Chapter 35: No Easy Escape

The next morning, just as Isabella had promised herself, she woke up very early. And brought out all her books ready to study and do better. She wanted to show her mother that she had already changed. "I am not that kind of person who always loses concentration in class." At the same time, she wanted to keep her relationship straight. So she brought out Professor Jim's subject and also went through it, making sure that she was going to understand everything just as she wanted. "So Professor James won't have an excuse to call me into his office for any discussion." 

So she continued like that throughout the day, and it was soon afternoon. She got distracted by a phone call on her phone, and she picked it up. 

It was from Alex, who at first called her name. 

"Where are you?" 

"I am in your hostel. I brought lunch for you," he said to her. 

Isabella felt so happy as she squealed in overjoy before jumping up. She rushed to the window and waved her hand as he waved back at her. 

"Come down and get your breakfast," he said to her as she shook her head sideways. 

"You come up. I'm only living in my hostel and I need company," she said to him happily. 

This was the first time that Alex was actually being invited by Isabella herself and not just anybody else. So he hurriedly picked up the lunch from his car, locked it, and ran up the stairs to her. Just as he got to the front of the door and opened it, he was welcomed by Isabella's open arms as she hugged him tightly while he tried to keep a firm posture so as not to spill the lunch he had bought for her. 

She kissed him on the cheek so emotionally as she rushed back to her seat where she was studying and grabbed out another chair for him to sit. 

"I am so happy that everything is finally going back to normal. I've missed you so badly," she said, hugging him once again as he kissed her on the cheek and then on the lips and then down below her neck before handing over the lunch to her. 

"You need to eat. I knew that you wouldn't have had lunch. Now I know that it is exam period and you will be very, very, very occupied. So I want you to study, get all your exams, and at the same time eat healthy," he said to her with a smile. 

She couldn't help but be more overjoyed as she already was. She hugged him even more and brought out the lunch from the package. As she began to eat, digging into it happily without stopping while Alex just watched with amazement, happy that everything was going back to normal. 

"If not for Mirabella, I would have lost you again. If not for Mirabella, I would have kept my distance while thinking maybe I needed to trust you. I am so sorry that I never believed your word, but instead, only my sister was able to convince me," Alex said to her as Isabella stopped eating. 

She knew that it was not just Mirabella, but she herself was wrong and she needed to change. 

"I knew that you would never believe me so easily. That is why I had to tell Mirabella everything. And of course, I trusted Mirabella more than myself. She would be able to tell you without hiding anything. But if I was to face you, I would hide everything from you, and I did not want that to happen. I am so sorry if I have for any reason caused any sort of discomfort or caused anything between the both of us. I am really, really sorry, and I just want your forgiveness," Isabella said, getting emotional again as Alex shook his head. 

"I don't want any emotions here, okay? I just want us to be on good terms with each other and be happy just as we always used to be. Do not ever think I don't love you, okay? I love you so much. I just did not want you to be the kind of person I was expecting." 

"I don't want you to be a kid, Alex," Isabella shook her head sideways. 

"Trust me when I say I won't do anything like that. Just trust me for this once and I promise you will see all the changes I am making. I promise you I am making great changes in my life because of you," she said before going back to her lunch as Alex sat there. 

At that same moment, Rachel opened the door with one of her friends as they walked in, surprised to see Alex. Rachel, who was always a mockery, could not help but teasingly laugh as she sat down at her bed with her friend, going through their books. 

Rachel definitely wasn't going to let it go. "I'm not especially sure. I was not happy that Alex and Isabella were coming back together," so she cleared her throat, about to make her first attempt. 

"Wow, I can't believe you two are finally back together." 

"Yeah, I was thinking Alex would never come back to you after your bad character and the way you caused rumors around," Rachel said at first. 

Isabella didn't want to answer, but she was furious as she turned around to look at her. 

"What exactly are you insinuating? What are you saying? That I can't be back with my love? Are you saying that I should let him go? I should push him aside? He belongs to me, okay? And he's all I have got. You cannot tell me what to do, I promise you. Instead, you just have to stay out of it. I always told you, stay out of my business. Do you understand, Rachel?" Isabella warned before she continued eating her lunch. 

Meanwhile, Alex just stayed quiet, knowing that there was nothing he could do and he could not intervene in whatever was going on. All he could do was just watch patiently and listen to what Isabella would do. 

Without even uttering a word, Rachel continued, "I am not saying that you should not go back with your love. I am just saying don't cheat him and don't make him doubt you again. 

"I know that this will be his last chance for you. This will be his one and only chance for you. So you better use it wisely. Do you understand?" Rachel said, but Isabella did not answer. 

"It is none of your business. After all, you guys are one of the main reasons why these rumors happened." 

Not knowing that that was a huge trap because Rachel had a lot of secrets in her hand and was ready to use them against her just to make sure that Alex would realize that she was a mistake for him.