Warrior // b.a

Ⅲ // G R A D U A T I O N

"This mess was yours,
now your mess is mine."
─ Vance Joy

"Elvira, just be careful," her mum had warned her. "That boy is all types of good but he might not be good for you."

"Mum, we've literally been together for 2 years, it's fine," Elvira disregarded her mother's words.

"I know, and I've always liked him. He is a nice guy..." her mum trailed off. 

"But...?" Elvira quirked a brow, amused by the conversation.

"You never told me about Iris West," Elvira's mum subtly hinted. 

Elvira didn't get the hint.

"What about her?" Elvira was blatantly clueless, her mum cringed at her naivety. "Iris is Joe's daughter... The same Joe you've known for years... The one who has helped raise Barry..." Elvira's mum stayed silent, so she continued talking. "Iris equals Joe's daughter who equals Barry's legal guardian... which equals Barry and Iris growing up together..." Elvira patronized, finding her mother's suspicion entertaining.

"I'm not illiterate Elvira," her mum scoffed at the patronizing tone used against her.

"One would think otherwise..." Elvira teased her mum.

"That's enough from you," Elvira's mum laughed. Bringing the conversation back, she said, "The dinner was lovely, you should tell Joe that if he ever wants to get out of the bulletproof vest, he can definitely take the chef's hat." 

Before her parents had left, Elvira's family was invited to have dinner with Barry, Iris, and Joe. It was a night that went surprisingly well. Her brother's made the effort to not give Barry a hard time. The conversations came easily without awkwardness and involved laughter and brutal teasing.

Elvira's mum, however, couldn't help but notice the dynamic between her daughter's boyfriend and Iris. Their quiet inside jokes and the strange looks and smiles... it was an understatement to say that Elvira's mum was not illiterate. 

"I'll be sure to pass on the message."

"El," the tone of her mum's voice screamed all sorts of warnings that Elvira didn't understand. "Please be careful with this relationship of yours. I like Barry but there aren't many things that last forever. Look after yourself before anyone else."

Elvira stayed quiet, listening to her mother's words. 

"Just stay safe," she concluded. Elvira didn't push the conversation any further.

"I will."

"And we're sorry we couldn't make it, I never would've left the city if I'd known the flight back would be such a hassle."

"Mum it's fine, honestly," Elvira knew that her words probably meant nothing to her mum.

"Don't say it's fine, Elvira. Your parents aren't going to be there for your graduation, that's a big deal!"

It did come as a shock when Elvira was told that her parents weren't able to make it, but she really didn't mind. Their business trips were so frequent that it was just "one of those things" that she knew not to argue with.