FOUR

ISABELLA’S POV

“No, no, no. This is not happening.”

Not waiting for my mum or her husband to utter another word to me, I pushed Grayson away and immediately walked out of their presence, making my way to the garden. I could tell Grayson immediately followed me, his voice loud as he kept on calling out my name and trying to get me to pause my steps.

“Isabella, wait up. Can you stop-”

“You should stop following me,” I paused and sent him a glare as he grabbed my wrist. “And don’t touch me.”

“Why?” his expression changed as he slowly loosened his grip on my hand, allowing me immediately hide my wrist behind me. “Why are you running away from me? Why are you avoiding me? You did it all week and now you’re back at it? Are you really intending on avoiding me forever?”

“If I can, yes I will.”

“Why?” his laughter was almost sardonic. “Because I’m your mate?”

I winced at his words. “Please, stop. We’re not having this conversation again.”

“I sure as hell do hope that’s the case,” he replied me. “Cause I’m trying really really hard to make this make sense.”

“Are you even listening to yourself right now?” I took a bold step towards him, genuinely dumbfounded. “Look here, I’m not avoiding you, okay? I just have no reason to be around you.”

“Isabella-”

“Don’t call my name,” I winced again, hating every effect he was having on me. “Don’t follow me. Don’t try to help me. I don’t need you help moving my things. I don’t need you to act like I exist. I don’t need you to-”

“So we are having this conversation again.”

“No, we aren’t,” I could have screamed. “There’s nothing to talk about.”

“Come on, Isabella,’’ his voice was softer as he called out to me again, having me ignore my initial desire of having him not call my name. “How much longer do you think we can do this for? You can’t pretend I don’t exist. We’re going to be living together, attending the same college and-”

“Pause,” I raised a finger and immediately silenced him. “Attending the same college?”

I blinked, everything settling in a bit quicker than I’d expected. I was in my second year of college and never did I think or expect my mate to attend the same college as me. We had two other colleges close by so I’d concluded if I was ever destined to have a mate, he was probably attending one of the two colleges I’d never set foot in.

So what were the odds that my mate-and now stepbrother- had been attending the same college as me all along?

I looked up at him, waiting for him to burst into laughter or at the very least crack a smile as he announced his previous words as a joke. But he didn’t and instead kept on staring at me like he was waiting for a reaction from me.

And when he finally got it, it was a frown. A very deep frown concealing the fear I felt from within.

“Look, Grayson-”

“Grayson,” my rehearsed outburst was suddenly interrupted by another familiar voice followed by footsteps and eventually, my brother’s presence. Immediately, I tried to hide the frown but he noticed it, arching a brow at me before shifting his gaze to Grayson. “My mum said you were driving Isabella home. Mind if I join you? Kinda forgot something at home so I need a lift.”

“Oh sure,” his words were accompanied by a light punch on his shoulder, their unexpected familiarity unsettling. “Let’s go then. Isabella and I were just about to leave.”

“Huh?”

“Oh okay,” Beckett glanced at me one more time then took a step backwards behind me, leaving me with no choice but to walk right behind Grayson as he led the way to his car.

It was an awkward barely a minute long0 walk and got even more awkward the second Grayson helped me with the door, gesturing at me to get into the passenger’s seat. I wanted tor refuse but with Beckett one again glancing at me and easily making himself comfortable at the back seat, I was left with no choice but to get in, Grayson sliding himself next to me seconds later.

The car ride was silent and I couldn’t help but wonder how I was going to survive the next couple of years like that. Years were a stretch, I had no idea how I was going to survive the next couple of weeks. I already had a weird relationship with my brother and now a new one?

My eyes remained glued on the car window, each passing moment more awkward than the last. The silence was getting suffocating and the ride felt slow, my mind racing as I kept on trying to think of anyway to have it less slow and suffocating.

I didn’t need to think for much longer though, the universe finally on my side as Grayson’s phone suddenly rang.

The phone was connected to the car’s Bluetooth, the sound prompting me to immediately glance at him. our eyes met and I watched a glint appear in his before he looked away to tap the call.

“Grayyyyyyyyyy!”

The voice was loud and whiny, laced with a feminine aura that caught me off guard and immediately gave me chills. I froze for a second, my fingers curling in my lap, unable to bring myself to look at him as my heart slowly ticked a bit faster. I didn’t recognize the voice but something about it made me pause. And if I dared to admit, made me feel foreign emotions I was never going to admit to him.

“Babe I’ve been-”

That did the trick and I immediately turned to look at him, his eyes quickly shifting from me as he frantically disconnected the call and pulled over. I swallowed, staring at him and watching his every move- as he shoved the phone into his pocket, unclasped his seatbelt and finally stepped out of the car to take the call.

I held my breath, watching him from the window. Though I couldn’t get his full image, I could see him pacing, his fingers frequently running through his hair. When he wasn’t caressing his hair, he was tugging at his tie, running his perfect suit in a manner that could only still be considered perfect.

“Sorry about that,” he announced his belated apology as he opened the car once again, this time reaching for the key to immediately toss it at Beckett. “I’m sorry but something urgent came up. You can just take my car instead and drive. I’ll meet you guys later at home at night.”

Beckett didn’t seem as taken aback, catching the keys very easily and reaching for the handle to step out and get into the driver’s seat. I, on the other hand, watched the scene unfold in front of me in horror, confusion and a flicker of a feeling I didn’t want to name- one that settled heavily in my chest before I could push it away.

He didn’t give any of those emotions a chance to settle as with what could barely be considered a final glance, he turned around and vanished. I watched him leave and with every step farther away he got, only one voice echoed in my head.

The whiny, feminine and playful voice that was able to mess with not just him, but me too.