It Was All In The Eyes

Chapter 3: Iris

The drive to school this morning was particularly icy due to the thin, cold mist that had settled over my little valley town. I got up and picked Steph up as usual, only this time something was off. She hadn't said a single word to me since she got in the car or looked in my direction. It worried me. "You alright?" I asked. She turned away from me and placed her temple on the window. Condensation from the heat of her skin and her breath formed around her face, silhouetting her figure and making her look ghostly and haunting. Something wasn't right.

"Steph, what's wrong." I continued. "Look at me." She turned to face me, keeping half of her face covered with her hair. Her piercing eyes shone through the darkness around us. "Micheal, my dad didn't come home last night." she whispered. It didn't come as a surprise to me. Her dad never seemed to be home. "Yeah, so?" I said. "He's never home anyway, what's the big deal?" She shuddered at my comment. Something had to have happened. "Michael these past couple of days, he's been standing at the door for hours." "He doesn't move, he just stands outside with a gun in his hand."

"He what?" I slowed the car to a stop on the back road. The sun began to rise over the trees casting an orange glow over everything. Her face came fully into view. She was crying. Her tears painted trails down her brown face. "Oh my God, Stephanie what happened!" I questioned. "Just take me to school! " she shouted. She obviously didn't want to talk about it, but I wasn't gonna give in that easy.

"Tell me." I shouted back. She caved. "Someone broke into the house one night I was gone." "They stole some of my stuff and wrote on my wall-" She seemed to choke on her words before finishing her sentence. "-in blood, Micheal..." she trailed off.

"In what!?" I wouldn't have believed her if she wasn't crying. Stephanie has never cried in all the years I've known her. "I know it sounds crazy, but I know what I saw!" "They drew a giant eye on my fucking wall Michael and-" "I believe you Steph." I couldn't believe my own words. "What did they steal?" I asked. "A hair brush, my toothbrush, and they broke my mirror!" "They wreaked everything! It's like they were looking for something..." she trailed off. "Did your dad call the police?" I asked. "Of course not! He was on so many drugs...the only reason he stood outside the door with his gun was to keep people away from his precious drugs!" "Not me..." "Don't say that, I think we should just head to school." I said. "But you're coming home with me, no question." I wanted to give myself a little more time to think on her behalf. And I wanted to keep Stephanie as far from her house as possible.

At the end of the day, I met Stephanie outside of the school's main entrance. She was accompanied by her snobby ass boyfriend, Jake, as he walked along slightly in front of her. His pointy little nose high in the air. I never could stand him and all his pamperedness. He seemed so underprepared for the realities of life. He is such a polar opposite of her home and family life, I think she's only been dating him for the change in scenery. She may have feelings for him, but I haven't seen them much. He was a terrible boyfriend. It hurt me to see Stephanie looking so forlorn walking with him. I wished I could do something about it.

She approached my car and I rolled the window down. "You getting in?" I asked. "Jake said he'll look after me." she mumbled. "He said we'll stay at his place until I feel comfortable again with going home." "You'd better call me and check in." I said. "She won't be checking in with anyone." Jake chimed in. I did not like that guy, but I kept my words to myself. She lifted herself off of the black paint job and walked with him over to his vehicle. He drove a bright red Mini Cooper. What a pussy. I hoped she'd at least find some time away from Captain Douchebag to call me in a little while. I worried about her.

Especially considering the recent event of that break in. Everything about that seemed so wrong. It all seemed so...familiar. I'd have to look into it.

On the drive back home I took care to pass by Stephanie's house. Her father's car was absent from his usual spot on the curb in front of her townhouse. Based on what she told me, it's been like that since last night. I felt for her. Regardless of how much Stephanie says she hates that man, she's clung to him for support ever since her mother's fiery death. Too bad he's been too busy selling his bullshit and running the streets to be much of a father. As I passed by I thought I saw the curtains in her room shift just a little bit. It surprised the hell out of me, but I waved it off as my own imagination and continued to drive home. I hope it was just my imagination...