Friend zoned

Chapter 11: Friend zoned

Mia rushed out in tears as soon as the apology was done. Few of her lackeys ran behind her but no else bothered anymore.

Isabella turned around to face her friends when she caught Dylan and his classmates looking at her.

A bright smile made way onto her lips as she practically skipped towards Dylan.

"Did you see my game?" Isabella excitedly asked Dylan.

"Yes. I saw how you tortured that girl." Dylan replied with a slight smirk, but his tone was playful and eyes doting.

"Good. Then did you cheer?" Isabella threw another silly question at him.

"Nah. I would spend my energy on better things." A playful punch landed on his shoulder as soon as he said those words.

"Tch..Liar. I heard you before"

The five boys next to Dylan, all looked incredulously at him.

Dylan could already feel their deadly glares poking holes into his face.

"Isabella. These are my friends. Liam. Max. George. Kyle and Neil"

"Guys. This is Isabella."

The boys meaningfully looked at Dylan. They would deal with this dark horse later.

"Hii everyone. Dylan told me about you all before. You all are working together on a group project right?" Isabella waved at everyone and smiled.

She was finally feeling relaxed and light after many days. She would interact and smile more today.

The boys raised their brows. Dylan told her before? So they are friends now?

"You know Dylan?" Kyle asked, not able to bottle up the question any longer.

Isabella nodded casually as searched unzipped Dylan's bag.

"He is the one who taught me how to play tennis."

Now the boys parted their lips in surprise. Taught her how to play? With the way she played today, one can say that she had played tennis for years. So these both have known each other for years.

Isabella didn't notice the glaring match happening as she searched for the chocolate bar in Dylan's bag before eating it.

This didn't go unnoticed by the boys. So Isabella even knew that there is a chocolate bar in Dylan's bag. Are they that close now?

"Isabella. Next week we all are going to a movie. We happen to have an extra ticket. Do you want to join?" Niel invited. The remaining boys eyes lit up and everyone nodded their heads.

Isabella felt quite comfortable with them, so she smiled and nodded her head.

"Okay. I will join then. Thanks for inviting me."

Isabella soon left the court to change and go to work.

"When were you going to tell us?"

Dylan rubbed the back of his neck. "Tell you what?"

"That you've been hiding a goddess in your back pocket," Liam said, gesturing dramatically toward the direction Isabella had gone.

All the boys had cold expression on their faces as they stared at Dylan. Dylan could only scratch his head awkwardly.

"Forget it. Just answer this. Is she in a relationship?" George interrupted.

Dylan thought about it. About a week passed after Isabella's birthday. He was sure Isabella had no boyfriend. That thing they saw in the basketball court must all be an misunderstanding.

"No, she isn't."

"Great. I still have a chance." Liam sighed in relief.

"I cheered loudest for her today. She must have definitely noticed. I have a higher chance." George calculated and blushed.

"Loudest? More like your were dying. I was first to invite her to movie. She will remember that. I have a better chance." Niel commented confidently.

"Huh? I have known her for years. Don't you guys think I have the best chance here?" Dylan inquired. Shouldn't these people look at him like a rival?

"Nah. Even after years of knowing, you both are still not in a relationship. It means you have no chance at all. You are friend-zoned bro." Max mercilessly commented.

"It's okay. She just doesn't look at you that way." Kyle understandingly patted his back, leaving Dylan utterly speechless.

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Two days had passed since the tennis match, and Isabella's mood had significantly improved. With Grayson out of town and absent from his classes, she had finally found some breathing room.

The reprieve gave her enough time to strategize with Aaron and come up with a better plan to expose Grayson for the predator he was.

But earlier that day, an email arrived from Grayson, cold and formal. He wanted her in his cabin the next day after school. It wasn't a request.

Now, standing behind a pillar near the professor's cabin, Isabella adjusted the tiny pen camera clipped to her shirt pocket. It was bait—just a distraction. The real evidence would come from the voice recorder hidden deep in her bag.

"You okay?" Aaron's voice was steady, but there was an edge of concern as he studied her.

Isabella nodded, her hand brushing over the recorder in her bag as if to reassure herself it was still there. "This ends today," she said firmly, more to herself than to him.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped out from behind the pillar.

Aaron's gaze followed her as she entered the room. He clenched his fists. This plan had to work.

Inside, Grayson sat behind his desk, lounging like a king in his castle. He looked up as she entered, a predatory smile spreading across his face.

"Ah, Miss Campbell. Glad to see you're willing to work with me to fix your... predicament," he said, his voice dripping with mockery.

Isabella stood by the door, her posture tense but her voice steady. "What you're doing is a punishable offense. I'm willing to let this go as long as you stop harassing me and allow me to focus on my studies."

Grayson chuckled darkly and leaned back in his chair, his gaze crawling over her like an unwanted touch. "Punishable? By whom, Isabella? Your word against mine? Let me tell you how this works: I hold the power here."

He stood and began to approach her, his steps slow and deliberate, like a predator toying with its prey. Isabella's heart pounded in her chest, but she didn't move.

"It feels so good to know you care about me so much," he continued, brushing a strand of her hair away from her face. His hand lingered, the smell of cigarettes and cheap cologne choking her.

She slapped his hand away sharply, her eyes blazing. "Don't touch me."

Grayson laughed, an amused, condescending sound. "Feisty, aren't you? That's okay. We'll take it slow... baby steps."

His tone dropped, dark and menacing. "This is why I have to fail you, Campbell."

Her eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"As long as I fail you, you'll keep coming back. Semester after semester, you'll be stuck here—stuck with me. I'm looking forward to seeing you in my class again and again," he said, his smirk widening.

Isabella's anger boiled over. "Go ahead and fail me," she spat. "I'm not playing your game anymore."

She turned to leave, her mind racing with the evidence she'd just gathered. But before she could take another step, his voice stopped her cold.

"That little mole on your waist... it's sexy."

Her blood ran ice-cold. She froze in place, unable to process his words. Before she could react, Grayson grabbed her waist and held up his phone, playing a video.

The screen showed her, clear as day, changing out of her sports outfit in the locker room after the tennis match. The video was crisp, every detail horrifyingly visible.

Her breath hitched. Shame and rage clawed at her throat, making it impossible to speak. She lunged for the phone, but Grayson pulled it out of reach, laughing.

"Ah, ah," he said mockingly. "I have backups, Isabella. Lots of them. So don't get any ideas. That's all for today. I'll call you back soon."

He opened the door for her, the smirk never leaving his face.

Isabella stumbled out into the hallway, her vision blurred. Her hands trembled, her heart hammering painfully against her ribs. She barely registered Aaron pulling her behind the pillar.

"What happened? Did he suspect anything?" Aaron asked, his tone urgent.

Isabella didn't respond. She shakily handed him the pen camera and sank to the ground, her back pressed against the wall.

Aaron frowned but connected the pen camera to his laptop. His expression darkened as he replayed the footage. "It's blank," he muttered. "Completely blank."

Her head snapped up. "What? How?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

He rewound the footage, pointing to a small device on Grayson's desk. "Signal jammer," he said grimly. "He's blocking recording devices."

Her stomach sank. Frantically, she rummaged through her bag, pulling out the voice recorder. She hit play, but static filled the air. The audio was distorted beyond recognition.

"He must have an interference device," Aaron growled, slamming his fist on the table. "This guy is more prepared than we thought."

Isabella's shoulders slumped. She buried her face in her hands, her breathing shallow. She hadn't told Aaron about the video. She couldn't. Not yet.

Aaron softened, his anger giving way to concern. He crouched in front of her. "Hey. Don't give up. I'll figure out a way to get your reports and exams graded by someone else before the semester ends. You just have to hang in there, okay?"

She nodded weakly, her mind still reeling. Grayson had crossed a line she never thought possible. But she wouldn't break—not yet.