agreed to be Austin's pretend girlfr

d give her the address of the place sh

nd drove to Downtown Seattle, pur

Isabel refused to take

money he'd spent, but he refused to take

didn't know the address of the store, exce

preparing dinner with Reynolds in the k

as neither of them w

er?" The boy asked calmly, raising his att

didn't invite an

hensive, but cho

the wrong house. There are rarely reports of crime in Colb

and everyone is the

excused herself, telling the bo

where Rey had left the TV runnin

ugh the peephole in the door and was barely surpri

doing here

er of their deal tomorrow,

oor for him, when he pressed the bell again,

l I open the door." She mused irri

inside, she stepped out an

queried him exasperatedly, bar

will think if they see you standi

lippantly, infuri

y think and I don't th

pping bag from behind h

s. You know, as my pret

e, to the shopping bag he was prese

ted in whatever gift you've inside that

to go back inside and continue

Isabel. There's not

imagining how stupid he must th

being his pretend girlfriend, imagin

ping bag, she knew whatever gift inside

was, must've cost him

o buy such expensive gift for a

tor was enough debt, Isab

wouldn't leave her porch until she accepted his gift, Isabel had

, she wasn't go

ff at school, Isabel drove to the cafe to pr

y, her only male employee, went down the bakery to get the pastries. She made

h left to go set the cafe parlo

to finish, and by that time, cus

e customers, while she returned home to t

de his porch, when she

er car driving down the

cafe for the past two hours and at some point,

until the end of the day. Then, she would return when it's late, and mak

appointed, but won't

of the bargain. Plus, what he'd asked of

him, then it was ta

ce he saw her alight from the car, and he we

orning,

She responded, barely sp

eturn home." He told her

e leaving. I cannot leave Sarah and the

..I ge

, I want to go ins

to go back inside, because she did

led his weight

r you. Drop me a te

owards her house. Without sparing him another glance, she c

l she disappeared inside her house, closing the door

you'll be mine b

e late to the event, yet managed t

el had expected, there were a few re

was a politician and the tow

onor, while her new boyfriend, who she eventually in

stin, casting a disdainful glare at Isabel, w

ich was being held in the excl

dismissive tone, but the girl did not go away,

ell you w

e fixated her eyes on the bride and the

lking t

d in a warning tone, grabbi

this,

sdainfully, th

how we were going

et, zeroing her att

, and his joy reflect

they were d

the bride's face, instead of listening to

ou I once carr

the girl's foolishness, but she

d she doesn't give a fuck about her past with Austin, sh

at was the only question she threw at the

comeback question, because he ne

her as an acid

and amicable, he never thought

our boyfriend needs you for anything. Get over your past, that's

riend becomes ex, and boyfriend

cause someone on their table chuckled at Isabel'

as still gawking at her, and

arn to pick yo

him to take seriously, but he

wn two heads. I've been embarrassed enough by what your not-

was enjoyable for bo

guests, he begged her to dance with

dic glares from where she was dancing wi

e she had that much fun, so she re

he began to feel a bit tipsy and pressed,

scort her, but she

care of myse

ew his hands up in resi

direction from one of the hos

all, she felt it in her guts t

off, after she turned and saw no one particul

by lots of people since you arrived he

ustful looker, nothin

as she disappeared

estroom and did her business as quickly as she coul

as returning to the hall, when she was accos

ut Jennifer blocked her path,

mouthed anym

off my path, so I can

iend, you whore?" The girl lashed back,

The most they could do was to threat

never h

e me talking to

ou know who I'm talking about. Stay th

the girl impassive

u dirty little whore." Jennifer av

s with me, because I'll

er head, unfazed by

ught, if she was interested in Austin, but

her shoulder and pushed her violently, Is

ied from the p

lk out on me, while I'm

with her hand raised, probably to hit her,

lay your filth

voice caused both Isabel's bo

head, she couldn't place the owner,

nt from the voices she

hear his footsteps approaching her. His presence commanded th

is

pain from her bottom

his resignation letter before you do," He threatened the girl

immediately, not waiting for

the devil's face. She tried to get up and tha

nd her waist, pulling her up to her feet gently. He smelled so divin

Isabel thought nothing about it, until

abbit." He greeted her with a sco

rkled in the man's eyes, and dread

s me, like I