(ISABELLA’S POV)“Sup Bella.” A familiar boy nodded with a smirk as he walked past me in the hallway. I know he’s in the senior year but I don’t know his name or how he knew mine. I nodded back at him absentmindedly. “Okay. What’s going on?” Olivia said surprised.“Huh?” I said confused.We had just gotten to school and we were on our way to class.“That’s the third guy who is saying hy to you. ” Olivia said curiously.To be honest, I was very oblivious of what was going on around me this morning. It felt like I was moving around in a daze since I woke up and got up from bed.I had moved past my activities in a breeze.It all had to do with my outburst at Brad last night. My mind didn’t seem to get tired of circulating and replaying the moments . I had not even taken note of the fact that three guys had said hy to me.“I really don’t know.” I said honestly to Olivia. Olivia gave me a sad look and she put an arm around my shoulder.“You’ve been so distracted this morning. I know this
(ISABELLA’S POV)I wanted to speak with Olivia immediately I had the chance. She was the only person I could talk to about what Dave had just spoken about. His words replayed in my head throughout the day during classes and I could not stop thinking of the gravity of what he said. Why would Henry be involved in something like this? Why would anyone be interested in chasing off boys who wanted to ask me out? I texted Olivia telling her that I needed to see her after school but she texted me back to say that she had made it past the first round for cheerleading tryouts and so she had to meet with the others for the second tryouts. That meant she won’t be able to meet with me after school. I texted her back to wish her good luck and went back to being submerged in to my world of thoughts. Could Dave be lying about the things he said? Why would Dave lie to me? If what he was saying was true then there was one other person I could talk to about it. Someone who was in the football te
*FOUR YEARS AGO*(BRAD’S POV)“Everyone is going to fall at your feet. Like always.” Bella said to me.Everyone except you, I wanted to say but instead I said.“You’re really smart. I mean, it makes a lot of sense seeing as you’ve read a thousand books.” I laughed and she smiled shyly.In that moment, she was the most beautiful person I had ever seen. I always knew it but having her seated so close to me with no one else around and hearing her say such uplifting and encouraging words about me did some things to me. I didn’t care about anything else except the want to kiss her and I gave in leaning over and kissing her lightly.It was wrong. Our parents would kill me if they saw us! My Sister would especially kill me if she saw us but I enjoyed the way her lips felt against mine and I was surprised but overjoyed when she kissed me back gently for a brief moment.That simple action exhilarated my emotions and I wanted to pull her closer to me when the sound of the door opening made us
*BACK TO THE PRESENT*(BRAD’S POV)“I don’t know what the problem is Johnson but you better fix up. I hope you deal with whatever is bothering you today.” Coach said to me in an unimpressed tone.“Yes, Coach.” I answered simply and left the office shutting the door behind me.It was after practice and I had been very distracted throughout. I still felt fucked up as started going towards the car pack with my gym bag over my shoulder. Henry was waiting for me just by the large doors and he joined me in walking towards my car.“Did Coach give you a scolding?” He asked me. “Yes he did.” I answered nonchalantly.“Okay. Mark said to tell you that he had to run off early.” Henry said. I nodded without saying anything to him. I may not have even heard what he said clearly.Henry was silent as we arrived at the car, I could tell that he was observing me but I was too drained to say a word. We got in to the car together and only when the car left the school premises did Henry clear his throat
(ISABELLA’S POV) “Why does It seem like you haven’t come over to my house in ages.” Olivia asked looking like she was deep in thought. Truly I hadn’t gone to the Johnsons since Brad’s return and usually, I went there almost everyday so I guess Olivia was actually right. “That’s true.” I muttered absentmindedly as if I did notice that either. We were laying in the floor of my bedroom rewatching Gilmore Girls, one of our favorite tv shows. Well, Olivia was watching, I was pretending to watch meanwhile I was battling with my inner thoughts. My mind seemed to be on a moving train these days and I did not get how my boring life suddenly became so eventful. In Almost a week of my junior year, I had experienced more than I had ever experienced in my whole life. (Okay, maybe that’s a little too much). But it’s been full of events. I got a transformation, attended my first high school party, got asked out on a date for the first time in my life , got stood up on that date, told Brad abou
(ISABELLA’S POV) It was more than an hour since Olivia left and all I could think of was her brother, Brad. I felt guilty each time the thoughts hit me, which was a lot of times. I was just watching the ceiling while I laid on my back and hummed along to the song Thunder by imagine dragons playing from my speakers lightly when someone knocked on my door very heavily. I snapped up. “Come in. Who is it?” I said. I was not too surprised to see Jeanie coming in with a mischievous smile on her face. It was just the both of us at home. “What do you want Jeanie?” I asked lazily when she only kept on smiling at me as she leaned in the doorway without a word . “Someone is here to see you.” She said still wearing that look. “Oh. Who is it?” I suddenly became interested. “Bradley Johnson.” Jeanie said and her mischievous smile widened even more. My eyes widened too and I knew that she was not joking. It was unlike Jeanie to joke about things like this. “Just go and please
(BRAD’S POV) The Sound of the Bell ringing caused the class to erupt in very loud cheers and even though Mr Hemsworth looked relieved, he rolled his eyes at us and told us not to forget about the assignment he had given us. I doubt anyone but me heard the last thing he said. It was Friday and so there was a nice celebration for the end of the week. I was indifferent as I headed straight to my locker. “Yo!!!!!!” Henry threw an arm around me happily as he pulled me to himself. He didn’t notice I was in the mood as he began doing a short happy dance. Only after that did he look at me expectantly with a grin which faded after he saw my expression. “Shit! You’re still in a bad mood.” I didn’t say anything to that. I simply put my books in my locker and shut the door. Henry followed me down the hallway. “No, No, No. Don’t tell me you’re not going to the party.” He said. I turned my face to him surprised. “What party?” I asked. Henry looked at me in disbelief. “You’r
(BELLA’S POV)The moment I was inside Olivia’s room and I had shut the door behind me, I dropped my big bag of clothes, shoes and make up gently and then lifted my hand to my chest which was drumming so quickly. Coming to the Johnson’s, I knew that I could bump in to Brad, in fact it was all I had been thinking of and I thought that I was prepared. That was until I saw him just under a minute of my entrance in to the house. His dark eyes were fixed on me and I wondered if Olivia noticed that. He had been looking at me like it was only the two of us in the room. Or was that just my own feelings speaking?To top it all, he was shirtless and gleaming in sweat. He looked like he had just finished running a marathon and I struggled to control my reaction to how he looked. It seemed like i was getting heatwaves under his eyes. I had never felt that way before. He looked so calm and so direct. He didn’t break his eyes away from mine until he walked passed and I could suddenly start bre
(BRAD’S POV)I raised my fist to the door knocking as hard as I could. I was just about to raise my hand to the doorbell when I heard the movements in the lock and the door was opened. Victoria Martinez looked very surprised to see me.“Bradley. Hi.” She said looking at me with concern .“Hi ma’am.” I said and I suddenly realized that I must look like a wreck.I had not had my bath in days, I hadn’t eaten, I hadn’t even brushed my teeth nor combed my hair. I was standing looking tougher than a rouge with rumpled clothes and sleep deprived eyes.“I’m sorry to bother you ma’am. It’s just that, I would like to see Bella Please.” I said.I could hear the pleading tone in my own voice and I hoped that she would hear it as well. But the uncomfortable expression on her face made me start feeling discouraged. “I don’t know if she will open up for you, Brad. She didn’t even go to school today.” She told me sadly.My heart squeezed in pain but I did not want to give up just yet.“I could jus
(BRAD’S POV)I was laid down with my eyes starring blankly at the ceiling. It would be an understatement for me to say that I was feeling drained and emotionally overwhelmed. I felt so weak with a lot that was going on at the moment.I was bothered with the news my father had given to me yesterday but I would be lying if I said that the thought of Bella was not overpowering every other thought in my head. I could not stop thinking of who exactly had done that video compilation and played it. Who could hate Bella so much to do that? The knock on my door interrupted my thinking and I sighed tiredly. Mum had come to knock on my door earlier asking if I would be going to school and I had ignored her. What exactly was the point of even going to school when they were planning on sending me away next weekend?“Brad, honey you have a visitor.” She called softly.My hopes were lifted initially but then my heart sank in disappointment. There was no way Bella would miss school and so I knew t
(ISABELLA’S POV)Monday morning descended like a plague, an unwelcome and inescapable force after a weekend of turmoil.I stayed in bed unmoving as the events of Saturday evening replayed in my head. The humiliation was almost unbearable. So unbearable that I had refused to turn on my cellular data for fear of what I would see on the internet. I wished that I could turn off my phone completely but something in me was too weak to do that. I was hopeful for a call from Brad.The call never came and it worsened my situation shattering my heart even more. I had no more tears to cry and no more words to lament. I wished there was someone I could talk to but the only people I could talk to had abandoned me. How could I explain that I was only a victim of such cruel acts? My Alarm clock rang loudly for the hundredth time blasting me back in to my reality. I struggled to bring myself to my feet but thinking of going to school weakened me greatly, so I dragged myself downstairs instead.Dad
(HILARY’S POV)I screamed loudly the moment i was seated in the car with the door closed behind me. If the car was not sound proof then anyone from outside would have heard me. I rested myself back against the leather seat feeling exhausted but still my veins were throbbing with anger . How could he turn me down?! No one dared to turn me down! No one! What did that damned Fat Nerd have that I did not??I am Hilary Lockhart!! How the hell could he even think of turning me down?!“Miss Lockhart, is everything okay?” The private chauffeur asked looking at me through the mirror.I was very irritated and so I snapped at him.“Don’t you talk to me, you lowlife!” I exploded.“Sorry Miss.” He said politely.I stayed back trying to balance my unsteady breathing as I thought of what next to do. Rejection is something I was not used to. Rejection is something that I don’t take. “I want you to take me to see someone.” I said to the chauffeur and after giving him the address, I rested back aga
(BRAD’S POV)I would have thought that the day after would make me feel better. But it did nothing, in fact I felt worse than ever.The events of the night before kept on replaying in my head. How could such a beautiful night turn out to be so horrible?Thinking of Isabella tore me to pieces and remembering the horrible fight I had with my sister made me feel worse.It was like my head was throbbing intensely and I could get no sleep. Closing my eyes only made me remember the pictures on the screen. On one hand, I felt betrayed and hurt when I remembered her pictures with Dave and on the other, I still could not help but feel sorry for the public humiliation she had felt. I was aware that videos of last night were circulating the internet. I picked up my phone a number of times with the intention of calling her but I never got through with it. I was worried about her despite the fact that I felt hurt by her actions.So I made a call to someone I knew and paid a lot of money to make
(THIRD PERSON’S POV)“I’m so worried, George. I don’t know what to do.” Victoria Martinez announced as she walked in to the kitchen and dropped the breakfast tray she had arranged for Isabella.George Martinez lowered his newspaper and then when he saw that the tray was untouched, he sighed and dropped the now folded newspaper on the table.It was the next morning and falling asleep last night while knowing fully well that something had happened with Bella was not easy for them both. “She still didn’t open up?” He asked.It was a question but he knew the answer already and his wife confirmed by it by nodding her head at him.“She’s crying. I could hear her. She was also crying last night when I checked on her before going to bed and now I can’t help but wonder if she got any sleep at all or if she stayed crying all night.” Victoria said sadly. She was close to tears herself. “Damn it!” George cursed bringing his fist down at the table angrily.He could not handle the thought of hi
(THIRD PERSON’S POV) Brad had never felt so weighed down in his entire life. It was as though his heart was being shattered. He watched Bella leave and it felt like his soul was leaving as well. He staggered in weakness as he rested his back against the wall. “Brad?” He snapped out of his thoughts and straightened his posture immediately. Hilary cat walked towards him and she placed her perfectly manicured nails on her chest in worry. “Oh honey. I’m so sorry for whatever is going on with you.” She said with the sweetest voice she could come up with. Brad didn’t say a word, instead he sighed and started to walk on but Hilary was quick to follow him. “Brad. Come on, please wait up.” She begged. He stopped tiredly, waiting for her to catch on. “What do you want Hilary?” He asked her feeling the exhaustion weighing him down. All he wanted at this point was to get out of here and to go home straight.“Nothing much.” Hilary said still sounding as sweet as she could to him.“I do
(THIRD PERSON’S POV) “Ladies and gentlemen. Let me tell you a little about your homecoming queen.” There was a pin drop silence in the gym as everyone had eyes set on the large projected screen. Isabella and Brad turned as well both dealing with the same confused emotion. There was a sort of piercing sound from the speakers and then the electronic voice went on talking. “Most of you may think you know who Isabella Martinez is. A Nerd,” just then the projected screen started to reveal pictures of Isabella from when she was little and until she changed her dressing sense. She had her braces on, she played soccer, she wore larger clothes. There were giggles round the crowd as an animated picture of Isabella wearing large glasses and heavy braces came on. “Some people think she’s now changed, pretty, hot but guess what? I bet you didn’t know that she’s also a liar and a slut!” Isabella felt her body grow cold and her stomach drop. Brad was shocked as a video of the intimate tim
(THIRD PERSON’S POV)“Oh my gosh!” Tiara exclaimed holding her glass and swirling its contents unconsciously as her eyes followed the new couple who made their way in to the school’s decorated gymnasium. It was not just Tiara or Hilary and Olivia whose eyes followed Brad and Isabella. It was everyone else in the gym.Isabella could feel the heaviness in their eyes and Brad could feel as her grip tightened in his hand.“Are you okay?” He asked lowering his head so he could bring his face closer to hers.She looked up at him with her eyes sheikh her discomfort and panic.“Everyone is watching us.” She whispered at him.Brad smiled then and he brushed her cheek affectionately. “Everyone is watching you.” Bella smiled shyly at his words.“No, they aren’t.” She said back with a giggle. She was already beginning to feel a little bit more relaxed. “Yes they are.” Brad said and he looked down at her beautiful face wishing he could curse out loud. “My goodness Isabella, you have no idea how