The Babysitter- A Mike Dirnt Fan Fic

The First "I Love You's"

Iris:

I walk through the halls at school like I would any other day, this time getting more looks and eyes that I don't want, directed right toward me.

It's like everyone knows what I've done, like they know things about me that I don't.

"Hey Iris! Wait up!" Roxanne Summers yells from behind me.

We had Calculus together, and we were kinda more than just acquaintances but I wouldn't exactly call us "friends".

"Oh, hey..." I let her walk with me to lunch, and she smiles at me as we sit down at my lunch table.

I picked it the first day in this school, all the way on the other side of the lunchroom with only two chairs. A high table with high chairs, just me and my peace.

She takes the other seat, and leans on her elbows, smiling like some girly freak.

I'm not afraid to admit it, I'm creeped out.

"So everyone's been wondering who your boyfriend is, nobody can believe that you, Iris Phoenix, have a guy! This is so unlike you!" I look around, and see other people staring me down. I feel highly uncomfortable, like they're spies invading my personal life.

"What do you mean?" She laughs, and pokes a finger into the side of my neck, making me wince.

"Ouch! What are you doing you fucking freak?" She doesn't take offense, and I push her away.

"Sorry, but I mean...every guy that's ever come up to you and tried to talk to you gets pushed away, now all of a sudden in the past couple weeks, you're in better moods, you're nicer to people, and you have a hickey on your neck" Okay, so, what business is it of hers?

"So, that doesn't mean anything. Sorry, but I don't need people invading my personal life, that's why it's called personal" She rolls her eyes, and reaches out to my arm, placing her hand on it.

"Oh come on Iris, I think you secretly wanna tell me" I don't budge.

"Does he go here?" I shake my head no. Why am I even telling her that much?

"You have a lot of nerve asking me questions like this, it's none of anybody's business!" Her smile goes away, and she sighs.

"C'mon Iris" I shake my head.

"No, I think you should just treat this like another normal day where everyone leaves me alone, go tell your friends" She doesn't leave, so I do, hopping down from my chair.

The end of the day doesn't come fast enough, but finally I get to leave, and I drive home, happy that I got to be surrounded by at least one person I liked.

I walk in the door, and immediately I see my mom with a sorry expression, almost hurt?

"What's wrong?" She shakes her head, and puts her hands on my shoulders.

I notice quickly that Mike isn't here, and my heart rate speeds, I'm panicking.

"He's at the hospital, there was a car accident, he's banged up pretty badly. But I don't want you to-" I don't let her finish her sentence, and run back to the car, my bag still on my back.

I throw it in the car, and drive quickly to the hospital.

He's all I've got, he's my only friend, the only one who understands me, the only one who's ever gonna make me feel so...special...important...like I might matter.

He can't die on me, he just can't.

I park the car in the emergency drop-off, which is technically illegal, but I could care less at this point.

I run in, and I don't realize I'm crying until the lady at the desk hands me a tissue.

"I need to s-see um...M-Michael Pritchard, Michael Pritchard! Get me his room number!" They tell me to calm down, and I'm running down the hall before I hear them say the number, but I catch it briefly on my way.

I run into his room, and stop in the middle of it, my vision becoming blurry from all the tears starting to swim in my eyes.

They drop onto my shirt, starting to make a wet spot, and I stare at him.

His blonde hair that hung in his eyes, had turned a light shade of pink from all the blood, and he had a deep cut that they had already stitched up on his jawline. He had a brace around his torso, and my first thought was that he had a broken back.

"It's only a few broken ribs and a couple cuts, Iris" I had been so focused on his injuries, that I hadn't even noticed his eyes opening.

His voice was raspy, and I could tell that he was in pain, and I smile through my tears, sniffling.

I walk over to his bed slowly, and he tries to lift the bed with the remote, only wincing because of his ribs.

"Thank god...I thought..." I can feel a hard sob coming on, a lump forming in my throat, a stranger to the feeling for years. My lip starts to tremble, and I can hear myself make this horrible noise as I cry.

I sit down in the chair, and pulls my knees to my chest, sobbing into them and soaking my jeans.

I can hear him sighing.

"Iris...please don't cry" His voice was in so much pain, and I couldn't stop.

I look up at him, sniffling, and wipe at my eyes, only getting more tears falling out of them.

"I thought you were dying...I thought you'd be dead...you can't die on me, ever" I shake my head at him, and he manages a painful smile.

He holds an arm out, and I get up, my breathing uneven from crying.

I walk to the edge of the bed, and he wraps his arm around my waist weakly, letting me sit on the edge of his bed.

He keeps his hand on my arm, his thumb brushing along it. My tears fall onto his hand, but he doesn't mind, he just lets us sit there in silence.

He wraps his arm around me again, and lets me lay my head on his shoulder, me scared to, thinking I might hurt him. I lay down easily, both of us against each other in the small hospital bed. But he was with me, right next to me, where he belongs.

He kisses my forehead, and I feel my eyes get heavy.

"Iris?" I only reply with a hum, and let my eyes close.

"Hmm?"

"Did I ever tell you, I love you?" My body tingles, and it feels like someone kicked on a heater.

I lift my head, and shake my head no, smiling.

"Well I do, a lot" I nod, and grab my jacket, putting it on.

"This might sound unlike me, but I definitely love you back" He smiles, and I bend down to kiss him.

After we pull away, he stares at my jacket that I've zipped up.

"Please don't leave, not yet" I shake my head, and lay back down on his shoulder.

"I won't leave you....ever" I let my eyes close again, and with a push of a button, he closes the door and turns out the lights.

I'm loved.