almost hypnotically. Did the dog know something? Perhaps it thought I was insane. I wouldn't blame it, here I was-

"Isn't that right, Sebs?" Iris suddenly said, interrupting my thoughts.

"Pardon?" I asked, turning my body towards her absently.

"You'll protect me if she goes for me?" She asked.

"Oh, yeah," I agreed, not really focusing, still looking at the dog.

"Oi," Kobi snapped, and I flipped my head around to look at him. "You will," he ordered.

"Yeah, whatever man, she's not a baby, she can take care of herself, isn't that right Iris?" I asked, putting my arm around her.

"I-I guess?" She stammered.

I gestured to her. "See? It's fine."

Mossy was looking at me oddly. "Hey," she suddenly piped up. "Sebs, what's that behind your ear?"

I reached up to cover that area. "Nothing," I said quickly.

"Show us," Kobi said.

"Please," Iris added, after I hesitated.

I sighed and moved back my hair to show them the small tattoo that was behind my ear. I had had it since a young boy, which Marcus had actually gotten me. He payed one of his friends to do it for me, despite the fact I was only eight.

"It's a-" Kobi began.

"It's a lizard?" Iris asked.

I sighed. "It's a snake," I answered. "Not done very well." I covered it quickly and sat back.

Kobi quickly changed the subject, but Mossy continued to eye me. I avoided her eyes, and averted my attention back to the dog.

When we left the cafe, Kobi and Mossy started up towards the forest back to our hangout. Iris had never been, but she wanted to grab something for her mam before we went.

"You guys go ahead," she said, smiling. "Sebs and I can go on our own."

Kobi took no heed to it, but Mossy offered to stay. "No, you go with Kobi," I said. She looked at me and frowned, but went anyways.

As I walked down the town with Iris, I suddenly remembered my jacket. I had left it in the cafe.

"Dammit," I said, slowing down. Iris looked back at me.

"What?" She asked.

"My jackets at the cafe," I sighed, and looked back. "You go ahead to the pharmacy. I'll be there in a few minutes, I'm just going to run back and grab my jacket."

Iris nodded and turned to keep going. I flipped around and ran to the cafe, reaching it within two minutes. The clerk had it in her hand, and smiled when she saw me. "Sebs, I knew it was yours, here."

I gratefully took it off her and turned to run back towards Iris.

"You'd swear your mam beat you up every day, you're such a coward," I heard a voice laugh.

"Whore," another spat.

"Slut," yet another voice muttured.

I ran up towards the bushes and hid in them, watching on. Meena stood there, her back to me, flanked by two of her fellow bitches. They were in front of some petite girl, with short, purple hair.

She gave them her money and whimpered, "is this enough?"

Meena handed the money to the girl on her left, who began to count. "Well, it'll get you by for today... but I want the full amount by next Wednesday."

The girl nodded and turned to run away. Meena cackled like a witch, and high fived her friends. They turned to walk away when I saw Iris come out of the pharmacy, right beside them. She was looking at the receipt, oblivious to the three hell hounds.

"Shit," I breathed quietly.

"Look who it is!" Meena sang, gesturing to Iris. Iris looked up and suddenly all the colour drained from her face.

The three girls surrounded Iris. "M-Meena," Iris stuttered, looking around for me.

I stayed where I was.

"Hello Iris. You're entirely too pretty, here, let me help!" Meena exclaimed, her voice fake.

She jumped forward and landed a punch directly into Iris' face. Iris rode the blow, and came back up, her nose bleeding like a faucet.

Iris tried to claw at Meena, but suddenly the two hostile girls flanking Meena grabbed each of her arms and pushed her back. Meena punched Iris in the gut, and she staggered, falling back and hitting her head off the side of a flower pot. Meena kicked her for good measures, to which Iris howled.

Meena looked up and smiled at me.

The three girls turned and walked away briskly, not gaining any attention. I came out of the bushes and looked at Iris. She whimpered when she saw me.

"M-Meena," Iris cried, and tried to sit up. I sat beside her and simply held her as she cried. Guilt ripped my stomach, but I ignored the pain.

As I always did.