Daniel

It’s lunchtime, and Carol, Richard, Kim, and I are sitting at the table outside the cafeteria. I take a bite of my sandwich as we talk about Lucy and our open relationship.

“I don’t get it. Why are you wasting your time swooning over Miss Popularity when you already have a girlfriend?” Carol scowls at me.

“Lucy isn’t my girlfriend,” I retort, shrugging and trying to explain it for the tenth time. “I’m not the kind of person who commits to a serious relationship and shit.”

“What does Lucy look like?” Kim asks, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

“Lucy has dark hair and brown eyes. She’s beautiful and funny, and we’ve known each other since we were kids because we live in the same neighborhood,” I reply.

“It seems like you have a pretty sweet deal with her, Dan. Don’t screw it up by falling in love with the princess over there.” Richard gives me a smug smile while pointing toward the cafeteria.

I follow his gaze and spot Isabella leaving the building, heading toward the grassy area to have lunch with her popular friends—if I can even call the lemonade and apple in her hands a lunch. Is that really all she’s eating?

“Are you sure you still believe the princess is nice?” Carol smirks at Kim, who wisely ignores the comment.

Watching every step Isabella takes, I can’t help noticing her cold attitude toward the other students—she avoids eye contact with everyone, deliberately ignoring the people who try to talk to her, even the ones who just greet her.

“Isabella,” Kim suddenly calls out, startling the crap out of me.

Isabella keeps walking, staring straight ahead without glancing at our table.

“Your friend doesn’t spare you a glance,” Carol mocks.

“Isabella,” Kim calls again.

Isabella looks at us, a breathtaking smile spreading across her face the moment her eyes meet mine. To everyone’s absolute astonishment, she actually starts walking toward our table.

“Is she really coming here?” Kim gasps, stunned.

“Hey, guys.” Isabella greets us once she’s standing in front of us.

The students around watch in awe as the scene unfolds, probably as stunned as my friends and me. 

“I’m sorry to bother you during lunchtime,” Kim says shyly, offering Isabella an apologetic smile.

“That’s nonsense, Kim. You would never bother me,” Isabella reassures.

“I can’t believe you remember my name,” Kim exclaims, shocked.

“Why wouldn’t I?” The princess chuckles.

“I thought you wouldn’t bother remembering my friends and me,” Kim admits, shooting her another apologetic smile.

“Why wouldn’t I? Though, I don’t blame you for assuming that about me.” Isabella chuckles again, and it’s the loveliest sound I’ve ever heard.

Kim opens her mouth to keep talking, but she’s interrupted by Isabella’s phone ringtone—an anime theme song echoing through the air.

She glances at the screen of the device she’s holding and rolls her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips. “Excuse me, but I need to answer this call,” she tells Kim before answering the call. “What do you want? I’m standing near the cafeteria.” She glances at the cafeteria, frowning. “No way. Stop being such a lazy baby and get your own drink. I’m not buying you one.” She snorts.

Who the hell is she talking to? Probably one of her jock friends.

I scowl at the thought, jealousy stirring in my chest as alarms start blaring in my head.

What’s this shit? Since when do I get jealous of other guys?

“Okay, bye.” Isabella ends the call and turns her attention back to Kim. “I’m sorry about the interruption. What were you saying?”

Kim glances at me from the corner of her eye, her lips curling into a devilish smile that tells me exactly what she’s about to do.

Oh no. Kim is going to bring up my birthday party. I’m about to get turned down by a girl for the first time in my life. 

I stare at my new friend pleadingly. 

Please don’t invite her. Seriously, don’t do it.

By now, all the nearby students are watching what’s happening, and getting rejected by the princess in front of them would be way too humiliating.

Kim winks at me, then turns back to Isabella and blurts out, “So, my friend Daniel here would like to invite you to his birthday party on Saturday.”

Narrowing my eyes, I mentally flip her off, cursing her to no end.

Isabella’s gaze snaps to me immediately. “Really?” she asks, wonder in her voice, before giving me a broad smile that almost sends my heart flying out of my chest.

I try to speak, but apparently I’ve forgotten how human words work. This is the first time I’ve ever been literally speechless in front of a girl. Yep. Isabella Williams makes me dumb.

“Daniel is very shy, and he doesn’t have enough guts to invite you himself, so I’m doing it for him,” Kim announces proudly, grinning like an idiot.

Fantastic. Could this moment get any more embarrassing?

“You should invite me yourself, Daniel,” Isabella says, her eyes locked on mine. “Otherwise, I’ll think you don’t want me there and that you’re only asking out of politeness.”

I do as I’m told in the blink of an eye. “IwouldliketoinviteyoutomybirthdaypartyandIwouldbehappyifyoucouldcome.” It all spills out in one breath, completely incomprehensible.

What the hell was that?

Kim, Carol, and Richard burst into laughter seconds later, probably because I’ve lost all ability to speak like a normal person.

Isabella, clearly trying to stifle a laugh, remarks, “Thank you for inviting me, Daniel. I would love to come to your party.”

I blink a couple of times, shocked, as her response sinks in. Around us, the nearby students gasp and start murmuring, completely dumbfounded that Isabella Williams just agreed to attend an underprivileged nobody’s birthday party.

“Hey, sis. What are you doing here?” Isabella’s twin brother walks up and drapes an arm around her shoulders nonchalantly.

I instantly glance at Kim, whose face turns bright red and whose mouth drops open as she straight-up ogles the guy.

“I’m talking to my new friends.” Isabella gestures at my friends and me. “Speaking of which, do we have any plans on Saturday?” 

New friends? Does she really consider us friends?

“Zack’s throwing a party on his father’s yacht during the day, and we’re hitting that new club at night. Why do you ask?” her brother says, taking a sip of the drink in his hand.

Hope drains right out of me at that, because there’s no way Isabella would ditch some fancy party on a yacht just to come to my low-budget birthday. They’re worlds apart. Besides, she’d never choose me.

“I’m asking because Daniel invited me to his birthday party on Saturday.” Isabella points at me with a smile that practically knocks me off my feet.

Damn, she’s absolutely gorgeous.

Her brother turns to me, his sharp green eyes scanning me like he’s evaluating a specimen. “Hi, I’m Justin Williams, Isabella’s brother. Nice to meet you, Daniel.” He suddenly extends a hand in my direction.

The move catches me completely off guard, but I shake his hand anyway. “I’m Daniel Smith. Nice to meet you too.”

“Am I invited to your party as well?” Justin asks, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes,” I mumble, ignoring Kim’s loud gasp of delight.

“Thanks, man.” Justin smiles smugly, then looks at his sister, who’s absorbed in her phone. “Zack is looking for you, Bella. He still thinks you’re his girl.”

And there they are again, that wicked feeling I’m not used to—jealousy.

Of course the princess dated her popular friend. Birds of a feather do flock together, after all.

Isabella’s smile instantly drops into a grimace. “I’ve told Zack to leave me alone hundreds of times, but he doesn’t listen.”

“I know, sis. Don’t worry, though, as I already told him to stop calling you his girl, or I’m going to sock him in the face,” Justin declares with a scowl. “I hate it when he ignores what you want.”

Isabella giggles and grabs his cheeks with both hands, giving them a squeeze. “You’re so freaking cute, Jus. Thanks for looking out for me.”

The siblings’ interaction must have amused Kim, because she lets out a loud laugh that catches Justin’s attention, prompting him to look her way and say, “Hey there. Who are you?”

“I-I-I’m Kim Ro-Ro-Rowes,” Kim stutters, her body trembling so hard she can barely get the words out.

“It’s nice to meet you, Kim. Actually, it’s nice to meet all of you.” Justin grins at her, then at Carol and Richard, who are still gawking like they’ve been hit by a spell.

“Have you talked to Mom today, Jus?” Isabella asks, finally looking up from her phone.

“Yes. She called to ask if we’re attending the charity gala on Friday night and Dad’s company dinner on Sunday.” Justin takes another sip of his drink.

“Jeez. I thought I’d get a peaceful weekend for once,” Isabella sighs.

“Ha. You wish.” Justin snorts. “And don’t forget our trip next weekend. I already talked to Dad, and he said we can fly on his jet.” He says it so casually that one would think it’s the most normal thing in the world.

Charity gala? Company dinner? Trip? A jet? What the hell? 

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