Page 33 of Crystal Iris
We turn a corner, not exactly in private, when he starts undoing his shirt buttons.
“What are you doing?” I ask in a panic—someone’s going to see this.
“Look!” He pulls out his own necklace—his own prism.It’s different from mine, a triangular-shaped one held by a silver chain. Still, it’s obvious that they’re… similar.
“Is that…” I’m shocked.
“Does your prism light up?” he asks, buttoning his shirt again.
“Yes. A violet light.”
“Mine does too, a dark blue.” He seems rattled by our words.
“Where did you get yours?” I’m trying to understand what it all means.
“From my family.”
“I didn’t know… that there were… others,” I tell him.
“My brother had one too.” There’s pain in his eyes as he says it.
I remember what I read about his brother online. “I’m sorry…” My phone starts to ring. It’s Akira. “Hello?”
“Where are you?”
“Upstairs.”
“I’m upstairs and I don’t see you.”
“Around the corner.”
“What? Why? What are you doing?”
“Nothing, Hoyt was?—”
She finds us. “You guys can’t stay here. Aaron is looking for you. They’re about to give the awards, and he’s giving a speech and…”
“He is?”
“Yeah, come on.”
I look back at Hoyt. I have a million questions. Akira pulls me away.
“I’ll catch you later,” he says, motioning for me to keep going.
Aaron is presenting an award, and I had no idea about it. I’m so caught up in my own little world that I didn’t even ask him why we’re here. Shame and sadness wash over me. I don’t like the person I’m becoming—lying, hiding… it’s not right. Aaron loves me; we’re getting married. He makes eye contact with me from the stage and smiles. I listen to his words when I glance at Hoyt on the opposite side, watching the speech like everyone else. I keep my face forward. I barely make out the words Aaron is saying—something about donations for buildings and charity boards. It lasts an eternity.
I wait for Aaron to walk off the stage so I can excuse myself to the bathroom.I need a minute.I’m almost there when a hand touches me, and this time, it hurts him, butonly him.
“I’m sorry,” he says, shaking his hand.
“I didn’t feel… It didn’t hurt me.”
“Really?”
“Not like the first time.”
“Huh, why is this happening?”
