Blooming Iris | ✓

-Blooming Iris Chapter 11-

Iris' POV~

It's been four days since Richard gave me the second part of my present, meaning that tomorrow is my last day here. Yup, you heard right. It has almost been a week, and my ankle is almost done healing.

Everything is going perfectly, but there was something strange going on with Richard. Ever since he had given me the second part of my gift, he's been acting weirdly. For example, ever since then, every time he would speak to me (which isn't a lot since he's been at work all the time), he wouldn't look at me in the eye, and he would always have this sad expression on his face. I tried asking him what's wrong, but he would always answer me with the same response, "Nothing."

"Iris!" someone called, pounding on Richard's door, snapping me out of my train of thought. "I'm coming in," she said, after she remembered I couldn't and wouldn't talk to anyone else besides Richard.

Once she opened the door, she stepped inside, shutting it behind her. "Hey Iris, Richard wanted me to see how you were doing."

Smiling, I nodded at her, trying to tell her I'm doing fine.

"I'm guessing that smile," she said pointing to my smile, "means you're doing fine?"

Nodding, I told her yes.

"Well that's good," she said. "Anyways Richard also wanted me to tell you that he won't be coming home again tonight, so you should go to sleep early."

Turning my head slightly to the right, my eyebrows creased in confusion.

"He has a big project to work on, so he's going to stay at the office all night trying to finish it," she explained to me some more.

Again...I thought. That's what I mean by him not being here at all lately. Every since that day, he's been stuck at work, working long hours, and not coming home at all during the night.

Seeing as I wasn't going to answer anymore, Sara turned to leave. She made it to the door, before she snapped her fingers, suddenly remembering something important.

"I almost forgot!" she exclaimed running back over to me. "Richard wanted me to give you this," she said, giving me a white piece of paper.

Saying goodbye, she turned, and left the room, leaving me alone. Staring down at the letter for a few second, I finally reached down and grabbed it.

Unfolding it, I began to read.

Dear Iris,

Sorry I haven't been around lately, but with work and stuff it's not like I have a choice. By now Sara should have told you that I won't be making it back home tonight, and will be staying late at the office again. Tomorrow will be your last day here, and I wish you good luck if I don't see you before you leave. With this, good night.

From,

Richard.

After reading the letter over and over again, I felt strange. This wasn't the Richard I met a few days ago. The other Richard would have sign his name with 'Love' not 'From', and the old Richard would never say that last part. No matter how busy he was he would rush back here just to say goodbye to me.

Sighing, I set the letter down on the nightstand, and went to sleep. Sleeping would be good; sleeping would keep my mind off things.

Richard's POV~

"Wow, you're staying another night here Richard?" my Vice President, Steve asked.

"Yeah." I nodded, typing away on my laptop, not looking up at him.

"Why?" he asked sounding confused. "Ever since Monday you been staying late at the office." He pointed out.

Typing my last sentence I looked up at him. Steve; he was a nice fellow with dark curly brown hair and green eyes. He's been working here ever since I was little. I always thought that my dad would give him the CEO title, but boy was I surprised when I got it instead of him. I didn't really thought it was fair, and wanted to give Steve the title but he refused, saying that my dad picked me and only I could be CEO of my dad's company.

"I've been working on something."

"Really?" he questioned. "What?"

"A project," I answered, not giving out too much information.

"Project?" he asked. "But didn't we already finish the Jay's project early this week?"

"It's a different project," I told him, wishing he would drop it already.

"Really? Maybe I can he-"

"No," I said stopping him in mid sentence, holding my right hand up. "You don't need to," I said shaking my head. "Look Steve, you should go home, back to your family, it's getting pretty late."

"It is?" he asked, looking down at his wrist, where has watch was located. "Wow, would you look at the time!" he exclaimed, eyes going wide. "I would love to stay and chat, but I got to get going, see you tomorrow!" he said, giving me a small wave goodbye, before he disappeared out the door.

Getting up, I made sure everyone was gone, before I went back to my desk. Truth was, I didn't have a so called project to work on at all. It was all a lie pretty much, but I have a good reason as to why I did it. Want to know what it is? Well I'll tell you, it all relates back to a little girl (Okay maybe she's not a little girl, but that's beside the point) named Iris.

Yup, ever since that day in the closet, I couldn't really face her. All Iris cared about is leaving my place as soon as possible, she even counts the days she has left, before she gets to leave. So ever since then I couldn't really look at her. Not because I was mad at her, but because I wanted to give her some space. I bet the whole reason why she didn't want to stay with me, was because she doesn't like me. So for her own benefit I'm going to stay out of her way until she leaves tomorrow, no matter how much I'm against it.

Sighing, I went back to my laptop, typing away, getting ahead in my work, waiting for tomorrow to come; the day Iris leaves.