Iris’ head throbbed as she stared ahead.

It felt like karmic justice seeing Olivia again, now a Kanibari somehow. While Iris babbled on about that justice in the moment, it was mostly covering up painful memories in her head. Specifically, the most painful memory. The one that happened shortly after Iris’ fangs came in.

Iris was at Olivia’s house, or rather waiting outside on her front stoop. She knocked three and a half times like she always did.

“I was wondering why you didn’t call back last night.” Olivia said when she answered.

“Yeah, I was a little busy,” Iris said.  “What do you think?” Iris pulled at her mouth to show off her new fangs.

Olivia flinched. Then she shut the door.

“Ha, good one!” Iris said. She knocked three and a half times again.

“Oh, you’re still here?” Olivia said.

Iris snickered. “Yeah, sorry, this new Cani is a bit clingy to her girlfriend.”

“Ha, but like,” Olivia looked back and forth. “Ha. I’m not. Doing that, sorry. Ha ha.”

“Huh?” Iris asked. This sounded less like she was doing a bit.

“Dude, I don’t wanna date a Cani,” Olivia said. “It’ll be too messy.”

“What are you saying?” Iris asked. Her stomach dropped, waiting for Olivia to drop a ‘just kidding!’

“I’m prolly getting my Echela ears soon, so. I dunno, dude. I don’t want this.” Olivia said. “Has any of this been working anyways?”

“What do you mean?” Iris asked. “I thought like this was going well?”

“It’s not,” Olivia said. “I think you should go, Iris. If we call it here, it won’t hurt so bad.”

Despite Olivia saying that, it still hurt. And the messy fights afterward hurt too. And the times where Olivia just wanted to hang out like normal (well, their new normal post-dating) hurt too.

As Iris waited for Nurse Lyla to come back, she tried to reflect a little bit. Caya Kilander yelling at Iris for getting in a fight and disrespecting the school didn’t hurt too much. It was terrifying, but she didn’t feel damaged by it. Seeing Olive again after so long and getting in a fight physically hurt, but it paled in comparison to the hurt Iris felt as she sat in the nurse’s office with a bag of ice over one eye as she struggled to come up with anything she could say to explain this to Maia. The defeated look on Maia’s face hurt more than Olivia’s fists. Maia’s silence hurt more than Caya’s shouts.

After finding out she would have to have a day of in school suspension, Iris was sent to the nurse’s office to get patched up. Maia stayed with her the whole time. She didn’t see where Olivia ended up, but Iris assumed she wasn't as beat up in the fight.

“I didn’t even know you could become a Kanibari like that.” Iris said when Nurse Lyla approached with bandages. “Like all late and junk.”

“Late bloomer Kanibari are rare, but they happen.” Nurse Lyla said.

Nurse Lyla swapped ice packs for Iris, gave her some pills, then said she’d be back in a few minutes to make sure she wasn’t acting weird from all the punches before letting her go.

Iris didn’t consider herself any kind of genius, but she knew Maia was never greatly a fan of Olivia. She hoped this stupid thing wouldn’t ruin the B.F.S. she and Maia had going on.

“Hey, Maia.” Iris said. “I’m really sorry.”

Maia didn’t answer right away, which felt like a dagger in Iris’ stomach.

“Why’d you follow me?” Iris asked. “You can go if you want.”

“Do you want me to go?” Maia asked. Her voice sounded normal, despite everything.

“No, but I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to go. I just majorly screwed up.”

Maia adjusted in her chair.

“Staying is, I dunno,” Maia said. “It feels more B.F.S. if I don’t leave you right now.”

“Awwww. MaiMai.” Iris said. “I’ll make this up to you.”

“You don’t have to.” Maia said.

“I gotta.” Iris said. “I started a fight…”

“To be fair, she swung at you first.” Maia said.

“I got in her face first.” Iris said.

Maia snorted. “You got suspended.”

“Yeah,” Iris said. “I’m pretty stupid, aren’t I?”

“Yeppers.” Maia said. “But I’m a dumbass too, so. Yeah.” She squinted. “So like I didn’t even ask. Like. You. Are you cool? You um. Good and crap?”

“I don’t know,” Iris said. “I thought I was over it, but seeing her again I just. How she just dumped me like it was nothing. All of it came plodding back to me.”

“Pfft,” Maia said.

“What? I’m opening up here.” Iris said.

“You mean flooding back to you, dumbass.”

“Oh. Well, still.” Iris said. “You said you’re a dumbass too, so at least we’re united there.”

“Uh huh.” Maia said.

“Did I win the fight?” Iris asked. They both laughed.

“No dude, she was kicking your ass in the like five seconds that fight went.” Maia said.

“Aww,” Iris said. “I’ll win the rematch. That’s a joke. I don’t want to fight her again.”

Iris stretched. “Well, I dunno if I’m gonna be up for it tonight, and I’m suspended tomorrow, but after that…would you…I won’t be mad if you don’t want to.”

“You’re stammering like me right now, dude,” Maia said. “What are you even trying to say here?”

Iris snorted. “Just like. I could maybe use some B.F.S. after class tomorrow?”

“I could too, damn.” Maia said.

“So that’s…a yes?” Iris asked, setting the ice pack on her lap for a second. Her head throbbed again, so she quickly put it back up.

“That’s a hell yes.” Maia said.

Iris giggled. “Thanks, MaiMai.”