Colour | Irby

Part 8

Iris' POV

"Iris, quiet down!" Flynn shouts from his room, which is located on the other side of my bedroom wall. "I'm trying to study!"

"Put headphones in!" I yell back.

Then I look at at Libby who's watching me from the screen of my iPad. She sits at the desk in her bedroom, showing me the necklace she made today.

"Sorry," I say. "My brother was being annoying."

She giggles, then lifts up the pendant on the necklace chain. It's a butterfly made up of tiny beads that have been laced together by fishing line.

"That's so cute!" I say.

The door flies open behind Libby in her room, and her sister barges in. I point to her on the screen and Libby swivels around in her chair.

"Libby, have you seen my phone charger?" Sarah asks.

Libby shakes her head.

Then Sarah's eyes spot me and she comes up beside Libby. "This is Iris, right? Your girlfriend?"

Yes, Libby signs.

"Cool," Sarah responds.

She waves before exiting the room, and Libby looks back to me with a smile. Right as I'm about to speak again, my door whips open and Clayton peeks his head in.

Supper is ready, he signs.

"Okay," I respond.

He leaves and I turn back to Libby, saying, "I need to go eat dinner now."

Okay. I'll text you later.

She blows me a kiss before ending the video call.

After locking my iPad, I get up and walk down the hall to find my family already sitting at the table.

"Look who decided to join us," my mom says as I enter the kitchen.

I ignore her comment and go over to the island to grab a plate. After serving myself, I take my seat at the table, which happens to be sandwiched between Clayton and Flynn. My parents organized us that way so that my brothers wouldn't fight while we're eating, but all it's succeeded in doing is put me in the crossfire of their comments. While the rest of my family chatters about my dad's day at work, I stab into the chicken on my plate.

"What's up with you?" Flynn asks me.

"Nothing," I respond.

"Iris, honey, why don't you engage in the conversation for a change," Mom tells me.

"Fine, what do you want to talk about?" I mutter.

"How was your day?" Dad asks.

"Wow, riveting topic," I mumble sarcastically.

"Iris, why can't you let us have a nice family dinner?" Mom questions. "You spend all your time in your room, and you refuse to talk about your life to us."

"Maybe I don't want to tell you about my life!" I snap.

My mom is taken aback. "Well, I don't see why that would be."

"I'm allowed to not tell you things."

"Iris, what are you not telling us?" My dad asks.

I stuff a forkful of food in my mouth. I shouldn't have said anything. Now is not the time to tell my family what I've been keeping from them.

Maybe she has a secret boyfriend, Clayton butts in.

"Definitely not," Flynn counters. "She can't even get friends."