Iris's POV

Karen's room inside the palace is one of those dream princess rooms we see in Disney movies. Very spacious adorned with grandeur. Although Kevin was offered a separate room, he declines the offer stating that he would rather stay with us than staying alone in another room as big as this.

Honestly, if he had taken the offer it would have been quite boring for me and Karen too. Because I have to admit, that I do enjoy his company despite the flirtatious behavior. It's not like I don't enjoy it but....we'll talk about that later. And I don't feel anything awkward or unsafe when I'm with him despite what other girls say about being friends with popular boys.

"On a scale of 1-10, how fair do you think it was to hide your friendship with Kevin from me?" I ask Karen sternly.

"I'll answer first." Kevin jumps in between us. "I'd give it barely a two because you are her best friend too. She shouldn't keep any secrets from you," he tells as a matter of factly and Karen glares at him before looking at me regretfully.

"I'm sorry Iris, I don't know why I did that. I felt...weird, I guess," she apologizes.

"Weird for being friends with a guy?" I ask.

"No! Do you think I feel weird being friends with a guy? Me? Come on, you've known me for four years now, Iris" she argues. She would never feel weird being friends with a guy. After she has a wonderful dating history. 

"Then for what reason did you hide it from me?" I ask raising my voice a bit. "Don't you trust me?" 

"Of course I trust you. I just-"

I interrupt, "-didn't want to ruin your image. Yeah right!" 

"Guys, come on, I really don't want to witness a girl-fight now," Kevin whines and decide to drop the topic. 

"Whatever, I'm gonna sleep!" I say rubbing my eyes and yawning. I lay down flat on the bed and stretch, noticing Kevin smirking at me.

"What?" I ask.

"Nothing," he shrugs, "You just look really hot doing that. I can't wait to cuddle with both you and her on this very bed," he replies with a smug smile and I grab the nearest pillow, throwing it straight at him.

Both of them lay down beside me, leaving me in between two people for the first time in ages.

"It feels so good to lie down between two people. Sleeping alone having no one to cuddle with sucks!" I exclaim. But seeing Kevin this close to me, mischief screaming in his jade green eyes, brings an idea to my head.

 I take the giant soft pillow from behind my head and then place it between me and Kevin

"I don't need a pillow but I need a barrier between me and this guy." I joke and then wrap my arms around Karen, my back facing Kevin frowning face.

"She is a year younger than us, so she is a baby. We should take care of her." Karen explains.

"Guess I'm alone then!" Kevin rolls his eyes and then turns around, the three of us then drifting off to sleep

***********

I wake up to the sound of chirping birds outside the window,  which I usually find annoying and so do I now. I groan in annoyance but find myself wrapped under two strong arms that go around my waist and hug me tight.

My eyes fly open and I am met by the sight of a dull grey fabric to which I am holding on too and then raise my head to look up. A sleeping Kevin meets my eyes, holding me so as to never let go. Innocence is spread across his face while in slumber. I gently turn my head around and find the pillow I kept between us last night now lying between me and a soundly sleeping Karen. 

What exactly happened last night?

I try to take Kevin's hands off me but instead, he groggily pulls me closer to his body and keeps his stronghold on me. My leg twitches ever so slightly, and I come to know that our legs are tangles under the sheets as well. In the closeness, I take a moment to admire his face.

He is so beautiful. Although his face is slightly scattered with mild acne, it still feels so smooth under my fingers. A groan sounds from his throat and then, to my surprise, he smiles. His eyelids slowly raise open and I find myself staring into those gorgeous emerald eyes of his.

We don't speak. Not a word sounds from neither of our mouths but instead, we immerse ourselves inside the warmth and comfort of each other, so much, that we don't even remember about the other person beside us who was now, waking up.

"Well, well, well what do we have here?" Karen teases in her hoarse morning voice. Blood rushes to my cheek at the prospect of her finding me like this but even so, I slowly turn my body to face her, sure of the question that is about to come.

"How did the pillow come between me and you?" she raises an eyebrow.

"I have no idea," I shrug but she has a like-am-gonna-believe-that look on her face. "I swear I have no idea, I wouldn't do that on purpose," 

"What wrong anyway? She cuddles with you!" Kevin argues, his voice sounding deeper and huskier than ever. I bite my lip.

"You want me to tell her, curlyhead?" she smirks but he scoffs, and grabs a pillow, turning around.

"I am going back to sleep," he mumbles. Karen tries her level best to kick him out of the bed, but the dude lies down like a rock there. I use this chance to snuggle up to the other side of the bed to fall asleep again.

"There even Iris has gone back to sleep, go disturb her." 

To hell with you Kevin!

"You know what, I am getting up. You two love birds cuddle and go to sleep. I have a business to do." she huffs and disappears into the bathroom.

She did not just call us love birds!

I feel the bed denting downwards behind me and I sense Kevin shift closer. The familiar lump rise in my throat as I feel his hot breath fan over my neck but I keep my eyes closed, pretending to be asleep.

"I know you're not asleep." he rasps and I clutch my pillow tight.

"You make me uncomfortable," I mumble, without facing him.

"Really? You looked pretty comfortable in my arms just a moment ago."

I turn around and meet his eyes. "To be honest, I was comfortable until I found out it was you."

"Oh, was that why you started caressing my face, darling?"

"You were awake?"

"I woke up the moment you started wriggling under my arms. I stayed asleep because I wanted to hold you like that for more time," he smirks but I roll my eyes.

"Now, why would you want to do that?"

"Because, it felt nice...you know...cuddling with you. It felt good. Not in a weird way, Iris. And, I felt like you liked it too."

I did like it. I felt great being held like that, but how can I admit that to your narcissistic ass?

"And to be honest with you, I was so jealous last night when you started cuddling with Karen." he completes. 

Why in the world would he be jealous of Karen for that?

"Why were you jealous?" I ask and He smiles at me but doesn't reply. "Why Kevin? Why were you jealous?" 

He shrugs. "It's nothing." 

"No, please tell, I really want to know." I insist. "You are Kevin Brown. One of the cutest boys in Liberal High. I know a lot of girls who crush on you so hard. Why would you be jealous of your best friend because I cuddled with her?"

"Girls crush on me?"

"Have you seen yourself, dude?" I interject.

"Do you have a crush on me?" he asks and I freeze at his question. I don't think I have a crush on him now, but I would be lying if I say that he is not the guy I'll likely develop a crush on overtime. I'm just going to change the subject.

"You didn't answer my question. Why were you jealous?" I persist.

"Before I answer your question, do you think I am what people say of me at school?" he asks with hopeful doe eyes. Kevin Brown, the typical popular, cool guy at our school, is the captain of the basketball team and was homecoming king last year. And what people say of him...well the ordinary bad boy shit, about him sleeping and dating girls for fun, and partying a lot. 

Honestly, I had never seen him partying but I wasn't very sure about the girls' part. Until now.

"I sort of did," I begin and the color drains out of his face. "But once I started talking to you, I don't think you are what they say about you. I think you are a very thoughtful guy. You're very caring, kinda flirty at times, but overall I feel like you are quite a good guy." I reply honestly and pat him on the shoulder. He smiles. "Now answer my question!"

Just as he opens his mouth to answer, Karen comes out of the bathroom.

"She actually thinks I am a good guy. Screw you for keeping her away from me." Kevin scoffs.

"I am sorry! I apologized alright. Please forgive me now." she begs, taking both mine and Kevin's hands in her perfectly manicured ones. 

Kevin throws his hands in the air. "Fine, I forgive you because you are my best friend," he says and places a soft kiss on her cheek, but her being the brat she is pushes him away.

"Ew, ew morning breath! Go brush your teeth." Kevin looks hilariously offended and it makes me laugh harder.

"I should have kissed her cheek instead of yours." Kevin snaps and I widen my eyes.

"Don't you dare!" I glare at him and start moving away from him.

"Oh darling, you're screwed!"  I jump out of the bed and Kevin starts chasing me around the room.

Our laughter fills the room as we run across it and Karen keeps laughing her head off at us. Kevin being way longer and faster than me, easily catches me, wrestles me to the ground, and then places a big smooch on my cheek.

"I won!" he declares panting.

"Get... away... from me!" I say through my laughs.

He gets off me and jogs to the bathroom as I make my way to a laughing Karen. "He's a handful!" I remark.

"But he is a good guy, Iris. And he is so happy now that you guys are talking because he has been crushing on you for so long now!" 

"What?"  

********

A/N: What are your thoughts on Iris and Kevin? Comment below fellas...