Chapter 1

Isabella has just transferred to a private school, Victorious Christian Academy, thanks to a scholarship program. There are only around fifteen per class, most of them coming from rich families. It seemed like she's the only poor girl in the campus ,but it didn't matter: with her wit and intelligence, she has proven that she deserved to be given the privilege of studying in a prestigious school.

Isabella Reyes became popular overnight, not because of her humble background but due to her stellar accomplishment. However, despite this, she gained no real friends, even if they are all nice to her. Being an introvert, she is considered as one of the weird kids. They maintained a comfortable distance from her. It just felt really hard for her to keep up with them. New clothes, new shoes, talking about their latest travel out of town, their latest gadgets. She doesn't feel insecure but she feels out of place.

At home, it's the same scenario. She was an only child but when she turned seven, her mother, Lisa, married Eddie Angeles. He came from a small town in Cebu where he was a once known architect until a scandal cost him his job and license. Since then, he has been having a hard time finding a permanent job, and Isabella's once colorful childhood turned gray. In six years, she already has four younger siblings but her parents could hardly make ends meet. Despite all, Isabella still managed to be on top of her class. She wants to study to get herself and her family out of poverty.

Just like everyone else, Isabella wants to feel loved as well. She had her first boyfriend at fourteen and another one followed, but none of them lasted for more than two months. At the start she thought that she has finally found someone who would appreciate her and make her feel important. However, reality struck her hard: romance faded and the relationships failed. Heartbreaks lasted longer than the relationships did. She went back to her old lonely life without anyone. She withdrew from the world and decided to live her life alone, with just her books, pens and paper. She wrote a lot of poetries, lamenting all the troubles she had in her life and the negative feelings that came along with it. She created a wall that no one can penetrate. Smiles began to fade, and were replaced by empty laughter.

At school, Isabella continued to stay away from the crowd, seeing them as threats. To her, these people would just harm her and hurt her furthermore. She always sits at the front to avoid any unnecessary chitchat. But despite this, she remained an active participant in school competitions, like quiz bees, impromptu speeches, poetry and story writing contests.

At the start of the second quarter, their class adviser, Mr. Stanislao, decided to buddy up the bright students with those with a lackluster academic performance. He believed in the power of influence. Mr. Stanislao is a short guy, only five feet two inches, with bearded face that most of his students bully him and call him an ape. But despite all, Mr. Stanislao remained as gentle as he is. He is a very supportive teacher for all of his students and considerate, too. At the age of thirty one, he is still single and his co-teachers are teasing him that maybe he is gay, which he always deny.

Isabella got seated next to a guy named Carlo Cruz.

He was an only child of a college professor who died of heart attack just three years ago. Her mother remarried a Japanese businessman whom she had twins. She decided to remain in Japan for good. Carlo was left in the care of his grandmother. At first, her mother religiously send money for his expenses, until one day it stopped. It seemed that his mother is having difficulties in raising the money for the twins. Lucy, his grandmother, is a hard worker who's able to support Carlo by managing a canteen in a nearby public school. Though Carlo is an intelligent child, he lost interest in life and in his studies. Mr. Stanislao thought that sitting him next to Isabella might create a difference. Isabella felt bad that she's now seated on the second row, where she will be taking care of this guy. But out of gratitude, she summoned her courage to talk to Carlo though limited on subject and academic related matters. She also made sure that there's enough distance between their seats.

Carlo is a well liked guy, too, because of his looks. He is the embodiment of that cliched dream man: tall, dark, and handsome. With deep brown eyes that always looked like he is about to cry, pointed nose and kissable lips, the girls in their class always want to get his attention. No wonder they were envious of Isabella for being seated next to him.

As the days go by, Carlo and Isabella became closer to each other. Carlo feels that there is something about Isabella that makes her so interesting. Something that makes him want to be closer to her. Those dark hair, fair complexion, pinkish lips, and sad eyes. Those sad eyes that makes him feel her sorrow.

He always greets her every morning with a very sweet smile and a "Good morning Isabella, you look pretty today." He invites her to eat during breaks, even offering his food to her. One thing he noticed is that, she doesn't eat at school. He wondered if she is just not hungry, or she eats alone where no one else would see her. Sometimes he sees her eating some crackers, but that's all. So he decided to bring an extra sandwich and juice every day and put it on her desk every morning. She didn't accept it at first but with her empty stomach, she soon relented.

One day, he followed her home after class, making sure that she won't notice him. It dawned on him that she lives just a few blocks away from their house, and he wondered why on earth, he never noticed her before. He saw their little old house. The gate is black and looks old, faded like the wall of the house. A couple of trees lined on the sides of the house. Isabella went inside and closed the door. She didn't see anyone else as he peeks through the black gate. After a few minutes, Carlo left and went back home.

A few weeks after, everyone noticed that Isabella looks happier. She is now smiling and laughing a lot more. Mr. Stanislao thought that this might have something to do with Carlo. He thought, perhaps, the guy is courting her which makes her look blooming every day. During class, even if Carlo fully understands the lesson, he would still ask Isabella to repeat it for him, which she would do without hesitation. With reasons unknown to him, Carlo's heart grew fonder of Isabella and he felt more eager to be with her. He wants to fully break the wall that keeps her from trusting anyone. He keeps on telling himself that he just want to help her. But whenever he gets near her, a part of him wants to give her more, to give her everything he has. For several nights, he thought about what he is feeling about Isabella. Maybe it's love or maybe a crush, or it could be pity. But whatever it is, he is determined to help and get closer to her.

One Monday morning, Isabella was surprised when she arrived in their classroom and Carlo looked like he is writing something on her desk. She was curious so she immediately approached him. There's no one else in the room since it's only six thirty in the morning and class won't start until eight am.

"Hey!" she said calmly but firmly. He was surprised that he almost leaped from his seat.

"Hello! Good morning Isabella! You look beautiful today," greeting her while obviously hiding what he was writing on her desk with one hand.

"What are you doing?" she asked with her left eyebrow raised.

"Uhm, nothing."

"Hmmm… And what is that under your hand?"

Hesitantly, he removed his hands and she saw a drawing of a rose with her name on it.

"Are you trying to court me?" she asked suspiciously.

"Oh no, no, no," he denied. "I'm just trying to be friendly and uhmm… to make you smile." Isabella laughed at his response. "You sound really funny when you are hiding something, so don't do that again." He can see that she doesn't look mad anymore, and he felt good about it.

"And I guess you better move a little and stop leaning towards my chair so I can sit."

"Oh yeah! I'm sorry."

Since then, the two became inseparable. By the end of the second quarter, they formally declared to themselves that they are best friends.

The girls in their school envied her more. One day, Jane, one of their classmates approached her and asked if she could help her with Carlo. Jane had a huge crush on him since first year but Carlo never gave him any attention. He doesn't even bother to greet her back whenever they meet at the school's corridor even when Jane almost blocks his way and greets him with a huge smile.

"I'll try to talk to him about you."

"Oh, please! Build me up to him so he would notice me. I'm so in love with him, but he just wouldn't look at me. Maybe now, with your help, he will finally see the beauty in me." She said dreamily.

Jane, by all standards is pretty – long wavy silk hair, fair complexion and flawless skin, dark brown eyes with long lashes and pointed nose. She's not much of a bright kid but she does speak very well, given that she grew up in a family of lawyers. She is the president of the student council. She is both famous and infamous. Famous because of her grace, poise and looks, and add that her mother is the school's lawyer. But infamous for she, as rumors have it, had a relationship with every guy in school. She is definitely an eye catcher except for Carlo.

During their lunch the following day, Isabella opened up the topic about Jane. To her surprise, Carlo got upset and told her never to talk about her or to even get close to her.

"She's the last person I ever want to be with."