Going back

10|| Surprise!

A/N: Here's chapter 10. Enjoy, people.

"Surprise!" Alex did the jazz hands, "I'm back from the dead!"

Iris was pissed. And confused. And kinda hungry.

She decided to deal with 'pissed' first.

"Can we talk?" She asked through gritted teeth, hands curling into fists by her side.

"I would, but we need to go to the, uh, the cafeteria right Aiden?" Alex slung an arm around his friend's shoulders and laughed nervously.

"Oh no," Aiden replied, "you guys sound like you need to talk. I'll see you later."

"Great!" Iris smiled brightly, grabbing Alex's arm, "let's talk."

She powered through the crowds, dragging Alex through and past the double doors. They went past several blocks and stopped by a little, abandoned alleyway.

"So, what did you want to–"

Iris whirled round and slammed him against the wall, ramming her forearm against his throat and leaned in. Alex gurgled and pointed to her arm, shaking his head frantically.

Iris released her hold and stepped back, her blue eyes were a blazing inferno and her chest rose and fell with each angered breath, "Where have you been?"

"It's a very funny story," Alex chuckled, rubbing his throat.

"I look forward to hearing it."

"So, how much do you already know?"

"I know I threw you against an electric fence–"

"Which hurt by the way."

"–and then I shot you in the leg–"

"Again, very painful," Alex winced, rubbing his leg.

"–followed by me leaving you for dead. In the dark. And rain."

"It left emotional scars," Alex said mockingly, placing a hand on his chest with a wounded look.

Iris fought very hard to keep the smile off her face, "Good. It was supposed to send a message."

"I mean, on the bright side, everyone thinking I was dead meant I could sit my GCSEs without worrying about assassins," Alex grinned, "I mean, can you imagine while writing the Maths exam, the invigilator turned out to be a killer and shoots me in the skull? Do you think they cut off marks for getting blood on the paper?"

Iris cleared her throat and turned to hide her amused expression, "They probably do."

"So, Rainbow, how have you been?"

Iris froze at the old nickname, a tight ball forming in her throat as she heard the old nickname. At that moment, she wanted to do nothing more than hug the insufferable idiot and cry. She swallowed and gathered every last drop of her restraint. "Mum died."

"I heard," he said softly, "I'm so sorry–"

"You heard?" Iris spun around, "So you knew where I was? Yet you didn't think to, I don't know, drop by?"

"And how would that have gone? You tried to kill me!"

"Not on purpose!"

He shot her a flat look, "That's such a dumb reason."

"You're a dumb reason," Iris muttered childishly, shoving her hands in her pockets and leaning on the wall opposite from Alex.

She looked into his warm brown eyes and felt a wave of nostalgia roll over her, threatening to drown her in its comforting depths.

"Seriously," Alex pushed off the wall and stepped closer, "how have you been?"

Weakly, Iris shoved him back, "I should be asking you that, dumbass. You're the one who became a zombie."

"I am not a zombie!"

"Fine. A ghoul then. Now, tell me the truth."

"...No."

"Excuse me?" Iris's eyes narrowed to slits, "I could get Jax here and we'll both gang up and force the truth out of here."

"Aw Jax is here?" Alex beamed.

"Yeah, and he's not gonna be happy when he finds out. Why can't you tell me the truth?"

"I need to ask someone's permission first," he said darkly, taking out his phone. "So you can go get some lunch, okay?"

"Fine," she agreed begrudgingly, dragging her steps around the corner. She stomped a few steps, paused, then quickly and quietly backtracked, straining her ears to hear the call.

Silence. Then–

"I know you're there, Rainbow," Alex called. Dammit. "I'm not making the call until you leave."

Iris scowled and flipped him off round the corner, making a very melodramatic show of walking away and slamming the building doors behind her.

I missed him, she thought, blinking away the tears that gathered in her eyes, but I don't know if I'm happy to see him.

*******

I hope you guys liked it!

Stay safe and thanks for reading :)