Daddy’s wild girl

Chapter 39

Inside the dorm, the air was thick with the scent of perfume and hairspray. Bella sat at her vanity, staring at her reflection with a look of pure dread, while Molly bounced around the room trying to find the perfect outfit for her.

"Bella, put this on," Molly said, tossing a leather jacket onto the bed. "You need to look like the girl who hits people with pliers, not the girl who hides under blankets."

"I don't even want to go, Molly," Bella sighed, brushing her hair with aggressive strokes. "Every time I step outside, something insane happens. I feel like I'm a magnet for disaster."

"That’s exactly why you need to go!" Molly countered, sliding on her boots. "You have to control the narrative. If you stay in here, people think you're scared. If you go out there looking like a queen, you're the one in charge."

Bella turned around, her expression flat. "And what if Ethan shows up? What if he tries to call me 'babe' in front of a giant fire?"

"Then you roll your eyes and walk away," Molly said simply, grabbing her bag. "Besides, Reyes will be there. He’s like your personal bodyguard anyway. Now come on, let’s move!"

They arrived at the bonfire, and the atmosphere was electric. The fire crackled and roared, throwing orange light across hundreds of students. Music was pumping, and the smell of toasted marshmallows filled the air. But as soon as Bella stepped into the light, the vibe changed.

A group of girls immediately swarmed her, giggling and shoving plastic cups of soda and bags of chips into her hands.

"Oh my god, Bella! We literally cannot believe it!" one girl squealed, leaning in close. "How did you do it? Ethan has never called anyone his girlfriend. Ever! Not even the models that try to get with him."

"Wait, is he as intense in private as he is in the halls?" another asked, her eyes wide with curiosity. "Because honestly, I would literally kill someone just to have him look at me the way he looked at you today."

Bella stared at them like they were aliens. "I... I’m not his girlfriend," she tried to say, her voice small against their excitement.

"You're so humble!" the first girl laughed, patting Bella's arm. "We saw the video, girl! You can't fake that kind of chemistry. Just tell us, is he a good kisser?"

"I am not—" Bella started again, but they were already distracted, waving at someone else and disappearing back into the crowd.

Bella stood there holding a bag of half-eaten pretzels, looking stunned. She turned to Molly, who was standing there with a sheepish, 'I told you so' smile. Bella just rolled her eyes and marched toward a long wooden log to sit down.

She scanned the crowd. No leather jacket. No cigarette smoke. No Ethan. She let out a long, shaky breath and smiled. "Finally. Peace."

"Missing me already?"

Bella yelped, her entire body flinching as she nearly fell off the log. She spun around to see Ethan sitting right behind her, leaning back on his elbows with a smug grin.

People nearby immediately started nudging each other, pointing and snapping pictures on their phones.

"Why are you here?" Bella hissed, her heart still racing.

"Well, I heard my girlfriend was attending the bonfire," Ethan said, his voice smooth and loud enough for the people around them to hear. "I couldn't have her feeling lonely, could I?"

"I am not your girlfriend," Bella snapped, leaning closer so only he could hear. "Stop calling me that, or I will throw you into this fire myself. I'm not joking, Ethan."

Ethan didn't look threatened; he just threw his head back and laughed. It was a loud, genuine sound that made the students nearby freeze.

"I haven't seen Ethan laugh like that... ever," a cold voice interrupted.

Ethan’s laugh died instantly. He turned around to see Scott standing there, his arm draped possessively over Amelia. The tension between the two guys was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Ethan rolled his eyes and stood up, ready to walk away.

"Could it be that something—or someone—is actually taking to your likeness, Ethan?" Scott uttered, his eyes darting toward Bella.

Ethan stepped closer to Scott, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Avoid me, Scott. Or else I wouldn't mind throwing you into this fire myself."

Bella watched them from the log, her brow furrowed. "I wonder what is going on with those two," she whispered to herself.

"Well, you see," a girl passing by said, stopping to gossip. "Ethan and Scott used to be best friends. Inseparable. Until Scott took something—or someone—from Ethan. That caused the big fight, and they've been enemies ever since."

Bella looked at the girl, stunned by how much information she just gave out. "Well, both of them are terrible," Bella muttered. "Fighting is actually the best way to keep them from committing more atrocities against everyone else."

"How can you talk about your boyfriend like that? Woah," the girl said, looking shocked.

"Probably because he isn't my—"

"Now I see why he loves you," the girl interrupted with a smirk. "You've got a mouth on you." She walked away before Bella could finish her sentence.

"Can we talk?"

Bella turned to see Reyes standing there, his expression serious. She felt a wave of relief. "Yes, please."

As Bella and Reyes walked away from the heat of the fire toward the shadows of the trees, Ethan stayed behind. He watched them leave, his eyes narrowing as he tracked their every move, wondering exactly what was going on between his "girlfriend" and the one guy he couldn't stand.