III
Bella woke up from the dream a hand on her heart, light sweat covering her forehead, she struggled to breath and couldn't help but think of the reason why she was the way she was. In that moment, a pair of ice cold blues flashed before her own and she nearly let out a scream in absolute anger and frustration, for she hated how chained in the past the man had her. She scrambled out of bed and headed for the bathroom in their dorm room, she couldn't stop the tears that escaped her eyes as she thought of how she might never get better, no matter how much she tried to forget, it seemed impossible with every nightmare that would haunt her most nights.
She knew that there was no way she would be able to go back to sleep after that, no matter how much she wanted to. walking back into her room, she retrieved her cell phone from beneath her pillow and the clock read 4:30 am, which explained the heaviness her lids still held with every blink. Letting out a sigh, she decided that she might as well kick start her day. Trading her pyjamas for some tights and a medium hoodie that stopped mid-thigh on her, her Champaign tendrils of hair tied in a ponytail, she put on her trainers and with that she was ready to go for a much needed run. She then took her ear pods and iPad and made for the door, leaving a sleeping Emily behind.
Music plugged in, Bella took off to nowhere in particular with just a deep urge to run and run from all that she wished to leave behind. The chilly weather of the early morning brought her a sense of comfort in the way it cooled her heated temperature and the familiar burning of her muscles and the music that blasted in her ears made her forget for a while, an hour and a half later she was back at the dorms again.
She wasn't surprised to find Emily still wonderfully asleep, for she had come to know that the girl really loved her sleep, since she moved into her dorms with her. She had been surprised when she had arrived at her dorm room only to find someone else unpacking boxes on the side her former roommate had taken. With that she had found out that she changed colleges for reasons still unknown to her, and there to take her place was Emily who hadn't been pleased with her previous roommate at all.
That was a few months ago and she had come to consider the girl a friend despite the fact that they hardly very talked or hung out, curtesy to Bella keeping to herself around knew people. Which made sense because it was a while before she became close friends with Deacon to begin with, it also helped that the young man was ever so insistent to bring her out with him, and she was new having not known anyone and open for new experiences, to an extent at least.
Bella headed straight for the shower to rid of the sweat on her body, and decided to let her hair air-dry after, by letting it free fall down her back. Still finding it hard to believe that she had actually dyed it only to hide the brunette curls and in search for another experience that would offer her a change from her past, it had been a split second decision of spontaneity. Clad in a white cardigan and a blue denim skirt and she put on white sneakers to complete her look.
She, for some reason as always, took a sticky note to inform Emily of her where abouts, it had become a habit when she was the first to leave the room, she thought it to be common curtesy.
she plastered it above Emely's bed post where she was bound to see it when she does her bed, and set the girl's alarm just in case, being that it was Monday and she had class in a few hours.
Within a few minutes, she stood in the line in a café and when her turn arrived for her to order, she settled for two coffees, one a latte and the other black with two sugars, she bought one big medium chocolate muffin, knowing that Deacon wouldn't want any of it, since he had turned yesterday into his cheat day instead.
"If it isn't my regular customer" Stan greeted with his ever killer smile, and Bella offered her own.
"You know it" she said
"The regular then?' he questioned to which she nodded, and with that response Stan made to get her order fixed up. Bella couldn't help but think that had she been normal, she could have easily fallen for the charming young man with his pretty ocean blues and shaggy blonde hair sealed off by his dazzling smile. However, she felt nothing for the fellow student, she simply found enjoyment in how he looked, with no idea of his
personality being that she's never really hung out with him nor stuck around long enough for any type of conversation.
On the other side, Emily simply smiled at the sticky note wondering why Bella even left her one to begin with, however, she still found it to be a cute gesture. Deciding that it was finally time, she would text her about where and when to meet her when she goes to hang out with her friends later. For she had been serious when she had invited Bella along, being that they have been roommate for a few months now and she was yet to know Bella, and seeing by how little her social circle seemed to be, despite that this was her second year compared to her own third, she thoughts it might be nice to introduce her to knew people, even if that meant her own friends, for she didn't really mind her, way better than the last roommate she had had.
However, her motives weren't entirely for charitable purposes, what she also really wanted to know was what it was that the
girl hid, to have such high closed off walls, for nobody could possibly be so closed off, and being part of the world she was, she could always tell when someone was hiding
something, and she needed to know that she could trust her new roommate.
It was around 4:30 pm when Emily and Natasha returned from the mall, being that they had had just three lectures to attend, she knew that Bella was possibly done with her lectures by then, and that was why she sent a text to her while on their way to their usual hang out spot
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Bells^
Meet us at café Rou at 4:40 sharp, no excuses, Be there
And don't try to ignore this and act like you didn't see it ;) I'll know.
- E
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Bella was about to hit the gym for the evening, when she received a text from Emily, which showed her that the young woman had been serious with her invitation. She took one last scoop from the chocolate ice cream tub before she shoved it in their mini fridge, before deciding to change into something hang out worthy. She had been curious and confused when she had found the tub placed outside her dorm room with a single rose and note attached to it. The note had a number on it, and said
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Hope this pays off my debt.
PS. Text me
- L
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And she had known right then who it had come from, but she was yet to text him, hack she wasn't even sure whether she wanted to or not. Hence the note lay between her the three stacks of books on top of her bedside cabinet. She also knew that there was no escaping, for she was bound to be forced into said hang out sooner or later being that she shared a room with Emily, it was rather inevitable and she wasn't in the mood of delaying it.
"You really invited her over didn't you?" Jeffrey was the first to question, judging by the small satisfied smile Emily had on, and she only hummed and nodded in response. Liam fought the edge to palm his face and a groan was heard from one of their friends because Emily had officially invited a stranger into their tight nit group of six. And it seemed they wouldn't have to wait any longer, for the chime went off above the door of the café and Emily turned only to wave the young woman's way.
Seeing their group, Bella could only groan and question herself, what the hell am I doing? As she headed toward the table of six Emily included. Great, always the odd one out, she thought again. She finally stopped in front of the booth and as if only then realising her presence, everyone looked up at her, and it suddenly felt like the first day when she had had to spar for the first time with everyone's eyes staring at her. She let out a weak "HI" with a slight wave and a forced smile. They didn't miss it, nor did Kent and Natasha attempt to hide their displeasure of her presence and she could only wish she hadn't come at all.
Emily seemed to be the only one happy to see her, as she scooted over to make space for her when no one else did. Liam could see why Emily would think that Bella was adorable, and thought that those eyes could have anyone wrapped around her finger, but he could also see she had walls that seemed impenetrable.
"Well, you already know each other, so no introductions needed" Clair says, remembering the time Bella had met them for but a brief second when she had found them about to leave her dorm room. She had realised just how tight nit they were, hence her apprehension to officially join them. .
"And you guys must remember the adorkable Bella" Bella almost choked on air when Emily said the word
"Uhh what?" she stared at Emily wide eyed with flushed cheeks that near resembled a ripe tomato
"You're right, she Is adorable" Jeffrey was one to say as he chuckled at Bella's expression, prompting Sam to join in highly amused, and Liam could only smile shaking his head at the teasing manner of his friends that was directed at the poor girl.
However, Kent was the least amused as he scrutinized Bella because he still didn't trust her, ever finding it hard to trust anyone at all aside from his friends, however, Natasha only felt irked simply for the fact that Jeffrey just made that comment in a form of a compliment and it was not directed to her. A waiter came over to take their order, only for Bella to realise that it was Stan
"Oh, it's you again, twice in one day, I must be lucky" he said with slight flintiness in his tone and winked at her for good measure, Bella could tell he was also joking from his teasing grin
"Very much so" Bella couldn't help but play along with a genuine smile on her lips. The gang watched, slightly intrigued by the exchange between the two
"So what will you have this time?" he asked more to her than the others in the booth, satisfied he could get the reaction he wanted out of her, he got it out of most girls after all and it seemed like Bella was no different, alas, only because he knew no better.
"I'll have a double cheese burger and fries without ketchup please" She lightly ordered.
The sweet melody of it only lured the boys in even more, and for a second Kent could have sworn she really was harmless. Everyone else gave out their order after that, and the waiter left soon after.
"How are you already acquainted with Stan Kennedy?" Natasha was first to ask, wondering what he possibly saw in her
"Oh, I'm a regular customer, that's all" she responded with a sincere smile toward Natasha that she almost choked on her own jealousy and vileness however little she had toward Bella. Natasha's response was an
"OH"
"Well he's like, the biggest player on campus…"
"You meant to say second to You biggest player on campus" Emily retorted as she interrupted Sam before he could finish his statement in a form of a warning for Bella to stay clear of him.
"Haha very funny, not my fault females throw themselves at me" Sam retorted back with a smugness about him. Bella watched with amusement, intrigued by the bunch, and wondered how they all ended up as friends. She was in no way a fool of course, and could tell right off the bat that tell that Kent didn't like her much and she couldn't blame him, same applied to Natasha who seemed to have a problem with her and she could only wonder what it was and why.
"So where are you from?" Liam questioned out of curiosity
"LA actually" Bella served the lie up on a silver platter, hiding all evidence of the lie, and none of them could think otherwise
"Seriously? That's pretty cool, but why not go for UCLA then?" it was Emily to question her next, and Bella couldn't help but think this meeting nothing but an interrogation on her, Emily on the other hand couldn't think of any reason someone would want to leave the sunny weather and the beach for a noisy city with chilly weather most of the year.
"I just needed a change of scenery" Bella responded shrugging with nonchalance and before she could be asked any more questions, their orders arrived.
Unfortunately, that didn't stop the onslaught of questions thrown her way, varying from her hobbies to whether she had siblings or not, and with every personal question they shot her way, she had to stop herself from flinching or welling up in tears.
At the end she was quite impressed with how well she had kept her composure when she said she'd rather not talk about it especially when it concerned her family. Bella being as sharp as she was, not even Kent could best her, therefore, he saw no sign of not at least giving her a chance, and so he's calmed his jitters for now.