Joke's on You

I held Iris as she cried hysterically. To say this week had been normal and routine for her would be a lie. Fallon and Fred’s secret was revealed. Iris got in a fight with Draco. We had lost our virginity. Now both Fred and Fallon wanted nothing to do with her. I could tell she was torn apart and heartbroken just by looking in her eyes.

“Iris, baby, sit up and look at me, please?” I ran my fingers through her long brown hair.

Iris sat up slowly. Her make-up had run and caused stains in the collar of her white button-up blouse. “I want to go home, Georgie.” A loud hiccup escaped her lips and she buried her head in my chest.

I wrapped my arms around my girlfriend and rubbed her back gently, “Don’t say things you don’t mean.”

I felt Iris take handfuls of my gray cotton sweater in her hands and grip them tightly. “I don’t have anybody anymore. I’d rather go back home and be with people that care about me as much as I care about them.” Another loud cry came from her dainty lips.

“You have me, love. Isn’t that enough?” I was truly hurt by her previous statement. Iris let go of my shirt and began hitting my chest rather hard. I had to put my arms out and grab onto her shoulders. “Iris, I’m not your personal punching bag. I know you are upset but please stop.”

“You don’t understand, George. You’ve never lost anything before. You have a perfect family and perfect friends.”

“That isn’t true and you damn well know that. My brother Charlie is hardly ever around. Percy is a ignorant bloke. And as for friends, the only true friends I have are Freddie, Fallon, and you. Look at where that has got me?”

Iris’s hazel eyes grew wide and for a moment I thought her tears had seized but I was proved wrong. “W-w-what does that mean? W-w-what have I done?” As if she didn’t look hurt already. The way the words slipped from my mouth made her break into a million more pieces. She backed up and was getting ready to swing her legs over the side of the bed.

I pulled her back onto the bed; so hard that she nearly fell on top of me. I cupped her face with my rough hands, “You know that isn’t what I meant. I love you, Iris. Stop acting like everything is your fault. It’s not.”

“But it is, George. I went meddling around in business that wasn’t my own. It is my fault. If I wouldn’t have been brown nosing, none of us would be fighting.”

“Pumpkin, it isn’t your fault Fred and Fallon have an unhealthy relationship. They made the choice to do what they are doing. I know she’s your best friend and you are just trying to be there for her, but let Fallon deal with this on her own. When she realizes she needs you, she’ll be there.”

Iris forced a smile that was so innocent looking my nearly melted; literally melted. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me. It’s part of my job description. I’d be a crummy boyfriend if I didn’t at least attempt to make you feel better.” I planted a simple kiss on her forehead and pulled her down next to me on the bed. We spent some time just staring at each other until we eventually fell asleep.