It's Bella's turn to laugh. She laughed so hard that she began tearing up. "Girlfriend?" She continued, wiping tears as she said the word.
"Yes..." He replied unamused by her reaction. "...girlfriend, Rosey."
He scoffed and explained like he was talking to a three year old, "Oh, sorry. I forgot who I was talking to. A girlfriend is something that a boyfriend has when they are in a relationship."
He's trying to get on her nerves again. She bit her tongue trying not to curse at him. He knows exactly that he has the upper hand and the jerk likes to rub it on her face, engaging him wouldn't do her any good. Plus, he's right. She hasn't heard the term girlfriend associated with her name before but she wasn't going to admit that to Mr. Know-it-all.
For the last 37th guys she confessed to, all was unrequited love. Well, let's just say she had a minor problem being a tidbit aggressive and optimistic about the idea of being in love with someone. A tidbit. But who can blame her? To fall in love with someone is like smoking weed. It's highly addicting--(Not that she tried that or anything.)
When she stopped laughing she turned her attention back to Gian Matthew. She eyed him curiously as if trying to figure out what is he up to. There's no doubt his scheming something vile in that gorgeous head of his. She immediately shooked her head at the word trying to throw off the idea that she's kind of attracted to him. She focused more on how to answer him.
"It's Bella, NOT Rosey." She corrected him. "And why on earth would you want me as your girlfriend?"
"Now, now," he said as if trying to tame a wild animal. "You'll be a pretend girlfriend, Rosey. Don't go jumping to conclusions and get any funny ideas in that tiny head of yours." He replied with a snort. He continued saying, "No offense, but you aren't exactly girlfriend material." She took that offense. Definitely. Her hands balled into a fist.
"Again, it's Bella, not Rosey." She replied gritting her teeth. "And why do I have to pretend to be your girlfriend? There are tons of other women who would rather dive in on that chance" she gestured the door, remembering the girl who runs off there awhile ago.
"Because I can" he replied as a matter-of-fact. "May I remind you of your disgusting little black book full of horror?" He added smugly.
"It's a guide--" she exhaled in exasperation. Undeniably, Bella does not have any other choice but to accept. Thinking what he could do to her guidebook sends shivers down her spine. The guidebook meant a lot to her. She poured her heart out on every page of that book for the last six years. Knowing that it's lost, destroyed, or worse? Her heart sank in the thought. She shoved the thought away and looked at her blackmailer not thinking of what may happen after she agrees.
"You know what? Fine!" She added throwing her hands in the air as a sign of defeat. "I'll be your stupid pretend girlfriend. Now can you please give me back my book?" she reached out her hand.
"Who said you can have it back?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Do I look dumb to you?" He started to walk past her towards the exit. "You'll have it when I am done with you, Rosey." he winked grinning at her.
And just like that, he left her alone on the roof with her thoughts, processing what had just happened. She has a boyfriend. A pretend boyfriend. Anyone in the right mind would love that idea but Bella wasn't in the right mind.
"ARRRRRG!" She shouted at the top of her lungs from frustration.
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For the last six years, Bella's idea of being in a relationship meant having someone you can lean on and be happy and sad with. From hundreds of articles she read and collage on her guidebook, it taught her one important fact, that being in love meant you can be true to yourself to the person you love and they'd accept you for who you are nonetheless.
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But in reality and in this century? it doesn't really work that way.
The next day, "I'm sorry WHAT?" Leslie said raising her voice and eyebrows at her.
It was necessary for Bella to tell Leslie about what had happened yesterday with Gian Matthew. Sure, she'd go berserk and overreact at everything but Bella doesn't really care about it all right now. She just wanted someone she can confide on before she explodes from keeping everything in.
"He blackmailed me," she said with a heavy sigh.
"Ok, ok" Leslie said adjusting her safety goggles trying to calm herself down. She was pacing back and forth their chemistry table biting her nails trying to sink in what Bella told her.
They were supposedly trying to follow instructions about oxidation-reduction reaction with the teacher's modules but Bella wasn't really into Chemistry right now. As soon as the teacher sat down and continued reading his book she spilled every detail she can remember from yesterday to Leslie. She looked at her best friend again half regretting why she even started this conversation.
"So, Gian Matthew said that you will be pretending to be his girlfriend." she continued adding air quotes on the last word. "And what exactly does he mean?"
"I.. He... I'll.." Bella replied trying to think.
"OH MY GOD!" Leslie said in a hushed voice with wide eyes trying to contain herself from screaming. "You don't even know?!" It's a good thing they were far out the back of the room or else the teacher would probably hear her.
"Are you insane?! He's Gian Matthew!" she added trying to screeched out the words miserably trying to stop herself from blowing up. Maybe I am, Bella thought. "Why did you even agree with that in the first place? Do you have any idea-"
"I told you, he has my guidebook. I just can't-" she replied trying to let her understand the rest. When no words, come out of her mouth Bella started to grab the flask on the table pretending to be suddenly interested with how to turn the water into pink. She knit her eyebrows whisking the flask to mix its contents.
"You can't what?" Leslie urges her to finish. When Bella didn't answer Leslie stopped pacing and turn towards her best friend. "I told you to throw away that guidebook of yours."
Bella looked up at Leslie's face with saddened eyes. She knows where this converstion is going. Bella sighed waiting for the long monologue that's coming.
Leslie did try to warn her about that guidebook countless of times. She understands her reasons for not relying too much on the guidebook. It did after all, failed her 37th times.
"Don't you look at me like that," Leslie said in a none threatening tone. She sigh deeply before continuing, "That thing doesn't even come close to real-life experiences. It's just a bunch of tips and articles with high falutin words. It's a one-sided opinion. It's flattery words to give you a perfect idea about love. Love is not perfect. Loving someone is never going to sound so engaging. You can't know love base on books, it's an experience."
When Leslie finished ranting she sat down in their table exhausted with lecturing Bella who never listens and let out a deep sigh. Bella sigh in return.
She was right of course, Bella thought. The guide book is just a bunch of articles that lets you have the idea of being in love with someone but that isn't really the reason why she kept it for six years.
The guidebook was her salvation. Her go-to list whenever her confidence wane because of being rejected. It was a reminder for her to always look for the bright side of things. To keep her head up high when the love she gives doesn't come back. Bella loves the idea of being in love with someone and craves the same love as her parents have with each other. She yearns for it so much that she attached herself to her guidebook as a life-line. For she believed that somewhere out there, a soulmate who is destined for her is looking for her as well and face it, a guys head is full of wonders. You never know what they're thinking. Having a guidebook like that to find out exactly how boys are, is pretty much like a bible figuring out how to communicate with them.
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The school bell rang loudly through the busy halls of Pacific High. Students roam around the hallways to go to their next classes. Leslie went silent after her rant during Chemistry. Bella doesn't really want to have this looming silence between them, but she doesn't really know how to respond to what Leslie said. She practically made it felt like it was her own fault in the first place. And that wasn't something Bella wanted admit right now. She wanted someone to confide in not someone who'd lecture her.
They have a different classes until school's over so she just nodded when Leslie waved her hand goodbye to go to her next class. Bella walk towards her locker with the conversation in Chemistry replaying through her head. She was zoning out when someone grabbed her forearm spinning her head against the culprit.
"What the hell?" she said rubbing her forehead where she was hit by what felt like cement. She looked up at the tall person who had such a hard toned chest.
"Isn't that supposed to be my line?" that low, familiar, sexy timbre in his voice sends unwanted tingles up her spine but she brushed it right away remembering who she was talking to.
"What do you want jerk?" she said in annoyance.
"Is that how you say hello to your boyfriend, Rosey?" he asked her with an eyebrow. "Not very cute." He made a face.
Bella rolled her eyes in reply. She turned around and began walking towards her locker again with Gian Matthew tailing behind.
There were several eyes looking their way, some whispers that she couldn't hear but know that they were gossiping about them. When she finally reached her locker she dialed her combination and started to grab her books while the jerk leaned in on the other side of her locker. Several whispers turned louder this time but Bella still doesn't care. She had enough.
"So, I have this homework I need you to do" he said turning his back on their audience that was eavesdropping.
"Aren't I suppose to be a pretend girlfriend not some homework slave of yours?" she replied trying to mock him. It didn't work on him though. He brushed it off and replied, "Yes and yes."
Gian Matthew's eyes crinkle and grinned, "Semantics. Say it whatever you want, it's all the same for me."
"You'll still be my girlfriend." he added turning his back on the locker so that everyone looking their way hears him.
OH MY GOD. She grabbed his elbow and whirl him around her locker. "What the hell are you doing?" she asked in a whisper.
"What?" he replied defensively. "Aren't you, my girlfriend Rosey?" he said in a louder voice.
Unbelievable, her face felt hot and she had to fight the urge to slap his cocky smug face. All eyes were on them now, she hastily dumped her books in her bag and slam shut her locker walking far away from him.
"I'll see you later, Rosey," he shouted, his voice drowning through the busy sounds of students rushing in the hallway.
"Jerk," she muttered under her breath.
Bella always imagined having a boyfriend would mean exciting and thrilling but after several classes in her afternoon schedule she felt like she was slowly dying. Apparently, Gian Matthew's theatrics in the hallway worked pretty well with spreading news about their fake relationship. In all her classes, she felt someone had stabbed her with a knife on her back with all the eyes directly staring at her.
At one point she kept looking at her back to check if they were all looking at someone else but her fears turned out to be true when one girl in her Algebra class asked her if she's seeing Gian Matthew. She replied with a smile not answering the question while the girl sneered at her avoidance. Was this his plan? To make me the center of attention? she thought to herself. Not only was he blackmailing her, but he was also trying to ruin her life. Who was he to have this kind of attention?
When class was over she rushed down to meet Leslie on their usual spot at the school ground and was determined to tell her how sorry she was when she didn't listen to her. If she had, she wouldn't be in this sticky situation. Bella eyed the building exit but before she could go through Melissa blocked the door with fire in her eyes.
"You're in a relationship with Gian Matthews?" she asked straight away. "The Gian Matthews?"
What is up with these people? It's as if he's famous or something. "Hi there," Bella replied with a wave.
"You didn't answer the question." Melissa snapped glaring at her. "Do you even have any idea how many people are targeting your head right now?"
Bella opened her mouth to say something but Melissa continued.
"Gian Matthew is known as the bad boy throughout the school," she explained. "He's the top one hottest guy on our popular list, datable, and bangable list... THE LIST in our school newspaper," she added matter-of-factly.
Bangable? Bella chuckled. She was exaggerating, if he's that popular and how come she didn't even know him before their first meeting at the school gate? When sudden realisation hit her hard as to why it was.
Bella was mainly attracted to guys who have a friendly attitude. Someone who is easily approachable. Someone easy on the eyes. Someone that leaves a warm feeling when you see him. Gian Matthew isn't even close for that someone.
"For the last forever he never had any relationship," Melissa continued enunciating every word. "Let alone have a girl hang around him. And now.." she snorted.
"He's in a relationship with you," She pointed at Bella accusingly. "Something doesn't add up."
I could say the same thing, Bella cleared her throat and waited to let her explain, "It's not exactly like that. Not what you all think really." She couldn't exactly say why they were in a relationship because that would mean exposing her secret guidebook throughout the school.
"It's what everybody thinks," Melissa said in frustration. "First, you have a history with the hot new guy making way to our school newspaper popular list and now you're dating the Gian Matthew? I need you to tell me everything."
"There's nothing to tell," Bella said shaking her head. Melissa didn't budge, unsatisfied with Bella's answer. "Ok fine, we are... sorta... in a re... re.... rela... relationship." Bella vomited inwardly. She gulped trying to shove it back down.
"How?"
"What do you mean how?"
"How and when did you two start dating?" Melissa asked curiously. "He never lets anyone near him"
Good God. "It... sorta.. just... happened," Bella replied trying to think of some other convincing excuse. Melissa surely wouldn't buy that answer but before she asked her another question. She added, "I've already interviewed Nate.. I mean Nathaniel."
She bit her lip as her eyes lands on the floor avoiding Melissa's eyes. When she finally looked up to see her reaction. Melissa's eyes spark in anticipation, she took the bait.
"Yeah, yeah," Bella said nervously trying to answer what was going on Melissa's head. "I'll give it to you on Friday. Promise. I just left it at home."
And with that, she skipped past Melissa who was too distracted in with the bomb about Nate's interview. She had to lie, it was the only way for Melissa to drop the Gian Matthew issue. She was almost at the ground floor when an ice cold bucket of water was dumped on her head soaking her uniform. She looked up to see who dump it but saw no one. It could be an accident or someone was trying to piss her off. If it was the latter it totally worked. She wiped dry her face with a handerchief and started to walk outside the school ground determined to find her best friend.
"What happened to you?" Leslie asked handing her with a handkerchief.
"He happened," she groaned. "You're right. I should've thrown or burn that guidebook when I had a chance."
"Wait... Gian, did this to you?" She blinked looking at Bella with concerned eyes. "He dumped water on you?"
"No... Yes... Maybe.." Bella replied sounding annoyed while trying to wipe her clothes dry. For the last few days Bella had been on a constant spiraling series of unfortunate events and now she was about to lose her sanity. "I honestly don't know. I didn't see anyone."
"It could be an accident," Bella added convincing more to herself to keep her tears at bay.
"Yeah..." Leslie nodded slowly, "Dumping water on you is an accident"
As if trying to have the same conclusion, Bella asked, "Why would anyone dump water on me on purpose?"
"I don't know?" Leslie shrugged. "I guess... it's because of the rumors floating around."
"What rumors?" Bella questioned. Leslie sigh and replied, "I was half sure if it was true you know... with what you told me earlier."
"I mean I know that he blackmailed you to be his fake girlfriend for whatever reason. So I asked around..." she said avoiding Bella's eyes. "I think I know why he asked you to be his girlfriend."
"And?"
"Well, he's on the verge of a suspension," she said finally. "Because he punched a teacher in the face."
"And what does that have to do with me?"
"I don't know if it's true..." Leslie said hesitating to continue. "Well..."
"Well, what?" Bella said in irritation. Leslie knows something she doesn't and the fact that she isn't able to say it to her straight away is nerve-wracking because for the last six years they were best friends she never hide anything from her. Let alone hesitate when it comes to gossip.
"Well.. he punched a teacher because he was harassed." She gulped trying to let Bella sink it in. "And there's rumors going around that he has a lot of sasaeng fans."
"Harrassed? Sasaeng?" Bella said quizzically.
"You know," Leslie said darting her eyes around to see if someone might hear her. "Stalkers," she whispered under her breath.
"I'm sorry..." Bella replied trying to shake her head in disbelief. "Did you just say stalkers?"
Leslie nodded.
"Stalkers?" she repeated. "Like with an 'S'."
Leslie nodded again.
Bella couldn't believe her ears. Even as she lay in her bed she couldn't believe that a guy like Gian Matthew has a stalker. How could that jerk have a stalker? scratch that, stalkers she thought. He does have a handsome rugged face and a hard chest, definitely a sign that he has rock hard abs underneath all that too. Plus, his mesmerizing eyes that you could never tell which color they really were. She cursed herself complimenting and thinking about him. She's supposed to hate his guts and she does. She will be. She totally will be.
She tosses and turned on her bed trying to get some sleep, but the more silence fills her room the more her mind wandered off thinking things. When she finally gave up, she took her headphones and put them over her head. She turn the volume on and closed her eyes trying to sleep again. When she finally dozed off, she was startled awake by a nightmare.
With her mind rewinding everything that happened it's a hundred percent likely that it'll be a dream about him. Scratch that--more like a nightmare.
"Oh my god." She clap her hand over her mouth and gasped trying to catch her breath. "He's using me as bait."
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