So we are up to nine and well not even half way yet. Look this story isn't so much about the love but about a girl who has been sheltered her whole life and is learning to live. She just happens to have the fame in her life. I say that because I don't want people to hope Bella and Aiden will become official because you'll have to wait quite a while till that happens.

Gracie on the side, played by one of my favourite singers.

Anyways I hope you like

Rosie

xoxo

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The next day I found myself wrap with Aiden’s arms around me. His head must have had a few strands of my hair in it and I could hear him breathing right beside me. His breathing was steady and I didn’t want to wake him up as I lay here. My eyes flicker to the clock on the bedside table and it read just after ten. I try and loosen Aiden’s grip around me. After a few minutes I slide out and just as I’m going to stand up my hand is pulled back and I find myself lying on top of Aiden. I look at him and he is smirking at me and then brushes his lips across mine.

“Well I have to say this is a nice way to wake up. Saying, that it would have been better if you didn’t have any clothes on.” He smirks and I roll off him still getting use to the pervy comments that he makes all the time. I lay on the pillow and my eyes flicker to him and I say.

“Well I was just going to have a shower then go and see Gracie.” This made Aiden go a little unsettled but he didn’t say anything against it. “Aiden I know you didn’t like coming across Nathan but she is your friend just think about it.”

“Isabelle I just can’t even look at him without wanting to pull him apart and rip his head off.” He climbs out from under the covers and pulls on a pair of jeans looking down at me he pulls me to my feet and I look down at him. “Isabelle all my friends have been arrested at least once, even Gracie who is the sweet one and my sister found herself behind bars once. You see we have never been the ones to follow the rules. You’re the perfect American sweetheart with no a mark on her. Your dad did everything in his power to protect you from the real world.  You have never smoked, never had sex never got so drunk that you can’t remember a single thing about the night before. Isabelle you are what my ex was before she met me. That’s why I want you to have fun by not going to the extreme.” He says this with honestly and I look at him shocked by his words. “Go use my shower, and there is a purple towel, you can use. I’ll put some clothes out the bathroom door for you.” He says.

That’s what I do. I go and have a shower before I get change. At I’m running my fingers through my hair there is a knock on the door and I let Aiden come in. He has two plates of toast and two glasses of orange juices and he places it on the bed side table. I go and sit down next to him. He passes me one the plates and I thank him.

“So you just want to talk to Gracie.”

“it must be hard when there are all boys. You are really close with Connor and Oscar and I bet she feels a little left out.”

“There used to be Cody and Vanessa but I haven’t spoken to Vanessa in a while.” He says taking a bite of his toast. I did want to know what happened but I wasn’t about to pry. “Gracie use to be really close to both of them but well she took my side after it all. She’s like a little sister to me.  She the only one who manage to get through public school without being thrown out of all the good ones. I met Vanessa and Cody the last year of school. We ran in the same sort of groups. Look Isabelle, Vanessa was very similar to you when I first met you. Well other than being a virgin and all.” He says with a smirk and I bite down on my toast in embarrassment. “That is why they are saying it is a bad idea that you came to see them. You bring attention and I told you I want you to relax but the last thing I want to do is turn you in to a slut or someone that you hate.”

“Aiden, you’re not going to tell me everything because we are not even friends and I get that. Just one thing don’t keep it all in because you are going to suffocate yourself.” I say pressing my lips to his and I feel that his lips have turned in to a smile by the touch.

We eat and the I go out and in to the street to walk to the McCoy’s house. I have a box full of cupcakes which Alexis gave me on the way out saying they are Gracie’s favourite. I hear my shoes on the floor and I go and knock on the door. It is not long before the door it opened and in front of me stands and unfamiliar woman. Just from the colour of her hair I know she is Gracie and Connor’s mother. She looks down at me and I hold out a hand and say.

“I’m Isabelle Hardly. I came to see Gracie.” Due to the position of why they lived I knew the family came from money, I also knew that this woman would have heard of the name. She didn’t look like a gold digger and her face said it all when I mentioned my name. She looks a little confused and then says.

“How do you know my daughter? I wouldn’t expect you to mix with my family.” Now for the bad bit, Aiden mentions that none of the parents like them all hanging out with each other finding it brings the worst out.

“Oh I’m Aiden girlfriend and we were here yesterday for Gracie’s 21st. Aiden had a little bit of well he need to cool down so I thought I would come by and give Gracie cupcakes and say sorry for his behaviour.” I feel as if I’m rambling but she smiles at my words before letting me into the house.

“Isabelle you are welcome to come here anytime you like. Although, I do have to question your taste in guys.”

“And I could say the same about your daughters.” She smiles at me and points me in the direction of the sitting room. I walk over there and Gracie is on the sofa, with a blanket over her legs and her eyes on the TV. Connor is reading a book and he is the one who notices me.

“Ah Isabelle.”

“I brought cupcakes as a peace offering.” At this Gracie stands up and walks over to me. I watch her as she opens the box, her eyes flickering over the condense. She takes the box and puts it down on the table before giving me a hug. It’s the type of hug that I would have gotten from Annabelle and at this moment I say I miss her.

“Thank you so much. Finally Aiden brings a girl to a party who I actually like.”

“Says the girl who keeps her face in fashion magazines and most likely knows everything about Isabelle.” Connor says not looking at and Gracie turns around to glare at her brother and I couldn’t help but smile by her responds. “Not to mention you have a crush on Matt.”

“Shut up.”

“It’s fine most people I know do, although honestly you want my friend Kyle. I mean he’s actually nice to people although he’s in love with my best friend Annabelle so that maybe a little awkward but anyways I’ll just shut up before I tell you my life history.” Gracie laughs and pulls me to the sofa where she sits crossing her legs.

“Its fine, I just thought you would be a bitch and the whole American sweetheart was fake.” I guess that was understandable. “Anyways out of everyone Aiden has ever dated I like you the best.” She says and I’m just about to thank her when my phone rings. I look at the number and know it is Matt. I put the phone to my ear and he says.

“About fucking time. Bella do you have any idea how freaking messed up everyone is with worry.”

“Let’s see the last conversation we had gone along the lines saying I was making a mistake. Matt you’re not my dad so can you please stop treating me like a little kid and I’m going to break any moment.” I snap at him and I look at Gracie and she looks a little shocked by this and I say. “What do you want? I’m eating cupcakes.”

“Okay at least give me the address where you are staying. Isabelle I just want to know you are okay.”

“I’m at one of Aiden’s friends house at the moment so I’ll get one of them to text you it.” I say pressing the end button. Gracie looks really happy. “Yes he is just going to pass through and check I’m okay.” She takes my phones and mutters about send the address over and then she smiles at the phone and I look at her. “You do have a boyfriend.” I say and she says.

“Yes I know that but this your cousin, your smoking hot cousin who is a model.”

“He got fired.” She shrugs her shoulders.

Gracie when it to full girl mode where she was saying way to much information for my liking. I kind of sat there nodding my head and eating cupcakes like I was paying attention. Her words just went right over me. Connor catches my eye every once in a while and he was wearing a smirk as he was trying to get through his book. I didn’t know how long it was before there was a knock on the door but I ran out the room to go and answer it. when I saw Matt standing there I went to hug him. He seemed a little stunned by my reaction and pulls me away. He looks a little upset and confused and I bite down on my lower lip.

“The hug? You sound freaking pissed on the phone.”

“Gracie, Aiden’s friend went in to full boy crazy mode when I said that you were dropping by and I just wanted to get away from her.” Matt laughs by my comment and his eyes flicker around the room just as Gracie and Connor’s mother comes in to the room.

“Oh there are more of you Americans. Who might you be, because I just hope you have better taste in who you hang out with rather than Isabelle here?”

“Matt Dalton, Bella here is my cousin. Sorry I just need to talk to her is it okay for me to come in?” She nods her head and I pull Matt in to the sitting room. He seems rather impressed with the house and as he enters Connor holds out his hand and says.

“Connor McCoy.” Matt shakes his hand and mutters his name. I see that they both have this ambition that they want to do the best that they can. Gracie is eating a cup cake although I know all she wants to do is hug Matt. “Matt you don’t have anything to worry about Isabelle as much as Aiden is a dick he wouldn’t purposely hurt someone who could ruin him.”

“It’s more her dad is pretty pissed at her, it seems that every day that goes past a little bit more dirt is pulled out from somewhere showing how messed up he is.”

“We’ve both known him, most our lives. Aiden lives down the road and although we didn’t really become really good friends until thirteen where we three plus a guy called Oscar got thrown out of school. He just doesn’t think and doesn’t believe his actions have any consequences. Isabelle s strong enough to cope for herself. I don’t really think she wants you here.” he says and Matt looks at me before turning his whole attention and saying.

“Isabelle I don’t like you being like this. This isn’t you. The whole drinking, smoking and whatever the hell you have been doing the past few days.”

“Actually Mathew she’s been pretty boring the past few days. I have only got her drunk once since meeting you and I think you know the situation. It’s nice that you care about your cousin but if you had let her do what she wants to start with she wouldn’t even be here. I would have got bored by now. So Matt I think you should leave this street I may have no power over the press or something but that doesn’t mean I don’t care about giving you know black eye. You see Matt, if Bella wants to go with you she wouldn’t have already left yet she is still here. So why don’t you go and walk out that door because I really don’t like the sight of you here.” Aiden says this so calmly that I’m not sure if he means any of it. Matt throws a look at me before storming out the room and I wait to hear the bang of the front door. I bite my lower lip and I do want to go and chase after him but Aiden takes hold of me and turns me to face him before he says, so only I can hear.

“Bella I am telling you to care about yourself for once and no one else. What do you want to do?”

“You know that list of things you want me to do. Well can we start with number one?” I say holding on to his shirt and pulling it away from his body just a tad. My comment had surprised Aiden and I could see it across his face. He nods his head and presses his lips to mine, taking my head with one hand and holding it in place as his lips go to mine again. Aiden mutters sorry in the direction on Gracie and to be it didn’t seem very nice but she seems to be thrilled by it. Aiden clearly didn’t say sorry very much. With those words we wondered back to Aiden’s house.