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Chapter 34: Iris: Drama

Chapter 34: Iris: Drama

"IT COULD have been anyone but him," Jerald hisses under his breath. I hear it though I’m not sure the others did. They’re busy gushing at Phineas.

I’m frozen on the spot, eyes glancing between Jerald and Phineas, thinking of a way to make this mess less sticky than it already is—but no such luck.

"Sorry Jerry, I think I’ll stick to black men. Your sister has such good taste," Kayla jokes glancing at her boyfriend, mouth still clasped. I know she means well, it’s not her fault that she doesn’t know what her boyfriend is like in his sister’s relationships yet, but it’s fucking annoying.

She’s pissing Jerald off.

Smiling at Kayla, it drops the moment his eyes land back on Phineas, whose face drops when he notices us standing by the reception, looking at him, well, some of us. Lucas is glaring. It’s almost like he knows about the controversial past Phineas shares with Mary and he wants to get revenge for her.

He takes the first stride, long and intimidating for some reason, eyes still glaring at Phin. I move on instinct, slowly at first, then faster when Jerald’s increases his pace. The last thing any girl would want is to see her brother hitting her boyfriend, especially if that boyfriend was a best friend of her brother’s.

I don’t want that to happen to Mary. She’s too good to have such rumors flying around the company. Kayla and Bertha have stopped giggling at this point. Maybe they’ve started reading the situation like normal beings given the current settings we’re facing.

Jerald comes to a halt in front of his friend, a few inches separating them. He’s taller than Phineas by a few centimeters but they still count when he slightly glares at him from below, chin tipped up.

Jabbing Phin’s chest, he lowers his voice so the onlookers don’t hear, but I hear him nonetheless. I’m near them, ready to stop a fight if it does break out.

In the most chilling villainy tone I’ve ever heard him pull off, Lucas hisses at Phin, "We will talk about this tonight at my place when both you and Mary are present. Prepare yourself for the worst-case scenario if you don’t show up."

Phineas drops his hands to his sides, not at all avoiding eye contact as if he has mastered the art of shamelessness. "Don’t worry, I’ll be there," he replies slowly nodding, sounding confident and sure of whatever reassurance he has that’s got him suddenly courageous.

The glare in Lucas’ eyes intensifies, his jaw sharpening as if he’s gritting his teeth. I can see the animosity in it, the hate. For a second there I’m convinced he knows the secret, but I’ve given him credit for being smart before and he has never failed to disappoint me.

Maybe this is his alpha male brother instinct kicking in again. It has to be that. But it’s too intense to be only that.

Tearing his eyes away from his friend-turned-enemy all of a sudden, Jerald fixes his attention on me instead. "We’ll talk about your boyfriend later okay, I’ll be leaving right now." His lips tremble with each word he forces out of his mouth, eyes rapidly moving even though they’re looking at me.

"O-okay," I manage to let out before he sweeps past me, walking to his woman so he can hug her. In mere seconds he’s back, giving me one strained smile before he faces his foe, bumping into his shoulder as he strides past him.

I never pictured him as such a childish guy.

Phineas clicks his tongue, ruffling his afro intensely and kicking the air. Now that my attention is on him, I can see the reason why the ladies were gushing over him earlier. He just had a glow-up. A curly taper fade, a piercing on his left ear, and a trimmed beard. I think I spot a tattoo somewhere on his neck.

Yes, he’s handsome, but I still don’t find him attractive for some reason. I like mine with lean beefy muscle so he can carry me around easily, or flip me around during you know what, all tall and broad shoulders with a smile that makes his dimples pop out.

I like mine with a cute edge in public, but a more feisty and alpha male vibe at home to make me go weak in the knees and wet for him just from skin contact.

Yeah, Lucas is more my type.

"Phineas!" Mary’s voice cuts through my thoughts like an arrow, tugging me back to reality. I subconsciously thank her because where was my mind getting lost at?

She rushes to her boyfriend, but before they hug, I stand between them, extending my hand and making a stop sign at Mary. "Hold it right there!" She freezes in front of me.

"What are you doing stopping me from hugging my man?"

"Something I should have done the moment he came back into your life. Stopping you two from repeating the same mistake, again."

"What do you—" I grab her arm before she’s done, hooking it in mine before doing the same to Phineas.

"Please wait for me Kayla, I’ll be back soon." Still creasing her brows, the same confused expression on her face, she nods at me. I copy the gesture, pulling Mary and her man outside into the garage.

Once we’re standing next to my Mercedes, I look around to make sure no ears are snooping. After I’m certain we have no audience, I turn to the duo in front of me, my rage releasing in gallons now that I’m calm.

"What the fuck were you two doing last night kissing in front of Bertha? You know she’s a gist machine, Mary," I pointedly look at her but she blinks in return, confused by my sudden outburst even though a slight blush shows on her cheeks. "And you, what were you thinking dating her again without asking for Jerald’s permission? Don’t you know how overprotective he is of her? Shit, after what happened yesterday I thought you’d at least be skillful—"

"Don’t talk to him like that."

Here we go again.

"What, because he’s your boyfriend and you can’t bear seeing him sad after a truth slap?"

"Don’t talk to me like that either!"

Hah. Calm down Iris, falling in love is not a crime.

"I’m sorry, I’m just annoyed that’s all."

"What’s wrong?" She asks in a calm soothing voice. For an asshole like me, getting a friend who tries to understand me every time I lash out like Mary is more than a gift. It’s a fucking privilege. A blessing.

"Jerald was here a few minutes ago," I sigh heavily. "He now knows you and Phin are dating thanks to his girlfriend and that gist gun, Bertha."

"He does?" Mary quips, her doe eyes popping out from nowhere.

"Yes, and he said you two need to meet up with him tonight for a discussion about it."

"Finally, ugh!" Mary shrieks, tugging Phin’s arm as he pulls her into a hug. I suppress the groan about to leave my mouth when she nuzzles into his chest. Watching them hits a tad bit harder than it did with Jerald and Kayla for some reason.

"Why do you look relieved?" Phineas whispers rubbing his thumb on her back. I fake cough, but they don’t even flinch.

"Aren’t you tired of worrying about him too? I don’t want to play hide and seek anymore, let’s tell him everything. Whatever he decides to do with the information will be his burden, not ours."

The way my mouth drops to the ground. I’ve never felt an urge this strong to make someone swallow back their words. "Are you crazy?" I blurt out.

"No, I’m just being an adult," Mary immediately responds, not even wavering for a moment. She’s dead serious about telling her brother the truth.

"Are you sure that’s the best decision right now? Jerald looked mad when he left, he even bumped into your boyfriend here when he passed by him. He’ll kill the two of you if he finds out the truth, help me here Phineas."

"She’s right," Phineas tucks Mary’s hair behind her ear. I ease a little. Finally, one of them understands the situation.

"Hiding this from Jerald for too long will only worsen the impact once it comes out. Better now than later."

Oh for crying out loud. "What if he tells you two to break up? Huh? What will you do then?"

"We won’t!" They answer simultaneously. I blink at them, bemused at the sudden unity and maturity. I can see why Phineas looked so confident when he was speaking to Jerald earlier. They must’ve talked about this at some point.

"Are you guys sure about this?"

"Stop worrying, we’ll be fine," Phineas reassures me for the first time in all the years I’ve known him. "Besides, I think you and Lucas have your own fish to fry, and judging by what he told you, he’s coming for you guys next."

Oh shit. He’s right. Giving them one final glance, I let out a defeated sigh. "Fine, I’ll leave you guys alone. But I’m coming with you to this meeting or whatever it is."

"I can’t wait any longer, I’m going to ask for a half day," Mary says.

"Then I’m doing it too."

"Okay, meet you here in an hour."

Nodding, I leave the two making out next to my car, rushing back to the reception where I left Kayla waiting for me. She’s still waiting when I walk inside, and this time, it looks like her turn to question herself judging by the way her head is lowered as she bites her nails. Bertha is no exception either. Her face is dropped and she’s biting her lip.

Both their faces shoot up when they see me walking through the front door, and they stand. I can sense the despair before they even open their mouths to speak.

Placing my hands on the desk and turning to Kayla, I let out a breath to calm myself before I speak. "Did you tell Jerald who I’m dating?"

Her shrug is robotic when she raises her shoulders, her mouth suppressed into a crooked line. "I just did on the phone."

Oh my god. "What did you tell him exactly?" I mumble, trying my best to hold in my anger, and doing a poor job at it.

"Am I wrong? Are the two of you not dating? Oh my god, I’m so sorry if I ruined your relationship with your brother, I didn’t mean to snitch. He just happened to ask whilst we were having dinner and since you guys are family I thought sharing a secret with him wouldn’t matter. I’m so sorry Iris, really..."

She keeps on rambling and apologizing, deviating from my question further with each apology, and by the moment she decides to shut up, I’m one step away from blowing up and yelling at her to her face.

Reminding myself she’s innocent and that it’s my fault for agreeing to play babe with Lucas, I swat my hand at her. "No, it’s okay, you’ve done nothing wrong. But please refrain from telling him about mine or Mary’s business. We will tell him at our own timing when we’re ready."

Her face drops. "I’m so sorry about that."

"Promise you won’t do that again?"

"Yes," she responds affirmatively and I smile.

"Good, you too Bertha. Try not to tell on us in front of everyone like that, okay?"

She nods and my fake smile grows wider before I wave at the pair. "See you tomorrow then, I have business to attend to off compass this afternoon."

I leave the two of them sulking at the reception and head to the elevator, my brain already making fake scenarios of how tonight is going to play. Jerald will hit Phineas, or he will curse at him and his family. He will tell the two of them to break up, or better yet, call the Adams parents and throw a fit.

The only thing that’s constant in all the scenarios is one thing. Violence. There’s going to be violence so bad, we might break a glass or two trying to keep it low.

Pressing the third-floor button and waiting for the doors to close, I lean on the walls. The last thing I wanted to occur on my first day alone at home in the coming two-week vacation my grandparents went on just happened—drama with the only people who would help me if the electricity decides to play tricks on me.

"Ugh, I hate drama."

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