Her Obsession

Chapter 8

TW: SA mentioned

The sun shining through the large window to the hotel room wakes me up. As my eyes slowly open, I see Iris lying in the same position she was in when I got in bed last night. I will admit, I'm still irritated with her, but because it felt like she was trying to force me to choose her over my career.

I let out a sigh and sit up in the bed ready to face the day, but before I do any socializing today, I need a coffee!

I get dressed in some comfy black sweat pants and throw on a light weight oversized tee. Nothing fancy at all. I'd prefer to be comfy for the day, since I've got a clear schedule until I have to attend the NYFW after party tonight at 9:00pm.

I throw my hair into a messy ponytail, grab my room key and phone, look back at Iris laying in the bed I had just awoken in, let out a sigh, then leave the hotel room.

Maybe I was a little harsh on her last night. I do feel quite bad after thinking more about how everything went down, but then again, she was warned about what this trip would look like.

The words Yanni's Coffee pops into my view, letting me know that I'm nearing the closest coffee shop to our hotel. As I get closer I see a bunch of gen zers and millennials sitting outside on the patio shoving their faces into their laptop or phone screens. I chuckle to myself at the sight.

I go up to the register and order myself a medium vanilla iced coffee with a splash of almond milk. "That'll be $5.25," the young girl with ash brown hair says just as my phone starts to ring. I tap my card on the card reader and just before my phone has the chance to stop ringing, I answer the call at the last second.

"Riii! Why the fuck have you been on ghost mode," a familiar voice says with a theatrical tone. "Well good morning to you too Ray," I chuckle as the barista hands me my coffee. 'Thanks' I mouth to the barista just before walking over to a two seater table in the corner of the coffee shop that gives me a good view outside the window.

"Morning loser....give me an update. How's New York!?" "Honestly, not as fun as I was expecting it to be," I sigh. "Aww, how come? You sound kind of down," Rachel sounds mildly concerned. "Well get this...Iris came with me." Rachel gasps, "you let her come but not me, mmm mmm mmm." I could tell she was shaking her head in disappointment, yet slightly joking. "That's the thing Ray, I didn't invite her. She invited herself!" I exclaim. "Huh!?"

"It's been a disaster Rachel." I sip on my iced coffee, which is better than I expected it to be. "Why? What's going on between you and the milf? I thought you two were getting along." I take a pause before responding to Rachel. "I mean I guess we do. I think I'm just confused by all of this. If I'm being honest Ray, I think I've only been using her as a distraction from my loneliness." I hated admitting such a thing. "I feel like Iris is expecting me to give her more than I can," I say in a lower tone.

"Well Riley, I wouldn't stress it. You fly back home in three days. Stick it out and when you get back, ditch her." Rachel and I don't have serious conversations often. Our friendship is based off jokes and being completely unserious with each other. But in the rare occasions that we are serious, Rachel always knows how to help calm me. She makes things sound so simple, and whether it really is simple or not, her words make me feel more safe.

"You're right Rach- oh my god," I whisper the last part as I make eye contact with a set of eyes that have become so familiar to me. Iris was staring at me from across the street. Her eyes were like daggers. My eyes widen in surprise as to how she even knew that I would be here.

I watch as Iris crosses the street and walks into the coffee shop, causing the bell above the door the ring. She scurries past the counter and comes straight to the table I'm at giving me a snarky look as she sits in the seat across from me.