Perfect Maniac

Accused

Iris' P.O.V

I sat the empty plate on my nightstand. I swallowed the last bit of cheese while looking at Dominic. He seemed to be studying me. In a way officers would. I came to the conclusion that he learned that from his father.

"Do you want to talk?" He offered.

"I'm okay with that." I sighed.

"Okay. Do you want to talk about our selves?" Dominic didn't smile, though his eyes seemed friendly.

"Okay." I gulped. "You can go first." I trembled. I wasn't one to talk about myself. My aunt and I hadn't spent a whole lot of time talking. When we did start to talk the conversation would only cause me to shut down.

"You already know my name." He searched for words. "My favorite color is red." He smiled.

"You mean like your hair?" I tried to make his time last longer.

"Darker." He admitted.

"Like blood?" I questioned.

He paused. "That's an interesting way to put it." He laid down next to me, getting comfortable. "Anyways. My father is a police officer. My mother is a cook for the restaurant down town. I can never remember the name." He trailed off into thought. "I take art classes. I have an older brother. He doesn't like to be talked about."

"Cool." I nodded.

Talking about jobs, my aunts old one came to mind. She used to be a doctor. She had a degree and a smile. Once she stopped paying attention to her degree, she stopped paying attention to reasons she use to smile. Soon enough, I was missing the old her. Though, that didn't mean I wanted her gone.

I eyed Dominic, waiting for him to continue.

"My love life." He chuckled. "Don't really have much of one." He looked at me a moment.

"What's your sexaulty?" I blurted out. His face reddened. "Sorry. You don't have to tell me."

"I honestly don't know." He stared at me before continuing. "It's your turn."

"Okay." I trembled. I have been for the past couple of hours. "My favorite color is blue. I like to write, read, and draw." I paused a moment. "My mother is-" I felt tears start to build up. "Dead." I looked at the floor, blinking a couple of times. "My father is still a mystery."

"I'm sorry." His eyes seemed to widen.

"It's fine." I breathed. "I have zero siblings. My aunt is dead. I have-" I glanced at the phone I had set on my nightstand. "No friends."

"I can be your friend." He sat up, looking at me.

I didn't know how to respond. Instead I continued. "I don't have much of a love life either."

"I'm asking you the same question." He leaned against the wall behind us.

"What?" I tried to remember what question. Already forgetting the ones I already answered.

"Sexaulty." He replied. I paused.

"Straight." I could feel my face growing warmer.

"Oh." He looked me over. "I mean-"

"That doesn't mean I like you!" I lied.

"You do like him." The voice startled me. "That's your weakness." I recognized that Dominic hadn't reacted. Not to the voice at least. Meaning, he might not hear it.

"Weakness." I mumbled.

"I didn't say that being straight was your weakness." He looked at me, startled himself. Maybe he did hear it. If he did, then why would he mix up reasons. If he heard that I like him, he would ask further.

I only stared at him. "But. You're single. Is that right?" I waited for his reply. He seemed confused and hesitant.

"Yes. I'm not one to interact with many people. I mean, not in conversation." He admitted.

"Okay." I mumbled once again.

"Is that it?" He waited. I didn't make eye contact with him. I only thought of how I was going to get information from him. About his father's job. Him, being the son of a policeman is going to be the reason I turn manipulative. With my aunt dead, I needed information more then ever.

"Just wondering if anything was going to get in the way of our friendship." Two quarters of that sentence was truthful. Two quarters was something to throw him off track. I did like him, though I never planned on becoming friends. I may have been vulnerable only a couple of hours ago, but now I wanted answers.

Dominic only smiled. "I think you're a great artist. You're beautiful. Plus I feel the need to protect you. I can't imagine what could possibly get in the way."

I froze. Astonished at his words I remained unable to respond. The first two seemed completely absurd. The last reason I couldn't reason with. Why would he want to protect me?

"I'm very stubborn. I am bad at conversations. I see something wrong in everything I do. Put it that way and our friendship would be a joke!" I didn't dare mention anything about looks or talents. I didn't want to shut down.

"Then don't put it that way." He furrowed his eye brows.

I heard a car door close. I didn't dare check out the window. I didn't want to know honestly. It could be a neighbor or the one to end our lives. That was true.

I heard more then two people speaking outside the walls. I took this as a warning. I looked at Dominic. Holding back any sign of panic. Looking him in the eyes, I spoke.

"You don't need to believe this. I just want you to know what I believe. I didn't do anything without reason. I went too far with those boy's lives. Yes. That is true. Though, I did it to protect myself." My eyes widened with ever word. Every foot step that reached my ears. "I have nothing to do with my aunts homicide." The steps quickened. "I have nothing to do with my mothers death." I could hear them enter the house. My heart beat quickened. "It's not that I don't care. It's that I don't matter.

The door was roughly pushed open. Four policemen rushed in. Including Dominic's father.

"We need you down at the station. Now! You are now known as a suspect. It doesn't matter what you say now to differ that belief. Talking matters will be taken down to that station!" He looked at his son as he spoke. Relief took over his face.

I stood up putting my hands behind my back. A policeman cuffed me. "You don't know if she did it or not! Why would you force her into cuffs? You act as though you have proof!" Dominic shouted. He was trying to protect me. I felt guilty. I didn't deserve his protection.

"Whatever you two talked about, that needs to be told at the station." Dominic was ordered. I stiffened. Trying to remember what was discussed. I paused.

"Stop accusing her!" Dominic fought only to have two officers pull him out.

I bit back a smile. It felt needed. My heart raced and my face heated. Yet, I smiled. I was being accused. I was just molested, yet I was a suspect for a homicide. That's how society works. They forge opinions so they come out to be seen as facts. They don't care how off they appear, they just don't want the truth.

"Miss." An officer spoke.

"Yes?" I glanced up at him.

"Start walking." He ordered. I did as told. My rage turned into a simple smile as I made my way towards the door.