Gifted

Chapter Five

I sat up quickly, ready to jump to my feet when I noticed his face coming into view, Nolan. His blue eyes were watching me with amusement.

"Did I scare you?" He laughed, and I felt myself blushing.

"Um, yeah a little." I admitted. "I've just been kind of jumpy lately."

"I'm sorry. I saw you, and wanted a chance to talk."

Iris caught the meaning in his words and excused herself after letting me know she'd stop by my room later in the afternoon.

Nolan took Iris' seat next to me on the grass. "So how's everything going?"

"Good, I really like it here."

"I'm glad." His smile seemed to light up his eyes, and I felt butterflies stirring in my stomach. Something I wasn't used to feeling. "Well, I was just wondering..." I noticed for the first time he was fidgeting. Nolan always seemed so cool and confident. Why would he be so nervous? He cleared his throat and went on, "Would you want to go out? Like on a date?"

The words left my mouth before I had a chance to second guess myself, "Yeah, I would like that."

He nodded slowly as if relieved to get it out. I realized it was asking me out that had him nervous. I couldn't imagine why I would intimidate him. He rubbed his hands on his jeans anxiously.

"Tomorrow? We could go out to eat?" Suddenly, this guy who seemed so sure of himself and easy going asked the questions like he doubted everything he said.

"Sounds good," I reassured with one last smile and watched him walk away. I stayed in the sun for a little while longer, relaxing and replaying my conversation with Nolan. I was excited to head into town with Iris, but I couldn't wait until my date the next day.

Iris and I walked around town from shop to shop for a while. I decided on buying a new outfit for my date. We stopped in a little corner coffee shop. Iris played with the foam in her iced concoction while I chugged my barely drinkable hot coffee.

"So what is there to do at MAC?"

"Nothing," she said it with just an air of distaste, but she quickly recovered. "Well, if you're me. Everyone else goes to parties; there are school clubs, not really any sports..." She trailed off.

"You're not interested in any of the clubs?"

Iris shrugged and pushed the bangs out of her eyes. "No, I mean I'm not really interested in any of the clubs they offer anyway, but I don't really fit in here." It was like a light clicked on. For the first time, I noticed the frayed bottoms of Iris' jeans, the worn Converse, the way her shirt hung on her tiny frame. It was as if it was not bought for her at all, but someone a size larger. Iris did not come from money like the rest of the kids at MAC. Iris must have made it in on scholarship alone. It angered me the way other students treated her like an outcast because she didn't wear the right clothes; or hang out in the right social circle. I suddenly felt an overwhelming need to get close to Iris.

"Is your family close?" I asked.

"No, I just have my mom, and she's about three hours away." She pulled the straw from the foam and dipped it back in. "It's not that the drive is too far; more that she can't get away from work."

"Does she work crazy hours?" I pressed.

"Not really, well kind of, she works two jobs. So it's hard for her to get away." I nodded in understanding and she turned her eyes on me. "What about you? Is your family close?"

"No family."

Iris immediately looked down and pretended to be interested in her drink. "I'm sorry."