Marked By My Best Friend's Dad

046

~ Iris

I walked out of Eunice’s office, slamming the door lightly behind me, my chest tight, and my thoughts spinning. Every time she did that,every time she smiled, leaned in, spoke that soft, deliberate voice,I felt that familiar irritation climb up my spine. It was like she thrived on the disruption, on the way she could push buttons I didn’t even know she knew existed.

Sasha’s smirk followed me with every step, but I didn’t care. I barely even noticed her now. My mind was on Eunice, on how predictable she had become,how I had assumed by now she’d be bored of trying to unsettle me. But she wasn’t. She never was. And that thought alone made my teeth clench.

The dorm hallway stretched ahead of me like a quiet, safe corridor after the storm. I shoved my hands into my pockets, forcing myself to breathe, to slow the pulse in my ears that had been racing since the conversation. Every little inflection of her voice, every tilt of her head, had been deliberate, calculated. And I had let her get under my skin, even for a moment.

Eww.

Eww.

Eww.

I can't still feel her lips on my neck.

I reached the room, Ky still asleep on the bed, curled up in her hoodie, hair messy but soft around her face. The sight should have calmed me, but my mind was still tangled in last night’s tension. I didn’t want to drag Ky into any of this.

I still didn't know if I could trust her.

She had enough on her plate, enough on me, without Eunice trying to wedge herself between everything again.

I slid onto the bed beside Ky quietly, letting her warmth settle next to me. “Morning,” I whispered, careful not to wake her. My fingers brushed hers, and I felt some of the tension leave my body, grounding me. Still, I couldn’t shake Eunice’s presence, the way she had leaned just a little too close, the way her voice had dipped when she spoke.

Ky stirred, stretching lightly, letting out a soft yawn. “Morning,” she murmured. “Sleep well?”

“Yeah,” I said, trying to sound normal. “Just… Eunice’s office again.” My voice dropped. “She’s persistent.”

Ky hummed, tilting her head to look at me. “Persistent how?”

I shook my head, exhaling sharply. “You wouldn’t even believe it. She’s… she’s just… trying to get a reaction. Seductive, confident, testing boundaries.”

Ky blinked, concerned but unaware. “Boundaries? Iris, are you… okay?”

“I’m fine,” I said quickly, brushing off the concern.

“It’s just… exhausting. She thinks she can provoke me, but I’ve learned to ignore her. Mostly.”

Ky didn’t push, didn’t ask questions she didn’t need answers to. She simply leaned back, letting me rest, her presence a quiet reassurance. I closed my eyes, trying to shove the images from Eunice’s office out of my mind.

By mid-afternoon, Alice finally returned, hair immaculate as always, carrying herself like the world was still hers to command. I watched her settle into the chair across from me at the small cafe table we’d claimed as ours. Her eyes softened when they met mine, a gentle smile curving her lips.

“Iris…” she started, voice low, almost hesitant.

“ She didn't do anything babe.” I said.

“ I know, but she thinks she can have anything she wants.”

“ I shook my head, running a hand through my hair. “She didn’t do anything, babe. I’m used to her theatrics. Honestly, she’s exhausting, but she doesn’t scare me.”

Alice’s eyes narrowed slightly, the familiar protective edge sharpening. “I know you’re strong, Iris, but she’s clever. She knows how to push buttons, even subtle ones. She’s been hovering around you all week, and I can tell she’s trying to get under your skin.”

I let out a soft laugh, shaking my head. “Maybe. But I’ve got Ky and you. I don’t… I don’t fall for that stuff anymore. It’s not worth it.”

Alice exhaled, leaning back and crossing her arms. “Still. I don’t like the way she’s been glancing at you, speaking to you, acting like she owns the room. It’s unsettling.”

I reached across the table, taking her hand. “I get it. But honestly? She’s probably just jealous. Jealous that I’m not hers, that she can’t… get to me the way she wants to. It’s not more complicated than that.”

Alice softened slightly, squeezing my hand. “Yeah… probably. I just hate seeing her try. And you… I don’t want you to deal with that stress alone.”

I smiled, letting the warmth of her hand ground me. “I’m not alone. Not with you here.”

She gave me a small, lopsided smile, then leaned in, voice dropping slightly. “And just so you know… she’s noticed Ky too. I can tell. That’s why she keeps circling. She’s trying to figure out how to get to both of you without stepping on me,or at least, without making me notice immediately.”

I laughed quietly, shaking my head. “You think she cares about Ky? Please. Eunice only cares about attention and control. Ky doesn’t give her either. That’s why she’s annoyed.”

Alice tilted her head, smirk teasing the corner of her lips. “Still… it’s exhausting watching someone like that lurk. And I feel like we can’t just ignore it completely. She’s bold, she’s… dangerous in her own way.”

I nodded, thinking of all the ways Eunice had tried to unsettle me before, the subtle manipulations, the tension she brought into rooms I didn’t want her to dominate. “I know. But I’ve learned my limits. I won’t let her get to me. Not now, not ever.”

Alice reached across again, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “Good. Because you have enough on your plate already. You don’t need her stirring anything.”

I sighed, letting some of the tension in my shoulders ease. “I know. I just… wish she’d move on already. I’ve had enough of her games.”

Alice smiled softly, and I could tell she was trying to ease both of us. “Maybe. But she’s not going anywhere yet. We just… have to be smarter than her. Stronger. Together.”

I nodded, feeling a small swell of affection for Alice. “Yeah. Together.”

There was a beat of silence, then Alice leaned closer, voice playful but low. “So, are we going to let Eunice ruin our morning coffee, or are we actually going to enjoy it?”

I laughed, letting the tension ease fully for a moment. “We enjoy it. Always.”

We sipped our drinks, letting the warmth of the cafe and each other’s presence settle around us.

Later that night, when I returned to my dorm, the familiar hum of campus quiet settled around me.

Ky was asleep again, sprawled across the bed with her hoodie over her face.

Alice was sleeping in her father's house.

I reached for my phone, thumb hovering over a number I hadn’t wanted to see again. Duncan.

The screen lit up with his name, the notification buzzing gently in my hand. My heart skipped. My stomach twisted. And suddenly, everything about today, the laughter, the relief, the sense of normalcy, felt fragile, like it could shatter in an instant.

I stared at the screen, knowing one press could change everything. My finger hovered.

Should I answer ?