Counter Attacks

used

The next morning, Iris woke up to the sound of rain tapping against her window. She stretched, feeling no rush to get out of bed—it was her day off, and for once, she planned to do absolutely nothing.

Grabbing her phone, she scrolled through her watchlist and picked an anime she had been meaning to catch up on. Wrapped in her blanket like a burrito, she let the familiar world of action, romance, and over-the-top battles pull her in.

Halfway through an episode, her phone buzzed.

Caitlin: Still alive?

Iris smirked before replying.

Iris: Barely. Currently trapped in a blanket dimension, send snacks.

Caitlin: Drama queen. Want to go out?

Iris glanced at the rain outside and sighed.

Iris: Nah, lazy day. Just me, anime, and a questionable amount of snacks.

Caitlin: Alright, enjoy your nerd time. Let me know if you change your mind.

Iris put her phone aside and went back to watching, letting herself get lost in the storyline.

For the first time in a while, she wasn’t thinking about Evan. Or Rose. Or the past.

And honestly? It felt kind of nice.

Just as Iris was getting comfortable, wrapped up in her blanket and fully immersed in her anime, there was a knock at the door.

She groaned, debating whether to ignore it, but the knocking continued. With a sigh, she paused her episode, reluctantly dragging herself out of bed.

Opening the door, she froze.

Evan.

Standing there, hands in his pockets, looking at her with an unreadable expression. His hair was slightly damp from the rain, and he shifted on his feet, as if unsure of what to say.

Iris crossed her arms, leaning against the doorframe. “What do you want?”

Evan exhaled. “Can I come in?”

She hesitated, but then stepped aside. “Make it quick.”

Evan walked in, glancing around before settling his gaze back on her. “You didn’t answer my texts.”

Iris raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t feel like talking.”

Silence stretched between them. The only sound was the rain tapping against the windows.

Then Evan ran a hand through his hair, sighing. “Iris… are we okay?”

She scoffed. “Shouldn’t you be asking Rose that?”

Evan blinked, caught off guard. “Is that what this is about?”

Iris clenched her jaw. “It’s not about anything.”

Evan stepped closer, lowering his voice. “It is about something. I can tell.”

Iris looked away, her fingers tightening around the edge of her sleeves. She hated this. Hated how easily he could read her.

“I just…” She swallowed. “I don’t know where we stand anymore.”

Evan watched her for a moment before softly saying, “Then let me remind you.”

Before she could react, he reached out—slowly, as if giving her the chance to stop him. When she didn’t, he cupped her cheek, tilting her face up toward his.

Iris’s breath hitched.

“I never forgot about you, Iris,” Evan murmured. “Not once.”

Her heart pounded, but she refused to let it show. Instead, she pulled away, shaking her head. “You can’t just say things like that after everything.”