This chapter is dedicated to @underratxd_ . Thanks for the reads, votes and comments pal! They give me motivation to write more. Hope you like where this 'thing' is going lol. 
Have a great day!!

She sat down on the edge of my bed cautiously. I stood against the door frame, hands across my chest.

"Well?" I prompted when a few moments of silence passed.

"I don't know where to start . . . " she trailed off.

"The beginning, maybe?" I asked sarcastically. She almost flinched.

Why is she acting so touchy? She knows I know she's got a thicker skin than that. What's with the act?

I looked at her with a blank expression. To say I was suspicious would've been an understatement.

"Why do you hate us so much?" She asked.

"Oh, so you noticed. What gave it away? Was it the exasperated looks or the obvious displeasure your company brings to me?"

Her eyebrows pulled together. "Belle, I'm serious."

"So am I."

"Belle."

"Me estás preguntando en serio eso (are you seriously asking me that)?!" I asked incredulously, referring to her previous question.

She sighed.

"It's for yo-"

"Don't even bother finishing that sentence," I snapped.

"Deja de interrumpirme (stop interrupting me)," she commanded sharply, shooting me a stern look. And there she is. I rolled my eyes. Yes, she looked intimidating, but I was beyond giving any more fucks to the situation.

"I'm your mother, Belle," she chastised.

"Oh," I taunted, "Where were you, mother, when I had my first period and was scared out of my life? When I had cramps so bad I couldn't breathe properly? Or that time when I had my first crush? Or my first boyfriend? You know what? I'll make it easier, name my first crush."

She was silent.

I scoffed. "That's what I thought."

"Tu no entiendes (You don't understand)."

"Make me." Although my voice couldn't have been stronger and demanding, I was dying inside. It was one thing to know you weren't loved by someone and sort of come to terms with it. It was a whole other thing to see them making empty gestures towards you. It was like picking at a healing wound and tearing it open again - it hurt.

"I-I... can't," her voice faltered.

I let out a humorless chuckle.

"Then there's nothing to talk about, is there?" I straightened up and busied my hands by rubbing them down on my flat stomach, smoothing the already smooth material there.

"Your father and I love you," she whispered.

"Yeah, right." I rolled my eyes. "And I am stupid."

"It's true," She tried and I closed my eyes shaking my head, "He has his reasons to act the way he does, Belle, please trus-"

"If you're here to advocate your affections towards me and Jake, I suggest you stop playing Courtroom with me," I cut her off, "This is a family, mother, if we can even call it that at this point. It doesn't have a judge who listens to proofs and witnesses presented before them. You are not an Attorney here. It's not a trial; not that you make a good defense anyway.

"This is life, an actual life outside of a courtroom where people make decisions based on what they observe and experience firsthand. And guess what? Surprise, surprise, the odds are stacked against you this time. Just drop it, will you?"

A tear slipped down her cheek.

Oh, hell no.

"We've lost you then?" she asked. She didn't say 'you both' or 'you guys' because even then she knows that Jacob is still their's to manipulate. 

And I fucking hate it.

"Me perdiste el día que me dejaste en casa del abuelo Sean cuando tenía nueve años y nunca volviste, (You lost me the day you dropped me off at Grandpa Sean's when I was nine and never really came back)," I replied coldly.

It was true. Shortly after I was born, our parents made a few temporary changes in the firm and it's working. The policies were made and the arrangements were supposed to last a decade before they were revised so that they had more free time to deal with me and Jake and being there for our childhood. 

I trust that you're smart enough to figure out what happened next- they wavered from their promises in their third year. That's when we used to have an influx of nannies in our house (Jake told me). But, to no ones' - but a younger Jacob's - surprise, our parents went completely back to their workaholic ways leaving us with our father's dad in Colorado by the time I was eleven. That arrangement lasted only for two years and a half before he passed away and then we had to go back to our parents. 

Translation: We moved with them to a new state every few months. It was a rare occasion to stay for even two semesters back to back in one place if a case took longer than anticipated, let alone one school year. We began getting homeschooled for the most while. Our parents were more involved before, I'll admit. But as the company branched and expanded, that little interaction we had became non-existing.

Jacob and I have been on our own since the near end of his Junior year. Dad let us stay in NYC for a while, close to the HQ of the firm. But, Jake got accepted into Stanford and I didn't want to be alone, so we shifted together to Cali.

I came back to reality when I saw her head move. She was nodding her head understandingly with a sad smile on her face, looking at the ground. Her shoulders were hunched and her toes were tracing patterns into the carpet. 

A picture-perfect victim.

I narrowed my eyes.

She was trying to sway me psychologically. 

Not gonna happen on my watch. She underestimates me too much.

"Buenas noches madre (good night, mother)," I told her, ignoring her wiping her cheeks free of more tears that followed. I opened the door emotionlessly and held it open for her to leave. I tilted my head towards it for emphasis.

I guess we can agree that despite being quite intelligent and observant, our parents couldn't really take a hint. One had got to be pretty direct with them.

I saw surprise flash through her eyes. It was gone quickly, replaced by the 'victim' façade.

She's too manipulative for her own good.

She got up murmuring a quiet goodbye and goodnight before leaving.

"And, mother?" I called.

"Yes?" She turned around. Even a blind man could see her hopeful and somewhat victorious smile from a mile away. I held myself from wrinkling my face in disgust. I was her daughter, for God's sake, not the prosecutor!

"Drop the act, you're not fooling anyone." And with that, I shut my door without waiting for a reply. I sighed, collapsing on the bed. I got up and quickly brushed my face. I pulled the blinds open and shut the lights. Setting the AC on twenty-two degrees Celsius, I got back into bed.

Her surprised and pissed face flashed into my mind as I slipped under the covers. I felt saddened by the lengths she went to influence me. I think I liked it better when I was invisible. 

Come to think of it, they've been super nice today. Except for the duration of the visit and an argument I picked (which was shut down rather quickly), they've been absolutely peachy, trying to make bridges and all. 

Why? 

Was it wrong of me to think that they have an ulterior motive? I mean. I don't know.

Am I overthinking?

Maybe. I was tired.

I rolled over to the other side of the bed and gasped at the frosty temperature of the mattress. I pulled back the covers and groaned.

Of course.

I woke up with a splash of water today. And forgot to dry it. Goddammit.

I rolled away again and put one of the spare pillows there to prevent what just happened from happening again. I would use my hair dryer to dry it in the morning.

Urgh.

With troubling thoughts tormenting me, I slipped away into a restless sleep.

**********************

I was awoken by the sweet melody I call an alarm tone from my phone. I half-screamed in frustration. 

Between my mother's surprise visit last night and my jumbled thoughts, I forgot to turn the damned thing off. I groaned as I blindly searched for the source in the dark. My automatic reflex was to throw it on the ground. But I stopped when it's feeling registered in my brain.

My phone, my poor baby! I almost murdered it. Even half-asleep I shuddered at the thought.

I shut it off and tried to sleep again. After a few minutes of pointless tossing around, I got up to start my day. I yawned as trudged to my en-suite bathroom, brushing my teeth. 

Didn't I do that less than six hours ago?

Shut up, you whiny good for nothing brain of mine.

I decided to take a bubble bath since I was way too early and cranky. I want to be human, not a zombie.

I ran a cold bath since it was a little hot. I used one of my favorite bath bomb scents. The floral fragrance filled the bathroom as I exited it to lay down my clothes for the day. I grabbed a bathrobe and put it on after I stripped. I put my nightclothes in the laundry basket in the walk-in closet.

I skipped to the bathroom with my phone and climbed into the bath, shedding my robe. I felt instantly better, enveloped in the sweet smell of jasmines.

I spent about half an hour in the bath, relaxing and listening to songs, and scrolling through my Instagram. When my skin started feeling wrinkly, I reluctantly got out and quickly got dressed. The sun was starting to rise, but there was still time so I began reading a random book from my bookshelf. I set another alarm for seven-thirty since I didn't want to be late.

My alarm was yet to sound but I decided to get on with my day along with everyone else when I heard a door shut close down the hallway. I quickly gave myself a once-over in the mirror. A white and black fine polka dot camisole with a three-fourth crimson leather jacket along with a pair of dark jean shorts and a pair of black stockings. Black block-heeled boots finished the look.

My only accessories were the five rose gold rings I wore daily: one each in my index fingers, middle fingers, and one in the little finger of my right hand. I could never forget them.

Feeling satisfied, I gave myself a nod of approval and grabbed my bag. Just as I was shutting my door behind me, I laughed as I remembered my plans to dress stupidly for weeks. It's amazing how excitement and adrenaline can affect your thinking. In hindsight, it was the stupidest idea ever.

Sigh.

My brain.

I walked downstairs to see Logan cooking himself some eggs. I gave him a quick good morning before I joined him there and fixed myself some egg-less waffles and a fruit smoothie.

Yeah, I'm a vegetarian. 

Carter and Jacob joined us soon after. I rolled my eyes at their puppy-dog expressions before placing plates heaping with scrambled eggs and glasses of milk. They hugged me and ruffled my hair, tickling me.

"You bastards," I screeched like a banshee, trying to wiggle out of their grip. They guffawed.

"I-I make you break-breakfast - arrggghhhh- an-and this is h-how you thank m-me?!" I wheezed out between screams and laughs, kicking aimlessly and trying to punch my way out of their arms. It was when another call of distress than mine was heard did they stop. 

Jake was holding a hand to his eye, grunting. Somehow, my hand accidentally poked his eyes. I slapped a hand to my mouth to hold in my snicker.

What?

I said I loved him, yes, but that was hilarious, c'mon! It was the justice delivered by the universe itself! Ha, sweet!!

"Are you hurt?" Logan chuckled.

"Nah, just feel like I got my facial done," Jacob retorted sarcastically. "Of course, it hurts!" He whined.

"Well, this is what you get for messing with me," I stuck my tongue out at him, high-fiving Logan while Carter laughed.

Jake glared at me. I shrugged my shoulders and grabbed him an ice pack.

"Use this," I threw it at him, and as expected he deftly caught it one-handed, "You don't want to explain the college ladies where you got a black eye from, now, do you?"

Carter chortled again and Logan grinned, sending me a wink. I laughed.

"Oh, there are many wild ways to get black eyes from, Izzy," he smiled lopsidedly. My eyes narrowed on their own accord and my hand smacked him across his head as soon as the innuendo sunk in.

"Eww, Jake. Gross," I shuddered. It was his turn to laugh. He knew I hated them so he would use them against me. Clever, but annoying.

"Anyways," I placed my empty plate in the sink, "We're late for school. C'mon, Log."

He nodded, gathered his things for school before following me to the garage. We shouted goodbyes and 'good day's like the absolute neanderthals we are.

"Ready?" I asked Logan as we pulled into the school parking lot.

He flashed me a confident smile, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Are you?" He shot back.

It was so silly, we both ended up laughing.

Today is a good day indeed.

***************

(A/N: These are the rings Isabelle wears)

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{11th April 2021}

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A/N:-

Heyy beautiful people! How are ya doing?

I have bad news . . . *gulp* . . .  I'll not be updating as often as I do now anymore. Remember my very first A/N? The one most of you skipped like you are probably doing now? Yeah, that one. Remember the 'No regular updates' part?

I'm sorry but it's really impacting my study schedule. I'm a senior and I can't afford that. Sigh.

Please don't kill me.

I'll still try to update as often as I can, so don't be disheartened.

If you liked the book so far, do vote and comment! If you loved it, follow me! *wink*

Thanks for understanding. Until next time.

All my love,
xoxo.