Chapter 26: Chapter 26

Isabella's pov;

The college reopened after two weeks,

When I stepped into college, I couldn't believe I'm already a sophomore now. I walked into the college while looking around the campus like I'm entering for the first time. In another year, I will graduate from here.

Carlos jumped in front of me and asked, "How did your holidays go?"

I let out a yawn and said, "I met my high school friends, ate dinner in restaurants, played some PS5 games, pretty good. What about you? How was your holiday?"

"I went hiking with my parents and took my girlfriend along on the trip."

"Lucky guy. Did your parents know that you're dating Leah?"

"Not yet. I said she's a friend of mine. You know how my parents are when it comes to dating and stuff."

"How long are you trying to hide it from them?"

"Till they find out I guess." And let out a nervous laugh.

While I was talking with Carlos, Julian came.

Julian, "Hey Bella! Shall we go out tonight?"

"To where?"

"The club we go to regularly."

"Are you planning to get me drunk on the first day of my second year? No, I'm not interested."

Carlos, "Come on, Let's go. It's been months since we hung out together. And, we're in the final years now. Even if you want to go out, we won't be here to come with you. Let's call Gia too. Will you come if Gia comes?"

"No. I'm going to my place right after college ends."

Julian put his hands over my shoulder and said to Carlos, "Hey Carl, we're going tonight and Bella's coming with us."

"When did I say I'm coming?"

He covered my mouth and said, "You're coming with us."

I shook my head and mumbled under his hand.

Jose and Tracy were standing near the juniors building.

Jose waved his hands while calling out my name, "Bella!"

Julian took his hands off from my mouth and said to Carlos, "Carl! Did you check out the new girls?"

They left after asking me to go with them for the club.

I walked to Jose, "Hey!"

Tracy looked like she wasn't feeling good after seeing me.

I waved my hand at Tracy's face and asked, "What's with the long face?"

Jose said, "She's still mad about Harry."

"Do you still remember that? I don't even remember him anymore. I forgot about it already. He left and so are his memories."

Tracy said, "I feel guilty for not doing anything."

I tapped on her shoulders and said, "I think you have to postpone feeling guilty because if we're going to talk for another minute, Ms Greta will make us three to stand outside the class. Do you want your sports club girls to know about this? I don't have any problem with that because I've done it many times. But think about you. The perfect girl standing outside the class on the first day?"

She let out a sigh and said, "Okay. Let's go to class."

While we're going to the class, Jose whispers, "Are you alright?"

"I feel goddamn happy." And tapped on his shoulder.

Inside the class, Mr Davis changed our seat arrangements.

"I can't believe I'll get my desk beside Mike."

Mike teased me, "You're stuck with me for another whole year."

When I leaned forward, I saw Tracy and Jose sitting far away from each other. I smiled at Jose and Tracy's seat arrangements. When I took a look around the class, the couples were all separated. I wonder why Mr Davis separates me from my friends?

Mike kept his notebook on my desk saying, "I don't have space to keep my notebook on my desk so let it be here for sometime."

When I looked at his desk, it was occupied by a lot of notebooks. Mike is a nerd who I hate in the class. I mean… he studies a lot. Whenever I see him, he will be with his book in his hands. I wonder if he's a vampire because he won't doze in the class at all. He was always awake in all classes and active till the end of the day. After college ends, I see him playing with his soccer friends. I wonder how he gets stamina like this.

In the cafeteria,

Tracy whined, "I don't like our new seating arrangement. I couldn't be beside Jose. I miss you, Jose."

I pointed to myself and asked, "What about me?"

"Yeah, I miss you too."

"Atleast, you got a good deskmate. Look at me. I got Mike as my deskmate. I think I'm going to have a hard time until this year ends."

Jose, "Hey, we can still sit together during lunch breaks. Why are you two talking like they put us in different classes?"

I said, "Yeah, I know you will be happy because you got Dahlia as your deskmate. You don't have to worry about anything."

Tracy asked, "Are you happy because of her?"

Jose shook his head and started pleasing her. It looked funny.

After coming out of the cafeteria, we came to our class. I walked to my desk and saw Mike writing something in his notebook. Do I have to see this view everyday? When I looked at my desk, it was occupied with his books. In the beginning, he asked permission to keep one book. Now I don't find space to keep my things.

"Hey Bella! Someone asked for you."

I sat beside him and asked, "Who?" And looked at my desk which was occupied by the books which belonged to him.

"I went to a nearby cafe to have a coffee since I had a headache…" Mike started again. He can't tell anything straight, he always spins a lot of stories.

"Hey! Are you listening?"

"Yeah, yes. What did you say?"

"When I returned back to college, a guy asked me about you by saying your name."

"What did he look like?"

"Someone in their forties."

Who might it be?

"Was he still there?"

"No, he left after hearing the college timing from me. I think he'll come back after classes are over."

"Okay. And, why is my desk like this? Where will I keep my books if you spreaded your books all over my desk?"

"I'll take it once I'm finished with my homework."

"When will you finish?"

"Don't interrupt me otherwise it'll be late."

I leaned back on my seat and looked at the way Mike was writing his notebook. He looked so serious. I'll be surprised if he gets a girlfriend at this stage.

After college got over, I walked here and there to look for a guy in forties but I couldn't find anyone. I wonder if that person left. I thought for a second and looked around the area but there wasn’t anyone else there.

Mateo waved his hand at me, signalling me to get inside the car. Mateo is also in his forties too.

After I got into the car, I asked Mateo, "Did you come during lunch break?"

"No, I was at the house."

"Then who might it be?"

"What happened?"

"A classmate of mine said someone in their forties asked for me."

"Did he say his name?"

"No."

"Tell your friend to ask that guy's name if he comes next time."

"Okay."

In front of Mr Martinez's house,

I got out of the car and started walking to the house. While I was on the way, I saw a black SUV standing in the parking lot. Did anyone come to the house?

When I entered the house, I saw Mr Martinez and Big brother talking with someone. I couldn't see his face since he was facing them. This house has never had guests before. I was surprised to see him. I don't know why but my first thought was 'who is he?' It wasn't a pleasant feeling.

Big brother said, "Bella! Come inside." And asked me to come to him.

I walked to Big Brother and took a look at the person who came to the house. A face which I had forgotten long before. I stood still without moving from the place where I was standing. It was as if my body didn't belong to me anymore and I couldn't move at all, not in a conscious sense anyway. That's when I realised what was happening. this was the memory. It was the same one I'd been having all along even though it wasn't the memory that I would remember.

"Father…"

Mr Martinez stood up from his place and asked me, "What did you say?" And looked at that person.

That guy stood up from his place and walked towards me which made me take a step back.

A smile spread slowly across his face as he stared at me, in fact, it was a grin of pure happiness as he reached out and tried to hold my hand while saying, "You've grown well, Bella." And walked towards me.

I stepped back and my back pressed against the wall and couldn't take another step backward.

When he tried to come closer, Mr Martinez blocked him and said, "Can't you see that she's scared of you?"

Big brother asked him, "Are you Bella's father?"

He nodded his head and said, "Yes. I'm her father. Jacob Miller."

"But she has a surname as 'Garcia'."

He told him, "She took her mother's surname."

"And, why did she do that?"

I couldn't stand hearing his voice anymore so I walked away from them and started running to my room.

I heard his voice calling out my name, "Bella… Bella…"

I closed my ears and ran to my room, locking the door behind me. Why couldn’t he just leave? I curled up in my blanket, trying not to make too much noise but still sobs kept escaping me. There was nothing that could calm me down at that point.

Alexander Martinez's pov;

After seeing Isabella running to her room, I had the urge to follow her but I had something else to deal with.

I turned to the guy who claimed himself to be Isabella's father and asked, "Why are you here?"

"Is that even a question? I have the right to see my daughter."

"I think you didn't hear me. Why are you here?"

"To get my daughter back."

"What?"

"I came here to take my daughter back."

"Do you think she will come with you once you ask her? Did you see how scared she was looking at you?"

That guy started to climb the stairs. I stopped him and asked, "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm going to talk to my daughter. Why are you stopping me? Wait, who are you to stop me from talking to my daughter? Why is she here? Who are you guys? Where is her mother? Wasn't she supposed to be with her mother? Why is she staying with you guys?"

"She died!" Isabella shouted while standing in the middle of the stairs.

That guy walked towards Isabella calling out her name, "Bella, come with me. Let's go home. Who are these guys? Why are you staying here? Come with me, let's go home."

"Why are you here?" She asked him.

"I came to get you."

"Leave. Please leave the house.."

When he tried to take another step, I blocked him and said while staring at him, "She asked you to leave mister."

He walked out of the house.

I let out a sigh and looked at Isabella. She looked like she was about to fall so I rushed to her and held her before she fell down. When I held her, she fainted inside my arms.

Mr Johnson asked, "What happened?"

"I'll take her to the room. Yuyang will be waiting for you so go and see her."

After Mr Johnson left, I took Isabella to her room. I entered the room and took her to the bed.

When I made her lie on the bed, she clenched to my shirt and didn't let go of my shirt. I could see tears coming from the corner of her eyes. I tried to take her hand off from my shirt but she clenched to it tightly like she didn't want it to let go. I got into the bed along with her and lied beside her. She curled up against me, hugging her knees to her chest, not letting go of my shirt.

"Hey," I said softly, trying not to startle her, hoping that if I spoke too loud, then she wouldn't hold onto me as tight. "I'm here."

She didn't move at all. Her hands were still locked around my shirt. I stroked her hair gently and kissed her forehead as if it would make all the pain less. I kept whispering reassurance to her. I knew about this pain. She held onto me with both arms, shaking like a leaf. I could feel her breathing hard. I held her tight until she went limp. I didn't let go.

After a while she finally stopped gripping to me like she was afraid I'd disappear. I stroked through her hair gently and she fell asleep instantly. It was late so after a minute I quietly left the room.