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ISADORA GROANED AS SHE OPENED HER WATER BOTTLE.

Nursing a relentless hangover, the blonde felt utterly miserable, especially after waking up on the bathroom floor that morning, having been sick twice throughout the night. The remnants of last night's wild party lingered like a heavy fog in her mind, and she should have known better than to drink so much, especially on a school night. As she made her way toward the school, the sun glared down at her, and she took a sip of her water, hoping to stave off the dry mouth that came with her hangover.

"You don't look so good, Is," Steve remarked, approaching her with his usual casual stride. Isadora groaned again, taking another sip of water before turning to face him.

"Yeah, that's probably because I feel like absolute garbage," she snapped, her voice laced with irritation. Steve raised an eyebrow, his expression shifting to one of mild concern.

"Well, you did drink a lot last night," he pointed out, crossing his arms.

"Yeah, I know, and I can't believe you just left the party and ditched me!" Isadora shot back, her annoyance bubbling over.

"See, that's where you're wrong. I looked everywhere for you, but someone said they saw you leave with Billy," he replied, a hint of defensiveness creeping into his tone.

"Wait, what? Billy told me you took Hazel and Kendra home, which doesn't make sense—why didn't you take Nancy home too?" Isadora asked, confusion clouding her thoughts.

"Uh, Nancy wanted to stay longer," Steve replied, his tone casual. "And you believed Billy? Come on, you know I'd never ditch you, especially not at a party. Also... Billy?" he questioned, a hint of disbelief in his voice.

"Nancy Wheeler wanted to stay longer at a party? And I know you usually wouldn't, but it really seemed like you did last night, Steve," Isadora countered, crossing her arms defensively.

"Come on, as if I would do that to you, Is, and apparently, you left the party with Billy Hargrove. Did he take you home?"

"Steve—" Isadora groaned, rubbing her temples in frustration. "Surprisingly, yes, he did."

"Okay, and did you hook up with him, Isadora?" Steve pressed, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Oh, come on! Just because I have a crush on him doesn't mean I would hook up with someone like Billy Hargrove," she groaned, exasperated.

"Come on, Isa, we both know that Billy doesn't just drive girls home for no reason." Behind them, the sound of someone scoffing caught their attention. Isadora turned to see Amanda stalking toward them, her expression fierce. She and Steve exchanged worried glances, both sensing that Amanda must have overheard at least part of their conversation.

"Shit."

"This can't be good," Steve muttered as Amanda approached Isadora, ignoring his presence entirely.

"I thought I told you to stay away from Billy," Amanda hissed, her eyes blazing with anger.

"There's nothing going on between Billy and me," Isadora snapped back, facing Amanda defiantly. Unbeknownst to her, a small crowd had started to gather around them who had stopped nearby to watch the confrontation unfold.

"Bullshit, I don't believe you. Do you think sleeping with Billy is going to change what people think of you? Stay the hell away from him," Amanda snapped, shoving Isadora hard enough to make her stumble back a step.

"I have no interest in your boyfriend! We're just working on a school project together!" Isadora shot back, her heart racing. Suddenly, Amanda slapped her hard across the cheek. Isadora pressed a hand to her face, blinking back tears as a stinging pain spread across her skin. "Not that it's any of your business, but there's nothing going on, so there was really no reason to slap me."

"Just leave her alone, Amanda," Steve interjected, stepping protectively in front of Isadora. Amanda scoffed and rolled her eyes before walking away, leaving the tension hanging in the air like a thick fog.

"Are you okay, Is?" Steve asked, concern etched on his face as he turned back to Isadora.

"Yeah, I'm totally fine," she replied, forcing a smile, though it felt strained.

"Are you sure? That mark she left on your cheek looks painful," he observed, his gaze lingering on the red spot blooming on her cheek. Isadora lifted a hand to her face, trying to cover the mark before looking back at him.

"I'll live," she shrugged, though the weight of the morning's events pressed down on her like a heavy blanket. She began to walk past him toward the school, hoping to escape the whispers and glances that were surely following her. As they entered homeroom, Isadora could hear the low murmur of conversations surrounding her.

Rolling her eyes, she sank into her desk, wishing she could disappear. The gossip continued throughout the class, her classmates stealing furtive glances her way, and after homeroom, Isadora trudged to her next class. The rumors about the confrontation spread like wildfire, and she groaned as she slid into her usual seat beside Kendra. She grabbed her books, but frowned as she noticed Kendra staring at her with wide eyes.

"Let me guess, you heard about what happened."

"Steve told me, but it's hard not to know when it's all anyone talks about. I can't believe she actually slapped you," Kendra said, glancing at the mark on Isadora's cheek with concern. Isadora shrugged, trying to focus on her schoolwork, but the whispers around her made concentration impossible.

"That bitch really slapped you?" Hazel chimed in at lunchtime as Isadora joined her at their usual table.

"Yeah, is the mark still there?" Hazel asked, eyeing her cheek.

"Uh, kinda, but it's not too noticeable anymore. You know the whole school is talking about it, right? By the way, how hard did she slap you?" Hazel pressed. Isadora opened her water bottle, taking a sip to soothe her lingering headache.

"Yeah, I know. Everyone keeps pointing at me and whispering. She slapped me pretty hard, all because I'm working on this stupid project with Billy. I'd rather work with you, Steve, or Kendra, or just by myself," Isadora sighed, taking another sip of water. "And I swear, I'm never mixing my drinks again."

"Oh, that's a rookie mistake, Isa. So, I take it the project is going well?"

"Yeah, well, so far I've done all the work on this stupid project, so it's going swimmingly," Isadora replied, starting to eat her salad. "I know that, but next time, I'll make sure not to mix drinks—not that I'll be going to a party again anytime soon."

"I just heard you got slapped this morning. Who did you upset, Blondie?" Eddie Munson said as he joined them at the table, a smirk on his face.

"What makes you think I upset anyone, Munson? And since when do you sit with us for lunch?" Isadora shot back, wincing as Hazel kicked her under the table.

"Come on, don't be rude. I invited him to sit with us today," Hazel said, shooting Isadora a pointed look. The two had started dating recently, and Isadora couldn't deny that she was happy for them.

"Yeah, fine, and I didn't upset anyone," Isadora replied.

"Except Amanda," Hazel pointed out, causing Isadora to look over at her.

Isadora's irritation spiked as she glared at her friends. "I didn't do anything to upset her! It's not my fault Billy was assigned as my project partner," she snapped, frustration simmering beneath her words.

"Uh, Is, I hate to break it to you, but I'm pretty sure she was also mad that Billy drove you home after the party last night," Steve chimed in, raising an eyebrow.

"Seriously? I already told you, nothing happened! I was sick, and Billy just drove me home—that's all there is to it!" Isadora shot back, her voice rising in exasperation.

"So, he drove you home, and absolutely nothing happened?" Steve asked, his tone dripping with skepticism.

"Yes! Exactly! Nothing happened! Can't you just believe me for once?" Isadora retorted, her cheeks flushing with annoyance.

"Oh, Isa, you can't really be that naive. Billy didn't just drive you home because he was being nice," Steve replied, shaking his head, clearly unconvinced.

"Nothing happened!" Isadora exclaimed, exasperated. "Why is it so hard for you all to accept that? Just drop it already!"

"Uh-huh," Hazel and Steve nodded knowingly, their expressions saying they still didn't believe her. Isadora rolled her eyes, her annoyance palpable, and was grateful when the conversation finally shifted to Eddie's band, Corroded Coffin. As she listened to her friends chat, she tried to push the irritation aside, forcing a smile as she finished her salad.

After lunch, the group trudged to their last classes of the day. When the final bell rang, Isadora walked to the parking lot with Steve and Kendra, the weight of the morning's drama still pressing heavily on her shoulders.

"Am I giving you a lift home today, Is?" Steve asked, glancing at her with concern.

"Thanks, but no. Billy and I need to work on the project, so he's giving me a ride home," Isadora replied, catching the skepticism on his face. Annoyed, she added, "Whatever you're thinking, just stop it. We're not doing anything other than working on the project."

"Uh-huh, sure. Just working on the project," Steve said, rolling his eyes and clearly not buying her insistence.

"Seriously, Steve? Why can't you just believe me?" Isadora snapped, her irritation bubbling over. "Nothing happened, and it's really frustrating that you can't accept that."

"Uh, Is, maybe you should think about how it looks," Kendra chimed in, taking Steve's side.

Isadora shot her a look, her annoyance growing. "Really, Kendra? You too? I thought you were on my side. Nothing happened between us!"

"I'm just saying—"

"Forget it! I'll see you both later," Isadora said, exasperated. She forced a laugh and shook her head, walking over to Billy's car, the unease in her stomach mixing with anger at her friends for not believing her.

"You're late," Billy said as she reached the vehicle, his tone indifferent.

"Sorry, I—" she began, but he cut her off.

"Jesus, I don't care. Just get in the car so we can get this over with," he snapped, irritation evident in his voice.

"Actually, you know what? I think I'll walk home if you're going to talk to me like that," Isadora shot back, her annoyance flaring. Billy groaned as he watched her turn to leave.

"Will you please get in the car, Isadora?" he pleaded, his voice softening slightly. Isadora paused, turning back to him. She hesitated for a moment before nodding and climbing into the car.

They drove in silence for a while, the tension thick between them. Isadora stared out the window, watching the familiar scenery blur by. Finally, she broke the silence.

"Your girlfriend is kinda crazy."

"She's not my girlfriend," Billy replied tersely.

"Huh, well, you might want to tell her that because she seems to think she is," Isadora remarked, her tone laced with sarcasm.

"What are you talking about?" Billy asked, glancing over at her, curiosity flickering in his eyes.

"Clearly, you didn't hear that she slapped me this morning because she thinks you and I are sleeping together," Isadora explained, frustration creeping back into her voice.

"And how exactly is that my problem?" Billy shot back, his expression hardening.

"You're the one who had to go sleep with her, and now she thinks she owns you," Isadora replied, crossing her arms as she turned her gaze out the window once more, trying to block him out. They soon arrived at her house, and as Billy stopped the car, Isadora got out, turning back to him.

"Thanks for the ride. I don't really feel like working on the project today, so I guess I'll see you at school tomorrow."

"What, Little Miss Perfect is going to skip a night of studying?" he teased, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips.

"Seriously, stop calling me that! You don't know a damn thing about me or my life, so stop assuming it's perfect!" Isadora shouted, spinning on her heel and marching into the house. As she slammed the door shut, the familiar wave of loneliness washed over her, heavy and suffocating. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she didn't wipe them away until a knock interrupted her solitude.

Hesitating, she walked over to answer, scowling when she found Billy standing on the other side.

"Oh, go away, Billy. I don't want to talk to you right now!" she snapped, her frustration bubbling over.

"Are you crying?" he asked, his voice softer now.

"Seriously, why do you care? I just want to be alone, so please leave me alone," Isadora replied, trying to close the door again. For a moment, silence reigned, and she figured Billy had finally left, but then his voice pierced through the quiet once more.

"Come on, Princess, please let me in." Isadora hesitated, biting her lip as she opened the door slightly. Reluctantly, she stepped aside, allowing him to walk in. As she closed the door behind him, he made his way to the kitchen. Isadora dropped her things beside the kitchen table, feeling the weight of his presence.

"You know, if you want to skip a night of studying, I can suggest something more fun," Billy said, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"I'm not going to have sex with you, Billy," Isadora retorted, pulling out her notepad and flicking it open, her tone serious. "Let's just finish this stupid project so we can go back to not talking and interacting ever again. I'd prefer to avoid pretending we want to spend time together."

"Fine," Billy replied, though a part of him wished for more than just a school project with Isadora. As Isadora focused on the project, she remained blissfully unaware of Billy watching her curiously, wondering why he felt so drawn to Isadora Jones.

Billy leaned against the counter, folding his arms, a mix of admiration and frustration swirling within him. There was something about her—her determination, her quick wit, and even the vulnerability she tried so hard to hide—that intrigued him more than he cared to admit.

The silence between them was thick, punctuated only by the rustling of papers and the scratching of pencils. As they worked, Isadora couldn't shake the feeling that Billy's presence was both a comfort and a challenge.

"Isadora," he said suddenly, breaking the silence.

"What?" she replied, glancing up from her notes.

"About Amanda... I didn't mean for her to slap you. I'm sorry," he said, sincerity in his eyes.

She paused, taken aback by his admission. "It's not your fault. I can handle myself," Isadora insisted, but a small part of her appreciated the gesture.

"Still, if she gives you any more trouble, you should tell me. I'll handle it," Billy offered, a fierce determination in his tone.

"Really? You think you can scare her off?" Isadora scoffed, a small smile creeping onto her lips.

"Maybe not scare her off, but I can at least make it clear that you're off-limits," he replied, a smirk returning to his face.

"Right," Isadora said, rolling her eyes, but deep down, she felt a flutter of something warm.

As they continued working on the project, the atmosphere shifted from tense to surprisingly comfortable. They found themselves exchanging banter, laughter breaking the heaviness of the morning. For the first time that day, Isadora felt a spark of joy, forgetting the earlier drama and the hangover that had plagued her.

In that moment, sitting in the kitchen surrounded by their chaotic project materials, she realised maybe there was more to Billy Hargrove than she had initially thought. Maybe this school project wouldn't be so bad after all.

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Enjoy! Xo

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