[002] too far

                                   Iris Catton is greedy, rotten, spoiled, entitled, etc. Too much truly isn't enough in her opinion. All she knows how to do is consume: whether it's sex, drugs, attention, or even love. She was born with a hole inside of her, one that seemed impossible to fill. As much as Iris tried, she always found herself feeling emptier than before.

                                   Perhaps that was just the Catton curse.

                                   On a surface level, Iris had everything she could ever ask for. She had so much money that she didn't even know what to do with it. She was attending a fantastic college and she had lots of friends. She was also incredibly beautiful - all she had to do was flash a smile and then she'd be able to get out of any trouble. With all of that, you think Iris would be incredibly happy. But it was the opposite. Iris Catton was actually pretty fucking miserable.

                                   Iris thinks it has something to do with the fact that she was constantly pretending. Girls learned how to fake things from a young age and Iris quickly learned that life was a constant performance. She could never show the truly fucked up, violent side of her. Iris had to constantly be dainty and soft, basically acting like an innocent little lamb who could do no wrong. It was sickening.

                                   Iris also thinks that a lot of her rage comes from jealousy. As much as she hates to admit it, she's jealous of her twin brother. Although he was just as popular as her, Felix managed to make it seem much more effortless. All he had to do was blink and everyone fell at his feet. With Iris, she always had to work twice as harder. And out of all the Catton children, it was obvious who her parents seemed to favor. Iris may have been the twin born first by one minute but she was constantly regarded as second best. Iris hated Felix for that fact alone and she never let him forget the fact either.

                                   She was much closer to their cousin, Farleigh, but that was because he was actually fun to be around.

                                   They both had a common interest in partying, sex, and drugs and Farleigh was arguably much more fashionable than her brother. They were practically partners in crime, taking Oxford by storm the very moment they stepped foot onto the prestigious campus. But as close as they were, not even he knew about Iris's truly rotten nature. That was a secret Iris hid incredibly well. Maybe, if Iris actually wanted to do something with her life, she could have made for a lovely actress the way she managed to fool everyone. From her family to the minions she was forced to call her friends, she played them all.

                                   But it left Iris feeling so fucking alone.

                                   Her only solace seemed to be in books. She loved reading about the Greek tragedies. There was something about death and destruction that truly fascinated Iris. When she wasn't surrounded by fake people or stuck in classes she pretended to give a fuck about, she would be on her own and reading. Iris had developed her love for novels at a young age, although it was something few people knew about. It was really only her family who knew. Most people assumed she was a spoiled rich brat reading for the aesthetic, downgrading her intelligence because of her last name.

                                   That was perfectly fine in Iris's book. She loved to be underestimated, only to prove the bastards wrong in the end.

                                  Unfortunately, the duties of being Oxford University's most popular girl were never ending. And for tonight, she was attending another party. Iris had made sure to dress up for the occasion, wearing a dress tight enough to constrict her breathing. She wasn't sure how she'd be able to take it off by the end of the night but maybe someone else would be able to help her with that.

                                  Iris and her friends were all in her room getting ready, also gossiping in between. The talk ranged from who was going to be there to who would have access to the best drugs. But soon enough, the girls decided to switch the subject onto something else. Or rather, someone else.

                                  "What if William's at the party tonight?" Virginia asks while Iris finishes up with her eyeliner.

                                  "What if he is?" Iris responds in a bored tone.

                                  "Oh, come on, Iris. He obviously fancies you. I don't know why you won't just go out with him. You two would be a perfect couple," Virginia explained with a chuckle.

                                  "He's an annoying twat who can't take no for an answer," Iris rolled her eyes.

                                  "So why do you keep fucking him?" Dana questioned from behind her.

                                  Iris shrugs. "He has his useful moments."

                                  Truth be told, Iris only slept with William to try and fill the void inside of her. He was a toy to her, just like all of her past flings had been. It had worked for a while but lately, Iris was bored and unsatisfied. She wanted more and boys simply weren't doing the job for her anymore. At first, she thought that it was just guys her age that bored her. But after sleeping with one of her professors just a couple days before, she realized that men bored her too. When was Iris going to find someone actually exciting?

                                   She asked herself that very question every single fucking day.

                                  "It's adorable the way he fawns over you. I wish I had a guy who was in love with me like that," Virginia sighs.

                                  "Maybe if you were remotely interesting, you'd find one," Iris retorts, causing Virginia to instantly frown.

                                  "Does this dress make me look fat?" Dana suddenly asks, modeling her dress for the other girls to critique.

                                  "Um...," Buffy trails off, looking over at Iris to see what her response would be.

                                  "Do you want me to answer you honestly?" Iris raised a brow.

                                   Dana sighs. "I'll go and change."

                                   "Buffy, if you see my dear brother, try and avoid him as much as possible," Iris suddenly declared, turning around in her seat to look at the girl directly.

                                   "Why? Did he ask about me?" Buffy flips her locs over her shoulder, trying her best to not look so excited. But the way her eyes lit up was enough of a giveaway for Iris.

                                   "Does it matter? You know that he's absolutely off limits. If he tries to talk to you, pretend he's not even there. If I find out you didn't follow the rules -," Iris began to say.

                                   "I will. I'll do what you say, I promise," Buffy quickly assures Iris, the excitement in her eyes quickly dying out.

                                   Buffy was afraid of Iris. All of the girls were. As much as they were afraid of her, they knew that being friends with Iris made them special. They were a step above the other girls around them. Iris might as well have been a goddess and they were her devout followers. Not being friends with Iris was truly a fate worse than death. So they dealt with Iris's cruelty and harsh rules in exchange for the power that only Iris could give them.

                                  "Good girl," Iris smiles, turning back around in her seat to focus on her own reflection. "Now hurry up. I said I wanted to be late but I don't want to be that late."

                                   Soon enough, the girls all finished getting ready and then they walked straight to the party. Iris was at the very front while the three other girls trailed after her. The few people who were on campus at night all turned and looked at the four of them, unable to take their eyes off of them. Or rather, they couldn't take their eyes off of Iris. She demanded attention and she knew exactly how to get it. A confident little smirk danced on Iris's lips as she continued walking, feeling just a little more validated now that she was the center of attention.

                                  But the moment would be interrupted when Dana ends up bumping shoulders with someone else.

                                  "Watch where you're going," Dana scoffed, glaring at the girl beside her.

                                  Iris turned to look at the girl Dana had bumped into, her dark brown eyes meeting big blue ones. She was pretty, her short hair suiting her. She was wearing a gray hoodie and jeans, a box of cigarettes in her hand. Iris tries to remember if she's ever seen the girl around before but her mind draws at a blank. She thought she knew pretty much everyone at Oxford but that girl was a complete mystery to her.

                                  The blonde looks away first, continuing on to the party and deciding not to give the incident much of a second thought.

                                   When she and the girls arrive, Iris first sees Farleigh underneath the bright neon lights which alternate from red, green, blue, purple, and repeat. Some pop song is playing from the speakers, most of the crowd going to the dance floor. Dana and Virginia are the two who immediately join the crowd, giggling as they dance together. Farleigh was talking to a group of people, captivating their attention completely, while he holds onto a cigarette. Felix was on the dance floor, acting like a complete idiot. But a charming one. Iris sees Buffy smiling at the sight of Felix, although it was quickly diminished the moment she saw Iris glaring at her.

                                  Iris then skips over to where Farleigh was, plucking the cigarette from his mouth and taking a drag for himself.

                                 "That's incredibly rude, you know," Farleigh pouted.

                                 "Really? I wasn't aware," Iris teased, blowing a large cloud of smoke into Farleigh's face. But he barely flinches, all too used to his cousin's antics.

                                 "I was beginning to think you wouldn't show up," Farleigh remarked as he takes the cigarette back from Iris.

                                 "And miss out on all the fun? When have you ever known me to do that?" Iris chuckled.

                                 "Never," he admits before pausing to take a drag from the cigarette, "Oh, I saw your boyfriend around here somewhere. He kept asking around about you."

                                  "He's not my boyfriend," Iris corrects him, rolling her eyes afterwards.

                                  Farleigh sends her a grin, resembling the Cheshire Cat in that very moment. "Sure he isn't."

                                  Iris nudges Farleigh's side before she walks away, heading over to the table where all the drinks were. She grabs the first red cup she finds, tipping her head back as she drinks it all in one go. The burn that coats her throat seems to wake Iris up completely and so she decides to take another, eagerly chasing after a buzz that could keep her going for the rest of the night. Now, if she was just able to score some drugs, that would really boost Iris's mood.

                                  William sneaks up on Iris from behind, snaking his arms around Iris's waist and pulling her flush against his chest. Iris turns around to look at him, pushing him away from her with a frown. Iris could see why girls liked William, she could also see why people thought they could be a couple. He looked like a model in a magazine - tall, blonde, and had a grin you wanted to either punch or kiss off. That was initially what drew Iris to him, until he had to open his mouth and completely ruin things. 

                                 Iris knew that William was in love with her. Or at least very infatuated with her. Their relationship (if one could call it that) started after a party kind of like this one, Iris choosing him to take back to her dorm. She thought it would be a one-night stand but then he started following her around like a lost puppy. Sometimes, he'd even buy her things in the hopes of winning her heart. But Iris didn't have a heart so all of his efforts were entirely in vain. Still, Iris kept him wrapped around her finger for the simple fact of wanting his attention and adoration.

                                 But unfortunately for William, his time was running out.

                                 "I told you I hate it when you sneak up on me," Iris complained.

                                 "My apologies," William smirks, looking Iris up and down. "You look beautiful tonight."

                                 Iris rolls her eyes. Tell her something she didn't already know. "Beautiful is a lousy way to describe me."

                                 "Then you're absolutely beguiling, my dear. I've missed you," William quickly corrects himself, grabbing a hold of her hand.

                                 "It's only been a week since we last slept together," Iris scoffed.

                                 "But I've missed you since. When are you going to stop being so cruel and give me a chance?" William questioned.

                                 Never, Iris thinks but she smiles in response regardless. If she was going to lead him on for a while longer, she might as well have some fun with it. William Booth, the pathetic fool, was just Iris' latest toy, one she was growing increasingly bored of. "Maybe if you help me find some drugs, I might reconsider. Do you think you can do that for me?"

                                "Follow me," William responded.

                                They eventually reach a more secluded part of the party and William pulls out a small baggie from his pocket, one filled with a familiar white powder that brought a smile onto Iris's face.

                              "I know it's been a while since we've been able to do this. But since you deserve nothing but the best, I figured I could be gracious enough to share this with you," William explains as he pours some of it out onto the table, sitting down afterwards.

                               Iris giggles, joining him and watching as he began to separate the lines with one of his credit cards. When he finished with that, he pulled out a dollar bill and rolled it up so they could use it. William snorts the first line, chuckling as he handed it over to Iris. She snorts one line, sniffling afterwards and wiping her nose to make sure that there wasn't anything remaining.

                              "Quality shit, right?" William turns to look over at her. "It's supposed to kick in right away so -."

                              "I want to do another one," Iris declares, cutting him off.

                               William chuckles again, sounding a little nervous this time. "Are you sure you want to do so much?"

                               "Yes, I'm sure. Now move out of the way," Iris ordered.

                               William reluctantly does so, watching as Iris snorts the second line up her nose. It hits her so fast that Iris has to lean back in her seat, tilting her head back and allowing herself to enjoy the ride. She feels the room around her beginning to spin and her entire body was warm and tingling. Soon enough, she'd reach the high that Iris had been aching for the entire week and then Iris would feel a euphoric yet fleeting moment of happiness.

                                "How do you feel?" William asks, glancing at her.

                                Iris smiles, running a hand over her face. "I feel... absolutely amazing."

                                William laughs in relief, resting his head on Iris's shoulder afterwards. "Me too. I forgot how good cocaine makes me feel. It also makes me feel incredibly horny."

                                "I'm sure some other girl would be pleased to know that interesting fact about you," Iris snorts as she moves away from William, standing up to her feet.

                                "Where are you going?" William asks.

                                "Somewhere," Iris answers airily with a dismissive wave of her hand, soon disappearing into the crowd.

                                She'd end up on the dance floor, having all eyes on her the moment she'd give into the rhythm and danced along to whatever was playing at the moment. The cocaine made her feel as though she was absolutely weightless, a smile on her face as she danced and twirled around. Iris felt as though she was fire, she wanted more of it, she wanted more of everything. She wanted the whole goddamn world in the palm of her hand. But for now, Iris had to settle for her cheap thrills.

                               Iris can't remember how she ends up finding a bottle of vodka but she helps herself to it anyways, dancing in between large sips. During some moments, she's dancing on her own. The next, she's sandwiched between Farleigh and another guy whose name she can't care to remember. Everything becomes a bit of a blur after that and when the high begins to wear off, she feels like shit.

                              In the midst of the crowd, Iris stands at the middle - taking a deep breath to try and stop the room from spinning. Iris then begins stumbling towards the door, hearing someone calling her name. But she doesn't turn around. All Iris can think about is going outside for some fresh air, pushing the door open and rushing outside with as much energy as she could muster.

( 🍇🖤🔪 )

                                   Gwen can't stay cooped inside of her dorm.

                                   She really tries to, deciding to try and do some more writing. But Gwen couldn't seem to come up with anything. Her mind was at an absolute blank as she sat in front of her typewriter, fingers hovering above the keys in preparation to write. Agitated, Gwen decides that the only thing she can do is go outside and smoke a cigarette. Maybe going outside for a little bit could calm her nerves.

                                    Once Gwen is outside, she immediately places a cigarette in between her lips before she pulls out her lighter. This would be her second time of smoking tonight - the first time interrupted by one of Iris's annoying friends - but Gwen didn't know what else to do. It wasn't as though she had any friends she could visit and talk to. As Gwen lights the end of her cigarette and takes a drag, she couldn't help but think about Iris looking at her. For the first time in a matter of weeks since Gwen had been here, Iris had never noticed her.

                                   Gwen feels a shiver go down her spine at the thought that now Iris knew who she was. At the very least, she knew what she looked like. It brought a smile to Gwen's lips, and she didn't care how pathetic it was. Blowing smoke from her nose, Gwen looks around her surroundings. She was completely alone and while that should've scared her, it didn't. 

                                   Gwen definitely knew how to handle herself if anything were to happen.

                                   As she takes another drag, she heard the faint noise of footsteps. She didn't budge, not thinking too much about it. Perhaps it was someone just heading back to their dorm or hanging out with their friends. Soon enough, Gwen didn't hear the noises anymore so there was nothing to worry about in her mind. 

                                  When Gwen finished her cigarette, she made sure to put it out before throwing it away. While many of her classmates were careless with their trash, Gwen wasn't going to join them by littering. She began heading back towards her dorm building after that, only to falter when she saw someone sitting down on one of the benches. They definitely hadn't been there moments before. As Gwen moved closer, she saw that they were hunched over and that's when Gwen rushed over to see if they were alright.

                                     Gwen couldn't believe her eyes when she saw that it was Iris who was hunched over on the bench, looking as though she might pass out at any moment.

                                     "Iris, are you okay?" Gwen questioned.

                                     The blonde stirs, sitting upright and pausing when she saw Gwen. "'m fine. How'd you know my name?"

                                     "Oh. I, uh, I heard it from one of your friends," Gwen quickly lies. "You don't look so well."

                                     "That's a really nice way of saying I look like shit," Iris snorted.

                                     "I just... I wanted to make sure you were okay, and I don't really feel comfortable leaving you here alone. Perhaps I can help you back to your room," Gwen offered.

                                      "Too much walking," Iris shakes her head, frowning.

                                      "Then... we can go to mine. It's closer," Gwen offered next.

                                      "Whatever, now help me up," Iris ordered, making grabby hands like a child.

                                      Gwen internally panics as she pulls Iris up to her feet and the blonde instantly latches onto her, arms wrapped around her body to hold herself steady. She could smell Iris's perfume... mixed with the faint scent of vodka. She was also incredibly warm which only distracted Gwen even more.

                                      Somehow, she manages to make it back to her dorm room with Iris in her arms. She helps her to sit down on top of her bed and she's just grateful that she had kept her room clean the whole time.

                                    "Hey, don't I know you from somewhere?" Iris asks as Gwen moves away from her.

                                    "Your friend bumped into me earlier," Gwen answered.

                                    Iris softly giggles. "That's right. Sorry for her, by the way. She's kind of a bitch... but then again, so am I."

                                    Iris then gets up and before Gwen could ask her what she was doing, Iris began to unzip her dress.

                                    "Woah!" Gwen shouts, covering her eyes before turning around.

                                    "Relax...," Iris trails off, realizing that she didn't even know her name.

                                    "Gwen," she introduced herself.

                                    "Relax, Gwen. I have the same parts as you so it's nothing you've never seen before," Iris continued, trying to pull her dress down.

                                    "Do you usually strip in front of strangers?" Gwen questioned. She hadn't meant to say it out loud and she only hoped Iris didn't take offense to it.

                                    "Only the hot ones," Iris teased.

                                     Gwen feels her cheeks heat up as she stares at the wall in front of her, hearing Iris get out of the dress. It wasn't easy since it was so fucking tight but finally, she managed to get it off and she kicked it over to the side.

                                     "Do you have any clothes I can borrow?" Iris then asked.

                                     "Uh, yeah," Gwen nods.

                                     Gwen manages to find a sweatshirt for Iris to wear, handing it over to her while keeping her head down. Iris just chuckles before taking it, finding the whole interaction to be absolutely adorable. It's only when Iris puts it on that Gwen finally looks up, seeing Iris now climb into her bed. She was going to be sleeping... in her bed. Gwen pinches her skin hard to make sure that she isn't dreaming, only to find out that this was very much real.

                                      "I hope you don't mind me taking the bed," Iris remarked, making herself comfortable underneath the covers.

                                      "No. It's fine. I'll just, um, be here," Gwen motioned towards her desk.

                                      Iris only hums in response, closing her eyes since her eyelids felt like weights were attached to them. She felt awful and all she wanted to do was sleep it off. Gwen sits down in the chair, her leg bouncing up and down while she watched Iris fall asleep. She couldn't believe that any of this was happening and yet it was all playing out right before her eyes. She wondered if this could perhaps be the start of something between them. God, Gwen really hoped it could be.

                                       Resting her arms onto the desk, she laid her head down and closed her eyes for what was supposed to be a few seconds. But soon enough, Gwen soon drifted off to sleep after Iris did.

( 🍇🖤🔪 )

word count: 3989
notes: so gwen and iris finally met!!! this is going to be the start of something... except it's going to be incredibly toxic and hot and dark and messy