favorite liar | xavier thorpe

8. untitled

𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧

"Are we sure this is a good idea?" Iris trails slightly behind Wednesday and Thing as they all enter Xavier's - and Rowan's old - room to find some book that Wednesday says will be the answer to all her problems.

"I know the book is in here," Wednesday just stares as her and Thing get to searching.

"I could probably just ask Xavier if we could take a look around, we don't need to break and enter," Iris is a bit more hesitant. She already hates how easy it is for her and Xavier to get awkward around each other, she doesn't want to make it worse.

"Please, Iris," and just the fact that Wednesday actually said please makes Iris turn to the bookshelf on her right and start looking immediately. "Oh, wow," Wednesday says after a moment of the three looking.

"What?" Iris's interest is piqued and she makes her way over the Xavier's desk where Wednesday is flipping through some book.

Before she can walk over though, Thing turns the lights off and snaps for Iris to come over with her black light to examine Rowan's stripped mattress and floorboards.

Iris dutifully walks over and is kneeling by the bed, shining the light underneath where some fingerprints are when Wednesday comes up beside her, sensing her discovery.

The two share a wordless look, and Wednesday reaches out to take out a loose floorboard, then pulling some kind of masquerade mask.

"What?" Iris voices everyone's thoughts.

"Let's go," Wednesday takes initiative, but as the trio is walking back to the window they came in from, a knock comes from the main door and they all know to take the nearest hiding spot there is - under Xavier's bed.

They hear him walk out of his bathroom where he was taking a shower with a sigh, turning the lights back on before making his way across the room to answer the door. Bianca.

"You're not supposed to be up here," Xavier greets her, but Iris can't hear that well over the racing of her heart.

"Good to see you too."

"How'd you get past the Housemaster? Use your siren powers?" Xavier already seems done with their conversation as he crosses the room again, leaning against his bed, right where Iris and Wednesday are staring out from.

"Not while wearing this," she hears Bianca emphasize, probably pointing to her necklace Iris has noticed all the sirens wear. "Would it kill you to not think the worst of me for once?"

"What do you want, Bianca?"

"To see how you're doing. I'm sorry about Rowan. I know you guys used to be close."

"Since when did you give a damn about Rowan?"

"You were the one afraid he'd do something to Iris or Wednesday. To Iris at least, isn't that why you've been following her around like an eager-eyed puppy?"

Iris stares. He only talks to me because he thinks he needs to protect me?

". . . Or is there something more?" Bianca then adds.

Xavier just walks away from Bianca and his bed, towards his desk.

"Seriously, what do you see in her?" Bianca pushes as Wednesday, Iris, and Thing all spin slightly to follow their conversation. As Bianca takes another jab at Iris, she watches Xavier shut his journal suddenly. Suspiciously.

"Maybe it's because she hasn't tried to manipulate me," Xavier says, clearly trying to attack Bianca in some way.

"I make one mistake, and you can't forgive me. She blatantly friend-zones you, you can't get enough." This makes Iris's stomach hurt a little.