Reticent

I sighed out loud, letting out all the air I harbored in my lungs for what felt like centuries. The clock seemed to tick by at a painful speed. Slower and slower with every passing second. The eerie creak of the ceiling fan at every rotation was the only sound filling the small area we had to ourselves.

"You don't talk much, do ya?"

I shifted my icy gray stare to the boy next to me, holding the ongoing gaze. His eyes darted down to the red floral notebook wrenched in my tiny pale hands.

"Iris?" He read out carefully before nodding as though approving of my parents choice. "I like it."

"Not that you needed to." I bit out a tad harsher than intended, but he only gave a light chuckle in response.

"Charming."