//I don't admit it, I play it cool. But every minute, that I'm with you, I feel the fever and I won't lie, I break a sweat...// Fifth Harmony

With a chuckle Iverson threw an arm around Bella's shoulders and tried to carefully extricate the hot coffee mug from her hands before any accident, she held unto it tight.

Chanting, "Oh my God! Oh my God!" with heavy pants after squealing her lungs out. A tear roll down her right cheek and Iverson pressed a kiss to it.

"I should probably have warned you first." He said with a frown, only then remembering her reaction at the store when he first told her about his sister.

Marie Ivy made a disgruntled sigh to get their attention. "This has been fun and all, but I should let you know it's still night in LA and I'm unfortunately not powered by batteries. I need my beauty sleep."

She quirked up a side of her perfect pouty lips and Bella's heart dropped a little at the slightly irritated look that marred her beautiful face. She must think her a nuisance.

"I thought we agreed you'll try not be a bítch for fifteen seconds?" Iverson snapped at his sister to Bella's surprise, she had to swallow down the instant urge to defend her idol.

"Try, being the keyword. I failed." Marie shrugged with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Was it a bad time for her? Bella wondered, she was usually very down to earth on television.

Iverson watched his sister for a moment before shaking his head. "It's still a wonder to me how you have any fans at all, don't they see how stuck up you are?"

"Hey, I was only joking!" Marie exclaimed. "You don't have to appreciate my British sense of humour, but don't insult it."

"I'm laughing on the inside." Iverson said with a straight face.

"I'm so sorry." Bella spoke up, interrupting the sibling banter. At least she hope that was what it was.

"Oh my God, it's just....I'm just....I'm like your biggest fan, it's a little overwhelming to have you....just...there." She pointed lamely at the laptop, she could have sworn Marie scoffed a little and Bella's anxiety began to kick in as it dawned on her that Marie just didn't seem to like her at first glance.

She try to hide behind her mug, forgetting how hot the coffee was, she took a large gulp. It burned like hell and she hurriedly spat it back with an "Oww!" As if she hadn't embarrassed herself enough, she had to instinctively stick her scalded tongue out to lap some air, like a silly dog.

"Sorry." Iverson laughed and finally got the mug out of her hands. Marie wasn't the least bit amused however. She watched Bella keenly without betraying any emotion on her perfect face and even though it was through a stupid 15.6 inches screen, Bella had never felt smaller.

She didn't look away but Bella knew exactly when she got dismissed as insignificant. Her self esteem on the other hand, suffered a significant blow.

"Are you comfortable in your skin? There's going to be a pool side shoot." Marie said curtly, a challenging glint in her eyes as if she'd found something to scare her of.

Bella didn't remember giving Iverson her consent but she desperately wanted, no, needed to retain at least a molecule of self worth. Not only was that her idol on the damn screen but she was Iverson's sister also.

"Yes." She nodded, sitting straighter with feigned confidence. 'Comfortable in one's skin' was a long shot from how she would describe herself but she kept nodding anyways. "Very, very comfortable, absolutely, comfortable."

Iverson chuckled and pulled her further to his side, she almost gave in to the temptation of burying her face into his chest to escape Marie judgemental eyes.

"You're better than her, don't let her intimidate you." He whispered. On a normal day, she would have shivered at the closeness of his mouth to her ear, but not with Marie watching like a hawk.

Bella nodded again, he can safely check the box on that. She was already beyond intimidated.

Her focus remain on the blonde beauty on the screen and as if Marie heard what Iverson said, she rolled her eyes. Or was it at their closeness?

Marie proceeded to tell her how everything she needed would be sent to the store later in the week for pick up, she instructed Iverson to take her to their spa, to get her bikini line among other things waxed. Bella cringed inwardly at the anticipated pain but remained as chill as an iced water on the outside.

Marie took a disapproving look at her hair and Bella blushed. Some of us are human, we sleep and wake up with bird nests, it's not extraordinary. She thought, doubting Marie's hair was ever out of place.

"Please check in with Giorgio, he will know what best to do with her hair. And your bodies, I'm going to need the both of you in perfect shapes since you don't want the highlight on your faces and I'm counting on you for that." She told Iverson pointedly. "They can't suspect she's just a girl I picked off of the street and you know good body is not enough for Ivy's house..."

"Can you stop using such condescending tone for my girlfriend, Ivory?" Iverson interrupted, glowering at the screen.

"You need her. She's the one doing you a goddamn favour, will it kill you to be nice to her?"

Bella squirmed in her seat, where was invincibility when she needed it the most?

The air felt too thick for her to breathe as Marie' eyes kept flickering between her and Iverson, studying them, observing her. And then slowly her expression soften.

"How much do you love my brother, Blue?" Was what came out of her mouth where Bella was expecting an apology. And while Iverson instantly tense beside her, she felt her heart smashed forcefully against her rib cage.

Her face was drained of any colour left and her throat ran painstakingly dry, she began to palpitate and it didn't escape Marie's observing eyes.

"Interesting," she said, genuinely appearing interested for the first time since Bella took her seat. "You don't love him at all? Not even this much?" She lifted her hand to the screen and brought her index finger and thumb close together.

"What are you doing with him then? Playing house?"

"Ivory,"

"What?" Marie snapped at Iverson's clipped tone. "You are giving up your future for this girl who would rather have a heart attack than say she loves you?"

Bella wanted to say something, scream out the anger boiling in her.

Why the hell was Marie judging her without even knowing her? She had no idea what she'd been through with her brother in the past and they only started 'dating' barely two weeks ago so what fúcking future was she talking about?

But she just sat there, deserted by her voice with only a clipped clog at the back of her throat.

The hurt in Iverson's eyes as he removed his arm around her and placed it on his laps made the clog in her throat only unbearably thicker.

"Hey sis," Iverson said calmly. "Good luck finding a girl for that photoshoot. And oh, whilst you're at it you should probably get a guy too.."

"I only want what's best for you." Marie said over Iverson's words.

"...because I sure as hell won't be participati..."

"....you are my brother, your welfare is my priority..." Their words lapped each other's as a heated argument ensued. Bella unable to take more finally shot to her feet and fled the scene.

A nice morning it had been when she first woke up, she hadn't even stepped out of the house and everything had gone to hell.

After getting ready for school with a heavy heart and somehow managed to resist the childish whim to unfollow Marie Ivy on all social media as she has undoubtedly lost her as a fan, she walked back into the living room to find only Daniel.

"He left," he told her, twirling his car key on one finger. "You'll have to make do with me like old times." Daniel beamed at her, she didn't share the sentiment and he must have gotten the hint from her face.

It was the first time Iverson won't be dropping her off since they started 'dating' and she hope Daniel would get the memo that she just wasn't in a socialising mood.

Well, Daniel wasn't known for getting memos.

"His sister asked him if he loves you," he started in the car after sparing her a few minutes of silence. "before you came in that is. He didn't hesitate you know, I was listening from the kitchen. He told her, you mean the world to him."

Bella pulsed her lips and looked out the window so he won't see the tears that gathered in her eyes.

So maybe Marie Ivy had a reason for flipping out because she couldn't say the same but it wasn't like she was without feelings for Iverson, putting a name to it just seemed like the utmost risk of putting herself out there to be hurt again and besides it had only been a couple of days since they started dating, most times she still had to remind herself of that fact.

"I don't know what's going on in that head of yours but I'm sure you already know Iverson is a very sensitive guy. He is my friend too, please try not to hurt him." Daniel said. She snorted at the irony of it all.

Classes went by in a blur. Bella could hardly see two feet in front of her, much less what went on with the lecturers at the front of each class.

By the time the day was thankfully over, she had admitted to herself that starting a relationship with Iverson happened too fast and was starting to look a lot like a mistake.

Revenge was what she thought she wanted, she didn't exactly plan it out to the end and along the line, she could no longer resist a piece of the delicious cake that was Iverson. She went for a bite, but only got greedier with every tasty crumb.

Could she keep the whole cake to herself?

"Everything okay in paradise?" Jenna asked as they filed out of her last class for the day, Early Modern Literature, the only class they had together.

"You are not floating in cloud 9 today." She observed.

Bella shrugged. "I suppose that happens when the honeymoon is over and it's back to reality." She laughed sadly at the accuracy of her own jibe.

"What's wrong?" Jenna asked with a bit more concern in her tone. "Is pretty boy being a douche?"

She thought about it, maybe it would be easier if he was being a douche.

"On the contrary," she drawled out and stopped walking as she spotted his Land rover packed at the curb out front her faculty where he usually pick her up after classes.

The dread and disappointed that had settled in the pit of her stomach all day, with how he left without her in the morning, ruffled. It seemed to turned into butterflies, taking flight, making her giddy as she took him in.

He sat at his driver's seat with the door wide open and his body facing out, head currently bent over the phone in his hands.

She had expected him to be having second thoughts much like her, by his sister's words. And she saw the hurt in his eyes when she couldn't say those words, he wanted to hear it. She was sure of that. But still he came for her.

"His final exams start next week." She voiced out her fear, in hope of subduing her excitement.

"So? Is he leaving Metro?" Jenna asked.

"I don't know." She replied mindlessly, watching two passing girls flirt with him, he lifted his head long enough to reply them and whatever he said made the girls giggle like teenagers.

Jenna nudged her shoulder and pushed her towards him. "Your mouth are made for more than just sucking him babe, go talk to him and know where you both stand."

"Hey!" Bella shouted, twirling around to face her friend with heated face. "I haven't...done that!"

Jenna laughed and sassily flipped her pink hair. "Don't tell me praying is the only thing you do on your knees? Girl, satisfy your man! There are hungry," She pointed at herself and then the retreating figures of the two girls that was just flirting with Iverson. "Starving wolves around that would gladly take him off of your hands."

Bella playfully glared at her and Jenna kept laughing as she walked off to her final class.

She looked back at Iverson to find him already staring at her and she approached him awkwardly, wiping her sweaty palms on her jeans as she went.

"Hey." She said, standing a good distance away.

Iverson eyed the space between them, he opened his arms and smirked. "Come to me Blue."

Her legs obeyed the command, she was falling into his outstretched arms before her brain could catch up.

Iverson hugged her, buried his nose in the crook of her neck and deeply inhaled her familiarity like his life depended on it.

Bella melted into his embrace, everything seemed right. She knew it was just a ruse at the back of her mind but she savour the moment.

"I missed you gravely today." He whispered. "I'm sorry I left without you, my sister's natural talent is driving me nut."

She stiffened at the reminder and slightly moved back from his chest. "What future was she talking about Iverson?"

He sighed tiredly and smoothen his eyebrows with his thumb, his other hand firmly planted around her waist to keep her in place. "She wants me to move to Los Angeles after my exams."

Bella stopped breathing. There it was, right there was the crown on her reluctance. There, was the reason she didn't want to get too involved even though she'd done a shítty job of it.

"I'm not leaving." Iverson quickly added, sensing her inner tumour. "LA is full of people with the same dream and I have no interest in joining their hustle."

"Your sister blames me."

"No she doesn't. She's always had the hope of me joining her and I did nothing to belay it until recently. She just assumed you have something to do with it but she's wrong." He explained, his eyes doing a constant shuttle between her eyes and lips.

She leaned up and pressed her lips to his without thinking. His response was instant, tightening his arm around her, he brought her flush against him as his tongue delved deeper into her mouth until he found hers and his body vibrated excitedly.

"There is a motel literally thirty feet from here and it's cheep too." A passerby yelled at them and they reluctantly separated.

"What'd have a car for?" Another yelled. Bella blushed and kept her face close to his chest while Iverson laughed and hugged her once more.

"Hungry?" He asked her and she nodded. "Let's go eat some steaks before we going home. You'll needing your strength with what I have in mind." He winked at her.