The Girl Next Door

Part 21 - Iris

Part 21 - Understatement

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"So I know you told me about Friday," Sophie starts, "but did you get into any trouble when you got back home? Wasn't your dad all p*ssed off? I guess I would be, too, if my daughter came home wasted. Still though. It's our responsibility, as teenagers, to make our parents mad because we did all the same stuff they did when they were kids. It's the tradition."

"I didn't go to my dad's 'wasted,'" I deny. "I went to Pierce's wasted," I point out, accidentally sounding like more of a know-it-all than I mean to.

"You what?" she shrieks incredulously. "Has Iris lost her innocence?" She put a hand to her forehead, putting on a show. "They grow up so fast!" A few moments went by before she straightened out uncomfortably. "Uh... For real though, did you do actually... You know, do... the thing?"

"No, oh my goodness, Sophie!" My face burns like it's on fire and I can feel it go red, so I cover it with my hands (which are covered by the sleeves of my hoodie). "Why do you think those terrible things?"

"For god's sake, Iris, don't act like it's unheard of or some god-awful sin. It's normal for people our age to be interested in that sort of thing. And if you're not into it, that's fine too. But you have to admit, it sure seemed like you insinuated something."

"I'm moving on, alright?" I give her a pointed look, not hiding my irritation. "I just avoided going to my dad's. Who knows what he would've done if he found out that I went to a party, and... you know, got intoxicated. After Pierce got Logan away, I guess I went to his house to avoid getting yelled at. I told him I went to your house."

"Gotcha," she says while nodding with a chuckle. "And what did Pierce say about Julian and I? I can't remember a d*mn thing, except for me telling you I was going to find him before going."

"Pierce said you guys were dancing and then fell asleep on the couch," I kept it vague. When I used to tell stories to people, I had a bad habit of adding too much detail to the story to the point where the person I was talking to stopped listening or just stopped caring. Later on I learned that while I think detail makes for a better story and you should listen more when a person adds it, other people have quite a different mindset towards the matter. After that, I learned it was painful but best for their benefit if I kept it simple.

"And?" Sophie gestures for me to go on, raising her eyebrows.

"And... I was preoccupied?" I go on with a shrug, contradicting my statement. Of course that doesn't count though — if I had any recollection of it that would be different. "Remember that I was drunk too and can't recall a thing."

"Be a doll for me and ask Pierce about it later if you can."

"Why don't you just talk to Julian without the excuse 'I was intoxicated' or 'I just went with my friend and he happens to be friends with her friend'? You clearly like him."

"There's no need to jump to conclusions now, Iris." She stays calm, but I know she's lying. "I think he's attractive, I'll give you that. But this is infatuation and it'll pass. I'd just be embarrassed if it was, um... a one-sided sort of infatuation."

"You're always talking about gossip in some way and suddenly you're bowing out when it gets to you. We're the social outcasts, and I just happen to be tutoring the popular boy's best friend that you happen to have a crush on."