Isla couldn't suppress the brunet out of her head. He glued to her mind at all times as she did everything possible not to think about him.

It was hard — not to spare him a thought and not to fantasize about what this could lead to.

She was meant to pick one of them, and she was destined to spend the rest of her life alongside the one she did indeed chose, but it didn't come off as easy.

Theodore was an obvious choice. He wanted her, and he tried to stay close to her at all times. Ever since they'd gotten back from their trip to the lake — he'd done more than he usually performed to be near her.

To talk to her, to ask her questions, and to be curious about who she was underneath her surface.

He treated her kindly. Theo wasn't rough with her — he was gentle, considerate of her feeling as her opinion weighed a lot to him. Not that he showed it, he merely didn't. Still, it spoke so loudly around them.

He didn't refer to her as Clarke anymore. He called her Isla. Theodore didn't glance at another soul whether she'd be around or not. He wished to prove himself — to show that he was indeed better than he'd first come off as.

Isla knew he was. He wouldn't have to prove it to her. He didn't have to strain himself from looking at someone else — he didn't have to grant her with all the affection that he did, yet he refused to stop.

Theodore had a kind heart, a mild behavior towards her, and she adored it. She admired the way his mind was working — how he thought and how he acted after it, how she'd never seen anyone be as respectful and heedful as he'd been.

Yet, the blond boy lingered, and she loathed herself for it. Draco was as plastered to her mind as Theodore was — if not more.

She wasn't allowed much of what the blond was thinking nor doing. Isla wasn't granted anything when it came to him except his rage and fury. He'd taken it all out on her, pleasing her with the full amount of hatred he felt and used her as he wished to.

Isla should mind that. She truly should mind and stand against anything Malfoy poured over her, but she couldn't — it wasn't possible for her to do so. It was addicting, feeling the rush of someone speaking to her in the ways he did.

She felt ashamed for it, tremendously, and it was the sole reason she didn't utter a word of this to her friends.

They wouldn't understand how she felt, how she could still think about Draco even after he left her at prom that night or after everything else he'd done.

He was dangerous, arrogant, lofty, but it simply caused him to be more intriguing to her.

Isla's head was once again — a clouded mess. Not a string from right and wrong set her straight in all of it.

"I missed you at lunch today."

The voice came unexpectedly from behind, forming her to flinch out of her thoughts as she spun around in her chair, gripping the backrest of it.

Ava stood in front of her now, smiling broadly as she nodded towards the seat next to hers. Isla peered around as the classroom still seemed to echo emptily — not a student in sight and she nodded dryly, granting her friend permission to slip down onto the chair next to hers.

"Where were you?" Ava questioned, taking place beside Isla as she aimed back to face the front of the class, "I've barely seen you—"

''I am right here...'' Isla mumbled, trying to seem unbothered, ''I've been right here.''

Ava nodded, slowly as she sensed how cold her friend was being, ''I just haven't seen—''

''Is that my fault?'' Isla snapped, shooting Ava a frustrated glare, ''Is it my fault that you're not spending time with us anymore?''

Ava stared at her, wide-eyed as her lips parted to speak, but not a word fled them. She wasn't familiar with Isla speaking against her.

''No, but it's certainly not my fault that all you do is spending time with Leo and Mila?'' Ava fired back, growing annoyed, ''I don't understand how you can do that to him? How you can let him spend time with her knowing that it's all it'll ever be. He can't be with her. You know that and still—''

Isla's face fell into pure anger. Her brows furrowed in disbelief as she tried to swallow the lump in the back of her throat, ''Excuse me—''

''Yes, excuse you. I know that you're going through a lot now with your own choices but letting Leo fall for Mila again, that's just mean—''

''How would you know?'' Isla yelled out, her arms thrown in the air as she forced her chair back, ''You're never here! How do you know what we're doing or what's happening between them? Leo is an adult. He's fully capable of making his own decisions and if you're not here, being supportive of him—''

It was a slight pause in her lecturing, nearly as if she decided within her head if she truly meant what she'd be telling, ''Perhaps it's better that you're not around then. None of us needs that energy in our lives right now.''

''Wow—'' Ava shoved her seat back, making it scratch horribly against the floor, ''If that's how you really feel.''

Isla's fingers curled into balled fists, and she didn't know why she was still so upset with her friend. She knew that she hadn't let that night at the party entirely go — she was still more than mad with Ava for leaving her hanging with the boys she'd expressed that she was more than unpleased with.

''It is,'' Isla spoke up, standing tall on her feet as she gathered her books and pushed them tightly into her chest, ''You left me that night at the party. You didn't tell me what you knew about Malfoy and Theodore—''

''What about me?''

Both of the girls flinched at the hoarse voice shredding behind them. Isla's head snapped, and she could feel the rush of warmth by the look of him — his curls in a tangled mess on his head as he arched a brow at them.

''So? Why am I being—''

''It's not about that night, Isla. I apologized, and I said I'm sorry for not—'' Ava sighed, shaking her head and rolling her eyes at her friend, ''You're being unfair. I said I was sorry and if you accept it and I believe we move on, you can't come back weeks later and still be upset—''

''Of course, I can!'' Isla could barely hold it together anymore. All the tension she'd felt with her friend during the past weeks was on a close range of rupturing, ''I'm allowed to be upset. Yes, I accepted your apology, but I am more than allowed to still be hurt.''

''I didn't say you couldn't be hurt—''

''You just said that I couldn't be upset anymore—''

''No, I said—''

''I don't care!'' Isla yelled. Her cheeks flushed disturbingly, ''This isn't helping. Us yelling at each other isn't helping. So I'll go, and we can talk another day when it's—''

She aimed to walk away — to leave her friend alone in the classroom, but the very instant she meant to do so — Ava's hand found a grip of her arm.

''Don't fucking touch her,'' Theodore growled as he stepped closer, ''Shout at each other all you want but don't you dare fucking touch her.''

Ava gasped, blinking quickly, and she couldn't believe the two. Letting go of her friend as she stumbled back.

Isla's eyes caught Theodore's as she watched his jaws grit and his muscles tense. He was raging at the sight of Ava yanking Isla back in the way she did.

''I don't—'' Isla hushed, shaking her head and looking at Ava, ''I didn't mean to yell at you, but you don't know what you're talking about.''

''I don't?'' Ava hissed, crossing her arms over her chest, ''You have no right bringing my brother into our fight. He has nothing to do with this, and you don't have the right to be upset with me after I apologized—''

''Are you hearing yourself right now?'' Isla spoke, but much calmer this time. Her breathing slowed as her pulse lessened, ''You brought Leo into this first, and if I'm being honest with you—''

''That's a first,'' Ava scoffed provokingly, ''You being honest.''

Isla's eyes broadened, and she shot Theodore a glance over her shoulder. She was about to lose her tamed self.

Her eyes sealed for a quick minute, inhaling sharply not to snap completely.

''This isn't all about you and everything you want, Ava. Perhaps I need things too. I want to be heard and seen and even understood sometimes, but you're not here. You're never here anymore, so you can't be mad at your brother and me for seeking comfort in each other.''

She was speaking evenly, pulling herself together, ''I am sorry if you're feeling left out, but perhaps you should see what you're doing to the people around you before you start accusing us.''

Theodore had to firmly push his lips together not to chuckle at Isla's words and Ava's shocked reaction to them.

Instead, he felt a string of proudness as it wavered within him. He'd never seen her like this before.

If anything — Isla knew how to argue.

''I am sorry for that, but it's not my fault, and it's certainly not Leo or Mila's,'' Isla backed away, her books still hugged to her chest as her eyes flickered nervously. The bravery she carried within slowly let go of her, ''If you'll excuse me—''

Isla didn't spare her friend another word. She simply turned around, and she walked out, not even looking at Theodore as she went.

He was quick to follow her movements, and just as he marched out the door,

''She's fucking unbelievable,'' Ava cursed underneath her breath, nearly booting her chair away from her as she caught Theodore halting in the doorway, ''Isn't she? She's so fucking—''

''I'd advise you not to start things you're clearly not capable of finishing—'' Theodore leaned his shoulder onto the doorpost, shaking his head disappointingly at her, ''But it looks like Miss Clarke put you in your place.''

Theo chuckled to himself as he rolled off the timber, storming after the girl he wished to check up on.

He searched for her everywhere, for moments he marched around, looking after her so that she wouldn't do anything stupid but without luck.

There was only one place he'd failed to explore, somewhere he knew she'd escape to if she was in need.

It was with heavy steps he walked up the stairs to the astronomy tower. His chest tightened at the light air as his sight flickered.

Theo instantly caught the books that were thrown all over the floor and the girl who sat curled up against a pillar.

Her arms wrapped around her knees as she hugged herself. Her hair had fallen all around her to conceal the feverish color her cheeks held and the stinging tears in her eyes.

They had never once had a fight like this — she and Ava had never yelled at each other as they did now.

Isla was shocked, almost — that she was qualified enough to stand against the poor behavior Ava constantly drowned her in. It was an eye-opener, to say at least, and it didn't only feel heavy to her — that was the thing she felt most responsible for.

That it didn't hurt her, fighting with her friend. It felt relieving — as if a weight had loosened from her chest and the air turned a bit easier to breathe.

Theodore's head tilted as he stepped closer but not too close. He didn't wish to invade her privacy more than he'd done already by following her.

Isla's neck arched, meeting his concerned stare for a mere second before she looked away, rapidly, ''Theodore—'' She breathed, shaking her head so that her hair would cover her face even further, ''You don't have to be here.''

''What happened?'' He asked, sternly yet with enough worry that it caught her attention, ''Why would you two—''

''Just—'' She sighed, her head tipping back to the pillar. Her chest heaved, ''I'm fine. I'll meet you tonight or something, but you don't have to come running after me as soon as I—''

''Oh?'' Theodore smirked playfully, ''You thought I came here for you?''

Straightening her spine, her gaze leveled his again, looking confused, ''What—''

''Well, this is awkward...'' Theo chuckled out, walking over to the railing before slipping down along the pillar across from hers, ''I came here for the view.''

Isla's eyes rolled, huffing amusingly underneath her breath at his attempt to lighten the tension for the both of them. Little did she know that he did indeed came to the tower for the view — but that she was the view he thirsted for.

''It's a pretty view,'' Isla peered down at her lap, watching her intertwined fingers.

''And you're a pretty girl,'' Theodore said nonchalantly as he propped himself up a bit, sticking his hand down his pockets before hauling up a cigarette package.

''Not as pretty as me, but you can always dream—''

Isla laughed out, letting go of the hold she had of her knees as she crossed her legs in front of her instead.

With more courage now — she tucked her wavy strands of hair behind her ears, looking straight at the brunet.

''Now you're just dragging it,'' Isla mocked him back, studying his handsome features as he let his cigarette on fire, inhaling the smoke deeply.

''Don't I always?'' He rose a brow, tipping his head back as he exhaled the fog. Theo stretched the pack out in the air for her to take, but she was quick to shake her head at him.

''I told you that I don't—''

''And I told you that with me—'' Theo took another blow of his cig, ''With me you do.''

Her eyes rolled annoyingly as she bent forward, taking the pack and lighter from him, placing a stick in between her own lips, and she lit it on fire.

It burnt, her whole chest stung wildly out of the smoke she drew down her throat, but it wasn't as painful as last time — it was bearable now, and he nodded approvingly at her as she threw the package back at him.

Seeps of silence trickled them as they both peered out over the world, watching the sun lowering and the wind beginning to shift cooly — but neither of them minded. It was peaceful here, a well-needed hush.

''So...'' Theodore licked his lower lip, flinging his finished cigarette over the edge, ''Are you telling me what all that fighting was about?''

He looked at her, hooking his hues in hers as she blushed lightly, looking away in slight shame, ''I don't know. Should I?'' She grinned.

His head shook, his hands gestured out in the air, ''I don't know, I'm asking you," He taunted her, making her roll her eyes at him.

"And you call me a brat?" She smiled shyly as he scoffed at her, "You don't have to be here, Theodore. I'm fine—"

"I told you that I'm not here for you. I'm here for the view," Theo bit down his lower lip, "So whether you want me here or not, I'm staying."

Isla hesitated. Her mouth twitching in uncertainty for a minute, not too convinced that she could trust him enough to talk to him about what bothered her, but Isla wouldn't be herself if she didn't trust people to the fullest.

A shaky breath passed her lips, "She's been different lately, Ava, and I don't know how to manage her when everything is just..." She paused, locking her eyes with his, "Everything is just such a—"

"Mess," He pitched in, looking miserably at her, "Yeah, tell me about it."

She frowned, nodding, "It really is a mess..."

"But what did she do? You said she lied?" He asked curiously as he reached for his cigarettes again, lighting one and inhaling all the toxins, "What did she lie about?"

"You," Isla dragged her sight across the tower, "She knew about what you and Malfoy would do at the party, and she didn't tell me. Then she left me there all alone for you two to play your little trick on me. She apologized, but..."

The wind danced through her hair.

"It's just not that she lied or that she left me there. She's changing, and she's becoming someone I can't stand being around. She's blaming all her problems on Leo, and she's so jealous of Mila and me—"

Isla took a deep breath.

"I don't know. She's growing, I guess, and I'm not."

Theodore shook his head, exhaling another blow of smoke, "That's not true. People grow, and people grow apart. It's nothing strange with that."

"I just feel like it's more than that. More than us growing apart, we're not the same friends we used to be, she found new ones, and I found old ones, and I just—"

Theo stayed silent, allowing her to speak her mind.

"I don't know. It feels strange not knowing her anymore, but it's not all her fault. I'm not honest with her either. I don't tell her anything about you or Malfoy or anything that's been going on, but it feels as if I can't trust her anymore... Does that even make sense?"

He squinted, throwing his cig over the edge again, "It does. It does make sense, and you don't have to tell Ava anything you don't want to. That should be entirely up to you, best friends or not."

Another nod tipped her head.

"It's like with Malfoy and me, we're not great terms right now," He nearly chuckled out, finding the situation funnier than he should've, "But that doesn't mean that I don't care about him, or that I wouldn't kill for him, because I would."

Isla felt a flush of guilt trapping her senses. She didn't want nor wish to drive the two boys apart. It shredded her pure persona — knowing that one day she had to make a choice and one of them would be left in the dark.

"Theodore?" She asked, her face mantled in hurt as he looked at her, "I don't want to come between you."

His eyes glinted. He tried his hardest to suppress it, but she noted the pain in them, ''Neither do I, but who would I be not to fight him for such a pretty girl like yourself?''

Isla knew that he meant to be funny, to ease the world they were living in. Still, she didn't find the amusement to laugh, ''Theodore...''

''I know,'' He muttered, pushing himself off the floor, ''It's no one's fault. This whole marriage thing, it's the law, and we can't do anything other than adapt to it. It's just how it is.''

Theo stretched his spine, groaning silently after nearly an hour on the floor. He stared down at her, feeling guilty by how he'd approached this. He never wished for her to feel blamable for any of it.

With a step forward, he reached his hand out, ''Come here,'' He mumbled as she took his hand, and he tugged her close to him, ''It's not on you. What Malfoy and I do— will never be your fault. I want you to understand that. Who even knows? All of us might end up hating each other, and nothing of this works out.''

Her eyes rolled, tipping her head at the side as he bent down to her level, ''Alright?'' He questioned, craving the acceptance from her before he needed to go, ''It's not your—''

''Fault,'' She smiled, nodding slowly at him as his hands snaked their way around her waist, and he pulled her in, ''I know.''

''Good,'' He settled his chin on the top of her head, breathing the moment in before it would come to an end, ''I'll walk you back to your room.''

'' Thank you,'' She whispered, burying her face in his chest, ''Thank you for listening to me.''

Theodore's palms moved up her frame, trapping her jaws in his large hold before he leaned closer. Staring at each other for minutes and in the heat of the intimate moment — he let his lips connect with hers. Kissing her gently until he pulled away.

''Perfect, aren't I?'' He taunted as she shoved him back, gaily.

''It sure seems so,'' Isla mocked him right back before she hunched down, picking up her books from the floor, and just as she meant to stand up, her eyes flickered to his as he stared hungrily at her from above.

''Don't get any ideas, Nott—'' She smirked, standing tall in front of him again. Her cheeks in a rosy color at the way he'd been looking at her, ''It's late.''

''Who would have thought that you'd look so pretty on your knees in front of me, yeah?'' Theo rose a brow, rolling his tongue over his bottom lip, ''But I'll save that pleasure for another day.''

''Oh?'' Isla shouldered her way past him, walking down the stairs, ''We'll see about that.''

Theodore followed her back to her room, staying close to her all the way as they talked and laughed at each other's comments and stories. She couldn't help but wonder if he wasn't so bad after all.

''Well—'' Theodore grinned at her, dragging a ring-clad hand through his brown curls, ''I'll see you around then.''

''I'm sure you will,'' Isla felt the warmth scoring through her body as he reached for her hand, gently tugging it up between them before he placed a soft kiss on her knuckles.

''Sure hope so,'' Theo smirked as he backed away and disappeared into the shadowed hallway behind them.

It was a rush through her senses as she unlocked her door, stepping inside, and she let her spine collide with the wood, smiling broadly to herself for the shortest of seconds until the lights in her room shifted brightly.

She winced. Her arms tightened around her books as she met the grey eyes.

''Out late, I see,'' Draco gritted, pushing himself off the bed, ''And I can only imagine with who.''

''Malfoy—'' Isla gasped, her heartbeat swelled in her ears by the panic she felt, ''It's late, what are you—''

Draco merely shrugged at her words as he strode forwards at a dangerously slow pace, ''So you were with him? What the fuck did I tell you about—''

''You don't—'' Isla swallowed, thickly, gathering the bravery she knew she'd need for this, ''You don't get to come in here, and you don't get to make comments about Theodore when you left me at the ball to sleep with someone else.''

Malfoy hissed at that as he closed in on her. His palms calmly yet forcefully slammed into the door behind her, catching her in between his arms, ''Yeah? Who the fuck told you that I slept with Parkinson?''

Isla gulped, her eyes flickered across his fuming features, ''No one, but it surely looked—''

''Looked like what? It looked like I would fuck someone else after what I did with you in the closet?'' He questioned, arching a brow, ''That's low even for me.''

''You didn't—'' Isla shook her head, slightly, dizzy by the feeling of his breaths on her lips, ''So you didn't sleep with her?''

''Did I fuck Pansy? No, I didn't,'' Malfoy spat, narrowing his eyes in hers, ''Why? You really think I'd do that? I went to that fucking ball with you.''

Isla scowled, yanking her head back, ''Because you used me to make her jealous—''

''So you're telling me you didn't use me? You're actually telling me that you didn't use me just as much as I used you? To make my best fucking friend jealous?'' His voice laced with spite, ''You're no better than I am, Clarke. I hope you fucking know that.''

''I didn't—''

Draco's fist collided roughly with the timber, making her flinch by the brutal act, ''Don't fucking lie. We talked about this if you lie — I have to search that little head of yours.''

''I'm not lying. I didn't go there to make Theodore jealous,'' Isla stated again, ''He had someone else, someone I told him to stay with several times, why would I—''

''Did you fuck him?'' Draco ignored every word spilling from her mouth, ''Did you suck him off?''

Frowning as she tried to push him back, ''Are you out of your mind? Why would I tell you any of that—''

''Did you?'' Draco didn't budge. His eyes bored through her, and she felt small compared to his large frame, ''Did you fucking—''

''I didn't!''

She instantly regretted that. Her eyes sealed as she made a discrete grimace. Her heart hammered out of control.

She hated lying. She loathed the untruth more than anything, yet she just told a lie, and somewhere she tried to convince herself that she did it to spare them all the rage it would bring.

''Good girl...'' Draco rolled his tongue along the inside of his cheek as the damned eyes caught hers again, ''Let me make one thing clear, Clarke—'' His jaws sharp as he leaned so close that their lips brushed against the other.

''If you as much as go near him again, I'll tell him just how much fun you and I have had these past days,'' He pulled back, still staring evilly at her, ''I don't like sharing, and I'm not planning to share you with anyone.''

''I'm not yours—''

''You keep saying that,'' Draco tugged his hair back before moving his hands to the slit of his suit jacket, ''Still, here you are, fucking soaked for me, and don't you dare deny it.''

She didn't know what to say — in a total loss of words to how he was speaking.

Isla moved out of the way, making room for him to open her door and leave, and just as he was about to close it behind him, he took a shoe back, meeting her gaze again, ''I'm throwing a little party on Friday and if I see you there—''

He hissed to himself, biting down his lower lip as her knees began to weaken. She despised the effect he had on her.

''Let's just say that I'm all for punishment,'' His eyes snapped to her thighs, groaning silently underneath his breath by her bare skin and how he'd fit perfectly in between them, ''And believe me when I say that I'll make you regret it.''

Draco slammed the door shut as her lips parted, shockingly at what just happened.

_____