The girl watched Isaac get closer to her and he seemed intimidating but yet had a softness that called to her. His eyes were dark and his smile was doing something to her that she could not completely understand at the moment. Who was this man? “Hi,” Isaac ran his hand through his hair as he kept his eyes on the beautiful girl that stood in front of him. He was a very calculated person that did things smoothly but for the first time in years, he did not know what to do. “Hi,” The words came out as a soft whisper. “I’m Jessie Whitfield, and I’m a second-year student here.” Isaac chuckled in response and Jessie raised one of her eyebrows before asking, “Why are you laughing?” Her voice was gentle.“It’s just that you’re acting like you’re being interviewed,” Isaac's body was getting dryer with each minute that passed because of the flow of air in the room, but his hair was still drenched. “I’m just introducing myself, stranger,” Jessie replied as she ran her hands over the spine of
Jessie tried her best to listen to her lecturer but she could not help feeling Isaac’s eyes on her. He kept looking at her and each time she looked back at him, he looked away. This made Jessie giggle. She felt like a teenager, and for a long time in her life, she was not overly obsessed about how she did in school, getting her family out of poverty, or the dark secret she had that gnawed at her every damn day. She felt seen. “Okay, class. That would be all for today. Make sure to read and prepare for your midterms which would be coming up pretty soon.” The lecturer spoke loudly so everyone in the class could hear her. The class was now over and everyone was trying to leave. Isaac stood up and folded his arms on his broad chest as he watched Jessie put her books, markers, and other things into her tote bag. She had a small smile on her face that Isaac liked looking at. He needed to find a way to spend more time with her. “Hey, pretty boy!” One of the students startled Isaac.
Isaac was standing in front of the full-length mirror in the penthouse as he got ready for the party. He was very excited for this would be his very first informal party, plus Jessie would be there. He really wanted to see what she would look like out of a baggy sweater and held-up messy bun. After Jessie had introduced herself to Otis, she decided to head home while Isaac let Otis drive him back to the penthouse. He then asked Otis to help him find something casual to wear at the party. He was so used to the dozens of formal parties that he went to that he was oblivious to how one should dress for a gathering as mundane as a house party. Otis was really good at finding the right outfits and was currently waiting for Isaac downstairs in the car so they could head to the party. “This is so different,” Isaac chuckled to himself as he studied his reflection in the mirror. Isaac knew that his dad would go crazy if he saw him wearing something either than an expensive suit to go to
Isaac could see that Jessie was not okay. They were building such a good momentum together but now he could feel her withdrawing. He knew that he was losing her and if he did not do something, maybe he’d lose her forever.Or maybe he was just being dramatic and really worried about Jessie.“Jessie, let me help you,” Isaac suggested as he took a few steps closer to her. He did not want to try to touch her again, knowing now that she clearly did not want to be touched. “Please.”Jessie’s eyes were filled with tears and when she blinked, they rolled down her face. She clenched the phone in her hand and stared at the message. Why was this happening to her now? If someone knew her secret then that meant her whole life was over! Everything that she had dreamed about and worked for would be for nothing! Jessie was glad that Isaac was here and that she was really having a good time before she received the message.Now she just wanted to be alone. “You can’t help me.” She laughed dryly. Who t
Isaac took a few seconds to process what Otis had just told him. He really wanted to help Jessie and not doing anything especially when he was capable made him feel useless. But he also knew that Otis had a solid point. If he did this, it would be the very thing that would pull him and Jessie apart even before they got together. “You have a point.” Isaac agreed with Otis. “I’d like to think that too.” Otis made a turn down the street and drove towards the skyscraper that Isaac was staying in. “So what would you suggest that I do?” “Have faith. Have faith that when the right time comes, Jessie would open up to you. And not just about her secret but about everything.” Otis replied, and the car came to a stop. Isaac smiled, feeling good that Otis just saved him from almost making a mistake that would have bitten him in the butt. “Thank you, Otis.” He smiled warmly.“You’re welcome,” Otis pressed a button in the car and the locks on the doors made a sound, signaling that the doors we
Jessie watched the color drain from her brother’s face and her heart dropped. “Please, say something…” She begged him, feeling fear and paranoia take over her entire being. “I–I…how is this even possible?” He stuttered and then tugged at his hair in frustration. “I swear, I covered our tracks perfectly. There’s just no way.” He laughed without humor. Jessie could not help the tears that were building up in her eyes. She had thought that her brother would be able to take care of this but from his reaction, she feared that it was above him. “I was at Josh’s party–” Jessie began but Joe cut her off. “You were at a party?” He stared at her incredulously. “I literally told you to lay low!” His face glowed red, showing how upset he was. “Can you just let me finish?” “Dammit, Jessie!” Joe roared as he slapped the computer monitor from on his desk violently. It crashed to the floor with a loud thud, causing Jessie to inhale sharply. “I just wanted to feel what it was like…” Jessie sob
Isaac stared at Jessie, slightly surprised that she wanted to go to another party. But it made him excited and glad that she also wanted to spend more time with him. “Are you sure?” She giggled and the sound made Isaac smile warmly. He loved seeing her happy. “Yes, I’m sure.” She sat down in her seat next to Isaac. The class was now almost full but the teacher was not there yet so everyone was doing their own thing. “But what about your secret?”Her eyes dimmed a bit but hope then sparked in them. “It’s all good. My brother is taking care of it. There is nothing to worry about.” Her tone was confident. “That’s great! I genuinely hope that it all works out!” Isaac meant the words that flowed out of his mouth. He really did not like seeing Jessie weighed down and downcast. He enjoyed it when she was light and filled with a softness that he could barely describe.“If you need my help at all, just let me know,” Isaac added, and then he bit his bottom lip in nervousness. He remembered
Isaac closed the door of the car once he was in. “For now, nowhere. I just want you to drive me around the city until it’s time for us to pick up Jessie.” “Sounds like a plan. You are about to get the most unique tour of New York City, the city that never sleeps.” Otis replied as he chuckled heartily. The car jerked forwards gently as Otis pressed the gas. He took Isaac around the city and even rolled down the windows. The wind blew in the car as he drove and whenever traffic caught them, Isaac would take pictures of the busy streets and the buildings.Finally, the sun was setting and Isaac was blown away by the beauty and life of the city. He had only been here for a few days but he felt like he was becoming a part of this surreal place that looked like it was ripped out of a modern fantasy world.The buildings were so tall that they looked unreal. When the sun had disappeared and welcomed the night, Isaac laid back on the car seat as a feeling of freedom filled him. He felt reall