Page 30 of Isabella and the Slipper

“Thereissomeone I want to date. But she keeps turning me down.”

“Who would turn you down?” Isabella asked before realizing he might be talking about Five.

He got a strange look on his face, then shrugged. “I actually don’t know who she is.”

Oh, no. Please don’t blush again.She could feel the heat gathering in her cheeks. She forced herself to look confused.

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve been texting a girl, but she won’t tell me who she is.” He gave her a sheepish smile, raking his hand through his hair. “I’ve kinda got a crush on her. That’s stupid, right?”

Isabella laughed, trying not to sound nervous.

He had a crush on her? Well, on Five. Still, her heart beat faster.

“It’s not stupid.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Really?”

“No.” She shook her head for emphasis. “Not stupid.”

What was she doing? Giving him hope that he could go out with Five?

She could never let him know who she was, especially now, after acting like she didn’t know what he was talking about.

He grinned at her. “Good. Because part of me feels silly. I mean, we chat all the time, so I’ve kind of gotten to know her. But there are things she won’t tell me, and it’s killing me.”

She dropped her gaze to her lap. “I’m sure there’s a good reason she won’t tell you.”

“You think so? Because I’m not sure what to think about her. She’s an artist ... and ... wait.” His eyes brightened. “You work at an art gallery. Maybe you know her.” He jumped up from his chair and grabbed his cell phone. “Look at what she painted.”

Isabella squirmed in her chair as he held his phone to her face. Her poppy painting filled the screen.

Talk about awkward.

“Nice,” she said as noncommittally as she could.

“She’s amazing. Do you know anyone who goes to our school who paints like that?”

She shook her head, wondering how much she could lie before getting thrust down to hell. “No.”

His shoulders fell and he pulled his phone back. “Well, it was worth a shot.”

“If you like this girl, you should trust her.”

Where had that come from? She knew she probably shouldn’t give him advice about how to deal with the girl he was texting when she was that girl.

He sighed and sat back in his chair. “You’re right. Of course you are. I just need to give her time. She’ll eventually feel comfortable enough with me to tell me who she is.”

“Sure.” Isabella desperately wanted to change the subject. “So, Saturday ... do you want to get together, or wait until next week?”

Chase shrugged and lifted one eyebrow. “I’m cool with getting together on Saturday.”

Wow, he sure was cute when he did that. “Okay. Saturday night. Seven?”

Chase grinned at her. “It’s a date.”

His words sent a shiver of pleasure down her spine, and she had to remind herself that it was not a date. Just getting together to do homework. She picked up her backpack and got ready to leave.

---