Withered {Major Editing}

Chapter 3: Iris Price

"I'm not that short, you bitch!" I don't turn around yet I can't help but let out a small laugh.

•••

Liam's P.O.V
When the bell rings, Nash and I part ways and head to our classrooms. We agree to meet each other in the courtyard during break. The courtyard is a small, open field in the middle of the school. There are benches, tables around it, and a large tree at side. The tree is surrounded by red painted concrete. Supposedly, the tree symbolizes strength due to the years it remained standing although it went through many storms.

I walk up the stairs of A building and towards my class. I watch a few freshmen look around frantically, searching for their classrooms. I can't blame them, I was like that during my first year of highschool. I remember walking into an all senior English class my accident. English classes are the only classes that don't mix grade levels. I felt so embarrassed, yet it wasn't embarrassing at all. It was a normal thing that happens to students all the time.

When I reach my class, I see a line of students right outside the door. I step into the line and no faces are familiar, except for three girls. It was Jasmine Ignacio and two of her friends, Amy and Maria.

The three of them tried to split me and Iris apart when we were together because Jasmine had a crush on me. She catches my eyes and sends me a wink to which, internally, I throw up.

A few minutes later, a tall male with short, black hair and circular glasses walks out of the classroom. He seems to be in his late twenties. He's dressed in a purple polo, jeans, and black dress shoes. He stands in front of the door and holds a small pile of papers in his hands. With a smile he says,"Hello everyone. When I call your name, come up and get your schedule. After I hand to you, walk right in and take a seat wherever you want for now."

The teacher calls all students by last name. Once I'm called, I take my schedule and sit at a desk near the back of the room. The room smelled of vanilla and honey and it was a pleasing scent.

I look around and see a model of a skeleton and a bunch of pamphlets pinned on a bulletin board at the left side of the room. The pamphlets had different topics to them such as "How to make love without actually doing it" and "All about abstinence". I assume this is a health class. Not only does the skeleton and pamphlets give me that assumption, but it's also because it's a class that I asked my counselor last year to put on my schedule. Freshman year is the only year where the counselors choose your classes. For other years, the may choose your classes, although you still have to meet core class requirements.

Once everyone's seated, the teacher closes the classroom door and heads to the front of the room.

"Alright, good morning! My name is Mr. DeRosa and I'm your homeroom and health education teacher. I hope you all had a great summer. I'm aware this class is combined with the different grade levels," he says and pushes up his glasses. "For those of you who are seniors, do your best. Be sure to keep your grades up so you won't have to be held back as a super senior. Besides that, this is your last year of highschool so please make the most of it, considering that this year will go by quickly, yes?" Mr. DeRosa looks around the room, receiving a few yeses and nods before continuing.

"I assume everyone's nervous for their first day back so we'll be doing introductions tomorrow instead of today, just so you can all settle in first. I hope you all remember how our bell schedule goes every first day of school but just in case, I'll remind you how it goes. Today you'll be visiting all six of your classes," He says, pointing to a large, drawn out bell schedule on the white board behind him. The schedule shows the break, lunch, and class times.

On the other side of the board was the regular bell schedule. During the regular schedule, we only go to three of our classes. We attend periods one, three, and five on one day and periods two, for, and six on the other. Every day, we alternate classes.

After Mr. DeRosa finishes explaining both schedules, the front door opens. The same girl with the blue streaked hair that I bumped into by the bulletin board this morning walks in.

"You're late," Mr.DeRosa starts off. "but since it's the first week of school, you're excused. Got lost I assume?" Mr. DeRosa questions as, he walks over to his desk, looking over his roster.

The girl leans to her right side, slightly stepping her right leg out. "You could say that."

"You missed out on my explanation of the bell schedules. Hopefully you didn't need it. Although, I could go over it again if you'd like."

She shrugs. "It's alright. I remember how the schedules go."

Mr. DeRosa flips through his roster and runs his finger down on of the papers.

"You're Ms. Price?" Price? That's odd. That's Iris' last name.

"Yeah, that's me," she says, sounding as if she's disappointed about it. Mr. DeRosa hands over her schedule and whispers something in her ear. Although the class was completely silent, no one is able to hear what he says to the girl. She replies with only a nod and she turns around to head for a seat. This time, I see her face and I'm surprised by who it is.

It was her. Iris Price. I didn't hear her name when names were being called at the door, but there she was, looking so... different.

Her ears had multiple piercing. There was one piercing on her left eyebrow and one on her bellybutton. She had black winged eyeliner on and black lipstick. She didn't wear make up before. Her voice didn't have the same cheerful tune in it like it did before. She sounded tired.

As Iris walks towards a desk at the back of the class, I look at her by the corner of my eye so she has less a chance to notice me looking.

I look down at my desk in complete disbelief. Everyone else weirded out by her appearance because eyes were glancing back at her and whispers went go around. There's no one in school who looks the way Iris does.

•••

Mr.DeRosa does his own little introduction of himself to kill time. He had a wife and three kids, a daughter and two sons. He was from the Philippines and his parents divorced when he was four so he grew up with just his dad around. He was an only child and explained more about himself such as what his favorite color was, music genre, and so on. After he was finished, he told us that the remaining class time was ours. We only had about twenty minutes of class left.

Iris didn't seem to pay much attention. Her focus was down at a black book laying on her desk. She wasn't doing anything with it, just staring and running her finger over the cover.

Mr.DeRosa walks out for a moment to speak to a teacher. Jasmine and her friends stand up, making their way towards Iris. Jasmine places her hands on Iris' desk. Iris looks up at her, raising an eyebrow.

"Iris, wow. You look more slutty than ever!" Jasmine starts. "You must be desperate to get Liam back." Iris smirks and leans back against her chair, twirling a pen between her fingers.

"My dear, if you want to see a true slut, take a look in the mirror. I can guarantee you'll find one there." I have never heard Iris talk back to anyone that way. She's never been one to do so. Jasmine seems taken aback, same as I, but continues coming at Iris.

"Someone's got an attitude. Nonetheless, I won't hesitate on ruining your life, especially with you talking to me like that." Iris scoffs, staring Jasmine straight in her eyes. Jasmine backs up a little and squints her eyes.

"Honey, I'd like to see you try. Do yourself a favor and scram before I get up and erase those fake eyebrows of yours," Iris laughs. Jasmine touches her drawn on eyebrows in anger.

Small laughs escape the mouths of students as well, including Jasmine's friends. Jasmine sends them glares and the two stop laughing. Before Jasmine could say any more, Mr. DeRosa enters the room. Iris smiles and waves Jasmine off.

"This isn't over," Jasmine hissed. She takes a quick glance down at the black book in front of Iris before her and her friends return to their seats.

(Last edited: March 11, 2019)