@Bellarina
I have a surprise for you guys. Just keep in touch and keep your eyes peeled 'cause I can't say much about it right now.
#Fashionella #Instagram #FashionellaSurprise

"Bella, hurry up, we're running late!" Cody's voice from downstairs caused her to draw an extra line on her face with her eyeliner.

"Aw, not again!" she exclaimed, then kept the eyeliner and proceeded to wipe the line off.

She had fallen asleep sometime the previous night, holding her phone, and woken up to the sound of Cody trying to break down her door because she wasn't answering. Who knew Beau Algernon was a strong sleeping pill?

After cleaning the line off her face, she took her sky blue bow, then fixed it on the top of her ponytail.

"Bella, Viola's been waiting for ages. Come on!"

"Coming!" She grabbed her backpack from her bed, then ran out of her room.

Her blue sneakers rushed down the hallway and stairs, almost making her fall when she took a step too quick and the next too slow.

"Whoa there," Cody said, grabbing her before she fell and broke her limbs.

She let out a heavy breath, pulling away from him. "Thanks. Gosh, you were screaming like someone in need of a rabies shot."

"Whatever, let's go. Honestly, I thought you had died when I knocked after getting ready and you didn't reply."

"Aw! Someone loves me."

Someone cleared their throat, and Bella looked around Cody to see Viola with folded arms and a glare on her face. "Do you guys realize how late we are? Come on, let's go!" She gestured to the door, then turned to it.

Bella and Cody followed, walking quickly and trying to make up for the lost time.

During the drive, Bella checked her Twitter for any text from Beau, and was disappointed to see nothing. Well, that wasn't a problem. They went to the same school.

She tweeted about the surprise she had for her fans, liked a few tweets, then proceeded to make a video.

"Hey, guys," she began, pushing her hair away from her face, "if you've seen my tweet, I hope you're on the edge of your seat, or whatever you're sitting on. For now, I won't be answering any questions about it. Just know I've got something awesome planned. 'Til I say more, love you guys." She blew a kiss to her selfie camera, stopped the video, then took the phone down to watch it, in case it needed a do-over.

When she was done, she posted the video, then turned to Viola. She was staring out the window, the wind blowing her hair back.

"Hey," she said, hoping to gain her attention.

Viola turned to her. "Hey."

"Still on with our plan?"

"Definitely! Started work already. I'll show you at school." Then she glanced at Cody in a way that said she was really serious about the plan, and didn't just want to pull a prank that would probably cause him to pee his pants.

"Am I safe?" he asked, glancing in the rearview mirror. "Viola, why'd you look at me like that?"

"Mind your business and drive, Codilocks."

Cody's brow furrowed. Viola sounded cold, like she was mad at him. He glanced in the rearview mirror at her again and saw her give Bella a high five.

Bella was by her locker, taking some books out during her free period, when she heard a cool, "What's up?" behind her.

She turned around and almost dropped the books in her hand, but he placed a hand beneath hers—that now seemed small, compared to his—to steady them just in time. They both straightened at the same time, and he smiled, making her lips disobey her again.

"Sorry. I'm really clumsy today," she said, and he took his hand off hers.

"No problem. Glad I could be of help."

She smiled, not seeming to be able to speak. She wasn't ready for this. Finally, she said, "So, have a free period, too?"

"Not exactly. I kinda got bored and excused myself. Didn't expect to see you."

She playfully shook her head. "I didn't know you were so bad."

He gave a lazy shrug. "I guess it's good being bad sometimes."

She shifted the books in her hand, and he took them from her, their hands brushing gently against each other in the slightest of touches. "Thanks."

He gave her a wink, then balanced the books. "Algebra," he said, gesturing to the textbook at the top. "My sworn enemy."

"The whole of math is your sworn enemy."

"You never let me make a point, do you?"

She shook her head, and he smiled.

"So I have this gig on Friday at the Bikers' Club, and I was wondering if you'd like to come. You know, to be my four-leafed clover."

"Club, you say," she said. Going to his gig wasn't a problem. She would just ask her mom for permission and return early. But the location was where the problem lay. "I think I'm a little underage for clubs."

He laughed. "Hey, I wouldn't invite you if it was illegal."

"I'm not sure I can put it past you."

"I swear, my feelings are destroyed beyond repair. Why would I do that?"

She thought about it for a while, but couldn't come up with a reason. Beau didn't seem like that kind of guy—the kind that would convince her to make a fake ID, even though she was sure she couldn't pass for eighteen.

"See," he said, "no reason." She still didn't say anything, so he added, "You don't have to come if you don't want to, really. It's fine."

Could she really do that and disappoint him? The gig seemed really important to him, and she wanted to be his four-leafed clover.

"I'll think about it," she finally said. "And I'll need to ask my mom, too. I'll let you know if I make up my mind."

Somehow, she felt like she had had that conversation before, but she couldn't remember when or where, so she blamed it on a dream she probably had.

"Means a lot. I should get back to class. I'll see you later."

"Sure." She took her books back. "Thanks again."

"Don't mention. See ya."

She wanted to lift her hand in a small wave, but remembered that they were currently occupied.

As he walked away, she had the feeling that that moment had happened before—again—and she tried hard to remember if it really was one of those dreams she sometimes had about the future. That was when she realized it.

Travon

* * *

Her and Viola barely had time to talk to each other all day, but they could see some other time. Travon and her, however, were limited to the walls of Wyland High.

She stood outside the robotics lab, where the coding club supposedly met, and waited for him to walk out. She needed to take that offer.

While she waited, she scrolled through her phone, first checking her inbox—which still didn't have any email from Michelle—then her Twitter. The video had gotten a good number of views so far, and she promised to deal with comments later.

How long did coding club meetings last? They were taking forever.

Just as she thought of pushing the door open and walking in, someone walked out. She didn't have to look before recognizing that aura. At any other location, she wouldn't have cared, but the coding club's meeting room?

"Amparo, what are you doing here?"

Amparo rolled her eyes. "You seem to like asking me that question, don't you? How's that any of your business?"

"You're in the coding club?"

"Mm, ish."

What did she mean by ish? "What does that mean?"

"Ugh! Seriously, my day went great, and I honestly don't want you to spoil it at the last minute. So just shut up and let me go."

What was she doing anyway? She unknowingly began a conversation with Amparo. Amparo Cotton. Like there weren't other people in the world to start conversations with.

The door opened again, and a couple other students walked out, including the boy she had been waiting for.

"Hey, Bella," he said.

"Hey. Sorry I haven't talked to you like I promised."

For some reason, Amparo didn't leave. She stood there, watching the both of them talk.

"No problem."

"So my answer is yes. I'll do it."

"Oh," he said, a you-might-not-like-this look coming over his face. "Um, about that. Yeah, the spot's taken."

Bella couldn't believe her ears, so she just stared. "What?"

"I asked a couple other people and only one came on time."

"Then why didn't you tell me?" she asked, like it was his fault.

"I just thought you weren't interested."

"Are you kidding me? I told you I'd think about it. Would I have said that if I wasn't interested?"

Immediately it was out of her mouth, she realized who she was talking to. She paused. Did she just talk to him like a bratty five-year-old?

"I told you not to take long deciding. Today's Wednesday, and I didn't have a choice. Sorry."

She shut her eyes for a second, then asked, "Okay, who has the spot?" She had the right to know, right?

"You're standing right beside her," Amparo cut in, and Bella turned to her, shocked.

The spot was taken by her. Okay. No panicking. It was fine. It was just a stupid filming spot. She shot videos all the time. No worries. But gosh! She filmed alone! Travon wasn't there. He wasn't there!

"I knew taking the spot was a good idea," Amparo continued, then poked her in the shoulder with a manicured index, her trademark smile on her face. "Not so awesome without Steph, are you?"

The way she said the 'awesome' reminded Bella of the summer day she found out Stephanie was leaving, and it sent a bolt of fear through her veins. She had almost forgotten Amparo heard everything she had said about Viola that day.

Normally, she would've talked back, but things had changed now, so she glanced at Travon, who looked a bit confused, then walked past them.

Travon had betrayed her greatly. And Amparo? Who did she think she was? Just because Stephanie wasn't there anymore didn't mean she had the right to take her spot.

She honestly wanted the rest of the day to go well and make her forget that horrible, horrible incident, so at dinner, she told her mom about Beau's gig, hoping to get a lecture on what and what not to do. But instead—

"No."

Her fork stopped halfway to her mouth. "What?"

"You can't go."

"But Mom—"

"No buts. You can't go, that's final."

"Yes, it is. He's inviting you to a club at fifteen. No way!" Cody added. His shift in adding spice to whatever anyone said had officially begun.

Why didn't he just mind his business? Oh, that Grim Reaper costume would hit him bad.

"It's just called that. I looked it up, and it's just a place people go to listen to live music and have a few drinks."

Okay, maybe she shouldn't have mentioned the last bit. They would definitely take it the wrong way.

"Drinks!" both her mom and brother exclaimed, then Cody said, "See? And did you look up the legal age?"

She sighed in frustration, wanting to poke him in the eye with her fork. "It's not a typical club. It's not illegal to go there at fifteen," she explained.

"Did he tell you that?"

"What's your problem? You're not my mom."

"He's not," her mom said, "but he's right. You can't go."

"If it's about the drinks, then I promise not to have anything. Not even water. I haven't even drank before."

"You're still not going."

"Come on—"

"Ah," her mom interrupted, lifting a finger to shush her. "We're done with that talk. You're not going, and it's final."

"Yes, it is," Cody added, and she glared at him.

It was final. She couldn't have her debut as a four-leafed clover, and she was going to disappoint Beau. Just great!

Now, how would she break it to him? Through a text, or at school the next day? No, it didn't feel right. She remembered his face when he was inviting her and couldn't imagine him without that smile.

She mentally stomped her left foot. 

But, what if...?