Burning Confessions

31 - Nathan

"Iris!"

Skylar tipped backwards as Iris' whole body collapsed forward and for the second time, my arms were the only reason Iris didn't strike her head on something. She wasn't unconscious, but neither was she completely composed so I knew she needed to calm down if she was to even last the night without a breakdown. Having her small body in my arms, no one argued when I lifted her effortlessly to my chest and carried away to her room, the two girls following me hurriedly.

"Just copy my breathing, Iris," I advised under my breath, letting her ear rest against my chest where my heart worked beneath the skin. I wasn't sure what exactly she was doing but her breathing evened out as it matched mine perfectly, but her eyes were closed almost as if she was concentrating on something.

Her bedroom was cold, making me silently hope the heating came on soon because she was still freezing to the touch as I placed her down on the covers. Leaving the two girls to sort her out, I made my way to the living room again were Cal was staring intently at Iris' phone. "We're going to have to change her number." He was saying as I entered once more and his glance at me was brief as he gritted his teeth. "How the hell did he get it, the bastard?"

"What about those two guys- Brandon and Ken? Could he have gotten it from them?" Matt offered but Shane shook his head vigorously in protest.

"They wouldn't help that psycho torture her like this. Having her number means he has access to her all the time- they've been adamant to get her away from him." He argued and from what Iris had said about the two men, I doubted they were the reason Derek got her number. Two footfalls echoed from the corridor at my back as Skylar and Brooke came through looking grim but offered everyone a smile.

"She's okay just sleeping. He caught her off guard, so the panic attack was worse," Skylar explained, and I assumed she'd dealt with Iris and her attacks before. "I should probably get going, my mum will freak if I'm not in by ten."

"That's in ten minutes- it takes you twenty to get home," Calvin pointed out and Skylar smirked with a dramatic shrug.

"Then I guess she'll freak." Ace escorted the girl to the door with the calling of the boys not to get carried away otherwise she'll be more than ten minutes late. For the first time since she began talking to us, Skylar actually smiled and said her farewell to me before following Ace from the house. Shane, Matt and Justin all rushed to the window and peered out to watch the pair of them in the driveway.

"Do you think he'll do it?" Justin asked eagerly, practically mashing his face up against the window while Dan did this crazy 'what the fuck' gesture behind their backs when he saw them.

"I think he will- wait, he's leaning in," commentated Shane as he leaned in closer to the glass of the window. "He's holding her hand, head so close to hers."

"Is he actually kissing her?" Matt queried, and I shook my head at them.

"Will you stop being such creeps?" Brooke burst incredulously, and Shane looked back almost apologetically at her.

"Sorry, Brooke, but I have to cheer on my fellow males when embarking on such terrifying tasks." He explained mockingly, and Cal threw a cushion at his head.

"Oh! -she's reaching up around his neck! That's a definite kiss!" Justin yelled and the three of them cheered at the fact Ace and Skylar were locking lips in the driveway.

"You'll wake Iris," Dan snapped, and the celebration died down almost instantly but Ace was the celebrity when he stepped inside, cheeks slightly red from the cold outside- and I assumed from kissing Skylar.

"Way to go, Ace." Harry was actually the one to first congratulate our friend upon stepping into the room and Brooke looked mildly irritated by their behaviour yet even I saw the smile on her lips. When the hysterics died down, everyone made their way to bed and I was the last one to go, making sure all lights were out and doors were locked. I felt like such a father sometimes. At the base of the second flight of stairs, I heard whimpering coming from the direction of the girls' rooms and it was a fearful whimper. My feet carried me almost silently down the thirteen steps and paused- it was coming from Iris' room. Her door was slightly ajar so didn't make any noise as I lightly pushed it open to reveal the girl herself twisted within her sheets and tears running down her cheeks.