I want your love
And I want your revenge
I want your love
I don't wanna be friends
-Lady Gaga, "Bad Romance"
Luke
"So, then you just stormed in and lit into her?" I asked, sitting forward in the recliner in shock.
"Yep. I had finally had enough. And now, I almost feel bad about it because the girl is clearly unbalanced," Rachel admitted.
"Eh, she'll be all right. Luckily the play is in two weeks, then we won't have to interact as much with her during theater," I pointed out.
"Right, that's true," Rachel said, getting up and going into the kitchen. "You want a drink?" she called to me and Miles.
"Yeah, sure," I answered.
Miles was just sitting there staring straight ahead.
"Uh, bro? You okay?" I asked, poking his ankle with my toe.
He turned toward me suddenly, his face a little pale. "Yeah. I'm fine."
"Do you want something to drink?" I asked.
He shook his head. "Miles is good," I called back to Rachel. "You're not good, dude," I said, dropping my voice.
He shook his head. "No, I'm not."
"What is it? This is just some chick that has a crush on you. That's had to have happened to you hundreds of times in your life. It's not that big of a deal... is it?" I asked.
He kept his voice down. "It's something else, Luke. There's something wrong. I don't – "
Rachel came in just then with a Sprite for me and a sweet tea in her other hand. "What are y'all talking about?" she asked, handing me the can and sitting on the couch next to Miles.
Miles shook his head at me almost imperceptibly. I cleared my throat. "The Halloween party," I said.
Rachel grinned. "Yes! That's next weekend!"
She started rattling on about the party and Miles looked at me gratefully.
I still wanted to know what he was talking about. I guess I'd have to get it out of him later.
Jessica
I paid for my coffee and turned around, running right into a person.
"Oh, I'm sorry," I said, looking up.
It was Iris Tate.
Oh shit.
She was glaring at me. "Watch where you're going," she snarled.
I tilted my head back and squinted at her. "I said sorry. What is your problem?" I asked.
She didn't answer and shoved past me, spilling my iced coffee down the front of my hoodie.
"What the HELL?!" I exclaimed, tossing the cup in the trash can and wiping my chest down with a napkin. People were starting to stare, but I didn't care.
She turned back around and walked toward me, leaning in close.
"Tell your friend to stay away from me. Or I'll do more than just fuck her boyfriend," she whispered.
My eyes widened and I was stunned into silence. She smirked and turned around, flouncing off in the other direction, out of the student union.
"Are you okay, miss?" the barista asked me.
I glanced over at her and nodded. "Yeah, I – I have no idea what just happened. But I'm fine."
"Let me make you another coffee, okay?" she offered.
I smiled. "That would be great. Thank you."
***
I drove straight to Luke's without bothering to call first.
I knocked once and Rachel came to the door, looking fucking gorgeous as usual. "Hey Jess! I didn't know you were coming over! Come on in," she said, opening the door so I could enter.
"Sorry I didn't call – I have to tell you what just happened." I looked around. "Can we go on the balcony?"
"Yeah, sure," she agreed.
When we got outside, I sat down hard in the chair. "Rachel, the weirdest thing just happened. And I don't want to tell Miles because he seems worried enough, and Luke will be pissed."
"What is it?" she asked, sitting down and taking my hand. "You're shaking."
"I just had a run-in with Iris," I said, pointing at my coffee-stained hoodie.
"What? No shit, me too!" she exclaimed. "You go first."
I nodded and told her what happened, and when I quoted Iris on her intention to "fuck her boyfriend," color flooded her face.
"She said what?"
"Yeah... It was really bizarre. What happened with you?"
As she recounted the events from the library, I squinted at her. "Wow. This is getting a little weird, don't you think?"
"Yeah. That's putting it mildly. I can't believe I have to perform with her in Grease," she sighed.
"That's okay. You're going to blow her off the stage. I've heard you practicing. Your voice is beautiful. And all she gets to sing is 'Brusha Brusha' and 'How much dough did he spend?'" I joked, hitting her knee with mine.
She laughed at that. "Thanks, Jess. You're a good friend, you know that?"
I blushed. "You are too. Thanks for being so nice to me... I know it can't be easy, with Luke's ex being your best friend and all."
She smiled. "It's easy to be nice to you; you're precious," she said. "Now let's go inside and find the boys. Let's not tell them what happened to you – not yet."
"Okay, deal."
But when we went inside, Luke and Miles were nowhere to be found.
Miles
"Bro, come on. Let it go," I said as I ran down the sidewalk.
Luke tried to keep up with me but was failing. I slowed down and turned around, stopping to lean against a tree.
He jogged to me, putting his hands on his knees and breathing hard. I watched him in amusement.
"Damnit, I'll never be as good a runner as you," he groaned.
"You're right. You won't," I responded, and he glared at me.
"You can't just say something like what you said earlier and then just leave me hanging," he pushed.
I rolled my eyes. "Fine. Come on, let's go get some ice cream."
***
We sat at Marble Slab, silently eating ice cream comes until I finally spoke.
"I had a realization about Iris when I saw her at Outback," I started.
Luke looked over at me. "What was it?"
"She's from Panama City," I said, and Luke almost dropped his ice cream.
"What? I've never seen her before?"
"She didn't go to Bay. She went to a private school," I continued.
"How did you know her?"
"Her father worked for - " His voice cracked. " – William at Jefferson Properties," he said.
"Whoa. Seriously?" he asked incredulously.
"Yeah, seriously. I don't know what it means yet, but it has to mean something," I said, taking the last bite of my ice cream cone and wiping my mouth.
"Weird... I can have Dad look into it if you want?" Luke offered. "Maybe see if he still works there?"
I considered this. "That wouldn't be a bad idea. Thanks, Luke."
"No problem. You ready to go?" he asked, standing up.
"Yep. I just realized I didn't tell Rachel where we were going and I don't have my phone. She's probably worried."
He checked his phone. "Yep. I have two texts. Jess is over at the apartment too. We're in trouble," he joked.
In more ways than one, I thought as I tried to put the pieces of the Iris puzzle together in my mind.