First, Isaac forced to drive me home. Second, he had to own a BMW i8 Roadster. And third, he had to walk me to the door like a true gentleman.

He was not.

He was so pushy, demanding, and controlling.

"It's enough" I looked for keys in my bag when we reached the steps. "I can-"

"What is that?" I looked at Isaac when he asked suddenly. There it was again. That scowl. I looked towards his source of displeasure. 

"Not again" a small frown appeared on my face as well. I picked the new gift and note. "That's...Maybe twentieth in the same week?" I was startled when Isaac took the box and note from me rather roughly. His eyes were glaring murderously at the unknown object as well as the whole area around my home.

"You are being stalked, Zoe and you are acting so cool about it." His tone was harsh.

"It could be a secret admirer." I defended.

"It's the same thing. How long?" Isaac was still scanning the whole place like someone would actually pop out and admit.

"September." His head snapped to me in disbelief. "Can you stop looking at me like that?"

"This has been going on for this long and you made no complaint? Are you an idiot or what?" I cringed inwardly. I didn't like it when he raised his voice at me. He looked so scary and his black eyes looked more intimidating. "Do you even know what stalking could end into-"

"Don't scare me" I interjected before he could complete. "I live alone and I don't need to know any cruor details." His eyes softened a little but I refused to buy his bull. "This is a safe neighborhood plus I have locks and sensors around the place."

"You can never be too careful, Zoe." I just nodded. "Go inside. It's late." 

"Thank you." Isaac nodded and shoved his hands in his pockets. "For dropping me home and that thing with Cole." My eyes traveled down his body unconsciously.

His signature jacket was off for a change. Isaac was wearing dark grey jeans, brown diggers, and a black button-down. With buttons really down. The shirt was too fit on him. Sleeves were rolled to elbows and his strong forearms were on full display. I could actually count the veins bulging under his skin.

So, it really is an attractive factor for guys.

When I looked up, I felt my face burning. Isaac was looking thoroughly amused. His one eyebrow was shot up in question and his mouth lifted in an arrogant half-smirk.

Why am I not dead yet?

"Bye" I turned to run inside but he caught my wrist again. His touch actually burnt. A dent appeared between his brows and his mouth turned down when I pulled my hand away. 

"I have a proposition for you." His one hand was still in his pocket and the other was balled by his side. "Or you can call it a little bit of experimenting." What was he up to? "Be my girlfriend."

"Excuse me?" A dry chuckle escaped my lips. Another and then another until I was laughing like a madwoman. Did this guy just propose to me? "Did I hear you right? You didn't say girlfriend-"

"I did" Isaac interrupted me. My laughter died instantly. "I want you to be my girlfriend."

"After one ugly encounter and within few hours, you think I should be your girlfriend?" My sarcastic tone couldn't elicit any reaction out of him. "You don't do girlfriends. Just a one-time thing and I am not looking for any kind of entertainment or thrill in my life. Especially your thrill." I pointed at him. "Good-bye, Isaac. I hope we don't see each other again."

"You didn't listen to me, Zoe" I was startled when he came in front of me suddenly. "Hear me out first-"

"I have heard enough." I stepped away from him. "This is infuriating. If this is some kind of joke to you, find someone else." I tried to walk past him but he held my arm and turned me again. "Why are you being so stubborn?"

"You don't know what does it mean to be in a relationship, don't you?" I glared at his cool tone. "Don't you want to explore a bit?" He was bloody tempting me into a trap. "I saw you, Zoe. I saw how you looked at that couple. You were curious."

"Let go, Isaac." I pulled at my arm but he did the opposite. He pulled me closer and towered over me. "This is insane."

"We don't know yet." His husky whisper gave me chills. "What do you say? Should we do a little experiment?" His black eyes were like two black holes sucking me in them. I blinked countless times when he let go suddenly and stepped back. A solemn look masked his face as he looked down at me. 

"I was not talking about what your wild brain might be thinking. I was talking about being in a relationship. Being together." I frowned at him. "We will draw lines, Zoe. We will be together but we won't do anything we won't agree on." I couldn't say anything. My mind went in comatose after what he said. "Do you want to give it a chance?" I was stoned by his bold proposition. "What will you lose even if you say yes?"

What will I?

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

Oli sat across me reluctantly with an extra big smile of guilt. I raised one brow when she placed an extra-large cup of my favorite ultra caramel frappuccino before me. With a very sweet sorry note. It was cute but it was not enough. 

"I brought your favorite chicken herb sandwich too." Oli placed the brown bag of my favorite sandwich from my favorite bakery along with the coffee and nudged the delicious bait towards me with a hopeful smile. "You study too much, Zoe. You should pay attention to your health as well."

"Uh-huh?" I grabbed the coffee and sipped slowly. The action was synced with the slow bobbing of my head and her guilt reappeared in her smile.

There it is. The proof that she is the culprit. 

"I know that look and action, Zoe." She finally peeved and I smirked evilly. "Okay! I am at fault. I left you-"

"Stranded is the correct term. Or maybe abandonment. You can google to get the best version of its thesaurus." I leaned back with one arm over the headrest of the bench. Today was a nice day. I gave myself a mental pat on the back for coming to the cafe. "You have no idea how many synonyms exist to describe one small word with every possible verb, adverb, adjective, and-"

"Zoe!" I raised one eyebrow in question when Oli slumped on the table. "Forgive me, oh mighty Zoe. For the sin I committed was greater than any." I made sure my face bore no response towards her foolishness. "Oh, fair lady-"

"Shut up" I hissed when Oli kept her charade up. This was so embarrassing. Now everyone was looking at us because Oli thought it would be productive to climb the table and scream her lungs out. "Olivia Powell! Get down this instant."

"How can you be so heartless?" Oli palmed her heart rather dramatically.

"That's a song" I pointed out smugly and got up after gathering my stuff. And her bait. "And I will show you how."

"Zoe! Wait" I didn't stop for Oli. She was going to suffer the punishment. There will be no mercy. "Okay, hold up." I stopped when she jumped in front of me. "Let it go already. It's already been a week."

"Ten days" I corrected and she huffed in defeat. "You cannot even keep count and you want me to forgive you? Forget it."

"Okay. Sorry" Oli yielded. "My bad. I am the worse friend in the entire galaxy and across it. Please forgive me, Ms. Bradshaw. Please, pretty please?" I watched her making the cutest puppy face at me while batting her eyelashes. 

"Are you asking for forgiveness or trying to seduce me?" I screamed in horror when she jumped at me. "Eww! Get off, you sex-crazed loon."

"I am not going to leave you, bestie. We are going to share the same grave."

"That is so groseep, Oli. Get off me. I am more scared to be your friend now."

"Wait!" She finally let go and I breathed the air greedily. "What is a groseep?" 

"A mixture of gross and creep. In short, an eloquent description of you." I gave her a triumphant look.

"Did it ever occur to you that you are slightly on the weird side?" Oli said thoughtfully. "I mean what kind of vocabulary you use. Half of the time people are stumped by how ludicrous it sounds."

"Everyone is weird," I replied solemnly. We walked back towards our department together. Completely forgetting our tiff. "And my weirdness is better than normal weirdness. It keeps me entertained." Oli looked at me blankly. "Forget it, Oli, this is too deep for your shallow brain."

"Hey!" She protested but I just ate my sandwich while continuing on our path. "Share with me a little. I haven't eaten anything because of you." I turned my head in her direction ever so slowly. "I mean I ran from campus to Starbucks and then to BakersVille for your sandwich. I forgot to bring anything for me. I am starved." She smiled when I raised the sandwich for her but curved the course back to me. 

"Not going to happen." Zoe's wrath will spare no sandwich her way. 

"Am I forgiven?" Oil asked hopefully. I peeked at her thoughtfully. "Come on!"

"I am getting to the forgiveness. Maybe it's" I looked at my watch and back at her "twenty minutes away?" Oli was going to retort but her phone interrupted. She listened carefully for a whole minute and ended the call with a yes. "What?"

"I will tell you if you will kick aside your anger." I scrunched my nose at her condition. "Do you have any idea of the number of cramps my tummy is suffering for keeping all the details within?" Oli whined. "I am going to explode soon if I didn't spit it out. The secret-keeping is so difficult."

"That sounded almost...constipated." I shuddered. "And it is very painful." Oli nodded in agreement. "Fine! Forgiveness accelerated because I want to know the dark secrets your tummy is keeping. You are forgiven on red card."

"Finally!" Oli 'yayed' in silence. "But I have to go for now. I will see you in class and once we are done, I am going to reveal everything."

"Sounds promising" I sipped my coffee. With that, we parted ways. She headed back to the cafeteria and I went towards our department. 

I plugged my earphones and turned the volume up. I was halfway across the central courtyard when I felt someone calling me. I'm listening to music to the maximum. It's bound to happen. But the feeling returned. I ignored it one more time. The third time, a paper ball hit me in the head. Harder than a paper should hit.

I pulled my earphones out and turned with a glare. It turned cold when I saw Isaac. He was lounging by the quad with his squad. And they were jeering at me for what he did. 

"What is your problem? Who throw" I removed the coin from the paper ball and dangled it in the air. "Coins at people?"

"I asked the same thing that night." Isaac retorted. He got me good. "Why the hell didn't you contact me?" He came to me.

"Why would I be contacting you?" I replied smugly. His brow shot up and I coughed thrice to cover my chagrin upon remembering his offer. "What?"

"You didn't answer." I was not going to answer. I refuse to answer. I don't even speak his language. What was he saying? It sounded blamisphotimis to me. "Zoe?" I blinked innocently when Isaac poked my shoulder to gain my attention.

"I'm sorry but what were you saying?" I feigned ignorance. "You see I go deaf at gibberish. Please don't bother to repeat for me." Isaac glared over his shoulder when his friends snickered. "I have class so...bye." I turned and tried to dash but I couldn't. Ass-jerk caught my bag and I struggled against him fruitlessly. "Let...go." 

"Are you sure?" Isaac pulled me in reverse. "You will be lying face down on the ground. Should I really let go?" I glared at him over my shoulder. "Okay, fine. I am letting-"

"Don't let go" I stopped suddenly which resulted in me banging back in his hard frame. His arms went around my waist to stable me against him. If he didn't, we would have fallen together in a heap over each other.

I am sure he wouldn't want to be crushed under my weight.

"You need to be a little careful, Zoe" Isaac whispered huskily. I tilted my head on his chest and peeked at him coyly.

Damn him.

Isaac was weirder than me. He was making me feel even weirder. I moved back a step when he finally let go. Unfortunate for me that his squad saw this million dollar performance. They now have their eyes hooked on us very dedicatedly. 

Grreeaatt!

"Thanks," I muttered inaudibly and focused my attention on my boots. They were one pair of interesting boots. Just check the color and texture. So fine. "I have class-"

"Meet me in the parking." I opened my mouth but Isaac raised a finger to stop me from talking. "Don't make me repeat myself."

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

I can't believe I came with Isaac so willingly and obediently. Zo-e-diently! My parents would have a seizure on it. Isaac had it dirty with me. He threatened to carry me like a sack again. Like really? Is this the way? But Isaac the ass-King might know no other way. 

"Can you stop?" I looked at him and continued my impatient foot-tap. "Zoe!"

"What?" I snapped back in annoyance. "Do you know you are named wrong? You should be named-" I looked around for reference but nothing was coming into my mind.

Bloody drink-thief jinx King.

"Stop cursing me" Isaac snapped in annoyance. 

"Jersaac" I muttered and his brow shot up in disbelieve. "Isa-ass" My confidence boosted at his stupefied expressions and I leaned over the table with narrowed eyes. "I have something much better."

"Stop" Isaac hissed through gritted teeth. "Don't start what you cannot handle."

"Try me, creepaac-" 

"Zoe!" I slumped back in my seat and looked away. "Why are behaving so childish?"

"I am?" I said incredulously. "Rewind what you are demanding, Isaac. Do you think it's a new game in town that you ought to play at any cost? Relationship is a serious thing." I grabbed my iced-tea and sipped loudly. Damn this ass-jerk. He didn't even ask my favorite and ordered this lemon one. "Look at this. I don't even like lemon flavor and you want to be in a relationship with me for an experiment. What are you? A loon-tist?"

"Where do you get the ideas for your vocabulary?" He frowned and I puffed my chest proudly. "You are weird, you know that?"

"Less than some ass who demand random girls to be his girlfriend."

"I am being honest" Isaac countered calmly. "I want you to be my girlfriend."

"Why?" I drawled in agitation. This discussion was going nowhere. "I mean what is so interesting about being in a relationship with me? I have zero experience and zero knowledge of the hoosh hoosh that goes by. Then why?"

"You are interesting." His reply threw me off guard. "You are quite cute with what you have to offer." Cute? "I want to try this out with you."

"Wow!" I laughed dryly. "What a legitimate reason. But I'm not convinced. There are hundreds of interesting Zoes on our campus. Cuter with everything they have to offer. Take your pick and be happy. But leave me alone."

"I want you-"

"What if this doesn't work?" I interrupted sharply. I was so done. I just wanted to wipe this ass off the face of life. "What then?"

"We go our ways." I was stumped once again. What is his deal really? Is he even hearing himself? "I told you we will not do anything we don't agree on. If this didn't work, we will end this."

"You are making it sound like a deal" I scoffed bitterly. "And so easy on top of everything."

"It is" Isaac affirmed and placed the coin on top of the table. The damn coin. "It won't complicate unless we make it. We will draw our unique clauses with our unique stamps to keep the trouble out."

"Like?" I pressed. Isaac slid the coin towards me and smirked. "What?"

"You name it." He said coolly. "What you don't want to do and have in the period we will be together."

"I didn't say yes."

"You didn't refuse either," Isaac said confidently. Damn him. "Just give up. You know you are already losing."

"You want me to shove a written no in your face?" I circled a finger. "Don't be too cocky." He just chuckled mirthfully. "What are your conditions?"

"Not much. You stay loyal to me while we are together." Isaac said calmly. "No flirting or even sending a wink in opposite direction."

"Do I look that cheap to you?" He didn't respond. "Anything else?" Isaac just shook his head.

It didn't feel as simple as he was putting it. Something was definitely under the hood. But I have to open it to see. And for that, I needed to stay near the damn car.

"Are you sure it won't turn out a bet with your friends later, to lay a virgin Mary?" I implored.

"You are a virgin but not Mary," Isaac said sarcastically. "So, no. I'm not interested in the half package."

His tongue was sharper than a butcher's knife and too quick. I had to accelerate myself if I didn't want to lose this battle of wits with him.

"What are we supposed to do together?" I cupped my cheek. "I mean I can barely digest your name. Swallowing you whole will be too puking."

"You don't have to worry, sweetheart. I am not dying to shove myself down your throat either." Isaac grinned mischievously. "Later, sweetheart. I don't want you to run hills."

"Why would I run hills? I hate running." He just chuckled. "Okay. Let's do it. Not that I am going to lose anything. But I want to state my conditions too."

"Shoot" Isaac grabbed his drink and sipped leisurely.

And I thought carefully.

"No physical contact." I crossed my arms. "I don't want your germs on me in any way. We maintain our distance."

"Fine." Isaac agreed. "We won't get intimate unless needed. And I mean holding hands and hugs. We are not going to keep our relationship secret, Zoe. People will know and we will have to act like a couple at times."

"No. I don't want to hug you." His scowl deepened. "We will just hold hands if necessary but no more. I don't feel comfortable with this setup." Isaac watched me quietly and I counted the seconds until he gave up with a nod.

"Anything else?" He asked crisply.

"No interfering in each other's business," I said firmly. "You keep to yourself and I keep to mine. No asking questions."

"Fine by me." Isaac breathed out. I nodded and cupped my neck. There was nothing else I could think of right now. "And we are not to tell about this arrangement to anyone. It stays between us."

"And we will call it off when one of us wants to step out." I nodded.

"Deal."  Isaac pushed the coin towards me.

"Deal." I got a coin from my bag and slid it towards him. "This is weird. It is crazy."

"Crazy is fun, Zoe." He caught my coin under his thumb and circled it slowly. "Crazy is new life." I just grabbed his coin and twisted it between my fingers.

I didn't want craziness in my life. Especially his. But the deed was done.

And our relationship began.

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Later :*