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Xander's heart raced as he stood outside the principal's office, his knuckles still stinging from the fight with Sam. The hallway was empty, the fluorescent lights casting harsh shadows on the linoleum floor. He glanced at the door, wondering what awaited him inside.
Iris leaned against the lockers nearby, her arms crossed, her eyes met his, and for a moment, he saw something other than sheer disdain. Gratitude, perhaps?
But then she looked away, her expression hardening. She didn't really need his help, and she certainly hadn't wanted it. Xander knew that. Still, he couldn't help himself. He'd always been drawn to her– he couldn't stand by and let her get hurt. Even when she pushed him away, he couldn't stay away.
The door creaked open, and Principal Rogers beckoned them both inside. Xander took a deep breath and stepped over the threshold. The room smelled of old books and polished wood. The principal's desk was cluttered with paperwork, and the walls were decorated with faded motivational posters. Xander wondered if he'd be suspended or worse.
"Xander," Principal Reynolds said, his voice stern. "You know why you're here."
Xander nodded. "Yes, sir."
"Violence is not the answer," the principal continued. "But I understand why you did it. Sam has been a problem for a long time."
Xander shifted on his feet. "I just couldn't stand there and watch him hurt Iris."
The principal sighed. "I appreciate your intentions, but we can't have students fighting in the rooftop. It sets a bad example."
Xander clenched his fists. "What's the punishment?"
"Detention," Principal Reynolds said. "Both you and Iris."
Xander's heart sank. Detention meant hours of mind-numbing boredom, sitting in a classroom with nothing to do. But then he remembered—Iris would be there too. Maybe they could talk, find some common ground. Or maybe she'd ignore him completely. Either way, he couldn't back down now.
"What?! No!" Iris yelled, her hands balled to a fist.
The principal let out a sigh as Iris raged.
"I can't have detention! I've never had a detention before! I'm running for student president, I can't have this on my record–"
"I'm sorry, Iris. But there's isn't anything I can do." The principal said.
"Sir, please. Think about it...Xander and I were just defending ourselves from Sam and–"
"You can not change my mind. Sam will also be punished when he comes to. Now, please leave my office."
Iris glared at him for a second before she turned around and stormed out if the office. Xander let out a tired sigh and stepped out of the office and found Iris waiting for him surprisingly. Her arms were still crossed, but her eyes held a flicker of something harsh?
"Detention," she said, her voice flat.
"Yeah," Xander replied. "Guess we're in this together. I'm sorry about your record...if I hadn't gotten beat up, you wouldn't have knocked Sam unconscious–"
"Whatever," Iris interrupted as she rolled her eyes. "Don't think this changes anything. I still don't like you, pervert."
Xander grinned but wincing once his smile made the treated bruises on his face hurt. "Fair enough."
They walked to the empty classroom, the desks neatly arranged in rows. The clock on the wall ticked away the minutes. Iris sat in the back, and Xander took a seat near the window. The silence hung heavy between them.
'This is nice' Xander thought, here he was...alone with Iris, breathing the same air as Iris.
Finally, Iris spoke breaking him out of his reverie. "Thanks, you know—for stepping in."
Xander shrugged. "A–anyone would've done the same."
"No," she said. "Not anyone." she looked so sad, he even thought that she'd burst into tears at any moment, but she didn't.
He studied her profile—the curve of her jaw, the way her curly hair fell across her cheek. "I meant it, Iris. I'll always have your back...if you'd like."
She didn't reply, but her gaze softened. And when the final bell rang, signaling the end of detention, Xander stood up.
"Let me walk you home," he said. "Just to make sure Sam's friends don't bother you."
"Like you can fight them all off, Noodle Arms." Iris said as she hesitated, then nodded. "Fine. But don't think this changes anything."
Of course it wouldn't, after all she had spent years hating him.
As they stepped out into the fading light, Xander couldn't help but smile. Maybe detention wasn't so bad after all. Maybe it was the beginning of something unexpected—a friendship, or maybe even more.
And as they walked side by side, he vowed to protect Iris, no matter what. Even if it meant facing Sam again.
God, he really was a simp.
But only for Iris, only for her.
The school was pretty empty by the time they stepped out of the classroom.
The walk home was a quiet one. Xander stole glances at Iris, her profile etched against the fading sky. The weight of his feelings for her pressed on his chest, threatening to spill out. But he couldn't risk it—not now, not when Sam and his gang were still out there, simmering with anger directed to Iris and him for... reasons.
Sam was dangerous, and Xander knew it. He'd seen the bruises on Iris's arms, the way she flinched when anyone raised their hand too quickly sometimes at lunch. Xander had never considered that fact that it could be because of Sam.
As they reached the intersection, Xander's mind wandered. He thought about Iris's smile—the rare moments when she let her guard down. He thought about the way her eyes crinkled at the corners, the way she laughed when her friends cracked a joke. And he thought about Sam—the rage in his eyes, the way he'd threatened to make Xander pay for...Trying to 'steal his girl'.
But then, in a moment of absent-mindedness, Xander stepped off the curb without looking. The screech of tires filled the air, and he turned just in time to see the headlights bearing down on him. Panic surged through his veins. He froze, unable to move.
"Xander! Look out!" He heard Iris scream, and for split second he thought about how pathetic he really was, getting hit by a truck just as he had finally been able to get a little close to his crush. He turned around to spare her one last look, her green eyes were wide as she was running towards him, her hand outstretched looking like she was running in slow motion.
How…even in his final moments, she looked beautiful. Even in her horrified expression, she looked like what he envisioned an angel to look like. Xander liked her, he really did…so much that he wasn't thinking of how his family would grieve his death, he was thinking of the girl he never had a chance with.
He only wished he had more time to create something with her, before he died.
He really was pathetic…
Then he thought about his mom. Shit...his mom...
Then the world went back to normal speed and the truck met it's target. Xander in less than a few seconds was reduced to a bloodied ragdoll on the ground…
…But he wasn't the only one who got hit.