Ezekiel left me sitting there, and I couldn't help but wonder what had changed so suddenly. He had been fine last night. As I sipped my coffee, the memory of my proposal to him flashed through my mind. Maybe that’s why he’s avoiding me, I thought with a soft chuckle. He’s cute when he’s flustered, trying to keep his distance.
I knew he wouldn’t come back right away, so I leaned back and relaxed. Despite my playful teasing last night, I understood why he hesitated. He liked my mom, and that probably made things complicated for him. He was struggling, caught between his feelings and his respect for her. But my mom—well, she had been playing her own game
That thought lingered in my mind, making me frown slightly. I picked up my phone, deciding it was time to check in on her. I needed to understand what was going on with her, especially after being gone for three days. I dialed her number, fully expecting her to ignore the call, as usual. Still, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to try.
To my surprise, the call connected, and I heard her voice on the other end.
“Isabella,” she mumbled, her voice thick with sleep.
“When are you coming back?” I asked bluntly, skipping any greeting. I didn’t have the patience for small talk.
Mom answered in her usual sleepy tone, “I’ll be back soon. I’m on a business trip, honey.”
I rolled my eyes. Another lie.
“You said you’d be back in three days. It’s been three days already,” I pressed, determined to get some clarity.
But before she could respond, I heard a man’s voice in the background. My eyes widened slightly. That voice was unmistakable—it was my dad. My brows shot up in surprise. So, she’s with Dad?
Before I could ask anything, Mom rushed to speak, cutting me off, “Honey, it might take a few more days.” Her tone had shifted slightly, sounding more rushed. “I’ll call you later, okay?”
And just like that, she hung up.
I stared at my phone for a moment, lowering it slowly as a smile crept onto my face. I wasn’t entirely sure why I felt so happy, but something about knowing she was with Dad gave me a strange sense of comfort. Maybe there was hope for them after all, or maybe it was just the relief of knowing she wasn’t somewhere far away and unreachable.
I deleted my call list.
I glanced up at Ezekiel’s room, still smiling to myself, then turned and headed toward my own room to get ready for the day.
After an hour, I emerged from my room, dressed in an off-shoulder frock. The soft fabric clung to me in all the right ways, and I smiled at my reflection. What’s the harm in seducing Ezekiel a little? I thought playfully. With that in mind, I walked to his door and knocked, calling out, “Mr. Ezekiel! Are you done?”
There was no immediate response. I knocked again, twice this time. Finally, the door opened, and there he was. I flashed him a smile, trying to act as if everything was completely normal between us. He smiled back, but there was a brief flicker of hesitation in his eyes.
“I’m ready. I’ll head downstairs, you come quickly,” I said casually, my tone was light and free. There was no hint of the tension from last night.
Ezekiel took a second before nodding, seeming a little dazed. “Sure,” he finally answered, shaking his head slightly as if to clear it.
I turned and made my way downstairs, my heart racing a little with anticipation. Once I got into the car, I sat in the passenger seat, adjusting the mirror toward me. I took out my lip gloss, the sweet strawberry scent filling the air as I applied it to my lips, making sure they looked soft and glossy. Satisfied, I pulled the neckline of my frock down just a touch, letting my cleavage show slightly—a small but deliberate move.
It was a subtle test, just to see how Ezekiel would react. I caught my own reflection in the mirror and smiled mischievously.
In the meantime, Ezekiel opened the car door and slid into the driver’s seat next to me, offering a small smile before starting the engine. I watched him, my gaze lingering, waiting for the right moment. Then, without warning, I spoke up with a teasing smile, “Are you trying to avoid me?”
He stiffened, visibly startled by my question.
“W-What? No… Why would you think that?” he stuttered, clearly flustered.
I tilted my head and made a playful, exaggerated look of surprise. “Yes, you are. Since this morning, you’ve been avoiding me. Did you take my proposal last night so seriously?” I asked, my voice soft and innocent, as if the suggestion had been nothing more than a passing thought.
Ezekiel's face reddened as he quickly shook his head. “Of course not,” he muttered, though his hesitation betrayed him.
I leaned back in my seat, crossing my arms and pouting slightly. “I just told you to sleep with me, okay? Only sleep. I don’t know what you thought,” I added, looking at him through half-lidded eyes, feigning innocence.
Ezekiel glanced over at me, a nervous smile creeping onto his face. “Oh, I really didn’t think anything,” he said, his tone a bit defensive but clearly embarrassed.
“Then why did you act so weird this morning?” I shot back.
He paused for a second before letting out a small sigh. “Okay, my bad. I shouldn’t have acted like that.”
“You’re hesitating to be free with me,” I murmured, my gaze shifting to the window as I watched the passing scenery.
“No, Isabella,” he said more earnestly. “That’s not it. I really enjoy spending time with you.”
I took a deep breath.
“I’m not feeling good about going to college today. You can leave me here,” I said, glancing back at him.
“What?” Ezekiel asked, clearly shocked. His expression softened quickly as he added, “Isabella, I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
I didn’t answer him right away, letting the silence hang in the air for a moment. He shifted in his seat, growing more concerned. “Just tell me, what should I do?” he asked earnestly.
With a fake sad face, I finally responded, “Let’s go somewhere. I have the weekend off tomorrow.”
A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he nodded. “Do you like the sea?”
I raised my brows with interest.
“A lot.”
“Wanna go to Amalfi? There’s a beautiful beach there,” he suggested, his voice filled with a hint of excitement.
“Of course!” I exclaimed, my tone instantly brightening.
Ezekiel smiled back, his earlier hesitation fading, and without another word, he took a U-turn with the car.
“Wait, aren’t we going to college?” I asked, my eyebrows raised in a mock surprise.
He glanced at me with a playful smirk. “Didn’t you say you don’t have the mood to attend classes?”
I laughed and nodded, my mood lightening further. Finally, I thought, he’s back to being normal with me. The tension between us had faded, and the idea of spending a carefree day together at the sea excited me.
As we drove, I couldn’t help but feel relieved. Not only did I manage to pull Ezekiel out of his awkwardness, but I also found a way to steal some extra time with him, away from my mom’s place.
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