After a long day of studying, Bella finally decided to text her brother. She typed out a quick message, her fingers flying over the screen: "Sorry, big bro, I can't make it home anytime soon. I'll be waiting for my mid-semester exam results before coming back. Wish me luck!" ,,With a small sigh, she hit send and pocketed her phone.
Before Bella could settle back into her thoughts, a loud, excited scream filled the air, nearly making her jump.
"Oh my goodness, Bell, !!!!" Mia exclaimed, practically bouncing in place.
Bella blinked,as she was startled. "What's wrong, Mia?"
Mia could barely contain her excitement as she grinned from ear to ear. "Guess what!"
"What?" Bella asked, her tone flat. She was used to Mia's bursts of energy, but this seemed different.
"I just got invited to the basketball game between the Blazers and the Webs!" Mia squealed, clapping her hands together like a little kid.
Bella raised an eyebrow, not quite understanding the excitement. "Excuse me, what?"
Mia rolled her eyes, clearly disappointed by Bella's lack of enthusiasm. "Come on, Bella! The Blazers are Eldor University's basketball team, and they're playing against the Webs from J University! This is HUGE!!!"
"Oh, I see," Bella said, her voice neutral. She was not particularly into sports, much less basketball.
Mia gave Bella an exaggerated frown. "You're such a joy-killer, you know that right,?"
Bella chuckled softly. "Well, good luck with that, then."
"Good luck? Oh no, Miss Hart, you are 'not'sitting this one out," Mia said with determination, grabbing Bella's arm and dragging her forward.
"Mia, I don't want to go," Bella protested half-heartedly, trying to pull her arm back.
Mia's eyes softened, and she gave Bella her signature puppy-dog look. "Come on, Bella! I got two invites, and you're my best friend.. It's only fair that you come with me, right?"
Bella sighed, knowing full well she couldn't resist Mia when she pulled out that look. After a brief moment of contemplation, she finally gave in. "Alright, fine. I'll go."
Mia beamed. "That's my girl!" She threw her arms around Bella in a tight hug, making Bella laugh despite herself. "Now let's get moving! The game starts soon!!"
They made their way to the basketball court, which was already buzzing with excitement. The crowd was thick with students, all eager to see the match between the rival schools. The stands were packed, with the hum of conversation and excitement filling the air.
"Bella Look, there are front-row seats!! Let's sit there" Mia said, pointing to a row of empty seats near the court.
"Yeah, sure, that looks fine," Bella said, smiling as she followed Mia's enthusiastic lead. Though basketball wasn't her thing, Mia's joy was contagious, and Bella couldn't help but feel a little excited too.
"Alright, I'll be right back. I'm going to grab us some soft drinks and hot dogs from the cafeteria," Mia said, giving Bella a quick wave before darting off into the crowd.
Left alone, Bella pulled out her phone and opened one of her favorite webnovel , trying to lose herself in the story as the noise around her grew louder. A few minutes later, a soft voice interrupted her reading.
"Hey, do you mind if I sit here?" a girl asked, her voice warm and friendly.
Bella looked up from her phone. The girl standing before her had long, wavy blonde hair that framed her delicate face. Her bright smile made Bella instantly feel at ease.
"Sure, go ahead," Bella said with a nod.
"Thanks!" the girl said as she sat down, glancing at Bella. Her eyes lit up with recognition. "Wait… you must be the Eldor University princess, right?"
Bella blinked, completely caught off guard. "Excuse me?"
The girl giggled, her tone playful. "You know, the bride-to-be of Eldor's crown prince."
Bella's jaw dropped slightly. "What?"
"I mean, you and Adrian Blackwood are basically the campus's biggest story right now," the girl continued with a teasing grin. "You're Bella Hart, right?"
Bella sighed, burying her face in her hands for a moment. ' Great, I'm officially the campus gossip' she thought. She forced a small smile and looked back at the girl. "Yeah, that's me. And you are?"
"Suzy Chan," the girl replied with a bright smile. " I study Fashion design and theater basically double major. And I already know who you are, but don't worry, I'm not here to add to the rumors. I just wanted to say hi!"
Bella laughed softly, appreciating Suzy's friendly demeanor. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Suzy. I just didn't expect to be this popular on campus."
"Who could blame you? Eldor University's crown prince kisses you in public, and now you're the top topic," Suzy said with a wink. "But honestly, I think rumors like this die off pretty fast. People just need a distraction, you know?"
"Yeah, I hope so," Bella said, her smile becoming more genuine. "So, fashion design and theater? That sounds like a lot of work. Double major?"
Suzy nodded enthusiastically. "Yep! It's my passion. I love fashion, and theater's just so much fun. You're an English Literature major, right? I heard that's pretty tough too "
Bella smiled, happy to steer the conversation away from the rumors. "It's not bad. I love reading and analyzing stories, so it's kind of perfect for me."
Suzy leaned back in her seat, studying Bella's face for a moment. "Now I see why Adrian likes you so much."
Bella's cheeks flushed slightly, caught off guard by the compliment. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, you're smart, you've got that classic beauty, and you're humble about it. Your smile could charm anyone," Suzy said with a mischievous grin.
Before Bella could respond, a loud voice interrupted their conversation.
"Suzy Chan! What are you doing here?"