Going back

31|| Uncomfortable

A/N: Here's chapter 31. Enjoy, people.

"What the hell are you saying? No way he's staying in your room. Are you insane?" David snapped, crossing his arms with a frightening glare.

"Wait, wait, wait." Oscar edged himself out of the crowd, holding a bowl of fruits. He offered a strawberry to Iris, who took it. "Let me see if I've got it straight: you want to share a room with your ex-best friend. The one who's trying to stop you from finding your mother's murderer. And the one who tried to kill you a few hours ago."

"Yes, that's correct."

He nodded. "Okay, good. Now, what the hell are you thinking?"

"Alright, look, I know our might be thinking it's a bad idea—"

"A bad idea?" Brandon laughed incredulously. "No, a terrible haircut is a bad idea. This is insane!"

Iris raised her hands in surrender. "Look, I completely understand your worries, but I don't trust Alex to be in a room alone since I just know he'll escape. I've planned to handcuff us together so that he can't escape. It's not like we haven't done it before."

"What?" Harry and David chimed in with equal parts horror and shock.

Iris waved a dismissive hand. "Ah, don't worry about it- I'll explain later."

"This is not really helping your case, Iris." Will sighed and pushed up his glasses.

"I don't care." Iris scowled, shouldering past Damien to access the medical room. "I'm not letting that weasel slip away again."

"Aw, a weasel?" Alex drawled from his place lying down on the metal table with an arm draped over his eyes to shield his eyes. "I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me today."

"Don't get used to it." Iris opened several drawers and rummaged through packets of syringes and plasters. Finally, she found what she was looking for with a triumphant grin.

"What're you— hey!" Alex gasped as a cold, metal ring wrapped around his wrist and Iris clicked a pair of handcuffs around her own, chaining them together. "Dude."

"Now, you can't escape." Iris smirked and tossed the key to an open-mouthed Brandon, who caught it out of instinct.

A slow grin spread across his face. "Wait, so this is just like last time?"

"Yeah, I suppose."

"Do you remember what happened last time?"

Iris froze and a flush crept up her neck as she dropped her gaze to the floor. "We don't talk about what happened last time."

"What happened last time?" Julian asked with a slight glare aimed at Alex.

"I said we don't talk about it!" Iris snapped and pulled her arm, dragging Alex across the table. She felt a small twist of satisfaction as he stumbled, barely managing to prevent himself from falling.

"Hey." Jax squeezed though and stood in front of them, his hair messed up as if he'd run his hands through it. "We need to talk."

"Sorry, kinda tied up at the moment," Alex said.

Iris stared at Jax's unwavering gaze and slowly shook her head. "I think you and Harry should go back home."

"What?"

"I've given you the information you need, so you can get started on that." Iris blew out a breath from her nose, curling her free hand into a fist.

Jax laughed in derision. "I can't believe you're kicking me out."