Faults & Faith (Sequel - Vic Fuentes Fanfiction)

7. A Million Ways To Die

Chapter 7 -  A Million Ways To Die

  I chase Iris out the house, she immediately gets into the passenger side of the truck to my surprise. 

"Iris, I'm sorry." I pant out once I'm in the truck. 

"Just take me home." She doesn't bother to look at me.

  I hesitate. What was home for her? Wouldn't this be her home? Maybe I should drive back to Palm Springs. All of this was mind fuck.

  I start the engine with the biggest regret. I wanted to punch myself for my stupid move, how could I have been so dumb?

Since I was too afraid to ask, I decided to drive back to my apartment.

  I haven't spoken a word. We're in the elevator that's going up to the level of my apartment. Iris hasn't even looked at me. This isn't a good sign for redemption at all. 

  When we get into the apartment, I give Iris clothes to change into. Oh how this feels like old times. The memories flood into my mind and it creates such a big cloud in my head just to think about. Once one old memory replays, the other memories are forcing to be played all at once. It wears me down and burdens me.

   I luckily have bottles of wine in the kitchen. I immediately open one of the suckers up and drink. It's going to be a long night that's for sure. Iris comes out of the bedroom. I was expecting her just to stay in my room all night long. Change of plans I guess. She walks around the living room, spends a moment to look at the view of the city. 

She peaks at my book self, it's half full. 

"I can't go back to yesterday because I was a different person then."

I frown. "Huh?" 

  "Don't remember reading Alice In Wonderland in high school?" She laughs a little, it makes my heart skip a beat.

  "Let's be honest, I slept through every Language Arts class we had together." I shrug with an easy smile. "I'm actually not even sure what books I have there." 

  She takes out a book, hiding the cover from me so I can't see which book it is. "I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, then all at once."

"John Green, The Fault in Our Stars." I stated.

"Didn't think you'd be a type of guy to read such a thing." She smirks.

"Didn't think you'd be the type of girl to be a stripper." I shot back at her, jokingly of course.

  "Ha.Ha.Ha." She lays the book on the coffee table and sits down on the couch. "Wine?" I ask, as I lift the bottle for her to see. 

  "Please." She begs as she tilts her head back. I sit down next to her, she takes the bottle wit out even putting a thought to it. "Victor, there's something I should tell you."

"And what would that be, Iris Rae?" 

"I'm an alcoholic."

Those three words broke my heart a little even more. "Another fault." She says.

"Just because you say it's a fault doesn't mean anything." I whispered.

  I didn't want it to be true. Halfly because I find it my fault. The nights at the cliff with underage drinking. Fuck.

  "Is so too. It's a human flaw. There for a fault." Her stubborn side is showing brightly. "Let's just face the truth."

"But there's still faith." I protest. "Oh hey, look. There's the truth."

  She takes another gulp of the wine. I take it out of her hands and shake my head at what she's doing. Something obvious to others, but not to her. "Hey!" She tries to grab the bottle.

  "Recovering alcoholic." I corrected her from the just recent confession. "You're too young for this Iris."

  "Last time I checked twenty-one is the allowed drinking age, Victor." She retorts, her eyebrow rises. I sigh, only if she knew what she's doing to me.

  "You know what I meant, Iris Rae." I stand up, and walked into the kitchen. I pour the wine bottle into the sink, regretting even offering it to her. 

  "Slow conversations with the gun mean more than I've ever said to anyone." She stands up and walks to the bedroom door.  "A million hooks; A million ways to die."

  Then she enters the other room and closes the door behind her for me to stand alone in the kitchen, trying to think of a way to get her off my mind for the rest of the night. I search the cabinets for something strong.

  With a dash of luck, I find whiskey. I lie down on the couch and start taking gulps of the burning drink. I realized that trying to wash her down with something strong is the worst way to do anything. But at this point I don't care. Everything isn't always what it seems. I'm broken just as much as Iris, without realizing it truly until now. She's sliding into bed while I get drunk - never did I imagine this to ever happen.

 I became uncomfortable as the hour past. I walk into my room, Iris sleeps peacefully on the left side of the queen size of the bed. I threw on random sweatpants and a tank top.

It's cold, there's a half empty mattress in front of me and the stars are falling. My mind is too cloud to think properly.

  I turn my attention to Iris. Part of me is telling me to slide into the right side of the bed and the other is telling me not to.

  I watch her carefully, without her noticing. I see the resemblance of eighteen year old Iris but her personality has disappeared somewhere far away. I'm slowly realizing that as well. Iris is grown and has now shown her real colors. It's either I'm in love with that as well or move on. Part of me is in love with the past and It's something I can't seem to let go. 

  I fell in love with Iris for her small giggles and indecisive mind. For the way she shined bright even during her darkest hours. Or to the way she ate breakfast for dinner and wanting to do absolutely nothing during a storm. The way she was so curious about everything. Even the days she didn't seem to care that her hair is in a messy bun and in a baggy sweater.

But now? It only seems that I'm in love with the idea of Iris. The thought of Iris.

And I'm not sure how to change that.

______________

A.N

Sorry for the short chapter....It's been one hell of a week and I also gained a small writers block for this story but have no fear, I'll push through and keep updating!

Vote and comment and don't forget to check out my Alex Gaskarth fanfiction - you won't regret it. <3

- Kc May 17, 2014