Blooming Iris | ✓

-Blooming Iris Chapter 2-

Richard's POV~

It was like any other uneventful day, as I headed towards 163 Park Drive, for another meeting. I became the CEO to my father's company after he passed away when I was only sixteen-years-old. Now nineteen, I was known as the youngest CEO to a very successful company, that I'd kept alive for the past three years—almost four.

"Sir, we're almost there," Adam—my driver said, his gaze on me.

"Thanks," I replied, nodding at him, before going over some paper work.

As my driver turned the corner, I heard a guy yelled, "You ungrateful little punk!"

I looked up from my work, turning my attention to the scene outside my window. From what I could tell, the guy that yelled was taking out his anger on the young girl in front of him.

She was probably around the age of sixteen or something, with long blonde hair and brown highlights streaked in her hair with amazing deep blue eyes to match.  She was a pretty girl overall, but her clothes were very dirty.

Hmmm . . . Strange.

The guy in black, raised his hands, and was about to hit the poor girl, but before he did, she ran.

Huh, she's fast.

In the next moment, I found myself telling my driver to stop the car.

I rushed out of the limo as soon as my driver parked the car, and ran towards the girl. As I tried to catch up with them, I saw that the guy dressed in black had some friends. Unfortunately they were rushing after her as well.

What did the girl do wrong in the first place?

The girl ran towards an alleyway, and as I finally turned the corner, the guy had her in his hands. If I don't do something quick, this poor girl's life would be in danger. Good thing I had a black belt in karate.

I sneaked up on the two guys that were behind the guy in dark clothing, and knocked them out in one move. Now, onto my main problem. I grabbed the guy who was about to hit her, and threw him onto the ground, kicking him in the stomach a couple of times. 

"Who are—" was all he could to say, when I kicked him one last time in the head, knocking him out completely.

"Are you okay?" I asked the young girl.

Now seeing her up close, I could tell the girl didn't have a proper shower for a very long time. Her clothes had random spots of dirt, and her jeans were ripping in some areas. Her hair was wild, and messy, and her face, looked pretty dirty as well. But I wasn't a person to judge others just because of their outer appearance. Even though this girl in front of me was covered in dirt, I knew that she must be beautiful.

She nodded her head in response. She's not much of a talker then, huh?

"Thank God," I breathed out anyways. When she still didn't reply back, I rubbed my head awkwardly in return. "Well I guess I'll see you," I said, turning around, starting to leave. My job here was done. I saved her, and I really needed to get to my meeting if I didn't want to be late.

Right before I had the chance to leave though, someone grabbed my arms, and stopped me. I turned around shocked that someone actually grabbed me like that, but when I saw her innocent face, I quickly smiled in return.

"What? You don't have to say thank you," I said chuckling a little.

She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing ever came out. Could she not speak or something?

"Are you trying to say something?" I asked, looking at her deep blue eyes.

She opened her mouth, ready to respond, but nothing came out.

"Um, I'd love to stay and um, talk? But, I really need to go." I took her hand out of mine, because if I don't leave soon, I'll be late for my own meeting! And that's never good. Even though I might be the boss, my mother can and will not hesitate to kill me!

I started walking again, heading back towards my limo, when I heard her yelled, "Wait!"

I turned around back again, and asked, "Yeah?"

"Um, t-thank y-you for saving m-me," she said, a light blush forming on her cheek.

"No problem," I replied, smiling at her.

"What's your name?" she asked. Hmmm. That's new, someone asking for my name. Usually everyone knows me by now. I mean I am the youngest and richest CEO in America.

"Richard." I held out my hand for her and asked, "and you?"

"Iris," she said, shaking my hand. Wow, what a beautiful name.

"Iris, nice meeting you." I smiled, "but I really need to get going, I have an important meeting to run to."

"Oh, no problem," she said sadly. "I understand, goodbye." She sounded—disappointed. 

"Um, okay," I replied back. "Maybe I'll see you around?" I asked her.

"Maybe." She nodded before leaving.

I looked at her, wondering why she was moving so slowly. Then it hit me. She was hurt. Her leg, it seems she hurt it somehow.

"Wait!" I called, running over to her.

She turned around and looked at me. "Yeah?" she asked, biting her lip. 

"You're hurt, let me at least take you home," I said, pointing to her injured leg.

"Um," she replied back, not looking at me.

"What?" I asked. "Something wrong?"

"I don't have a home." She doesn't have a home? Well that would explain her appearance.

"You don't?" I asked, pretending to be shock.  "Did your parents kick you out or something?" 

She looked up, tears coming out of her eyes. What's wrong? Did I say something wrong?

"I-I don't have any parents," she whispered, looking away. She's—an orphan. Crap, now I feel like a idoit for asking her that. 

"How old are you?" I asked, wondering, since there was foster care for children without parents.

"I'm sixteen."  Looks like I guessed her age right.

"Why aren't you in foster care then?" I asked her curiously. They usually take care of children up to the age of eighteen.

"I ran away," she told me, "I can take care of myself."

"I see," I said, looking at the way she is now.

She's probably living in the streets or something, and that's not a good place like her to stay at. There are some crazy people out there, always looking for someone as pretty as her to mess around with.

"Look Iris, what about this?" I asked after giving it some though. "Why don't you come back with me?"