Are you scared?
838 Words
Iris stepped onto the balcony.
Cold night air hit her face instantly, but it did absolutely nothing to calm the chaos inside her chest.
“I’m trying to control my own heartbeat right now.”
Why would she say that?
Why?
She gripped the railing tightly and groaned under her breath.
“This is humiliating.”
“You could always jump off the balcony.”
Iris whipped around.
Damon stood near the doorway, one hand in his pocket, looking far too calm for someone responsible for ninety percent of her current emotional crisis.
“You followed me?”
“Clara threatened to interrogate me if I didn’t.”
“That sounds like her.”
For a moment neither spoke.
The city lights glittered below them while the wind moved softly through Iris’s hair.
Damon watched her quietly before speaking again.
“You’re avoiding me.”
She let out a short laugh. “You think?”
“Why?”
Iris stared at him in disbelief.
“Damon, you flirted with me for an entire hour.”
“I spoke to you.”
“You called me beautiful.”
“Because you are.”
Her heart immediately betrayed her again.
“There you go,” she accused. “You keep doing that.”
“Doing what?”
“Talking like that.”
His expression remained unreadable. “Would you rather I lied?”
She opened her mouth.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
“See? This is exactly what I mean.”
A faint smirk appeared on his face.
God, she wanted to shove him off the balcony.
Maybe kiss him first.
Then shove him.
“You’re enjoying this,” she realized.
“A little.”
“You’re evil.”
“You’ve known me since you were twelve. This shouldn’t surprise you.”
That was the problem.
She had known him forever.
Damon wasn’t some stranger she accidentally developed feelings for.
He was Clara’s older brother. Her childhood crush. The boy who used to silently hand her bandages when she scraped her knees climbing trees with Clara. The teenager who drove them to school after getting his license because he didn’t trust anyone else with his sister. The man who attended every single one of Clara’s dance recitals despite running an entire company before he was even old enough to drink.
Iris had spent years pretending she didn’t notice him.
And now suddenly he was looking at her like this.
Like he noticed her too.
Dangerous.
Very dangerous.
“You should go home,” she said quietly.
His eyes narrowed slightly. “You want me to leave my own house?”
“You know what I mean.”
Damon took a slow step closer.
“Iris.”
The way he said her name should’ve been illegal.
“You’re overthinking this.”
“Oh, I’m absolutely not.”
“You are.”
“You’re Clara’s brother.”
“And?”
“And she would lose her mind.”
“She already thinks we’re flirting.”
“Because you keep flirting!”
A low chuckle escaped him.
Then he stepped even closer.
Too close.
Close enough for Iris to notice the tiny scar near his jaw she’d somehow never seen before.
Close enough to smell his cologne again.
Close enough to ruin her life.
“You know what I think?” he asked softly.
She swallowed hard. “What?”
“I think you’re scared.”
Iris forced herself to lift her chin. “I’m not scared of you.”
His gaze dropped briefly to her lips before returning to her eyes.
“That’s not what I meant.”
The air shifted.
Heavy. Sharp. Dangerous.
And for one terrifying second, Iris thought he was going to kiss her.
But suddenly—
“OH MY GOD!”
Both of them jumped apart.
Clara stood frozen in the doorway holding a bowl of chips.
Her eyes widened dramatically.
“I KNEW IT.”
“Clara—” Iris started.
“You were about to kiss!”
“We were not,” Damon said calmly.
“You were doing the face!”
“What face?” Iris asked weakly.
“The intense eye contact face people do before ruining friendships.”
Damon sighed slowly.
“Clara.”
“No, because this is actually insane. Iris has been in love with you since she was sixteen.”
Iris stopped breathing.
Complete silence fell across the balcony.
“CLARA.”
Her best friend immediately looked horrified.
“Oh no.”
Damon turned slowly toward Iris.
Iris wanted the earth to open and swallow her whole.
Preferably immediately.
“She’s lying,” Iris said too quickly.
Clara pointed at her dramatically. “You literally wrote Mrs. Iris King in your notebook once!”
“I WAS A CHILD.”
Damon’s expression became unreadable.
Which was somehow worse than teasing.
“Oh my God,” Iris whispered, covering her face. “I’m moving to another country.”
“You can’t,” Clara said. “Your car isn't working"she said smirking.
- Writer
