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Iris was sitting at her desk, tapping her forehead with the eraser of her pencil with a blank sheet of notebook paper in front of her. She had been brainstorming with little effect for ten minutes. Her mind kept wandering back to Caden and Carmen. She wondered what sort of a couple they'd been and what Carmen was like. She wondered how long they'd been together and what things they talked about. Most of all, she wondered if Caden wanted to go back. The more she thought about it, the more sure she was that he still liked Carmen. There was no good reason for thinking that, only fear and doubt. But the voices in her head kept persisting, saying that Caden was only pretending to like her to get back to Carmen. He didn't really like her. Why would he? She was the quiet girl, the teacher's pet, the one who didn't go to parties and actually finished her math homework. The one who'd never even had a boyfriend before. No one could ever like her, not in that way. Besides, she was easy to manipulate. If he was using her, Iris hated to admit it, it was working. Carmen was probably just the kind of girl Caden liked. Outgoing, pretty, and courageous. He'd probably loved the time they'd spent together and was itching to get back to her. If he was just using Iris, that explained why he'd shrunk away when she wanted to kiss him. And why he wasn't mad when he heard about Carmen. It didn't matter if she was tutoring his ex, one way or the other Caden was going to end up with one of them. And Iris was almost positive that one was not her. But then again... What about last night? That had been the best night of her life, and he'd said the same. Why commit to spending that time with her if he was just going to dump her anyway? Iris let her head fall to the desk, resting her forehead against the wood. Why did things have to be so complicated? |
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Caden wanted answers, and he was going to get them. He clicked onto the contact he'd blocked so long ago, Carmen's--and texted her. -what dorm are you in- Was all he texted, Carmen responding within seconds. -205. why, did you finally make up your mind?- The man rolled his eyes at her words, blocking her once more before making his way over to her dorm which was, oh so conveniantly right next door to Iris's. He knocked twice, the woman opening the door and beckoning him inside. Caden took a shaky breath, getting the question he'd been needing the answer for a while out first. "How'd you find me? I didn't tell anybody where I was going, and you're the kind of person who would figure it out whether I liked it or not." He muttered, Carmen acting all innocent. "Do what? Caden, I would ne-" The man's stare cut her off as he looked up at her, jaw tense as though it was holding back a hundred different words he wanted to say. Which, it was. "You would. So my question is why?" Caden asked again, the woman stuttering. "I... I just, wanted to go to college here. Why else would I be here?" She asked nervously, chuckling at the end. He responded quickly, words firing. "Stop lying to me and admit it, stop hiding it from me. You haven't changed. That's one thing I noticed about you a long time ago, you never change. Always the same manipulative person who can't be trusted.." The man murmured, casting his gaze away. Their voices were getting tighter with anger, the tension so thick you could cut it with a knife. "Caden, I just want a good education." She said softly, Caden looking at her genuinely for the first time in a long time. Was Carmen... back to who he missed? He chuckled, shaking his head. "That's not the only reason, you're lying through your teeth and even a child would know that." The two got into a yelling match after that, fighting over things that were old, how they both still hated eachother. Their words echoed off the walls, both glad there were no roomates with her. |
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Iris heard someone knocking on the door next to hers but ignored it. She heard voices and sighed, finding her ear pods and starting some music to block out the noise. Soon the soft voices grew louder and began yelling. Now even her music couldn't keep them out. Iris grabbed a notebook and her phone and left her room, hoping to find somewhere quiet. She walked around campus for a few minutes, the chilly air making her wish she'd thought to bring a coat. Finally she ended up in the library. There were a few groups of people talking above a whisper, to the librarian's annoyance, and Iris found herself sitting in the quietest part of the room, the corner where Caden had found the book with his picture. |
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Caden eventually stormed out, the chilly night air shocking him as he just walked around. He did so for hours, the only sound being his breathing and the occasional car somewhere off into distance. ~ The next day came and went, the last thing on his agenda being his usual tutoring session with Iris. Math had become exceptionally tricky now, the sessions coming in handy. |
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Iris passed the next day keeping a wary eye on Caden. She wanted to trust him and believe he didn't like Carmen, but it was proving difficult to do so. Their session had been pushed back to this afternoon, right after her session with Carmen. At the moment, Iris was walking out of her last class of the day and heading towards the room they'd agreed to meet in for Carmen's chemistry tutoring. She was incredibly nervous, but hid it incredibly well. |
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Carmen had spotted Iris walking out of her dorm earlier that morning, hoping she hadn't heard anything from last night. She set her bag down beside her and pulled out a fresh sheet of paper and a pencil, setting them neatly on the desk.The woman sat in the chair, the ticking of the clock obnoxiously loud. She grabbed her phone and checked her notifications, nothing from Caden. |
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Iris took out a notebook and pen, giving the woman a small smile of welcome. "Carmen, correct?" She already knew it was, but that was the polite question to ask. Iris didn't want to get off to a bad start just with the first sentence. |
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"Yes, and you're Iris right?" She asked sweetly, voice sweet as honey as she adjusted in her chair. ~*~ Caden sat at his lecture, mind spiraling. He was stuck, stay with Iris whom, he felt he didn't have to keep up a persona and trusted her enough to say what he couldn't with others watching. Or, go back to Carmen who he'd been longing for since they broke up. He just wanted her back, not this venomous, mean, manipualtive version. He wanted his Carmen back. |
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Iris nodded, immediately disliking Carmen. Just her voice had something about it that made her feel... Unsafe. "Yes. So I heard you're needing some help in chemistry?" |
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"Oh absolutely, if i'm honest I barely have any idea what's going on in that class." She mused with a chuckle, explaining how English just wasn't her best language. ~*~ Caden's lecture was eventually done, the man heading to Corner 17 to go grab a snack as he was hungry. He started making his way over to the study hall for his 'tutoring session' which was really the only time he had which lined up with Iris so they could finally enjoy eachothers company. ~*~ Carmen's session ended, the woman packing up as Caden walked in. He went to turn and walk in the second he saw her, the woman packing up quicker and heading to go catch him before he could. She whispered something in his ear, the man paling slightly with a somewhat scared expression. She grinned and walked away, Caden walking in and sitting across from Iris---shaken. Her words she had spoken? "I know about to rooftop" |
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Bright Sunshine with a few High Clouds
