Chapter 24: Confessions

James was unable to believe that Isabella was actually threatening him in this way. He was the teacher. He was the one who should have the upper hand in all this discussion they were having. But instead, she was threatening him. Same with Isabella. She was unable to understand where exactly she got the guts and the might to actually threaten him in this way. She sat back calmly just after uttering all her gibberish words, trying to regain her strength back as James could not help but laugh calmly to himself, like he was dreaming or something of that sort. 

"So what exactly are you insinuating at? Are you saying that I don't have the right to quit everything with you even though you already have someone you are dedicated to? Yes. Whatever we are doing is just between a teacher and a student, and it happens a lot. But now I am telling you I don't want it that way. I don't want it to go that way. I don't want to be sneaking around with you doing this stupid thing. Teacher and... and his pet. Whatever. I am done with it, and I don't want it." 

James tried to make her understand, but she did not listen. 

"You can't just tell me that you want quit unless there is a reason. There is no legit reason why you're actually doing this. If it's because I was not sneaky enough, then I would get better. I will become much sneakier, and I would be better. No one would find out about it. No one would even know when I would slip in and then sleep out. I promise you, if that is the problem. Or maybe you have a problem because of what Lily said. Lily can't do anything. The least she can do is shout. And if you don't answer her, then she has no business. And if she has no proof, she can't do anything to the both of us." 

Isabella tried to prove a point to James, but she did not understand that James had his own reasons and had his own priorities. He knew the reason why he did not want to be involved with Isabella. It was only Isabella who did not yet understand. 

"Don't you get it? I want to quit already. You have already had the fun. You have gotten the grade you want. What else do you need?" he tried to make her understand. 

But she yelled as she slammed her small fists on the table. 

"That's not all! That's not just happening! What if I'm low in my grades again and I need your help? Then I can't come back to you just because you have ended things with me. No, I won't let that happen unless there's a reason. I would not agree to your terms. I would not agree that we act like strangers to each other or just act like a teacher and a student, that's all. No, we have to go back to what we were doing. You can't just tame me like that and expect me to take good care of myself without your assistance!" she yelled. 

"You do not understand, and please don't let me state out my reasons for doing this. Let's just end this quietly before anyone gets to know about it or before it even gets worse. I don't even want you to know my reasons because I am even ashamed of my own reasons." 

He tried to make her understand, but Isabella was being too stubborn. 

"I don't care about your reasons. Do I look like I care? I don't care. You have to do this because we both agreed to do it from the start, and you would not just change your mind all of a sudden. Whatever reasons you have, keep it to yourself. I don't care," she warned as she stood up and slowly walked towards him. 

"Stop it, Isabella. Go back to where I told you to sit. Listen to me. Not just because we have had a thing or two means that you would not obey my authority. I am still your teacher; do not forget that. And if you try me in any way, then I have ways to get rid of you," he threatened. 

"You cannot get rid of me. You cannot just do it because we are both in this together. One person cannot threaten the other. We were both wrong, and we are still wrong unless you have a reason. I repeat, I would not quit, and I would not let you quit either." 

James was unable to hold it anymore. He was now enraged as he yelled, "Yes, I have feelings for you! That is why I want us to end everything." 

Isabella was also stunned as she was unable to take in another word. She stared at him, feeling ashamed of herself. She couldn't believe she was actually forcing him to quit even though he actually had feelings for her. 

"You can't be doing this right now! That was not our agreement. You can't just be telling me this and expect me to agree to it. When did it happen? When did it result in this? We never agreed that you would fall in love with me. We're meant to just remove emotions from whatever we were doing," Isabella tried to act like she was more superior, but actually, she was even worse. If not for her feelings for him, she wouldn't have even tried to tame him from the start. 

But yet, she was pretending like he was the one wrong. Even though she felt so happy deep within her that finally, James was slowly feeling something for her. After all these years, after fantasizing about him right from her precious days up until now, this was her chance. But yet she could not do anything to Alex. She needed to also prove to John that she had ended everything. But she could not still leave James. She could not watch James know why he isn't hers anymore.

"I am sorry, James, but I can’t let you go… we still have to keep this on. I have also fallen in love with you." She was unable to hide the truth anymore.

While all this was happening, Alex was going around college looking for Isabella as the gossip from what happened was already spreading a lot around, and he hoped she wasn’t doing any of the things he thought.