Chapter 10: Fissures
1480 Words
POV: Hope
Friday came too fast.
The last two days had drained me in ways I didn’t know were possible.
Wednesday I couldn’t get food at the cafeteria. Everything was “sold out.”
Everyone pretended not to see.
Only Ethan had offered me his tray… even though we both knew who ordered the sabotage.
Thursday was worse.
History class. Same room with the crew.
And someone had stained my blue pants with red paint.
The laughter… the whispers… the looks.
They made it seem like I was dirty.
Like I was disgusting.
I held myself together by my teeth.
Today… I just wanted rest.
Ethan had come again this morning, trying to drag me to school, trying to help like he always does.
But I lied.
Told him I was traveling with Mom for a clothing delivery in Cairo.
He insisted.
Wanted to skip class to come with me.
I couldn’t let him ruin himself because of me.
So I pushed him… gently… until he let go.
I told myself I would sleep all day.
Just one day to breathe.
POV: Hope/Bella
My head had been pounding from the moment I woke up.
Not the kind of headache you rub away.
The kind that sits behind your skull and presses, like it’s trying to remind you of something you’d rather forget.
I placed my hand on my forehead as I walked into the bathroom.
I turned on the shower and stood there, letting the warm water run through Bella’s golden hair. My hair.
I still wasn’t used to that.
For a few seconds, I just breathed.
No thoughts.
Just water and silence.
After the shower, I wrapped myself in the soft white towel and went through Bella’s skincare steps.
My hands moved automatically, like the body remembered even if the mind didn’t.
The creams. The serums. The light touch.
I looked at the mirror.
This face is mine.
But it isn’t.
I sighed pushed the thoughts aside and stepped into the walk-in closet.
Racks of clothes lined up by brand, color, and season stared back at me.
Everything expensive.
Everything loud.
Everything Bella.
That’s when the thought came, quiet but sharp:
I haven’t done anything rich since I became Bella.
No parties.
No reckless fun.
No shopping.
Just thinking. Questioning. Trying to survive inside another person’s life.
And all the while… someone else is walking around with my face.
My voice.
My life.
My stomach tightened.
I grabbed a floral dress. Sneakers.
Something soft. Casual.
Pretty without trying.
I reached for her perfume — the jasmine-vanilla one.
The one that smells like sunlight and secrets.
I sprayed it slowly.
And then I remembered. Friday. The party. The one I blurted out like a fool — just to have an excuse to be around Ethan.
When I was in my real body, Ethan was just… annoying. Always inserting himself into my life like he had the right. I hated his presence.
Always pushing himself into spaces I didn’t ask him to.
I thought he was irritating.
But now…
Now he feels like the only person who ever really saw me.
Maybe that’s why it scares me.
I exhaled.
No Ethan. No Hope. Not today.
Today, I will be Bella.
Fully.
Should I host the party at home?
I’m sure that’s how Bella does it. Loud. Bold. Unbothered.
Yes.
Today, I will act like someone who belongs here.
I stepped out of the closet.
I was heading downstairs when I heard voices.
Sharp.
Tense.
> “I have done everything I can to make up for my mistake, but you’re still finding it hard to forgive me,” Mrs. Ipkiss said — her voice shaking but angry.
> “You think marriage fixes everything?” Mr. Ipkiss shot back. “You think that erases what you did?”
My foot paused on the final stair.
> “I told you, I was drunk that night. If I knew it wasn’t yours, I would have—”
> “Don’t.” His voice cut cold. “Harry told me the truth.”
Silence dropped.
Heavy.
Thick.
> “Reginald, enough. We are not doing this again. We’ll wake our little girl.”
> “Don't make it sound weird,” he muttered. Then footsteps left the room.
I saw Mrs. Ipkiss sink onto the couch, shoulders shaking quietly.
Something twisted in my chest.
Wasn't yours?
Who were they talking about?
I stepped down fully.
She saw me and wiped her face quickly.
“Oh—sweetheart. You’re up?” she forced a smile.
“Yeah. I heard… voices. Everything okay?”
“Yes. Just… small talk between your father and I.”
Another smile. Too fast. Too soft. Too fake.
“Okay,” I nodded slowly. Grabbing one of toast from the table. “I’m heading to school.”
“Oh. Good. And… send my greetings to Draven.”
My chest tightened, but I nodded.
“Sure, mom.”
I walked out of the house.
The air outside suddenly felt too thin.
Bella’s driver took me to school again.
I didn’t know how to drive.
Bella usually drive herself to school.
I should learn.
Secretly.
Maybe search online… or find someone to teach me quietly.
But not today.
Today, I just had to drag myself to school.
The car stopped.
Rosy was leaning on her Lamborghini, red hair glowing under the sun, strawberry lollipop between her lips.
She looked like trouble dressed in gloss.
When she saw me, she smirked.
“D*mn Bella, you look dead.”
“I’m good,” I muttered.
“You know Stefan won’t let me near him since that whole scene, always acting like he never enjoyed it” she laughed. “ And I’m craving his touch like crazy.”
I stared blankly.
“And why are you telling me? I’m not Stefan.”
She shrugged. “Just saying… if I can borrow him again. I know you love that *ss.”
I clenched my jaw.
“Rosy, I don’t care what you do. If you want Stefan, go to him. I have class.”
I left her there and walked off.
The crew was in the hallway.
“Girl, you don’t look good,” Bianca said. “What is really going on, you’ve been distant.”
“Exactly,” Zoey added. “Like you don’t want to have fun anymore.”
“I’m fine,” I smiled lightly. “Just a lot of things I'm still tryna process, sure I’ll come around.”
“You better,” Nalani muttered, closing her locker.
We walked down the hallway together, lockers slamming and students brushing past us.
“So Bella,” Bianca flipped her hair, “how’s the party coming along? You’re hosting at the same hotel?”
“Hotel? Actually… I was thinking of using my house.”
They all stopped.
“Your house?” Zoey blinked.
“You’ve never hosted one there before. Even when your parents were away.”
My throat tightened.
“Yeah… true… but I just want to change some things. But—fine, we’ll use the hotel.”
“I'm thinking we should change the hotel. Maybe The Peninsula, my Dad is friends with the owner. And I already got the VIP rooftop section reserved.”
She smiled like it was nothing.
Like power came easy.
"What do you think, guys” Bianca grinned.
“Plus, i already sent invites to the fittable students. Don’t want losers ruining the ambiance of the party.”
"That. Is. Sick. B*tch!" Nalani squealed.
“The Peninsula??" I swallowed hard.
"Yeah sure How about… inviting everyone?” I said before thinking.
They stared. “Everyone?” Zoey scoffed.
“We don’t need losers at our party.”
I stopped walking.
“My party,” I said quietly. “And I’m trying to change things.”
Silence.
Bianca sighed. “Whatever. Your rules.”
We started heading to class. That’s when I saw him.
Ethan.
Alone.
No Hope beside him.
Where is she?
He walked right past us without looking.
Nalani’s voice broke the silence:
“Guys, is it me or is Ethan so handsome”
Bianca laughed. "You call that handsome?, C'mon Draven is more handsome than that. Have you seen the way he stares at people with his blue eyes, his beautiful glossy hair, or my favorite part his abs—”
“Bianca,” Nalani teased, “you sound like you’ve—”
“What?! No. Ew. Don’t say that. I'm just admiring him. He’s Bella’s man.”
I stared at her.
Suspiciously.
She quickly looked away.
“Let’s go,” she muttered.
We took two steps.
And then I heard a loud ringing in my ear that blurred my vision.
Voices thinned.
Heat flooded my skull.
“Bella?”
“Bella!!”
My knees gave out.
Then everything went dark.
- Writer
