Veiled Realities

13. "Intrigue Unveiled"

I opened the door to find my dad standing there, his police uniform drenched in sweat from a long day at work. "Tough day at work?" I asked, concern evident in my voice as he nodded and made his way inside.

Lily greeted him with a friendly wave, and I quickly introduced them. It was a bit awkward for my dad to see her in my clothes alone at our home in the night, but thankfully, he didn't comment on it right away. After a few minutes of small talk, Lily's driver arrived to pick her up. I hastily packed her wet clothes into a bag and handed it to her, exchanging a quick goodbye as she left.

"I don't think I'll ever forget this night," Lily said before leaving, and I couldn't help but agree. As the door closed behind her, my dad bombarded me with a barrage of questions.

"So, are you both dating?" he stuttered, his curiosity piqued.

"No, dad, we're just friends," I replied, trying to sound casual despite the nervous flutter in my stomach.

"What was she doing in your clothes, then?" he asked, a valid question that I was prepared to answer.

I explained everything that had happened that night, from the speech preparation to our impromptu adventure on the bridge, and my dad listened with a mixture of surprise and admiration.

"A brave girl, isn't she?" my dad remarked, and I couldn't help but smile in agreement.

Our father-son moment was interrupted by the sudden appearance of my mom, who had just returned from a friend's house. As my dad excused himself to take a shower, I eagerly recounted the events of the evening to my mom, who listened with rapt attention and a wide smile on her face.

"I knew she's like quite the character," my mom remarked with a chuckle, and I couldn't help but agree. Lily had a way of brightening up even the dullest of days with her infectious energy and zest for life

After a tiring dinner with my parents, I bid them sweet dreams and retreated to my room, feeling utterly exhausted from the day's events. The basketball match had taken its toll on me, and the unexpected adventure with Lily at the bridge had only added to my fatigue. Without wasting any time, I crawled into bed and drifted off to sleep, hoping for a peaceful night's rest.

The next day at school, I caught up with Morb and Ash, feeling a renewed sense of energy as I greeted them. Morb's excitement was contagious as he exclaimed, "Draco, you won't believe what a brilliant logo we've created using Ash's digital painting and my editing skills! The attention to detail is impeccable. Zeus stands no chance against this."

I couldn't help but smile at Morb's enthusiasm, grateful for his dedication to our cause. "Thank you both so much. I've finished working on the speech with Lily as well," I replied, eager to share our progress.

But as I mentioned the speech, a pang of worry gripped my heart. I needed to find out if Iris was present at school today, and more importantly, if she was okay. "Great! Now we just have to get it checked by Ms. Lavender in the last period," Ash chimed in, his excitement matching Morb's.

"Works," Morb and I said in unison. "Jinx!" we both exclaimed simultaneously, bursting into laughter at the coincidence.

As I excused myself from Morb and Ash, my mind raced with concern for Iris. I hurried to our class, eager to check on her, but my path was intercepted by a familiar face standing in the doorway.

"He-y, Dr- Draco, right? I'm Lu-Luna," she stuttered nervously, her eyes meeting mine with a mixture of shyness and admiration. "Your guitar skills are so great. I was wondering if you could teach me too?"

Luna's request caught me off guard, her sudden appearance adding to my sense of urgency. She was the same girl from 12B that Ash had mentioned, the one who seemed to have a crush on me. While I appreciated her compliment, my thoughts were consumed by Iris and her well-being.