𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐀

I walked into the school with an uneasy feeling after the whole incident with James yesterday. If that wasn't bad enough, the school looked at me, whispering and giving me weird looks. Soon enough I knew why. As I walked into the hallway my confused expression was replaced with a terrified one.

The posters for the donation gala. Up everywhere. With mine and James's face on it. Blood rushing to my face and my head throbbing, I rush to find him. I see him in the cafeteria. "What the fuck, James?!" I storm up to him.

"Hi to you as well." He smirks and I couldn't take it. "What is up with those posers?!" Tears threaten to fall on my cheeks. "Bella, what's wrong, I thought that's what you wanted?" 

"What do you mean? Our faces on their together, what if our parents see it?" I Yell at him. "You asked for a poster, and I-" 

"No, I asked for a source to take a picture, not for you to make the poster! We had people working on it." Before he could answer I stormed out of there.

I see Lydia, her eyes filled with betrayal. "You and my brother? You couldn't care to tell me?" She glares at me. "Lydia, I'm sorry but that was nothing-" She scoffed and walked out there. 

I ran out of there and went to the courtyard and cried. This was going to fuck a lot of shit up. Especially my friendship with Lydia. 

After a while, I saw James. "There you are. I've been looking for you." I wipe my tears. I wasn't going to look weak in front of him. not anymore. 

"Bella I-" He takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I should've thought about it." 

"You should've." I sigh. 

"But, I did talk to our parents before doing it."

"What?!" I ask him, confused.

"Yeah, I told them it was for the gala and we were completely forced to do it." He smirks. "Well, we kinda were." I laugh. 

"Oh really?" His blue eyes looked into mine. "Well... sure." 

"Look, you might think everyone hates you, but they just want to be you." His playful tone changes into a serious one. "Why? cause they wish they were the girl in the picture?" I tried making him laugh but it didn't work.

"No, it's because you're perfect. And they aren't." it felt like we were getting closer to each other—inches apart, feeling his hot breath on my face. Was he going to kiss... me?

"Well, uh, You should come to the party tonight. I know Lydia might be... mad. But, She did work pretty hard for it." He gives me a stiff smile, pulling away from me. 

"Yeah, um, I'll be there," I tell him and he tells me bye as he leaves for class. 

At the party, 

Being here feels so wrong, but so right. I used to go to parties all the time, before everyone hated me. I'm pretty sure James was going to be with his friends the whole night so I don't even see the point of me being here.

So why did I come here? guess it was him. "What are you doing here?" Lydia walks up to me, with an extra sway to her hips. 

"Hi to you too." I flash a sly smile but she rolls her eyes. "cut the crap, Bella. Are you sleeping with my brother?" She asks, and thats when I stopped breathing. 

"what, NO! wait is that what everyone thinks?" I ask, panicking. "Yeah, wait, you didn't sleep with him?" 

"No! we just hung out to take the pictures and I guess we kinda got lost, but we didn't do anything!" except for that really perfect kiss. 

"Well, um, I guess I owe you an apology." She finally gives in and we hug. "I hated hating you, but don't even think about doing anything with my brother, alright?" she laughs. 

don't even think about doing anything with my brother. 9 words, were enough to bring my mood down. Here I was, thinking, maybe he'd kiss me again tonight, and his sister tells me to back off. 

"I'm gonna go find James —and, don't worry, I just have to discuss a few details about the gala with him." I reassure her and she leaves, smiling. 

"Hey Bell, I was looking for you." I turn around to see the face that belonged to that voice. James. "Hey, uh what's up." I try to keep it subtle. "Wanna dance?" He grins. 

"Your sister just asked me to back off from you, so my answer is no." I sigh. "it's just a dance, Carter. don't get so worked up" He teases me. 

I give in.

And just like that, I'm having the time of my life. Singing, Dancing, with James. My arms, free in the air, my mind, clear. 

He takes me to the backyard where the pool was. "wanna ditch?" He asks. "thought you'd never ask." I smile. He grabs his coat while one of his friends come closer to me. 

"The queen Arabella Carter has gotten even James Beaufort wrapped around her little finger." The guy laughs. 

"You should probably fuck off." I give him a warning, hoping he would leave. "Oh yeah? what are you going to do if I don't?" 

My ears started to ring as I felt a pair of arms push me into the water. 

my legs froze. "Someone help! she doesn't know how to swim" I heard Lydia say. 

I felt like I was dying, slowly drowning underwater. My arms hoping someone would pull me. I wanted to yell out "help!" but I couldn't. it was too late.