"Does she think she can just waltz in here and steal him?" Aidan mumbled to himself, his expression hardening as he watched the scene unfold before him.
His hands trembled as he balled them in fists. The way Lucas held Isabella made his stomach churn with jealousy.
"All these years of watching him, waiting for the right moment... And this nobody thinks she can just sweep in and take him?" Aidan thought bitterly.
"No... she has just landed herself in a hot mess. She will pay for this." He swore.
Meanwhile, Isabella quickly pushed herself out of Lucas's hold, her cheeks flushed with color.
Lucas raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile playing on his lips.
"Are you shy?" He asked her.
"Of course not!" Isabella snapped, trying to put some distance between them. The last thing she needed was to show any weakness in front of him.
The other students in the hallway had stopped to watch the scene, whispering among themselves. Isabella could feel their curious stares burning into her back.
"Since when did Isabella become your fiancée?" Selena, who had been watching with wide eyes, finally found her voice.
"Exactly! We have never heard anything about this! Or are you doing this just to protect her?" One of her friends chimed in.
Isabella huffed, ready to protest that she wasn't his fiancée, but suddenly the world started spinning.
Her knees buckled beneath her, and she was staggering.
"Not now... I can't show weakness now..." She thought desperately.
But again, before she could fall, Lucas's strong arms wrapped around her for the second time, steadying her against his chest.
"Are you okay?" He asked, his voice so gentle and his eyes searched her face with what appeared to be genuine concern.
Isabella felt her face grow warmer at their proximity. The way his eyes bore into hers, the firm grip of his hands on her waist... it was all too much.
"Is he being real right now? Or this is just another one of his acts...?" Isabella thought to herself.
"How are you feeling? Should I get you to the school clinic?" Lucas asked her.
The crowd around them had grown larger, and Isabella could hear the excited whispers.
"Look how caring he is!"
"He is a perfect gentleman in every sense. I love him."
"No, this is Lucas. He is just acting, as usual. He doesn't really care." Isabella's mind screamed at her not to trust him.
But before she could voice her protest, she found herself being lifted off her feet. Lucas had carried her bridal style, she was shocked.
"I got you." He whispered to her.
"Ohhhh!" The girls around gasped in excitement.
"Put me down! I can walk by myself!" Isabella protested weakly, her hands instinctively gripping his shoulders.
But Lucas was already walking toward the clinic, carrying her effortlessly in his arms. His face remained impassive, but she could see a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
Behind them, the girls watched with obvious envy, swooning at the sight.
"I wish that were me in his strong, muscular arms!" one of them sighed dreamily.
"Did you see how he just swept her up like that? So romantic!" Another swooned.
On the other hand, Selena's expression hardened.
"No, I won't accept this! She is not perfect enough for our Lucas!" She maintained, clenching her fists angrily.
"She must have bewitched him. Or maybe she is forcing herself on him. You know, our Lucas is too much of a gentleman to refuse." Another girl said in agreement.
"Look at her. She doesn't even know how to dress properly. Those plain clothes, that messy hair... And above all, so rude!" Selena sneered.
"We have to do something. That girl isn't worthy of our golden boy." One of Selena's gang declared.
"She will regret trying to climb above her station. I will make sure of it." Selena promised darkly.
From his corner, Aidan's knuckles turned white as he clenched his fists.
"No... she can't just come here and take what is mine." He stated to himself firmly, tightening his jaw angrily.
"I have been harboring these feelings for Lucas for so long, waiting for the perfect moment to confess." He grumbled as his eyes followed Lucas's retreating figure, carrying Isabella down the hallway.
"All those times I have watched him from afar, learning his habits, his likes and dislikes... Then she shows up and scatters everything to the wind!" Aidan grumbled.
~~~~~~~~~~
At the school clinic, Lucas pushed the door of a vacant room open with his shoulder and dropped Isabella onto one of the beds – not exactly gently, but not rough enough to hurt her either.
"Of course, I knew it. It was all an act."
Isabella let out a knowing scoff, pushing herself up into a sitting position.
"What if it wasn't? Maybe you wished it was real?" Lucas teased her, a mocking smile on his lips.
"No! I don't like you, just like you don't like me!" Isabella protested immediately.
"Is that so?" Lucas leaned closer, placing his hands on either side of her on the bed. His face was inches from hers.
Isabella tried to lean back, but there was nowhere to go.
"Absolutely!" She shot back.
"Really? So tell me, why then did you lean into my hold back there?" Lucas asked with a smirk.
.
"Well, I won't blame you though. I'm everybody's type, after all." He added.
"Get over yourself! You will never be my type. You are two-faced and so fake." Isabella gritted her teeth, trying to ignore how his proximity affected her.
"Such harsh words! Is that any way to talk to your fiancé?" Lucas deadpanned, his face had hardened slightly.
"You are not..." Isabella was saying but before she could finish, the door suddenly burst open with a bang.
Isaac, Lucas's friend rushed in, his face pale with worry.
Isabella's eyes widened when she noticed the traces of blood staining his white school shirt.
Lucas immediately tensed, straightening up.
"What is wrong?" He questioned.
"There is a problem!" Isaac announced.