Inevitable Crash (6)

The breach of personal space startled Iris, and she took a step back. What was going on through Gale's head? Why was he acting like a petty villain?

It reminded Iris a lot of similar scenes from the many dramas she'd seen, and being not that fond of Gale's current actions, she slapped him before he could come any closer.

Her hit was totally ineffective strength wise, not managing to move his head even a bit, but his eyes went wide. He looked at her as if seeing a different person.

Iris chose that moment to hightail out of there. This was a surprise attack after which she didn't know how to continue. Thus, the best course of action was to get out.

Although Gale might have been blocking the way forward, she could just return from whence she came. Or well try, anyway. There was no chance she could remember all the turns and twists she'd taken in this maze.

For a few minutes, she ran at full speed, but in time her mind reacted to the fact that there were no sound of footsteps behind her. Was Gale not following her? Then why had he showed up there in the first place? It couldn't have been just a coincidence, though. There was no reason for him to just randomly leave the party and enter the part of the house she was currently exploring.

'When Kyro and he make up, I'll ask him about it,' Iris decided. Gale hadn't done anything to her, but she wasn't certain it would continue to be that way. There was a certain air of degradation to him, like he was sinking into quicksand and hurrying himself on the way since it was happening too slowly.

Iris shook her head, trying to clear the weird thought from her head. Partying didn't mean that he was losing himself. She was just seeing too much into this. It was probably just his way of having fun. He had been smiling, hadn't he?

The place suddenly felt even colder, and Iris picked up her speed again. The numerous locked rooms were starting to get on her nerves.

Five minutes later, she heard footsteps. They came from one of the intersections, and Iris froze, uncertain of what to do next. Was it Gale again? Or somebody else? Should she run or hide?

While she considered her options, the person came into view. It was a young girl with her sunny hair in a braid. She was dressed in black overalls and a white shirt underneath.

"Lily! I found you!" Iris couldn't contain her joy. She had actually met the girl she was no longer confident in being able to find!

Lily looked at her with cold eyes and spoke in a voice that lacked any emotion. "No, I found you. Brother told me you were wandering lost in the east wing."

"Gale did?" That surprised Iris. He actually guessed her purpose for coming here? "Well, it was nice of him. So how have you been? I really missed seeing you." While saying that, she stepped closer to Lily, but the freezing glare in her eyes stopped her.

"You don't need to pretend anymore. You won't win anything by ingratiating yourself with me." The girl stammered a bit over the word 'ingratiate', seemingly finding it unfamiliar on her tongue, but she didn't let that get in the way of her point.

It stunned Iris. Since when did children speak like that? And ingratiate herself? She had no reason to do that. "You do know that Kyro isn't a pauper, right? And he also specifically didn't reveal my information to the public because I don't want fame. What else could then a friendship with you give me?"

The question seemed to puzzle the girl, and she hesitated. The atmosphere warmed up a bit, and Iris stepped closer and went down to crouch by the girl. "Is it really that hard to believe that I just want to be your friend? I liked you in those couple days we spent together, and I thought you liked me too. Was I mistaken?"

"But that wasn't the real me…"

"Really?" Iris asked with a smile.

She had no doubt that Lily was extremely mature for her years, but that didn't change the fact that she was just a child. Deep within, she would still enjoy playing games, spending time at TV, and seeing novel things.

When the girl didn't answer anything, her lips forced into a straight line, Iris rose up and took her hand. "Why don't you lead me to your room so we can talk about what we've done lately? I've got so much to share with you!"

Iris was really interested in what Lily had to say, but she had the feeling that the girl wouldn't offer any information first. Her small hand was cold and unresponsive, but at least she did begin to lead them in one particular direction.

On the way, Iris chatted about nothing, making comments about the place and how she got easily lost. When they reached Lily's room, Iris was surprised by its cold atmosphere. The place eerily matched the guest room they had shared at Gale's apartment.

The walls were a pristine white, while the bare necessities in the room were either black or dark brown. There was not a single decoration or toy to be found.

"You can leave if you don't like it," Lily told her defensively, taking her hand back to cross her arms over her chest.

"No, no! It's really… clean?" Iris offered, not really finding anything else good about it. Still, she hid away her frown and went to sit on the small bed by one wall. "Come, it's better if we're both sitting. You won't believe the stories I'll tell you!"

Reluctantly, Lily did as asked and sat down cross-legged in place of the pillow, which she moved away to the side. Iris didn't miss how this created as large a distance between them on the bed as possible, but she didn't attract attention to that.

Instead, she started her tale. At first, she felt a bit uncertain when she started speaking about being invited to a proposal preparation, but as she continued, she was reminded of gossiping with her friends. It was something she hadn't even known she'd missed.

After starting, it felt as if a heavy weight fell off her shoulders. Even though Lily couldn't help her with overcoming her sudden fear of water or heal Lucy, speaking with friends wasn't about that. All she needed was for someone to lend an ear to her woes, allowing her to give them voice.

By the time she finished her edited version—one that didn't have her transforming into a fox—Lily was by her side, eyes shining like little jewels. Throughout the story, she had been nodding, shaking her head in disbelief, and oohing and aahing at the right moments. A better audience could never be found.

"Did all of that really happen?"

"Yeah! I didn't take photos, but…" This reminded Iris of something. She took out her phone and swiftly created a new contact named Lily. "Tell me your phone number. I'll make some photos when I return home and send them to you."

Without any hesitation, Lily took out her phone and checked her own number. "I want to see the kitty, even if he looks unsightly. Okay?"

"Promise!"

Satisfied, Lily typed in her number and clicked save on Iris' phone. Her face darkened soon, though. "I guess now you want to know how I've been…"

Iris nodded, not saying anything. She was afraid that if she pushed, Lily would close up and all her work so far would come to naught.

"It's… I… After you left, parents soon came, and they told brother that they'd warned him that this would happen. He laughed at them and said it was all their fault. He swore off all business and said they could go to hell with it."

Lily shuddered then, and Iris had to hold back her urge to go and hug the girl. "Parents were furious, but they couldn't force him to do anything. He has money enough to party every day for a decade, due to them starting training him from childhood and by teenage years giving him a large capital with an order to double, then triple, and quadruple it.

"I hate him, for squandering the love of mother and father, but..." Tears pooled up in the girl's eyes. "But he's the only one that's ever been kind to me. I don't want him to die!"

The last sentence froze Iris. She looked at the girl like seeing a ghost. "Die?"

There was a slight nod from Lily as her hands clenched into fists. "Half an hour ago, he waved at me while smiling before making a misstep and falling off. He survived it this time, but what about the next, and the one after?"

Lily was looking at Iris with a pleading that she couldn't answer. It wasn't in her power to make this world a right and just place.

"Oh, Lily…"

Iris moved forward and enveloped the little girl in a bear hug. She might not be able to shoulder all her troubles, but she could at least let Lily know that she wasn't alone.