Breaking the Fourth Wall

Ch. 3 I'm Glad Someone Finds My Pain Amusing

Bailey's POV

"Ow!" was the first thing that flew out of my mouth when I sat up. Jonathan was still glaring furiously at Iris and Kara, who were still laughing their butts off.

"I'm glad someone finds my pain amusing," I remarked dryly, drawing the attention of everyone again.

"Are you okay?" Jonathan asks worriedly. When I nodded, the concern in his eyes was replaced by exasperation. "Beaver, what is wrong with you? Next time just ask me for help!" Jonathan calls me Beaver because I used to be obsessed with beavers.

I shrugged. "Oops?" I glanced at Iris, desperately asking for help.

Luckily, my stare seemed to convey the message to her. "She probably didn't want to bother you," Iris said, as I mouthed a thank you to her.

"Why didn't you start breathing again after we took the books off?" Jonathan asked, and Kara nodded.

"Um, um, you probably didn't notice...?" I offered them a weak smile.

"Nice save," Iris choked out, still recovering from her laughing fit. I sent her a glare, and she hustled everybody back upstairs. "Honestly, you have to stop getting into sticky situations! You're gonna get us caught! Plus, I'm tired of saving you every time!"

"You almost got us caught there! We're just lucky they didn't check too closely, or we would actually get kicked out of the League," I grumbled. She rolled her eyes, silently agreeing.

Just then, Iris' phone started blasting Justin Bieber. I grinned. "Nice ringtone Ris!"

She scowled at me. "What did you do?" she hissed.

I gave her an innocent smile. "Noooothing..."

"Bailey..." she said threateningly, making me cower slightly. Anyone in the Keepers League, official member or trainee, has to know how to be intimidating. They also have to be able to keep their cool and be level-headed in dire situations. Fortunately, Iris and I have got the intimidation part down. Iris also has the keep-your-cool thing covered. Me? Not so much. Other then being crazy, bold, loud, talkative, and unnaturally optimistic, I have a really short temper. I'm amazing, I know.

That day in the classroom with Mr. Pain-in-the-Butthole? That was Iris losing it and blowing her top- she tends to get madder over academics than I do. Somehow I still manage to maintain a high B average, but sometimes I wonder if Iris is manipulating my grades in the school system- we're best friends like that, but she assures me she's not. I trust her, but I know what she's capable of. Other than being super tech smart (like every member and trainee of the Keepers League, me included), she is also very cunning, not unlike me. We've both hacked the school's firewall before, her in third grade and me in fourth, but I almost got caught and she didn't. Maybe that's the fact that while I got a B+ in computer lab back then, she got an A, not unlike the rest of her classes. At one point I was a straight A student like Iris, but I outgrew that when I started fourth grade. Now, I'm proud to have a straight B and B+ average.

Iris glanced at the caller ID and made a face, before turning to me. "I better take this." She turned and headed upstairs, leaving me to face the horror that is our homework alone.

Iris' POV

I was about to say something more to Bailey, when my phone rang. I glanced at the caller  ID and couldn't help but make a face. It was Aiden, an annoying kid who NEVER seemed to leave me alone. I accidentally game jumped in front of him one time, and he got all suspicious. From then on, he was constantly bugging me. I don't even know how he got my number! I've put up simple firewalls to block him, but somehow, he always gets in anyway!

"I better take this," I said exasperatedly, and went upstairs. Once I was out of the basement, I answered the phone. "What do you want Aiden?"

"Don't sound so excited, Iris,"  Aiden replied sarcastically, "and I just want to ask you to come upstairs to your room." My room? What the ffffff.....?

"Why do you want me to come to my room? Aiden...are you in my room?!" I cried. He just hung up. I slowly climbed the stairs, and turned to my door on the right. I slowly turned the doorknob and eased the door open. Carefully, I poked my head inside and looked around... No one was there. Phew! I sighed in relief and collapsed on my bed. And then something grabbed my ankle.

I didn't yelp, I didn't scream. I pulled my leg up, and when the hand wouldn't let go, I rolled onto the floor and kicked under the bed. There was a shriek and I smiled in satisfaction. The only thing that could possibly make this better was if it turned out to be....

"Ow! What the hell, Iris?" Aiden complained as he crawled out from under my bed, covering his bloody nose with his hand. I somehow managed to keep a straight face.

"Well, maybe if you don't want to get kicked in the face, you shouldn't break into a girl's bedroom and grab her ankle from under the bed! Speaking of which, Aiden.... WHY THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU IN MY FRICKIN ROOM, YOU INSANE STALKER?!!!!!!" I yelled. I was towering over him in my fury, and for a moment, I saw fear in his eyes. Then his usual cockiness returned and he smirked.

"I'm onto you, Iris Cosentino. I know why you and your friend, Bailey are always acting so strange," he sneered. I tried to remember my training. Always keep your cool, no matter what. Don't show them any sign of intimidation.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Bailey is just an insane  weirdo and I'm the person who keeps her alive." I scoffed. He curled his lip at me.

"Oh really? Because if I'm right, and I am, you and Bailey have very...unique abilities. You two can do something incredible. I haven't quite figured it out yet, but I will! And when I do...you're going down." He snarled.

"Aiden, you need two things right now. First, and foremost, you need some serious mental help. Second, you need to GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!!!!!" I shrieked at him. He glared at me, but I ignored him and pointed to the window. If he could get in that way, he could go out that way. He climbed out the window and I slammed it shut behind him, carefully making sure to lock it.

As soon as he was gone, I slid down the wall. What had just happened? I almost thought for a moment, that he actually knew! Bailey and I were going to need to be more careful than ever, now.

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-Kaylee Cat & Sophie