Chapter 5

Isabella's POV

"It's nothing," I said quickly. "We were just standing here. We weren't doing anything."

Daniel kept looking at me. "Nothing?"

"Nothing," I said again. My voice sounded weak, even to me.

Daniel turned to Killian. His face was calm, but his eyes were serious. "I hope you know my sister is off limits."

My heart stopped.

Killian laughed. It was an easy, relaxed laugh, like Daniel had told a joke. "Your sister? Come on, man. She's like a baby to me. She's still unripe."

Unripe.

The word hit me in the chest. I stood there, holding my own elbow, trying to keep my face still. Two nights ago, this same man had held me like I was the only thing in the world. This morning, in this same kitchen, he had said I made it hard for him to breathe.

And now I was a baby.

I told myself he was only saying it for Daniel. But it still hurt. It hurt more than I wanted it to, because some stupid part of me had hoped there was something real between us.

"Good," Daniel said, and he relaxed. 

"Good," Killian said. He did not look at me. He picked up his cup, then put it down again. "Hey, there's a party tonight. You should come. The whole team will be there."

Daniel shook his head. "I'm not interested. I have practice, and I have a lot on my mind."

"One night won't hurt."

"I said no."

Killian shrugged. "Your loss."

I could not stay in that kitchen anymore. The air felt too thick.

"Daniel," I said. "I want to go back to my dorm."

He frowned. "You just got here."

I didn't answer. I couldn't. If I opened my mouth, I would cry in front of both of them.

I turned around and walked out.

"Isabella!" Daniel called.

I walked faster. By the time I reached the gate, I was running. The cold air stung my face, and my bag bounced on my back. 

Then I stood on the corner and realized something. I had nowhere to go.

My dorm was not safe. Serena was there, with her smile and her stolen jersey. I could not look at her again today. If I did, I would probably hit her again, and this time they would throw me out of school.

There was only one person left.

Betty lived ten minutes away, it seem like a safe option. 

I walked ten minutes down to her street. climbed the stairs and knocked. When she opened the door, her mouth fell open.

"Isabella?"

"Hi," I said. Then my voice broke.

"Oh my God. Come here." She pulled me inside and wrapped her arms around me. She smelled like vanilla and warm bread. "I just got online an hour ago. I saw everything. The video of Jace, the fight, all of it. I tried to call you a hundred times."

"My phone was off."

"I know. I was so worried." She sat me down on the couch and put a blanket around my shoulders. Then she made me tea, even though I said I didn't want any.

I held the cup and stared at it. "I don't want any problems, Betty. I just want to sit here like this. Quiet."

"That's fine. You can sit here as long as you want." She sat beside me. "But there's a party tonight, a house party."

I laughed, but it came out wrong. "No."

"Isabella, listen. You need to let it out. You have been carrying all of this for days. One night, some music, some dancing. You don't have to talk to anyone."

"I don't want to go. Jace will be there. Maybe Serena too. Everyone will stare at me, and I can't take it again." I pulled the blanket tighter. "I just want to stay in my room."

"You don't have a room to stay in right now," she said gently. "You're hiding at my house."

I opened my mouth, and then I closed it. She was right.

"If we go," Betty said, "we stay together. If anyone says one word to you, I will pour my drink on their head. And if you hate it, we leave. Five minutes. I promise."

I thought about it for a long time. I thought about Jace, and about Serena. I thought about the kitchen, and the word unripe.

I thought about how tired I was of crying.

"Daniel won't be there?" I asked.

"Your brother? He’s not a party person. Why?"

"He said no to Killian too that he has practice. But what if he’s there? He won’t like me at a party.” 

"He already said no to his friend so definitely he won't come." She smiled. "So? Is that a yes?"

I let out a long breath. "Fine. But nothing more than an hour."

Betty screamed and jumped off the couch. Then she ran to her closet and started throwing clothes onto the bed. Dresses, skirts, tops, boots. I sat and watched her.

"No, too boring," she muttered. "No, too much. This one."

She held up a short black dress with thin straps. "Absolutely not," I said.

"Absolutely yes."

"Betty, I'm skinny. Everyone says it."

She turned around and looked at me with her hands on her hips. "Who said it? Jace? A guy who cheated with your roommate? Are you really going to listen to him?"

I didn't answer.

"Put it on."

I put it on. When I looked in the mirror, I almost didn't know the girl in it. She looked small, but she didn't look broken. Betty did my hair and put red on my lips. Then she stepped back and nodded, very proud.

"There she is."

That night, we walked to the house party. I could hear the music from the end of the street. The porch was full of people, and the windows glowed orange. My hands felt cold.

"Remember," Betty said in my ear. "I’m always here so don’t fold.”

We went inside. The house was loud and hot, full of bodies and flashing lights. For a second, I wanted to run back out. But no one was looking at me. They were too busy dancing and shouting over the music.

Betty grabbed my hand and pulled me into the middle of the room.

I started to move slowly at first, then a little more. The bass was in my chest, and it felt better than the pain. I closed my eyes. For the first time in days, I wasn't thinking about the video, i was just a girl in a black dress, and I was laughing. 

I opened my eyes, still smiling till I saw him.

Killian stood by the stairs with a cup in his hand, talking to a tall girl with long hair. He was wearing a dark shirt, and the light was moving across his face. He looked relaxed. He looked like he belonged here.

My smile disappeared.

He was here. And if Killian was here, then my stomach twisted, and I looked quickly around the room.

If Killian was here, then my brother could be here too. Maybe he manage to change his mind?