"—MR NAKAMURA, SHE'S GOING TO DIE IN THIS HOUSE!"
Iris screeched, causing my father to roll his eyes. I see where I get it from. His arms remained crossed against his chest as she remains unfathomed by my best friend's threat. You know, from this distance, I could see our resemblance. While Kenji looks more like him than I do, I see some bits and pieces.
My father squinted his eyes when he's holding out confident, like I do; he likes to roll his eyes, despite telling me I should stop, and he crosses his arms against his chest to show off that he was fearless. Like I do. The father-daughter duo completes us, and while I base a lot of my looks from my mother, I see my father too.
My black hair came from my father, as his comes in slight waves and curls. My eyes, big and wide like his and I have a strong jawline like my father. It wasn't as defined as my brother, nor my father, but strong.
"No," he answers calmly, causing me to roll my own eyes (see.) I knew this would've been his answer, why even try? If I can't even convince my own father, what makes my best friend think she could?
Iris puts her hands together, almost in a praying move, and pressed the pair of index fingers against her lips. Her eyes searching in thought as Graham and I lean back against the coach, watching the scene unfold before us.
After the whole Miss Incomplete cards in a box, and me feeling incredibly horrible about myself, Iris decides that we should get outside and get some fresh air—especially for me since I've been cooped up in this house for almost a week. So, in attempt to get me out of the house they tried to sneak me out when my father was out getting something from the office—an resulting in meeting my father within opening the door to leave.
Iris' eyes found mine, begging for some help when I shrug in reply. "I gave up back when I was twelve, man. He didn't even let me outside to hang out with the neighbours."
My father chuckles, turning back to my best friend. "I will not give up, Mr Nakamura. I swear, Francena is my best friend and I would like to see her again in school one day. Do you know how much she missed?"
I knew what Iris was doing; she was attempting to bait my father, knowing how much education mattered to him. But, no, he didn't budge. His eyes didn't shift in realisation, or shock, no, he merely turns over to me, "I emailed your teachers, and I've gotten them to extend your schoolwork's due dates."
And he plans ahead.
"Come on, Rose, it's worthless. Mr Nakamura is like boss-level video game. You know you're going to defeat him, but he's always got some backup plan somehow," Graham shrugs, pushing himself up from the couch and straighten up. Great, now I feel even more shorter sitting next to him.
"He's right, Iris," my father concludes, turning over to Graham for a split second before turning back to Iris. "You should just head home now."
"Mr Nakamura, don't you care about your daughter? She's dying in here?"
"You may just be overreacting a little bit," my father use his fingers to show out a measurement, and I shook my head. Oh, he just gave her an out.
"Me?" Her fingers directing to herself, "Me? I'm not the one who keeps her daughter in the house for a whole week without physical contact from the outside world for a week because she had an asthma attack! It was from stress, not air!"
My father now made a slight attempt to emotions, as he shifts his footing and scratch the back of his neck — betting from not knowing what to say next. His lips sealed as his eyes linger from Iris to the back wall behind her.
"Dad, what do you gotta say now?" I tease, causing him to shoot a look in my direction. I try to contain myself from bursting into a fit of laughter, knowing my father would be furious if I showed him up like that. A small hint of a smile spread to my lips — maybe Iris isn't as hopeless as it seems.
"S-she's my daughter. Stress is most likely caused by school, and she just needs to have some time off."
I cough, "what about when I had my period back in sophomore year and you didn't let me stay home even though the cramps were unbearable." I cough again.
My father gave me another look, "Reileen, I'm about to send you off to your room,"
"Great, my only availability of space was the house, now I'm shrink to my room. What's next, the closet?"
He turns away from me, and his direction to Iris who still stood high and tall (well, as tall as her tiny frame could be,) and sighs, "okay, how long will she be out?"
—
"I think I'm going to need you to become a lawyer, because I might need help being bailed out of jail soon," I said as soon as I enter Graham's car; taking shotgun while Iris takes the backseat and Graham replaces the driver's seat.
"Hey, I was doing my job as a good best friend," her eyes linger over to Graham and coughs, to which Graham picks up on and shook his head. "What happens to you wanting to be a lawyer, you big doof."
"To be fair," Graham buckles up, "he hates me more than he hates you—or maybe that changed after today."
"Oh shut up, you're just jealous that I was the one that beat the boss level and you can't even pass level three."
"Did you see what happens in there?" Graham turns around to face Iris entirely, which switches over as Iris shuts off her phone to meet Graham's eyes, "he didn't disagree with my comment—he agreed. I think I'm more than just level three."
"Level four, then."
"No, I think I deserve—"
"Guys, I love you guys and your geeky-ness right now, but I just left my house after being trapped inside for almost a week. I would like it if we could get started on where we're going."
"Right," Graham pushes himself back into the driver's seat and starts the engine. Iris chuckles at something in the back as Graham reverses from the driveway and he begins to move out of the neighbourhood. "Now, where are we heading to?"
—
"The mall?" Iris uncovers my eyes, allowing me to see their unplanned surprise for me. "I finally escape from being entrapped in four walls, to be trapped in another four walls."
"To be fair," Iris draws out, "everything we want to do that would be more fun requires time — which you only have half a day to — and we planned it for the summer, anyways."
Graham hooks his arm around my shoulder, "come on, Francena," he nudges, "we should just hang out here for a bit, and if you decide you still don't like it, we'll leave."
I sigh, "two hours, tops."
"Great!" Iris claps, beginning to walk towards one of the stores already, causing us to follow behind.
Graham lowers himself to my level, his lips to my ear, "plus, you need it."
I playfully hit his chest, causing him to shoot back upright, "are you telling me I am badly dressed?"
"You said it, not me," he unhooks himself from me, and dash over to Iris, knowing very well that I was prone to hit him after that little comment.
After sticking around in the store for a bit, Iris decides that all the clothes there were either too expensive, big, or ugly. Graham tried to get me to try on some dresses a couple of times, which I kept shooing off the idea.
The next, we went to the second level for the better version of clothes. Graham and I attempt to distant ourselves away from Iris and try to go into the technology store to fool around the gadgets they own. Unlucky for us, despite having her back turned to us, Iris is a keen hawk-eye tracker.
Running around the mall for another hour, Iris concludes herself with about five bags of clothes, Graham decides to buy a shirt from an expensive brand and I finished off with deciding all the clothes were too expensive for my taste and settled on one of the playful gadgets at the techno store.
"Give me a turn," Graham attempts to snatch the item from my hand, which I backed away, furthering him and the item, "Francena."
"Geez, you're even worst than Kenji. Let me and my toy hang in peace," I roll my eyes, turning back over to see Iris still waiting in line. "I'm so fucking hungry, I regret not eating lunch this afternoon."
"Good story," Graham comments, before quickly taking the item from my hands.
"Hey!" I tried to regain my toy, only for Graham to do the same thing and move his hand away from me. I frown, knowing it would be impossible to try to snatch it away from Graham due to his long fucking arms.
"Whatever," I roll my eyes, digging into my back pocket to fish for my phone, "if you break it, I'll break you."
Graham laughs as I scroll through some social media apps, getting update from other students about school on their stories. God, sometimes people post some of the most unnecessary things on Snapchat, like, you do not need to keep sending that 11:11 wish to your whoever. We get it.
A few good minutes of scrolling on some memes before Iris came back with a tray of fast food, slamming the tray on the table like it was nothing. It brought us back to the real world, though. "Dig in," Iris announces, and I didn't have to ask her twice as I took the bag of fries from the tray and engorge myself within the food.
The food was good, and I ate it impossibly fast for my appearance. I decided to take a sandwich, but just as my hand linger over the box carrying the sandwich, Iris swat my hand.
"What?" I pull back, rubbing my hurt hand dramatically.
"Look," Iris points over to something behind me, causing me to turn. A group of friends standing across the mall, and nonetheless, a certain black-haired boy stood in the crowd. "Isn't that Julian?"
I turn back to my best friends, "fuck."
I begin to lower myself down in the seat, shielding my face. Graham had followed in Iris' stare and saw Julian with his friends. Iris, on the other hand, turn away as her eyes shifted down to the food table as she attempts to shelter her face.
"What do we do?" I regret not switching into a hoodie, where I could hide my face. Instead, I wore a black tee, and jeans. Graham shifted back to his seat, his back facing the group as his eyes turn to Iris.
"You want to run for it?" Graham suggests, his eyes glancing over to the lobby doors.
"No, they'll see us. They're basically blocking the front doors, idiots," Iris shook her head as I take another peep towards the ground. "I think the best we can do is stand up, walk around in the crowd and towards the back exit. You know, the other side?"
I nod my head in agreement, knowing I rather risk it then wait it out and watch Julian catch me. I didn't want to talk to him, god no, I was engrossed in embarrassment and even with that small part, feeling a bit idiotic. I'm not good at confronting problems, I like to hold out on them before I open myself to talk. I needed time, I need days, I need to regain my normal composure before confronting my issues.
Graham nods, agreeing alongside me and lift himself up from the seat. Thankfully, for the crowd and the loud chatters of people around the food court. Graham takes his letterman jacket (yes, he decided to wear it over), and what I believe he would do was put it back onto his body, he instead, took the jacket and threw it over my own body.
"Thanks," I mumble quietly, fearing one large voice of mine would catch a certain boy's attention. I take my next leave, and stood up from the chair, fearing that one small squeak from the chair's friction against the floor would catch eyes.
Iris' eyes linger over to the boy group, and her eyes not leaving them as she takes the stand from the table. She turns back to us, "I'll go first," she declares as we nod. Everything was going fine, and well for the moment as the we pray gratefully for the chitter-chatters going around us that absorbs us another one of their voices.
Her eyes shifting back to Julian's friends once more, and she makes a turn — right into a waitress; forcing them to collide and the waitress dropping her tray of food onto the floor.
Once the metal tray hit the ground, I knew it was over. The food court suddenly stops cold, and eyes found their ways into our friend group — and more importantly, Iris.
"Fudge! I'm so sorry!" Her voice loud and no doubt, taking the attention of Julian and his friends.
The waitress bent down, picking up their food as Iris attempts to help alongside. The waitress waves her off, forcing the eyes to continue to linger and picking up to what Iris would do next.
My eyes turn over to Julian, seeing his eyes casting over to my friend — and only her. Letting out a partial breath for a moment, until his eyes wander and found mine.
Silence.
My heart was the only thing I heard, and the feeling pressed against my ribcage like a beast waiting for their taste of freedom.
His eyes never leaving mine as he gestures towards his friends before making his way towards the food court's direction — my direction.
I turn to Graham as he notice the small interaction between Julian and me; the panicked expression spun high and proud on my face. "Graham," my voice low and quiet, "I really do not want to talk to him yet."
"Yeah, alright," he takes my hand in his as he turns back to Iris, "Rose." He calls out, to which she looks up from, picking up the glass from the broken glass cup the waitress carried on the tray. He gives her a look, to which she immediately recognize and replies back with a nod. She nudge her head over to the front lobby and he immediately takes off, beginning to head for the front, pulling me alongside with him.
Julian's friends seem to take notice, and with a couple more lingering eyes, they decide to block the pathway to all the exit.
Stopping near at the front, his friends' eyes continue to linger, hoping to find out where the next stop hits and where the drama begins. I frown, feeling enclosed by the space and our closing option to however this may be.
"Fuck," Graham swore, noticing that his friends blocked the exit and a large crowd blocking the path to the back. We were entrapped, and seeing Julian coming closer. A plan spun to my head.
"Graham." I said lowly, grabbing his attention. His green eyes locked with mine, "I have a plan."
"What is it?"
"Kiss me."
Graham blinks, "w-what?"
"Just do it, he'll back away quicker because he doesn't like us and plus, if he knows I'm occupied, he wouldn't come towards us."
"Francena... I don't know, you're my best friend and I don't—"
"Fine," I sigh, "I dare you to kiss me, Graham Rivera."
His jaw clenched, and his eyes pacing back and forth. I tilt around, seeing Julian closing up and knowing that in a matter of a couple of steps, I would be forced to talk to Julian in a conversation I'm not ready to have. I turn back, "you know, forget it—" before I got the chance to finish my sentence, Graham's lips slam on mine.
And it worked. Julian swallows hard, backing away. Eyes locked on the floor and turned away. Graham and I pull apart. Breathing hard, as I stare into the green eyes of my best friend.
"Thank you," I said, as he nods. His chest rising and falling, "I'm sorry."
He pulls me closer, wrapping his arms around my body, "it's okay." He replies, stroking my back, "but I want to say something."
I hum, allowing him to continue. "What if I had picked truth?"