Wild Boys

Chapter Twelve

The room felt different now that it was almost empty, save for them members and a few staff. The lights had been mostly out, the music stopped, and everyone's too eager to sleep the night away. At least of what's left of it—it had to be way past midnight now.

And yet here they were, sitting in the elegant chairs, some sitting on the polished floor. Iris was one of the latter. She took off her high shoes with a frown and gently massaged her aching feet, seeing blisters.

"What a night!" Link was saying. "I think I just got offered an internship for one company. This is crazy."

"That's crazy for you? Try asking Axel. That guy can ask for the moon if he wanted to." Dion said.

"Seriously?" He looked around, frowning. "He's not here though."

"He's got all the rich women wrapped around his finger," Steven said, his eyes flicking to Iris. "But he's not tonight's main attraction. How does it feel to be so popular?"

"Very exhausting," Iris answered.

"It's bound to get exhausting if you plan to teach every single person how to punch the right way!"

"What? It's a good knowledge to have."

"True." Caleb agreed from one corner, nodding seriously.

"No one asked if you got a boyfriend?" Lowell teased, and the others chuckled in amusement.

"There were." She frowned, remembering something. "I got offered two marriage proposals."

"What?" Everybody cried in unison, sitting up straight as if they got electrocuted all at the same time. Even Ares, who had been quietly texting in one corner, looked up in shock.

Basing off their reactions, that didn't happen everyday. She waved a hand dismissively and stood up. "I'll get going."

"Hey, you can't just say something like that and leave! Spill us the details!"

"Wait," Ares called from where he stood, walking towards where all of them were gathered. "A quick word. Tomorrow, expect a meeting about tonight's event. Make sure the others know. That's all."

Not everyone stood up at once from where they comfortably sat, but they all said their agreement. Iris turned her back and began to walk away.

"Oh, Iris?"

She glanced back, frowning at the second delay. Ares looked to be enjoying what he's about to say. "I'll accept no excuse for being late in this morning's session."

She gave a nod. She didn't expect to get away from him in the first place.

"You're merciless, boss. Not giving the star of the night even a single rest day, eh?" Lowell, trailing behind her.

"You wanna take her place?"

"Nah, I'm good. 'Night."

She got in the elevator with the others, getting almost squished off the side. Mark was right beside her and he looked like a tomato. Iris noticed Lowell grinning mischievously on the other side of the blushing boy, and could only surmise that he planned the torture from the start. At least he had stopped screaming everytime he saw her. That was progress at least.

The cold night air greeted them when they stepped out the old shack, and it nipped at Iris' bare skin. Damned dress, it was beautiful, but that's all there was to it. She could only guess how they must have looked, stepping out of a seemingly old hag's lair dressed in fancy clothes. Her lips curled up at the image.

"So you can smile." Lowell observed, arms behind his head. One eyebrow was raised in surprise. "It suits you. What're you thinkin'?"

She felt her frown return, elliciting a laugh to burst out of him. He did that a lot, laughing. He's always smiling, too.