Little Game

Chapter 34

"Please. I am begging, do you hear me? I am kneeling and I am begging, okay? What more do you want?"

Nicolai, true to his words, was kneeling in front of Isabella, who was currently sitting on the couch with a notebook in her hand. It's her journal because Dmitri told her that she needed to write her feelings and what she did throughout the day.

"It's therapeutic." He had said when he gave her a big notebook.

Her brothers were behind her, trying not to eavesdrop but they're obviously eavesdropping. Rafael looks at Nicolai in pity while Dmitri was too busy leaning towards Isabella to look at her written words, trying to decipher what Isabella was writing in her notebook.

"Bella, you shouldn't--"

Before Anthony could finish his sentence, Isabella spoke up. "You do know that I don't like going to school, right?"

"You don't go to school." Nicolai couldn't help but sound sour. He couldn't help but be rude to his best friend. He's very annoyed and he couldn't help but be brutally honest with her because he wants to win a conversation for once. Isabella always wins an argument because she's so good and stubborn and determined that he couldn't help but waver under her scrutiny. "So, I don't know why you're so against this when you haven't been around kids your age."

Isabella narrowed her eyes at him. That would have scared anyone if they saw it but Nicolai wasn't. This was his best friend. He never liked fighting with the girl but she's sometimes stubborn and insensitive that he couldn't help but get annoyed.

Don't get him wrong. They rarely fight and Isabella isn't always like this and he loves her to bits. He'll do anything for his best friend and she'll do the same.

The reason why Isabella's so spiteful was because Nicolai had this thing in school where it was 'Bring Your Best Friend to School Day' and of course, his thoughts immediately went towards Isabella. Isabella's his only best friend. Nobody can take her position. But, he's classmates were probably waiting for him to ask them to be his best friend to take to school.

Isabella and Nicolai stared at each other for a moment before Isabella grumbled, looking away.

Dmitri, finally finished with reading Isabella's notes, piped in. "Miss Gem just doesn't want you to get hurt, kid."

Isabella looks at Dmitri in betrayal but she didn't deny anything. She was just avoiding the boy's gaze.

"Why would I get hurt?" Nicolai was looking between Dmitri and his friend in confusion.

"Because you're famous, Nicolai. That much is obvious with how often you come here with some bruises here and there because some of your boys in your class are 'jealous.'" Rafael said in a matter-of-fact tone. "If you were to bring Isabella, they'd probably get jealous again because you didn't ask them to be your... I don't know, uhm... Friends? Best friends? They'd probably get jealous because you brought Bella, an outcast, someone who doesn't even go to your school, as your best friend."

"But she is my best friend!" Nicolai stood up abruptly. He was getting upset. He wants to take Isabella to school and he wants everyone to know that she's his best friend. His only best friend.

"Kids are fuckin' idiots." Lucius butted in. He looked at everyone and shrugged. "What? It's true, isn't it?"

Anthony glared at his brother. "Don't say that, Luce."

"I'm serious, Tony! They fight over this shit? That someone didn't pick 'em as their best friend? Are you fucking kidding me? And then when they didn't get picked by the person that they thought were going to pick them, they beat their asses out of spite." He laughed, like the idea was funny. "And who even thought of that event? What if you don't have a best friend to take?"