Don't Let Me Go

16

James nodded shaking his head, "What are your boots made of? Bricks?"

"Probably," she said laughing.

James shook his head as the number for their food was called, "Be right back," he told her.

"Okay,"

When she finally got all of her snow clothes off, she felt like she could finally breathe again.

She'd left on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt because the heat was blasting.

At the table, she sat next to Jordan who was stuffing his face with fries and picked up the baked ziti James had ordered for her. He knew exactly what she liked.

She'd seen a different side of him the past few days. Someone who was able to let his guard down, laugh all the time, crack a few jokes. He usually never left her side but sometimes she'd go a few hours without seeing him and she'd find engrossed in a game of Call of Duty with Lucas. That meant that he trusted the people they were around. He was calm and relaxed. She liked this side of him.

Back at James' house, they had dinner and then everyone either went to sleep or did something else. James' parents were beat after the day they'd had so they went to bed early.

Meanwhile, Iris took a shower and changed into her pajamas.

She had no idea where James or Jordan was but she was content with not knowing. Last night they did some stupid hot sauce challenge and then downed an entire box of milk.

All of that happened while Iris was upstairs watching tv. She'd gotten engrossed in a few reruns of Chicago PD.

A distant knock on her door made her pause.

"Come in!" she yelled.

The door opened and James peeked his head in the door with a hand over his eyes, "You decent?" he asked but Iris could see him peeking through two of his fingers.

"I guess it wouldn't matter if I wasn't, right?" she asked causing him to laugh.

"Nope," he said stepping in.

He took a seat on one of the couches near the huge bay windows.

"So, how was skiing for you?" he asked.

"It actually wasn't too bad. It was fun once I got the hang of it,"

James nodded, "That's good. I'm glad to hear that. You looked good out there today,"

"I felt like that girl that turned into that big blue ball of blueberry gum from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I had on so many clothes, someone probably could've rolled me down the hill,"

James burst into laughter, "Funny,"

Iris laughed furrowing her brow at James.

"You okay?" she asked him.

He nodded, "Yeah, yeah I'm okay. I'm just having a lot of fun with you here, that's all,"

She took a seat in his lap smiling, "Me too. I'm glad I came. Jordan was beefing about going to our aunt's house before I called him. All in all, we are both very pleased with our decision to join you guys up here,"

James nodded smiling, "Aunt?"

"Yeah, she lives about an hour from us. My dad's sister and my mom can't stand her. She's a total hot mess and completely conceded. Thinks because her husband is some political big-shot she's better than everybody else,"

"I mean that's usually how it works right?" James asked

Iris laughed, "Yeah, in her dreams maybe,"

James laughed.