Chapter 7
“Come on. Let me take you home. It’s really dark out. I don’t think you should walk,” Chase said, hoping Isabella would agree. It wasn’t safe. Plus, he suddenly wanted to spend a little more time with her but wasn’t sure why.
“I can walk. It’s not far.”
Why did she keep insisting? “Then I’ll walk with you. You shouldn’t be alone.”
She considered his request, looking at the floor. “All right.”
He grabbed his jacket. “Great.”
Before they stepped outside, he called to his mother. “I’m going to walk Isabella home.”
“Okay,” his mother called, and they stepped outside. He closed his front door and stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets. A light breeze blew. He let Isabella lead.
“Are you a senior?” he asked.
“Yes. I can’t wait to graduate.”
“Yeah, me too. Are you going to college?”
“I . . . I want to. I’ve been applying for scholarships. I haven’t heard back yet.” She kept her gaze forward.
Chase hadn’t thought of the possibility that she didn’t come from a wealthy family. All the kids at their school lived in affluent neighborhoods. Maybe that’s why she didn’t want him to take her home. She was embarrassed. How could he make her understand that wealth didn’t matter to him?
“What school do you want to go to?”
She swallowed. “There are a few I like, but my favorite is the New Hampshire Institute of Art. What about you?” She gave him a sideways glance.
That was complicated. “I’ll probably end up going to an acting school.”
She squinted at him. “Is that what you want to do?”
No one ever asked him that. They all assumed he wanted to act. He sighed. “Not really.” Why was he feeling the need to spill his guts to everyone all of a sudden?
“What would you like to do?”
“That’s the stupid thing. I don’t know. I want to go to college and figure that out, like everyone else. Take some core classes. Live on my own. Find out what I’m passionate about. You know, the whole college experience.” He glanced at her to see if she was going to react to his statement.
She just nodded and gave him a small smile. “That makes sense.”
“My mom thinks that’s stupid. Since I’m good at acting, she thinks I should make a career out of it.”
“I totally get that.” She peered up at him. “Sorry.”
They turned down Ponderosa Drive, where the houses became mansions, and Chase grew confused. “This is the street you live on?”
“Yes. And I can walk alone from here.” She stopped.
He stared at her. She didn’t want him to know she lived in a mansion? That didn’t make any sense.
“Come on. Let me take you home.”
She sighed. “All right.” They walked for another block before she stopped. “This is my house.”
He looked at Delilah’s house. “You don’t live here.”
Her cheeks colored. “Yes, I do.”
His confusion grew. “But this is where Delilah and Ava live. I’ve been to parties here. I’ve never seen you here.”
She toed the ground. “Delilah doesn’t let me attend her parties.”
He grew angry on her behalf. “Why not?”
“It’s . . . complicated.” She glanced at her house, then turned back to him. “I should get inside.”
She was hiding something, but he didn’t want to push her too far. He knew what it was like to keep secrets, too. Better to give her space, so he took a step back. “Okay. See you tomorrow at school.”
“See ya.” She started toward the house, and he turned and walked away.
Was she Delilah’s twin sister? They looked nothing alike. Maybe they were half sisters or something.
He pulled out his phone and texted Five.
Is it too late to text you?
It took her a second to answer. No, I’m awake. What’s up?
Just missed you. How was your day? Did that guy talk to you again?
Yes.
Why did he feel a surge of jealousy over a girl he’d never really met? You like him a lot?
I think I do.
The words hit him like a sucker punch, which was stupid. They hardly knew each other. Does he know your name?
Yes.
Lucky guy.
But he barely knows I exist.
Then forget him. He’s not worth it. Date me instead. The words just came out. He hadn’t meant to ask her out, but after he typed it, he liked the idea. A lot. He’d love to meet this girl.
When she didn’t answer, he texted again. Five?
Sorry. Just trying to decide how to answer.
How about a yes?
He turned onto his street.
I would if I could.
What does that mean? Why can’t you date whoever you want?
I can’t really explain.
He walked up the steps to his house and entered. She was frustrating him.
I don’t understand.
I know.
Would you go out with me if your circumstances were different?
He went into the kitchen and pulled open the fridge. Scanning the contents, he decided to grab a soda. His mother came in behind him and took the soda from his hand. “Not this late at night.”
He scowled, but grabbed a bottled water instead of complaining. His phone chimed, and his mother looked at his phone. “Is that the girl you walked home?”
“No.” He didn’t elaborate, just gave her a smile and took his water bottle to his room. He swiped to look at Five’s text.
Yes.
He grinned at his phone. Then I’ll make it happen.
Isabella couldn’t quite hide the smile on her face as she scrounged for food in the kitchen. Chase wanted to date Five. Even though she knew he would be disappointed to find out who she really was, the fact that he wanted to get to know her better made her happy. Sure, she’d spent the evening with him, but that was for school. He wouldn’t have even looked at her had they not been paired up.
She pulled out some sandwich meat and made herself a quick meal before running back up the stairs. Thankfully, Elenore and her daughters weren’t anywhere in sight. Maybe they’d gone to bed already.
She texted Savannah.
Are you still up?
Yes! Call me! I’m dying over here!
Isabella laughed and dialed her friend. She picked up on the first ring. “How did it go with Chase? Spill all.”
Isabella flipped through her canvas paintings leaning up against the wall. “You’re not going to believe it.”
“What?”
“He wants to date me.”
“He asked you out? Girl, that’s fantastic! Was that while you were shopping for supplies?” Her voice was so high-pitched it could have made the neighbor’s dog bark.
“No, he didn’t ask me out. He asked Five out.” She didn’t see her poppy painting anywhere. She started looking again, going slower.
Savannah screamed into the phone. “He asked you out and he doesn’t even know who you are! This is good. What did you tell him?”
“I told him I couldn’t!”
“Good. Keep your identity secret. String him along for a little while more.”
“You have a strange mind.”
She still didn’t see the poppies.
“Just watch. Another couple of weeks, and you’ll have him eating out of your hand.”
Frustrated, Isabella plopped down on her bed. “I think my stepmother took one of my paintings.”
“Why would she do that?”
“Another way to control me, probably.”
“She’s kind of psycho, isn’t she?”
“You have no idea.”
Savannah giggled. “Well, I hope you get your painting back.”
“Thanks.”
“Good night, Isabella.”
“Night.”
She hung up and set her phone down on her desk.
What was going on? Why would her stepmother take her painting? It didn’t make any sense. Maybe she hid it because it reminded her of her father’s paintings?
Elenore, even though she was horrible, really did love her father when they married. Isabella could tell by the way she looked at him. Her father had fallen hard for Elenore as well. It was possible the pain of losing him so quickly after finding him was what made Elenore grow cold.
Elenore hadn’t always been rich. In fact, before she married Isabella’s father, she was almost destitute, trying to sell her paintings when no one would buy them. She constantly pestered Ava and Delilah to date the wealthy boys so she would know her daughters wouldn’t end up on the streets with no means of support. Delilah took it to heart and had been running after Chase ever since he landed his first movie role.
And that was why Isabella couldn’t ever date Chase. If Elenore found out, she would be livid.