Page 13 of Crystal Iris #1

Ten

“The question is not what you look at, but what you see.” – Henry David Thoreau

I t’s the first time I struggle to find something to wear for a formal party.

Usually, I’m fine with any pretty dress.

Tonight, I feel different—nervous. I’m not sure if Hoyt will be there, but the possibility that he might be is enough.

At the same time, I can’t contain my excitement.

I’m equally nauseated by what I’m doing to Aaron. He deserves better.

I end up choosing a sparkly silver dress, one I’ve never worn.

It has a slit that goes up higher than I’m comfortable with; however tonight, I need to go above average.

I’m not sure if I’m the hunter or the prey, only that it feels good to like what I see in the mirror.

I leave my hair down with curls and opt for no jewelry. Tonight, I’m letting my prism show.

“Wow,” Aaron says, appearing at the door, looking charming himself.

“I figured Akira will take over the show if I don’t… step it up,” I tell him.

He smiles. “There isn’t anything Akira can wear that could overshadow you. I need to prepare myself; all eyes will be on you tonight.”

I think about Aaron’s words as the driver pulls up to Akira’s place to pick her up. She looks beautiful in a red dress with a neckline so low, I don’t know how she looks comfortable.

“You look amazing,” she says as we walk in.

“You too. Only you can pull off that kind of dress. I love that for you.”

I’m overthinking my entire outfit. I feel naked when I drop off my coat.

“I’ll see you ladies in a bit,” Aaron says as a friend calls him over.

The building is old but carries its character well. Massive chandeliers illuminate the place. A jazz band plays, and the awards sit in glass cubes on stage. I don’t even know what kind of awards they’re giving out. I’m now aware I know nothing regarding the event.

“Let’s get a drink,” Akira says, eyeing the bartender.

“I don’t normally drink…” I start. She looks at me like I’m speaking a different language. “At these events!” I finish, making a face.

“And why not?”

“Because I’m afraid I’ll say something… I don’t know… I don’t want to embarrass Aaron.”

“Oookay. Don’t worry, I got your back tonight.”

I take a deep breath, steadying myself. Perhaps leaving the prism out in the open was a bad idea.

The bartender is flirting with Akira when she shifts her gaze to me.

She lifts her glass. “To us.”

I chuckle at her memorable words. “To us.”

“Now what?” she asks after taking a sip.

“Now, we wait. If he is here, he’ll come get a drink.”

The band is great. I’m observing them when Lara walks over in a beautiful blue dress. Classier than mine, and way classier than the one Akira is wearing. We look… desperate next to her .

“So glad you guys came, I was starting to think this was going to be a dull event,” she tells us.

“You remember Akira…” I reintroduce them. “Is Ted here?” I ask, not seeing her husband nearby.

“Yeah, somewhere with Aaron.”

I sip my cocktail while Lara updates us on the latest gossip about the people around us when I feel my prism pulse. I look up and see Hoyt ordering a drink; he catches me staring. He nods and smiles at me.

His green eyes almost glow with the light above him.

My friends are staring too.

“Well, well, Mr. Locklear is looking hot as ever,” Lara says, devouring him with her eyes.

“That’s Hoyt?” Akira blurts out.

Lara has her confirmation that I lied. Akira hasn’t even met the guy.

“Yes,” I answer.

“Go talk to him!” Akira urges, pushing me.

“Are you crazy? Aaron could be anywhere.” I look around.

“Then I will.” She moves toward him.

I’m mortified by what she might say to him. I pull Lara into a conversation, but I can’t help but stare at them.

“What’s going on?” Lara asks.

I roll my eyes. “Akira is single, so…”

“Iris, we both know Akira isn’t going over there for her.”

“It’s not like I can go there myself…”

Lara looks around. “There’s no balcony.” She glances at the stairs. “We can distract Aaron long enough for you guys to… talk,” she says.

“I don’t know… I’m not sure if it’s a good idea.”

“Better now than after the wedding.” She sips her drink casually.

“Oh my god! This is crazy.”

“Head upstairs. He’ll meet you there,” she affirms.

I walk upstairs, my heart throbbing stronger with each step.

I hold on to the beautiful ornate railing to steady myself.

I need to get my feelings under control, or this conversation will be about the light in my necklace.

Wait, it’s not wet , I remind myself. Still, I can feel something happening with the prism, like it’s pulsing with my heartbeat.

I wait a couple of minutes when I hear his voice behind me.

“Iris?”

I turn around. “Hi. I didn’t know you knew my name…”

His eyes lower from my face to my chest, straight to the necklace. “Your friend just told me… Where did you get that necklace?”

“Oh, this… My mother gave it to me.”

He reaches for my hand, but then recoils, remembering what we felt last time we touched. “Follow me,” he tells me.

I look around. “Follow you? Where? Why?”

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, but only 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?”

“I don’t know, it only happens with you.”

“Something to do with the prisms, I guess. ”

“I’m not alone here.” I’m trying to explain… I can’t be seen with him.

“I know. Give me your number.”

I drop Akira off at her place, wishing I could go with her. I need to talk about everything that happened. But I can’t find a reason to leave Aaron.

“Brunch tomorrow?” she asks me.

I love her. She knows me well.

“Sure, text me where.”

“Are you okay?” Aaron asks on the way home after she leaves.

“Too many drinks, I think.”

“Between you, Lara, and Akira, I don’t know how you guys are standing.”

I laugh. “Yeah, I think they were doing shots at one point.”

“I don’t think people noticed, though; they were handing out drinks nonstop.”

“I didn’t know you were giving a speech. I’m sorry, Aaron, I should have known.”

“Nonsense. I could have mentioned it… it was no big deal.”

“Yes, it was. I’m your fiancée. I should know if you’re giving a speech.”

“We don’t talk about work much.”

“Maybe we need to change that.”

I’ve had too many drinks. I take an aspirin and go to bed. I make sure to put my phone on silent in case… in case Hoyt messages me.

He has my phone number. He has a prism.

I don’t know how I sleep. My alarm reminds me in the morning that I did, though. It sounds louder than normal. I shut it off quickly; Aaron is still sleeping.

There are two unread texts.

One from Akira: Cafe Magnolia, 11 a.m.

And one from an unknown number: Hi.

I dress quickly to meet Akira. I haven’t replied to Hoyt yet. I don’t know where to even begin. If it weren’t for his prism, I’m not sure if I should keep up with whatever is going on between us. Only now that I know he has a prism, this changes everything. I need to know everything he does.

Too many people have the same idea to meet for brunch at the popular spot. “Downside of living in the city,” I hear someone in line say.

“What are you getting?” I ask Akira while reading the menu.

“Benedict, bacon, butter.”

“Sounds perfect,” I agree with a smile.

“Start from the beginning,” she says, pouring cream into her coffee.

I tell her about my… encounter with Hoyt in the corner, and the one by the bathroom. She almost chokes when I mention his own prism.

“That explains… I guess,” she finally says when I finish.

“What does?”

“That your prism has a connection to his.”

“You think the prisms are connected?”

“That would make sense.”

“Nothing about any of this makes sense, but I see your point.”

“Did you text him?”

“No, I don’t even know what to say. I feel awful. I hate lying to Aaron.”

“Well, you’re not cheating on Aaron.”

“At this point, it’s just technicalities.”

“Have you thought about asking to postpone the wedding? ”

“Whatever I say, it will break his heart. I know it will. I just wish there was a way that didn’t end up with me hurting him.”

“Whatever you decide to do, you can’t go wrong with being honest.”

“Right. I’m just terrified I’m throwing away my…”

“Your what?”

I say, “The one. Aaron was supposed to be the one.”

“If he was, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

My appetite disappears.

“What did you talk to Hoyt about?” I ask her.

“I barely introduced myself when Lara came over. He asked your name.”

“Do you think I should text him?”

“I think you need answers.”

Akira can’t stay long; she has an appointment at the hair salon.

“You sure you don’t want to come along?” she asks as she heads out.

“Next time. I need to sort things out.”

“Text me if you need anything.”

“I will,” I reply, making a mental note to repay all she’s done for me. And in that line of thought, I text Lara to thank her for last night, too.

Half an hour later, I’m walking around the museum, having simply drifted here. I’m sitting in front of a favorite painting of mine— Entrance to the Village of Vétheuil in Winter by Claude Monet (French, 1840–1926)—when I decide to reply to the text.

I read his message again: Hi.

I reply, Hello.

I’m looking up at the painting when he responds, Oh good, I thought you had given me the wrong number on purpose.

I thought about it , I text back .

Why didn’t you?

I scoff as I type, I’m still wondering that myself.

What did you want to talk about last night? he asks.

What do you mean?

Your friends told me to meet you upstairs. I figured there was a reason.

Oh right… I text. I pause, then add, Perhaps I’ll tell you another time. It’s best said… in person.

Let’s meet , comes his reply.

Don’t you live in the country? I ask.

How would you know that?

Lara, my friend. She knew.

Did she? And what else did she say about me?

I think about how to respond. Apparently, you have a… reputation.

You don’t say.

Apparently so.

And what am I known to be?

I laugh as I type, Manwhore.

What!?

Well, you bring a new date to every party. People notice.

They are models or friends.

None of my business.

Your fiancé gave a nice speech last night.

He knew about Aaron? I don’t know what to say.

I saw the ring. When is the wedding? he asks.

None of your business , I reply.

Okay.

This is going well.

What do you know about the prisms? I ask.

It’s best said… in person.

Are you serious?

Very.

Okay, well… do you or do you not live in the country ?

Yes, but I’m still in the city until tomorrow.

I can meet today.

All right, where?

I think about my apartment. I don’t feel comfortable taking him there. There’s Akira’s place, but I want to talk to him alone. I’m at the museum right now , I text back.

Right now?

Too busy?

Which museum? he asks.

MFA—465 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115.

Then comes his reply: See you soon.