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Three days later, Iris showed up at oodbye in her eyes

She didn’t even try to touch me, in fact, she stayed several feet away at all times, and I found myself relieved by that

"Hello, Francis," I said stonily

She flushed "Please don’t call me that I’ize, and to say my piece, now that it’s all out there"

I watched her, ar to reconcile all of the things I felt about her

Guilt, longing, disgust, desire, shaer, pity, animosity

Love

Yes, still that

But what did that matter? How could a situation so screwed up possibly a?

"First off, do you have any questions?" Her voice was very sh she was all of a sudden intimidated by me

I hated that, but saw the necessity of it "What was real? I know you researched ht I wanted I want to knoas real"

She took a very deep breath, and began to speak, "In every relationship, there’s someone that loves the other more, someone that would be crushed if it all ended Between you and me, I am that someone I’ve always known it would be like that"

I studied her like I’d never seen her before, wondering what on earth to do with her

"I’ve loved you for so long it’s become part of the patchwork that o on, to stay safe in a world that lost its use for o You have no faith in h it makes me sad, but my faith in you saved my life"

Her fists were clenched, and she looked like she was about to cry

It took everything I had not to take her inI could do was lead her on, and so I held myself back

"That’s as real, Dair," she continued in a tre I know I’d like for you to remember that"