𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐦 ; 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬

15

Chapter Fifteen
Preparation

Iris woke up with a feeling of dread once she realized what day it was. Midsummers was later today and she couldn't stomach having to pretend to be one big happy family in front of everyone on figure eight. She hadn't spoke to her dad since that day he offered to drive her home and once she began to tell him how she really felt he ended up slapping her across the face, she knew it would be awkward but as always she'd paint on a smile and pretend that she had the most loving family in the world.

"Riley" Iris called from the bathroom. The moment she opened her eyes she knew she needed to get ready so she flew into the toilet without looking to see where Riley went.

After a few minutes had passed without an answer she made her way out of the bathroom and into the sitting room of the château.

"John B have you seen Riley today" she asked.

"Yeah first thing this morning... she told me she had to go into work em I'm pretty sure she's helping your boss serve drinks for midsummer's" he answered as Iris nodded her head slightly.

"Oh okay... we'll I've got to get going as well or I'll be late for midsummer's myself" she smiled up at him.

"Em Iris I'm guessing Sarah will be going with you... to midsummer's I mean" he asked as his face turned red.

"Yeah of course dad wouldn't let her miss it" she answered while her mind ran through different reasons as to why John B would be asking about Sarah.

"I was just making sure she's still going with Topper... is she still going with him" he mumbled as he combed his hand through his hair.

"As far as I know she's still going with him but I'm sure she'd rather spend her time with you" she giggled as John B shot his head up.

"What... no of course she wouldn't... I was just em" he stuttered anxiously.

"I know my sister and I also know that if you're asking about her you obviously have feeling's for her... but don't worry your secrets safe with me" she laughed as she walked out the door and jumped onto her bike before taking off in the direction of her house.

From the driveway her house looked huge. The garden looked so spacious and most people would kill to live in it but once she stepped foot onto the grass outside her front door it felt small and hollow. It was as if she didn't belong there anymore, she'd outgrown it and could no longer stomach being inside anymore.

"Where have you been... you need to get ready or we'll be late Iris" Rose huffed as she looked down at her step daughter.

"Where's Sarah" she asked as she began to walk off.

"With your father... telling him she doesn't feel like going to midsummer's" she hissed while strutting out the front door.

Iris followed the voices into the kitchen where she found her sister sitting at the table in her pajamas with her dad standing in front of her in his suit and tie.

"I just don't think Topper is my splinter bean" she mumbled as he shook his head.

"I don't know exactly what that means but it sounds to me like you should probably dump his ass maybe" he laughed slightly as Sarah hummed in response.

"Maybe just not tonight" he spoke softly as Iris walked into the room.

"I just don't want to go with him" Sarah whined while Iris pulled out a chair and sat down beside her.

"If you don't want to go with him you don't have to" she voiced as Ward shot her a serious look.

"What if you just paced on a smile and you go and we have a good time and you deal with your love life mañana" he laughed trying to lighten the mood.

"Why is that always your solution to everything" Iris snapped.

"I do not have the time for you to throw another one of your tantrums" he sighed while shaking his head.

"She's telling you she doesn't want to go to midsummers with Topper and all you can say is put on a smile and get on with it" she spoke angrily as he banged his hand down on the table.

"THATS ENOUGH IRIS... I'm so sick and tired of the way you carry yourself in my house... now I'm really not in the mood to have another argument with you" he shouted.

"Oh you mean like the argument we had the other day when you smacked me into the face" she questioned.

"Wait you hit her" Sarah asked as her voice went up an octave.

"I apologize for the other day... I let my temper get the better of me and it should have never happened okay... Sarah you know I would never purposely want to hurt any of my children" he answered while looking directly into Sarah's face, as if she was the one he was apologizing to.

"We know that dad... it was still wrong though" she uttered.

"I know it was and I'm deeply sorry for it" he lied as Sarah looked down into Iris's face.

"You wanna get dressed together" she asked happily as Iris shook her head in agreement.

"Can I just borrow Iris for a quick second and then the two of you can go get ready" Ward spoke up as Sarah looked at her sister awaiting her response.

"It's fine It'll only take a minute" she reassured her before Sarah left the room and made her way into her bedroom.

Iris tried her very hardest to avoid her dad at all cost and most of the time it worked well for her but today of all days there was nothing she could do to avoid seeing him, she had to prepare herself to walk into a crowd of people with a fake smile plastered on her face and for the whole night pretend like she's gives the tiniest shit about any of the people surrounding her.

"I'm only going to warn you once tonight... do not step one foot out of line because so help me god if you try to ruin tonight for everyone... I can't be held responsible for what I do" he spat as she shook her head slightly.

"Oh I get it now... you waited for Sarah to leave the room so you could drop the kind and caring father routine... don't worry I'll be on my best behavior" she sighed as she began to walk towards the door.

"I'm not messing around Iris... if you do anything out of line tonight you can forget ever stepping foot back into my house... are we clear" he snapped.

"Crystal" she answered shortly as she made her way into Sarah's bedroom and began to get ready.

Tonight was always going to be hard but it was nothing new for the Cameron family. Midsummer's was a family tradition that would never die but once Iris walked away from that conversation with her dad she knew she wanted to make tonight as painful for him as she possibly could and what better way to do it then invite the people he hates most in this word... the pogues.

~~~

*Authors note*

Hey everyone I hope you all enjoyed this chapter :)
It's kind of a boring one but I needed to build up to midsummers!!!
I promise the next chapter will be more exciting🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼
Iris actually breaks my heart and Ward physically angers me every time he opens his mouth!!!!
Thank you for reading this book it means so much <33