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Iris
"Colten Dias, slow the hell down!" I yell at Colt as he drives his Volkswagen at a speed definitely not for normal street traffic.
"Don't yell, you 17-soon-to-be-18 girl!" he yells back.
"17-soon-to-be-18 girl?" I give him a weird look which he ignores and continues to put our life at risk. "Whoa, slow down!"
Colten Dias.
My greatest best friend in the whole freaked up the universe. This drive-like-a-maniac guy is someone I grew up with. I believe that it is fate that we both are best friends.
Because, why not?
With his dark blonde hair and blue eyes, he looks like a typical American boy but here's a fact, he is actually three-fourth Hispanic. Due to his tendency to speak in Spanish when he was a kid, I willed myself to learn it too, and thus, we rule the Spanish class, together (an exaggeration, really).
Since kindergarten, we have done a lot of things together. Scaring off our elementary teacher by a rubber spider, starting up food fights, putting a lizard in a bully's water bottle (he did drink it, though) to beating other team's butts off in many retro games.
"And, in exactly five minutes, here we are," Colt announces, proudly.
"Well, thank goodness, Death didn't approach me with a slip, real soon," I reply with a blank face.
"You should thank me, dumbass." He parks his car at his usual spot in the parking lot and turns to me, expecting an answer.
"Well, thank you for making us late," I say, smugly, as I get out of the car and proceed towards the school building and then to my locker.
"Almost late!" He yells behind me.
Seahome High School.
I am not going to lie that I didn't get lost in the corridors of this school during my freshman year. The school is huge and has a reputation for winning almost every competition it has entered into. So, we are tough competition for most schools in our city. Not to forget, we, Sea Kings, are a force not to be messed with.
School spirit, that's what I am talking about.
Before I even complete my senior year in high school, Colt has decided to put us in the danger every time only because of him. I swear it is because of him. Even when we live four houses away, the guy is late every time and since we carpool, I am late, too.
"Iris. For fuck's sake, don't walk that fast," He says as he tries to match up with my pace.
Emphasis on 'tries'
"First, stop using cuss words, and second, it is so shocking that I'm better at even walking than you, Mister Quarterback," I reply back, not turning towards him, as I reach near my locker.
Yes, he is the official jock among the both of us but I am just better at kicking his ass in everything, except football. I crush him in video games, drinking contests, holding your food for the longestâI, even, burp louder than him.
"Yeah, yeah..." He says, rolling his eyes, as he leans near my locker. I open up my locker as Colt starts to fiddle with my dream catcher keychain.
"So, almost two months to go for the dance championship, huh?" He asks peeping into my locker.
"Fifty-four days, exact." I breathe out. "Crap, they seem so short now... I know I have won the regionals and have qualified but I am still nervous and especially with the city's Dancefest coming up..." I say, sighing, as I close my locker. I take a deep breath as the nerves started to kick in, thinking about the future and my love for dance.
Dance has always been the best thing in my life. I may know a lot of things but dance is the one I enjoy the most. It is my life-my passion and I really want to share my love with the world.
"Dance is your passion and your first love, Iris. I swear you aren't not only going to rock the championship but also win it..." Colt pulls me into a hug as I smile at his statement.
"Thaâ"
"And that's a heck lot of money to gift me a world tour!" He says as I feel his grin.
"I knew you were my best friend for a reason," I say, punching him lightly on his arm.
"Oh! Are we having a hug?" Someone says, behind me, as we pull away. Before I can even turn to reply, strong arms wrap around me. Out of defense, I elbow his stomach and, as his grip on me lightened, I hit on his head... hard.
"Damn!" the guy says, crashing on the ground. I turn to look at him and it is none other than my cousin, Caleb Wallace.
How did this whack job turn out to be my cousin? No, don't answer that.
To be honest, Caleb is the best brother and also the only blood-related brother I have. Like any brother and sister, we fight and compete a lot, actually. I don't want to admit it but yes, he is better than me in some things.
Having dark skin and light hazel eyes makes him one of the attractive guys in our school and damn, he knows that well. He is multiracial, in fact, and the fact he is proud of it makes me proud of him, too.
Apart from his desire to be a doctor, he is a great chef, in contrast to me as I can't even hold a spatula properly. He can make every sort of delicious thing that just makes my mouth water.
"What the fuck, Iris?" He exclaims as he gets up in forty-one seconds and makes me get over my dream of creams.
"You shouldn't have startled me, for god's sake, Caleb!" I reply back in a second, rolling my eyes. "After all, I was just defending myself..." I shrug.
"Whoa, I just wish that I could have recorded it," Colt says, trying to control his laughter.
"Stop snickering, Cinderella," Caleb says, dusting himself and glaring at him.
"Then, stop falling, Snow White," Colt says back, smiling at Caleb who smiles back at him.
Everybody loves Disney characters but Colt and Caleb have an obsession with Cinderella and Snow White, respectively, which I think is really thoughtless. Well, I have my reasons - Cinderella could have rescued herself while Snow White shouldn't have run away and should have fought for her kingdom - but, apparently, the reason the boys gave was 'She's hot!'
Boys.
"I really don't understand how you guys are obsessed with Disney Princesses and that too Cinderella and Snow White..." I say as we start to move towards our homeroom math.
"She's hot!" They both say together.
"Well can't you have some othâ"
"What's the stich?"
My phone beeps with a message. I take it out to see the message from my sisterâDaisy Annabeth Cooper. She is currently studying psychology in New York. I swear, if she messaged me another thing she realized about me in her classes, I willâ
Daisy
7:48 am
I need you to call Mom
tell her to send me my pussy cat sweaters
urgently
Iris
7:49 am
Why can't you message her?
Also, pussy cat?
Daisy
7:49 am
Don't judge, Iris
And yeah, point taken.
"You are one to say, Iris, when you have a really bad obsession over Kim Possible," Caleb says as I ignore the text and keep my phone in my pocket.
I admit it. I have a bit of an obsession with Kim Possible. She is so cool. A teen undercover agent goes through every bit of disaster only to protect the world and still has time for high school life. Seriously, how is that not amazing?
I grin and say, "Kim Possible is way better than Cinderella and Snow White... At least she can stand up for herself."
"Just called out Disney, didn't you Iris?" Colt chuckles, putting his arm around me, while Caleb rolls his eyes.
I sit behind Caleb while Colt sits on my left but not on the same desk. The seat next to me has always empty; such a good thing as I can prop up my feet on it anytime without the teacher noticing.
"I have some news," Caleb starts to say, turning towards us, and Colt groans.
"That you are an idiot?" I counter. "We know that, Cal."
He makes a face. "Just listen, no?"
Colt sighs. "What is it?"
Caleb replies, "Noah Radcliffe is back."
Colt straightens up. "Seriously?"
Caleb nods but I only look at them, confused. "Who is he?"
Both of them turn towards me with surprised expressions. Caleb says, slowly, "Noah Radcliffe, Iris. Noahâ"
I just blink and Colt breathes out, "Cristo, why are we even surprised? You only know the people who you talk to you or meet on daily basisâapart from them, a clean slate in your mind."
I roll my eyes. There's nothing wrong with not knowing everyone in the school. I mean, why bother if you are not gonna see 95% of the people after high school? Also, it is quite difficult to remember so many names.
"Whatever, guys," I say, taking out my notebook. "The class's about to start."
"Who cares about that?" Colt murmurs and Caleb just stares at him. "Right, except you."
Simultaneously, our phones light up with a message. Reading the message, I laugh while Colt and Caleb groan.
"I hate long practices!" Colt grumbles but replies to the text soon.
Caleb turns to me and says, "We haven't had a match, together. You too busy?"
"Yes," I answer, rolling my eyes. "But Nick wants me to come to practices. So, I may consider. Not today, though."
He huffs, turning away. "Perks of playing soccer so good that the captain of the soccer team wants you on the field."
"Why, Caleb? You jealous?" I laugh.
If the school hadn't removed the girls' soccer team on the basis that most of the girls don't play it in our school, which is kind of true, I would have been on the team. Soccer isn't just a hobby for me. It holds a huge value in my life.
"Good Morning, Class" Our teacher, Mr. McLane, says as he enters the class with a bunch of papers which he, later, passes on to every student. It is the test on the last topic we learned, I realize as I stare at it.
"Psst... Iris?" I hear Caleb call me, grinning. I arch my eyebrow at his expression as he whispers, "Whoever between us gets lower marks is a sore loser and has to buy a whole lunch for the other one for a week, okay?"
"It is on," I say, smugly. But when I see Colt grin, sheepishly, at me, I know he won't let me alone during the test.
***
"Iris, honey..." Julio, the school's dance instructor, draws out and I groan at his expression.
Julio is just five years older than me. He is an amazing teacher but sometimes, he is just too critical. He knows every dance form but his specialty is Hip-Hop. I swear, every freshman girl has a crush on him until they realize he has a really mature and sweet boyfriend, which I have only heard about.
I am mainly a ballet/contemporary dancer, though I know a lot of dance types. This time I thought of doing lyrical pop to, you know, impress my always-so-critical dance teacher which, right now, is not going to happen.
"Iris, you do hear me, no?" Julio asks, snapping his fingers in front of my eyes.
"Um, yeah. I do, Julio. I do," I say, quickly.
"Okay... So, it is good that you tried something new and your performance was fairly good too..." He pauses, thinking. "That kind of dancing would get just a 90."
"What do you suggest?" I ask him, seriously. "What can I do?"
Julio suddenly turns up a Spanish slow song.
"Dance without overthinking or overanalyzing it," He says, looking at me. I look at him in surprise. I can feel the eyes of other students on me as a crowd starts to form.
"What? Like right now?" I ask him, surprised.
"Yes. Now," He says, firmly, but also more like assuring me that it won't be some embarrassing act. "Iris, close your eyes. Listen to the song and dance with your heart."
So, as he says, I close my eyes. The slow upbeat music flows through my ears now and slowly, I can feel the adrenaline rush in my veins as I start to rhythm up with the beat.
After six minutes and fifty-six seconds, the song comes to an end. I can feel the tiredness starting to weigh over me as the last steps turn to be sloppy. Julio notices too and smiles, apologetically.
"Yeah, two practices back to back wasn't a good decision," Julio says and I raise an eyebrow.
"You don't say," I breathe out. "Can Iâjust go to washroom real quick?"
I gesture at my sweaty self and he nods. "Five minutes are left, so, I won't be able to see you again today. So, go..."
Actually, four minutes and thirty-four seconds are left but who's counting, right?
I pick up my bag and rush to the nearest washroom that is on the extreme left of the school building.
The washrooms, on this site, are pretty and different from others. These are actually clean and the water is cold, all of the time, which is good for me. Because of the sweat, my jersey shirt sticks on my skin and it isn't good. I hate it.
I dash into the washroom and keep my bag on the floor while I walk towards the sink. I look at myself in the mirror and roll my eyes.
I am a mess, like always.
Disheveled shoulder-length black hair, dark brown eyes with short eyelashes, and bit chubby cheeks on an oval-ish face. I have two small beauty spots; one under my right eye and one above my upper lip. I hate the fact that I have acne between my eyebrows and on my left cheek but I can't really say much because I keep popping themâI know it is wrong but it is frustrating not to.
I have a really curvy body and I love it. Unfortunately, shopping for a body like mine is a bane, especially shopping for bottom wear. Also, the fact some people keep pointing out my 'assets' is just not cool, though I do admit I have good assets.
I laugh at the thought as I open up the tap to let the water flow. The water is cold, definitely from the weather outside. It's the end of January but it feels really hot to me. I pull out my shirt, revealing my red Nike sports bra, and keep it on the counter.
I splash the cold water on my face and some of it on my bare body. It is really cold, in fact, but it feels like heaven to me after a long practice session. I repeat it like four times until my nerves numb from the coldness. It feels soothing, somehow.
Suddenly, a song pops up in my head and I can't stop myself humming it. My brain is a playlist with noodles-like wires surrounding it and not be what biology claims it to be. Unfortunately, I am not the best singerâor even a good one, but I know no one can be hearing me here.
"And all the time, it may take us to different places, I'll still be patient with you..." I close my eyes and let the song come to me.
"And I hope you know... I won't let go..." I sing, loudly, as I twirl on my feet only to bump with something hard.
What the hell?
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- a u t h o r ' s n o t e -
hello, hello, hi! thank you so much for giving this story a chance! this is my first story, at least the one i have guts to publish lol. if you like it, please vote and comment, and i hope i don't disappoint you <3
Love, Inerys.