Unintentionally Falling

chapter thirty-four

Aaron

"Guess who's back again?" Jadon sings when I walk through the door of the Blanchette's guest room. Even though all three of us will be sharing one guest room, the guest room is more like a living room with how spacious everything is.

Jadon and Parker both sit on the couch with a case of beer propped up beside them, watching a program on the t.v that I've never once seen before.

"Where did you get the beer?" I ask, grabbing one of the cans and taking a seat on the floor.

"Mr. Blanchette let us have a case, he's chill with us having it." Parker explains, his eyes glued on the t.v of what looks to be an old guy concocting some sort of chemical formula in a recreational vehicle.

I open the can, downing a large bit of beer. I wonder what Ms. Aguerro and Mr.Blanchette are talking to Iris about. Hopefully, I didn't get her in trouble with them and with that, I also hope they don't completely despise me after that.

Grabbing Iris with my hands and pulling her close to my chest then squeezing water on her in the kitchen was not the smartest thing to do. Nor was getting caught doing this by her father and Ms. Aguerro.

Iris' clothes were wet and stuck to mine, her damp from the water being poured onto her. I wonder if she felt how rapid my breaths were when I was holding her. Being close to her was nerve-wracking even though I was just pouring water on her to get her back.

I hope she couldn't feel how much my heart was racing, people shouldn't feel that way for their friend.

"Speaking of Blanchette's, how's the future Father in Law?" Jadon throws it out like it's the most casual thing in the world.

"I—" Wait a minute, "What the hell?" I turned to him with a panicked expression on what he meant by that.

"You know, you and your lovely girlfriend." He waves off, "How did your girlfriend's dad like you?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. I was this close to throwing a punch at this guy from his dinner comment. He thought it was hilarious, it was not.

"We're not dating." I clarify. She would never agree to that. "We're friends."

Iris doesn't entertain the thought of dating anyone, even though we have differing thoughts when it comes to each other. I respect her values, it's who she is. Even though I don't know the exact reason, I respect her.

Romantic relationships and feelings aren't for her. Even though for her, I'd do just about anything to make her crack a smile.

He chokes on his beer laughing, he wipes beer from his chin. "You hear this Parker? We need to get the writer of the dictionary on the phone because we just found the definition of bullshit."

Parker smirks at this, he gives me a little shrug. "He's not wrong, man."

"Whatever," I brush off trying to change the subject.

But Jadon has other ideas, "Stop acting like you aren't at her beck and call. Aaron Hendrix is completely at Iris's beck and call. Isn't that right?"

"It's not like that." My voice comes out weak, more like I'm trying to convince myself than them.

"I've known you since I could break ankles during little league, don't lie to yourself."

"As much as I hate to admit it, Jadon's right." Parker adds, "We see the way you look at her, you're fucking pussy whipped."

In what way do I look at her? I wonder. Is it the way my eyes trace her soft yet sharp face? She's really the one thing my eyes could read, and take in over and over again, never once getting tired.