Backstreet Boy

|Chapter 55: Relocated|

Isabella

Despite having my nerves set on edge, I was eternally merciful when I saw Lizzie sitting on her bed and waiting for my arrival.

She stood up and closed the door abruptly after me as soon as I crossed the threshold.

"I'll need to go back for my bags," I said, nonplussed by her erratic behaviour. "What are you doing?"

"My parents called your parents," she said quietly. "When I asked if you could stay for a few nights, they called. They wanted to know what was wrong with your current home situation. I didn't tell them about Jason, I just said you had argued a lot with your parents and you required some space. They didn't seem too convinced, but when they spoke to your parents they warranted your stay. I don't think they told them about Jason, either. They just said it was the stress of the exams."

"How could they?" I remarked. "Considering it would bring such shame and dishonour to the family, and all."

"They said that?" she gasped.

"Not in so many words," I said, "but that was the general gist of what they said. Look, I have so much to tell you, but can we fetch my bags first, please?"

"Of course."

Abiding by my request, Lizzie assisted with escorting my bags into her room. Her father even offered but we declined saying that it was no trouble for us two. It took a few trips up and down the stairs and we were flushed and had a small line of perspiration forming on our brows – it was the summer nearly, after all – so we relaxed on her bed until dinner.

"So, what happened?"

So I told her everything from making love to Jason – in minimal detail and mere whispers – to finding the webcam and Jason hiring Alex to help him gander round the house and see if they can locate any more spying devices. I shuddered at the thought of what they could find, but I put it in the back of my mind once Lizzie's parents declared that dinner was ready.

A part of me felt like I was gate crashing, but all of them insisted that it was perfectly fine for me to stay over, deeming that, "Exams are a tough time, it's normal to want some space and a study partner." Even when I offered to help clear the table, her parents shooed Lizzie and I away upstairs to study.

"There's something else," I announced abruptly, averting my gaze from my revision notes and staring at Lizzie.

We were both on opposite ends on the bed, mumbling incoherently to ourselves periodically. Lizzie had a pencil tucked behind her ear as she lifted her head and said, "What is it?"

"After you and Matt left today, I went to the girls' bathroom and there was a girl in there. She just stared at me for awhile; it was a little creepy."

"Word probably got round that you moved out of your home and that's why. Maybe she was putting a face to the name, I don't know. But it's got nothing to do with Jason and everything, you know that."

"True," I conceded.

Just then, the doorbell rang but neither of us commented on this.

It wasn't long until there was another disruption to our revision. A knock on the door caused us both to look up as Lizzie's mother was ambling hesitantly into the room. She looked at me with quite a sombre expression on her face – despite the glass of wine she had at dinner to accompany her meal – and said, "Your parents are downstairs in the lounge, Isabella. Are you okay to talk to them?"

My head snapped to Lizzie who shrugged absently and innocently. "There's no harm in talking," she offered.

Lizzie's mother was watching interestedly but to cease her train of thoughts, I said, "Sure, yeah, I'll be right down."