Isla ran away that night.

The way Theodore looked at her. How his eyes snapped between her and the letter, tightly hugged to her chest — to how he noticed her clothes being disordered, her hair messy.

He knew. She could see as her eyes matched his and as she drowned in them from not seeing him for over a month.

Isla panicked. She froze, and her world crumbled as she has stumbled past him. Not a word was shared between the two.

Not once the following day did she leave her room. Not for class, not to eat, not to be with her friends — nothing.

Leo had brought her a plate both for lunch and dinner, making sure that she got something in her as she hid within the safety of the four walls.

''It's not that bad, that he's back, I mean....'' Leo lowered his voice, hunched down over the edge of his bed, facing her, ''I mean, it's not bad that he's back in school. Perhaps you guys should talk about it?''

''Talk about what?'' Isla shifted around underneath her covers, looking directly at her friend with pained dashes as they stained her pupils, ''What is there to talk about? Malfoy lied about the letter, and I slept with him, Leo. Theodore was gone for barely a month, and I slept with Malfoy the night he decided to come back, and as if that weren't enough, he caught me, sneaking out of their room.''

Nodding as he settled his elbows on his knees, tipping his head to rest in the palms of his hands, ''Yeah...'' Leo sighed, troubled and worried for his friend, ''I know it sounds like a lot, but it's not that bad. You don't have any rules to follow. You're allowed to sleep with whomever you want, whenever you want, and how were you supposed to know that Theodore would be back yesterday?''

''I'm not saying that I did anything wrong. I'm just saying that it feels terrible. Believe me, Leo — I know I'm not tied to either of them, but it's...'' She hushed, tucking her chin deeper into the covers, and she simply wished she could vanish from earth, ''It's a lot, and now I just know that it all will be going to hell.''

''What did he say? In the letter?'' Leo asked, still with his head in his hands and his sight curiously gazing at her.

''That he's sorry for leaving me like he did and that he wants to make it right....'' Pinching her eyes shut, she seized a deep breath, ''And that he misses me.''

''Well...'' He mumbled, moving his hand over his head before scratching his neck, ''Did he say something to you last night?''

Huffing out, Isla shook her head, ''He didn't have the chance to before I ran off.''

Humming, Leo gripped his knees, and he stood tall on his feet, striding over the space between their beds, ''I know you feel like this is the end of the world, but it's not. I promise it's not,'' Bending down, he pushed his lips into her head, kissing her forehead.

''Just talk to them, the both of them. Perhaps Theodore has a better explanation for being gone for a month and Draco...'' He leaned back, looking down at her, worryingly, ''I don't know about him, but talk to them, Isla. That's the only thing that will give you some peace of mind.''

Smiling, shyly, she nodded, peering after him as he strode towards the door, and he turned around just before opening it, ''I promised Mila that I'd study with her, but I'll be back. It might be late so, don't wait up.''

''Tell her hi from me—''

Just as he closed his hand around the doorknob, twisting it to flay it wide — the knock, hitting the wood caused them both to flinch.

Leo shot her a bewildered stare, shrugging as he flung the door open, and Isla dived down into her covers, hiding from whoever was knocking.

''Yeah, she's not here,'' Leo sought to lie, standing in the way for the boy so he wouldn't be able to see her, ''No, she left for a walk or something—''

''That's fucking rubbish, Green, and you know it. Let me in.''

Isla froze. Her veins iced as she caught the vocals ripping through her ears forcefully, and she groaned quietly to herself.

Debating within her head if she truly wanted to speak to the blond or if she craved to void her problems for another day and simply stay concealed in her bed.

''She's sick—'' Leo gave lying another shot, but Malfoy merely scoffed at the words he was spilling, ''No, I promise, she's sick, and she's—''

''Clarke,'' Draco urged from the doorway, growing impatient with the boy holding him for seeing her, ''Let me in and put a fucking leash on your guard dog over here before I have to put him down because I'm telling you, this one — this one is bloody mental—''

''Oh, piss off, Malfoy!'' Leo seethed, rolling his eyes as he kept Draco from pushing pash him, ''Can't you go bother someone else, she clearly doesn't want to see you—''

''It's okay, Leo.''

Her friend spun around, seeing that he failed to notice Isla stepping out of bed, ''Are you sure?'' He asked hesitantly as she nodded, ''Very well then.''

Leo rose a brow at the blond as he kindly stepped aside for him to enter, walking past him as he tracked out in the hallway. Her friend stopped for a mere second as he glanced at them.

Draco rolled his eyes, narrowing his icing sight in Leo's, ''Well, I don't have a fucking treat for you if that's what you want,'' His voice laced with annoyance, and he reached his hand out, patting Leo on the shoulder, ''But good boy or whatever—''

Leo's face dropped, and Isla shook her head at him before Malfoy slammed the door shut, leaving him alone with the girl.

Rolling his tongue along the inside of his cheek, he eyed her down. Studying her bare thighs and the loose, oversized T-shirt she was wearing, ''You snuck out on me last night,'' Draco stated, cooly, ''That's fucking mean, Clarke.''

Isla let her lashes fall shut as she turned around, taking steps up to her bed before she flopped down on it. Her spine leaning against the headboard, her fingers tangled into the sheets as she dragged them over her.

''About that—'' Her voice held thin, feeling ashamed to how she'd treated him, ''I didn't mean to leave you like that, but I—''

''You what?'' He snapped, spinning around to scan the room, his eyes hooked on the dresser coated in pictures, ''You didn't mean to sneak out on me after we slept together?''

Draco wasn't mad at Isla for waking out on him. Hell, he threw her out of his room the last time she was in it. He couldn't blame her for sneaking out — he couldn't be upset that she indeed left him in the middle of the night.

That wasn't the thing that bothered the blond, but the fact that her actions made him insecure. Draco failed to sleep with anyone since Pansy left him, and he felt like he put himself on the line when he was with Isla in that way.

He was scared that he'd done anything that made her uncomfortable or hurt her, but as his pride continuously trapped him — he'd never admit to that being the reason he was questioning her right now.

''I did leave,'' Isla talked calmly, her sight bored into her lap, watching her tangled fingers, ''And I'm sorry that I did without waking you.''

''So what? You used me, or what is this about?'' Draco mumbled, letting his fingers trace across the wooden frames on the dresser. Isla thanked herself, in silence that she had put away every picture of her together with the Weasley's, ''You let me fuck you, and then you decided that you didn't want to stay?''

She gulped, nervously tugging at the sheets in her lap. Not knowing if she was meant to tell him that she found the letter or not.

''Malfoy...'' She breathed, lowering her voice even more, ''It wasn't like that. I didn't leave because of you or because I regret what we did.''

Draco hissed, underneath his breath, ''Yeah? Fucking feels like you did.'' Turning around, he locked his gaze on her, ''You ran away after I finally—''

''Finally what?'' She fired back, pushing herself up a bit, ''You finally got to fuck me? You finally got me on my knees, begging for you to take me? Is that it?''

Fire flashed in his darkened eyes as he caught her words, and he didn't falter, marching up to the bed — it took all of him not to lash out in anger right there and then.

Draco loathed when she said that. There isn't a thing he despised more than her uttering words indicating that he used her.

Towering over her, Isla rose on her knees, crawling to the edge of the bed, dueling him to be rough with her.

They stared at each other, and he panted heavily, ''Is that what you think?'' He scanned every detail of her features, ''You really think that after all I said last night, after being with you like that? After finishing inside you? Marking you — this is still me using you?''

He was shouting, raising his voice, but he wasn't violent. Draco was always so rough with her, but he wasn't now.

''I didn't say that you used me, Malfoy—'' She battled him, standing her ground, ''I didn't say that. I wanted what we did just as much as you — I asked if you got what you wanted now. If sleeping with me yesterday was it?''

Isla needed to know if there was something more between them than that. Even if he hid the letter Theodore had sent her — perhaps it could still work. Maybe he wanted something more with her, and if that indeed were the case, she would fight the voice in her head telling her to end things with him.

Not giving up on him just yet and truly see if he could be more than she believed him to be.

His tongue wetting his lower lip, and he scoffed arrogantly, ''Do you think that was it?'' His tone accusing, ''Do you think I would've asked you to stay if that was it? Do you think I would've finished inside you if I didn't want to mark you fucking mine, Clarke?''

Scowling at him, her lips parted, but he was quick to hew her off, pushing a finger up to her lips.

''When are you going to get it through that damn head of yours that I just don't want to fuck you?'' He gritted his jaws, ''When are you going to stop fucking fighting me on every little thing we do?''

''You fight me just as much,'' She said, looking up at him through her lashes, ''But...'' His finger dropping from her mouth allowing her to speak, ''I'm sorry that I walked out. I didn't mean to hurt you—''

''Hurt me?'' He hissed, shaking his head as he cupped her jaw, ''You can't hurt me, Clarke. No one can.''

Knitting her brows, she held a curious look.

''I'm fucking messed up, Clarke. You said it yourself last night. I'm fucking wicked, so no. You can't hurt me,'' His thumb grazing over her cheekbone, ''Not even a girl like you.''

Isla rose a brow, caving in to the touch he kept her face in, ''A girl like me?'' She questioned, confused, ''What is that supposed to mean—''

''Someone... pure,'' He studied her so intensely. His sight following every twitch of her eyes, every breath she seized, ''Someone different.''

Her own hands slowly moved up, resting her palms against his chest, and she let her forehead tip forward, melting right into him, ''I'm not who you think I am, Malfoy...'' She whispered, draining him of all the comfort he brought her.

Draco's eyes flickered, feeling her behavior shift. He didn't expect this. He supposed she'd be angry and that they would fight like they always did. Something coiled him back to reality, and he took a step back.

''What aren't you telling me, Clarke?'' He sounded severe again, and her eyes screwed shut. She didn't want to ruin anything. Isla didn't want to clutter anything that was going on between them.

He finally put another front on display for her.

Isla drew a breath, hunching down over her own legs, and she crossed them in front of her, ''Nothing...'' She tried to lie, ''I'm just—''

''Mhm,'' Draco hummed, ''You're what?''

''Nothing,'' Forcing a fraud smile, she glanced up at him. She didn't quite know why Malfoy had failed to bring up the return of his best friend. That was the very reason she thought he'd come to see her.

Leaning down, he lingered for a slight minute before he pressed his mouth to hers. Kissing her, slowly, he muttered against her lips, ''What happened? What are you not telling me—''

Waves of doubt scored her. She sighed out, her fingers gripping the material of his shirt as he bent over her, fully, ''Theodore caught me last night.''

Draco froze. Halting completely with his doings and he withdrew from her, stretching his spine, ''What? Nott's back?''

Furrowing her brows, Isla appeared as a question mark, ''How do you—'' Clearing her throat, ''Yes? How do you not know that? He was standing outside your room—''

''What?'' Draco snapped harshly now as he stepped away from her, ''What the fuck are you telling me?''

''Malfoy, what are you—''

''He's back?'' Sounding both betrayed and angry, ''Are you fucking kidding me? So you're telling me that you, walking out last night, had nothing to do with him being back?''

Isla rose from the bed, standing tall, and she shook her head, understanding how it must seem to the blond, ''No, I didn't see him until I closed the door. He didn't say anything—''

''Fucking unbelievable!'' Draco raised his voice, throwing his arms out before he pathed them up to his hair, tugging the blond strands back, ''You know what?''

Her arms dropping to her sides as she stared emptily at him, her heartbeat pounding.

''Fuck this and fuck you, Clarke. Fuck you and fuck him,'' He growled, aiming to march to the door, ''To fucking hell with the both of you.''

''Draco—'' She choked out, throwing herself forward to stop him, but he snapped his fingers, ripping the door open.

''Don't you fucking dare, call me Draco right now,'' Speaking so severely that it caused her breaths to hitch, ''I'm fucking done with you.''

Isla felt tears as they rimmed in the corners of her eyes, not understanding a thing that was happening, ''Can you stop—''

''No, I'm done,'' Malfoy refused to look at her, and his fingers grasped tightly around the doorpost, ''Stay the fuck away from me, Clarke.''

Her lower lip quivered as she watched him slam the door shut, storming out of her room without hesitation. Isla didn't grasp what went wrong. She had no idea that Theodore didn't sleep in their room or chose to see Draco when he returned.

Feeling as the walls of her room closed in on her, she shook her head, gripping her robe as it hung over her chair, and she did the same thing Draco just did — she walked out of her room, slamming the door after her.

She simply craved some fresh air, and she marched through the castle at the late hour to the place she found some stillness and peace at.

Her chest tightened for every step she took up the stairs to the astronomy tower, and she was heaving as she reached the upper floor. But it didn't take more than a second until her breaths hitched, and she stared blankly at the boy as he sat down next to a pillar.

Begging that he wouldn't notice her, she slowly began to back up, taking tender steps.

''Running away from me twice in under twenty-four hours?'' The brunet sounded amused, ''That's something new.''

Her lashes fell shut, swallowing the guilty feeling as it lumped in the back of her throat, and she turned to face him, ''I'm sorry—''

Theodore curled his upper lip, letting a smirk grow upon him as he placed a cigarette in between his teeth, holding the grin. He let the stick on fire, ''There's something with you and apologizing, isn't it?''

Inhaling sharply, he let his stare drag across her, taking her in from not seeing her for over a month, ''You don't have to apologize for every little thing you do, Clarke.''

''But I do...'' Isla hooked his gaze on the boy, dubiously striding up to the pillar she usually leaned against, and she slipped down it, her legs crossed in front of her, ''I do have to apologize.''

''For what? Not writing me back?'' It came out unexpectedly, and it threw her off. Her eyes broad and her lips divided, ''Easy there, Clarke. It's a joke, no need to be tense about it.''

''I—'' She took a breath, watching as he inhaled the toxins, ''I meant to, but I lost the letter, and I didn't find it until last night.'' Blurting the words, ''If I knew you wrote me, I would answer. You know that.''

''Do I know that?'' Keeping the smirk, he tilted his head, huffing underneath his breath, ''Maybe I do, Clarke. Who knows.''

It turned silent. Only the sound of the wind as it seeped through the tower echoed.

''I know,'' Isla broke the silence, looking at the boy as he flipped his fingers, shooting the burnt-out cigarette out over the edge, ''I would write you back, but I didn't—''

''So what have you been up to?'' Theodore cut her short, tipping the back of his head against the pillar, ''Did something interesting happen while I was away?''

Ripping through her like a thunderstorm, she felt as the lies she'd been telling in the past rocked sickly within. Isla gulped, nervously tugging at the ends of her sleeves as her arms rested in her lap. Not knowing if she was meant to tell him what she and Malfoy had done.

But Isla as the girl she was and the girl who had lied to both of the boys — didn't want to do it anymore. She didn't wish to have lies held over her head or for someone to get hurt again.

''I need to tell you something,'' Her mind battled, yet it felt safe telling him the truth. Even if he'd been gone, their energy still matched utterly, ''About Malfoy and me.''

''Yeah?'' Theodore gazed out over the night, keeping his sight locked on the treetops illuminated by the moonlight, ''You two have been getting closer, I see.''

''Theo...'' She sighed, her throat stiffened. Her mouth tasted dry, ''I don't want you to be mad at me.''

''Why would I be mad at you?'' Looking back at her, his eyes glistened with agony as he sought to hide it, ''I left, you don't have to explain yourself or anything you have done to me.''

Panic rocked inside. Her heart felt as if it was dropping, ''But I want to. I want to be honest with you — you were honest with me before you left, you told me about not using me, and all about your family. I want to do that too.''

Her fingers firmly wrapped around the material of her sleeves, ''I feel like that's the least I can do, being honest with you.''

''And what if I don't want to know?'' Theodore rasped out, pulling another cigarette out from its package, lightning it as he drew in the smoke, ''What if I don't want to know about you two? Do you still want to tell me?''

''Do you want to know?''

It was a simple question, yet it took him moments to answer it. He studied her, every expression she made as she waited for him to speak.

Blowing out the fog, he nodded, ''I think I do.''

''I slept with him,'' She said, blankly, ''Last night.''

Humming, Theodore's eyes flickered, not sure where to look, ''Once?''

''Once and we...'' She faltered for a bit, gathering the courage she felt like she needed, ''We did other things too, but we only slept together once.''

Theo would never admit to it, but hearing those words as they rolled off her tongue, hurt him. It stung in his chest, and he felt it burn through his veins.

''Do you like being with him?'' He asked, nearly biting his tongue not to sound too nosey, but he wanted to know. He wished to understand where they stood and where they could go from there.

Isla dragged a hand through her hair, easing the messy strands as she smiled at the way his curls tousled over his forehead, ''I think I do,'' She uttered, silently, ''I want to like him, and I like being with him, but I don't want it to come—''

''It's not my place,'' He hewed her off again. His skin crawling at the way the information bothered him, ''What you and Malfoy do has nothing to do with me. Like I said — you're free to do whatever you want, Clarke. I left, not you.''

Clenching her jaws, she nodded, feeling sadness as it mounted her.

She didn't wish for this. Even if she craved to be truthful — she still felt as if she wounded everyone around her, and it took her a mere second to look back at him.

''I'm sorry,'' She told, tucking a curl behind her ear, ''I'm sorry I didn't wait for you.''

''I didn't ask you to,'' Theo forced a smile, comforting her from a distance, ''I never asked you to wait for me. What happened between us is my fault, and with all the things I said to you — how I treated you, it's on me, not you. So don't apologize.''

Arching her spine off the pillar, she bent forward, ''I did wrong too. It's not all on you. It's not just your fault that everything went down the way it did. I used you, even if I didn't mean to, or noticed it when it happened, I did, and I lied to you, Theo. I lied to you about things I shouldn't have and for that, all of it — I am sorry.''

Biting down his lower lip, his chest fell and rose visibly heavier, ''I know you are,'' He still smiled at her, ''I think we all are a bit sorry about everything.''

''Theo—''

''You know I didn't use you now, and you know that I didn't do anything to hurt you. That's all that matters to me. You didn't deserve what I did, at all, but at least you know the truth now,'' Looking at her with a calm storm as it rose in his pupils, he sought to push his feelings aside.

''I want you to be happy, and he's—''

''You made me happy,'' Isla huffed out in a whisper, not truly sure if she wished for him to hear it.

Theodore hushed for so a second.

''And he's a good guy, Clarke. I think you'll be happy with him,'' Theo brushed the fabric of his pants off, ''He's my best friend for a reason, and he could need someone like you.''

''It's not like that...'' Isla sounded desperate, her tone leveling, ''We haven't— It's not like that, we have barely talked. I don't know what I want.''

Theodore caught onto the dismay in her voice, and he softened his own, granting her all the solace he could, ''You have time to figure it out.''

Theodore didn't look the same. Isla could tell. He looked worn, his persona weak and wounded. It got her thinking of what happened to him as he was away.

What could have made the certain boy shift so abruptly in his behavior the month she didn't see him. She wanted to ask him, to make him understand that she indeed cared for him.

Worry scored through her as she watched him push his palms into the floor, drawing a deep breath as he stretched tall.

''I missed you,'' He said as he stood up, reaching a hand towards her, helping her stand up on two feet.

Her cheeks blushing in a rosy color as she held close to him, sensing his scent and breathing it in — just in case he would disappear again.

''I missed you more...'' She whispered, feeling his hand as it brushed against her cheek, ''I missed you so much.''

Oh, how she'd thirsted for his touch.

''Shhh,'' Theo hushed her, letting his fingers stroke along her jaw, ''Don't do this to me.''

Isla frowned, her skin slightly drained for color, ''Do what?'' She asked, lowly and he smiled at her before withdrawing his touch altogether.

''Don't make me want you,'' He muttered, raising his chin, and he peered out over the darkness around them. ''I can't want you, Clarke. I can't want you because I will never be able to stand against it.''

''Then don't stand against it...'' She tried to catch his glance again, ''It doesn't have to be like last time.''

Theodore didn't answer.

He simply bowed his head towards the stairs, gesturing for her to walk ahead of him, ''I'll walk you back to the dungeons.''

_____