KISS

11-Kisses and Fireworks

"I'm paying you a lot of money to fix him!" he thundered.

"Mr. Rotterdam, it is unnecessary to use that tone or language in this office, and I can't do anything until he opens up more."

"I don't have the time. The scouts are coming and I refuse to see a chance of a lifetime for him go down the drain. Now if I don't see some results I will take my business somewhere else."

"But sir, you can't. Dissociative Identity—"

"I don't want to hear it! Fix it!" he roared as he stormed out of the psychiatrist's office. Lisa sighed, she had no idea how she was going to help him when his father wouldn't even acknowledge Axel had a problem. She looked down at her diagnosis while massaging her temples.

Dissociative identity disorder is a severe form of dissociation, a mental process which produces a lack of connection in a person's thoughts, memories, feelings, actions, or sense of identity. Dissociative identity disorder is thought to stem from trauma experienced by the person with the disorder. The dissociative aspect is thought to be a coping mechanism -- the person literally dissociates himself from a situation or experience that's too violent, traumatic, or painful to assimilate with his conscious self.

Lisa Covington was beautiful woman. She had creamy caramel colored skin and bright almond eyes to match. Her eyes were distant when her daughter entered and the confusion in them eluded to the complexities of her thoughts.

"Mom?"

"Hi sweetie. How was school today?"

"It was good. I'm worried about my friend Iris. I think something happened with her and Axel."

"Why would you think that sweetie?"

"I don't know they seemed weird."

"Well darling you know I can't talking to you about Axel. Confidentiality, HIPAA laws prevents me from doing so and mom wants to keep her job."

"I know but."

"No buts. Now are you still crushing on little Axel after all the years?"

"Bye mom!" Natasha squealed before making a beeline towards the door. Her mother chuckled at her antics, how was her little girl going to get home if she had the keys.

***

Iris sighed when she got home. School was going fine but she felt like everyone was keeping something from her, and Axel was just well a mystery. She launched herself into Chester's arms, smiling into his beautiful violet eyes. He always made her heart race. She wondered if he remembered he stole her fist kiss, it was something she'd never forgot; without her knowledge her eyes locked onto his lips. They were so smooth and he had the most beautiful smile she'd ever seen. She licked her lips reflexively.

"Iris?" she glanced at him surprised. She was a nice bun warming in the oven and the temperature had risen to four hundred degrees. Shoving Chester away from her she fled to her room. Once she reached the safety of her room she closed the door and buried her face into the pillow. Why did she have to like boys?!

Oh no! He saw me staring at his lips like they were James Dean's leather jacket! He knows! I've ruined everything.

Thump! Thump!

Her heart beat painfully in her chest and she held her breath as Chester entered the room. She was a complete mess. She was the sun having a solar flare. She was ablaze, the high energy radiated from her skin eluding to the chaos that took place inside of her. Was it possible for a person to erupt?

"Iri?" She heard the question in his tone, but she kept her face buried in the pillow. After all the years he was going to find out she'd been crushing on him, not only was she confused by Axel's presence, a certain someone else plagued her thoughts. She grunted as Chester covered her body with his own and ignored the feeling burning in the pit of her stomach. His hands wrapped around her wrists. She buried her face further into the pillow, as his lips grazed her ear.

"Iri. It's okay. No more running." What was he talking about? She wasn't running. She was regrouping preparing for the battle that laid ahead. "Cheese what are you doing?" she gasped out as he flipped her over and stared into her eyes.

"Stop running from me Iris," he panted out heavily. This was the moment he'd been waiting for. He wanted to profess his feelings for her but wasn't sure how she'd respond until today.

"I wasn't running. I was..." her sentence was cut off by a kiss. Iris gasped into his mouth and was blown away by the fireworks that rocketed into the realms. The brilliance of colors dazed her, and left her speechless by their intensity. She'd been blinded, and left at a loss for words staring into the brightest pair of violet eyes she'd ever seen. They were so unique.

"Wow," she whispered touching her lips. His snickers filled the silent room bringing heat to her face once again.

"I've been wanting to do that for a while now." He gave her a chaste kiss before releasing her. She sat up and looked at Chester with wide eyes; her face was bound to liquefy at this point.

"How did you know?" she stuttered out. Iris felt as if she were in a labyrinth its complex structure of passages muddled her already addled brains. She sought to find the key and free herself. She was so close to obtaining her goal when the door to her room opened.

"Hey kids, dinner will be ready soon. Iris there's an event this weekend and I want you to attend. Tootles." Iris groaned as her mother closed the door. She didn't want to go anywhere this weekend.

"Hey, it comes along with being part of an elite crowd. You really should just accept it."

"Not you too Cheese. C'mon I'm hungry let's see what's for dinner."

***

Iris stood grumpily next to her parents as she cursed Chester. He was able to skip out on this little party. Tables were covered in beautiful cloth, succulent dishes thrived in the light begging to be tasted and there was an abundant of alcohol. She wore an off the shoulder black dress that hugged her curves with metallic pumps to match. The tear drop diamond necklace her parents got her sparkled in the light. Iris felt naked with all her hair piled on her head.

"Iris! Hey darling, glad you could make it." Iris wanted to roll her eyes as Jean-Pierre approached. She was starting to think her mother was trying to set them up. It was just like her, she would love to have a fashion designer in the house.

"Jean."

"Don't be that way, especially when I'm about to do you a favor."

"What is that?" she huffed out.

"Show you some real fun," he said smiling deviously at her. Iris heart thumped in her chest. What was up with her and bad boys. Don't let the perv get you. Not the perv. Nope. Not happening.

"What are you doing?" he asked quizzically. Iris opened her eyes and glanced at him. She hadn't realize she sought the altar of the gods, offering them her prayers, hopes and dreams only to be mocked and dragged back to reality by this man. It seemed Hades was the only person who came to answer her call.

"Fine," she said and her shoulders sagged as Jean-Pierre dragged her to her doom.