The Girl Next Door

Part 14 - Pierce

Part 14 - A Murder?

✾

"You showed up awful early," I mumble, rubbing my eyes with a yawn. "I was sleeping, you know."

"That must be nice. I didn't get a blink of sleep," Iris says using a monotone voice.

"Must've been partying hard last night," I joke to try and ease the mood a little.

She gives me a flat look, raising an eyebrow. "Wouldn't that be easy?"

"Anyway," I change the subject awkwardly, "What's the plan for today?"

She groans, putting her arms on the table and resting her head face-down on it. I hear her yawn, watching her shoulders rise and sink as she shrugs. "I don't know. I'm tired."

"If it makes you feel better, Princess, you can sleep." Although it's sort of a joke, she nods gratefully.

"Thanks," she mutters, just barely audible. Iris curls up on one side of the couch, her brown eyes with dark folds closing — the curtains to her emotions. There are defined dark circles framing them, confirming her statement of having a sleepless night. Her lips are slightly parted as she lays her head on a pillow, her dark hair in a mess around her shoulders.

"You liiike her," Ruby sings teasingly behind me, "and you think she's prettyyy."

"You don't know anything about love, you can't say," I tell her. "She fell asleep. And I was just about to get a blanket for her. She didn't sleep all night."

"Why not?"

"I don't know, probably just insomnia."

"Oh. What does that mean?"

"You have trouble sleeping."

"Oh."

After getting a bowl of cereal for Ruby to have her sit down somewhere, I take a folded blanket on the couch and spread it out on top of Iris. Now that her face is relaxed — not pulled into some frown from over-thinking or being distressed somehow — it's easy to see how everyone thinks she's so pretty. Her lips are so unique.

Stopping myself from staring, I go back to Ruby who seems content while eating Cinnamon Toast Crunch. She kicks her legs mindlessly in her chair and holds the silver spoon which looks huge in her small hand, paying no mind towards me.

✾

"Wake up, Princess," I tell Iris quickly and quietly. She groans, moving from her side to her stomach and shaking her head.

"It's been a few hours, you should probably eat something," I continue. "Did you eat before you came over here?"

"No," she mumbles groggily. "I'm fine."

"I won't force you, but let me know if you change your mind." While my tutor is here, we're being very productive, as you can see.

Iris sits up suddenly, frowning again and looking at me. "What would it be like to be a homicide detective? You know, with seeing all the bodies and trying to talk to these grieving people to piece together what happened to them?"