When Isabela heard the beep of the car, she suddenly rushed downstairs to say goodbye to her father. Her dad invited her to breakfast, but she didn't mind. She went out of the house and found Lindsay on her Lamborghini.
"Good morning, bestie," Lindsay said, smiling.
"What's with that smile?" she asked, confused.
Isabel started to figure out what her friend was thinking. She suddenly remembered what had happened last night.
"Wait… I thought I'd be sleeping at your house," she said.
Isabela remembered that she had been very drunk. They had been happily drinking when someone tried to molest her but a guy came and saved her. It was Theodore who had punched the guy. And after thanking him… he kissed her. That's what she suddenly remembered.
Her cheeks flushed, and she froze for a moment, heart pounding. The memory was shocking, exhilarating, and completely unexpected all at once. Lindsay's grin widened, sensing something was up.
"Ah… I see the smile now," she teased, nudging Isabel gently.
Isabela bit her lip, trying to process it. "I… I can't believe I forgot that. Theodore… he—he actually kissed me?"
"Yes," Lindsay said, still teasing, "and you didn't even notice until now."
As they walked down the hallway, everyone seemed to be staring at them. Isabel's stomach tightened. She felt a wave of fear when a girl in the crowd shot her a sharp, hostile look. Her heart raced, and she instinctively took a step closer to Lindsay. "Why is she looking at me like that?" Isabel whispered, her voice barely audible.
The two girls suddenly stopped as a group of girls stepped in front of them, effectively cornering them. Isabel's eyes widened in shock—she didn't even know any of them.
"Excuse me, why are you blocking our way?" Lindsay asked.
The girl just rolled her eyes at Lindsay and turned her full glare on Isabel. Her expression burned with anger—clearly, she was furious knowing that Theodore had kissed Isabel.
"Isabela, right? I'm Venice. I'm just here to warn you—what's mine is always mine," the girl said, her tone icy and serious.
"What do you mean? I don't even know you," Isabel replied, her voice trembling slightly as unease crawled up her spine.
Venice's eyes narrowed, fixed like daggers. "You will. And trust me… I don't take kindly to anyone who gets in my way. "Venice pulled out her phone and handed it to Isabel.
"Here. You need to see for yourself what happened last night."
"This is nothing… maybe it was just an accident," Isabel said, trying to brush it off, though her voice wavered.
Venice gave her a cold, unreadable glance, then turned and walked away with her friends, leaving a trail of whispered tension behind them. Isabela stood frozen for a moment, staring after them. She couldn't believe what had just happened. When Isabela entered the classroom, she froze for a moment Theodore was sitting right beside her chair. Her chest tightened, and she let out a soft sigh, trying to steady herself.
"I've heard what Venice did to you earlier, just ignore her" Theodore said.
"And about the kiss, just forget it" He added.
"It's okay… and thank you for having my back against those jerks. I really appreciate it." Isabel replied.
After class, Isabel went to look for Lindsay since their classrooms are directly across from each other. They went to the cafeteria to get something to eat. They were happily chatting when they suddenly heard girls giggling as a guy entered the cafeteria.
Venice walked over and moved closer to Theodore. She asked him to sit with her, but he ignored her. Venice's cheeks flushed as she realized she was being ignored. She felt terrible when she saw Theodore walk toward Isabel. She couldn't believe that the one she loved had ignored her once again.
"Would you mind if I sit here?" Theodore asked the two girls.
Isabel felt confused. She didn't understand why he was always trying to talk to her.
"Yes, of course. You're Theodore, right?" Lindsay said warmly. "I'm Lindsay, by the way."
Isabela suddenly remembered what Venice had said to her. Even though she hadn't been talking to him or getting closer, Theodore was the one coming toward her. She could see Venice looking at her angrily.
"May I ask… why do you keep getting closer to me?" Isabel suddenly asked, her tone gentle but curious.
Theodore froze, caught off guard by the question. His heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, all the confident lines he usually carried disappeared. He opened his mouth to answer, then closed it again.
He shifted on his feet, scratching the back of his neck nervously. "I… I don't know," he admitted, voice low. "I guess… I just… like being around you."
After saying that, Theodore immediately turned and walked away, his cheeks burning and his heart racing. He didn't look back, as if running could hide the awkwardness that suddenly filled the air.
"Well… that was interesting," she said softly, a teasing note in her voice.
Isabela's cheeks flushed slightly, and she looked down, trying to hide a small smile. She knew Lindsay was enjoying this more than she should. She frowned slightly, trying to make sense of it.
Lindsay, still grinning beside her, leaned closer. "You okay?" she asked teasingly.
Isabel shook her head slightly, still staring after Theodore. "I don't know… I just… I don't know what I'm feeling," she admitted softly. "He's acting… strange."
There was something about Theodore she couldn't explain, something that made her want to know him better.