Veiled Vendetta

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

In the evening, Izzy's friends came over to visit her. As they arrived, BJ opened the door, welcoming everyone in. Spotting Izzy on the sofa with a compression bandage, Luiz and the others rushed to her side. Concerned, Nina and Evy bombarded her with questions about her injury. Izzy reassured them, "It's just a sprain, nothing to worry about." However, when Nina offered to help, Izzy tried to downplay it, insisting, "It's really not a big deal."

Jade approached Izzy, insisting on examining her arm. As Izzy removed the bandage, Luiz noticed the scratches and expressed his concern. Izzy chuckled, trying to assure him, "I'm okay, really." BJ urged everyone to take a seat and remarked, "Don't believe her; she can't even move her elbow properly."

Jay was curious about the cause of her injury, prompting Izzy to casually respond, "I slipped off my motorbike on my way to W City yesterday. The road was slippery due to the rain." Luiz's concern escalated as he interjected, "Izzy, that's not okay! Did you get checked properly at the hospital?" Izzy reassured him, saying, "Luiz, don't worry. I did all the necessary tests at our hospital."

Blake was surprised and asked, 'Our hospital? Izzy, do you have a hospital?' Izzy turned to BJ, seeking assistance. BJ quickly clarified, 'She meant the hospital in W City. She has a habit of calling everything here hers since she lives here.' Izzy affirmed, 'Exactly, BJ's got it.'

However, Luiz was more concerned about the accident's severity, commenting, 'That doesn't matter, Izzy. What you did was careless, and you're saying the accident was minor.' Izzy defended herself, saying, 'There could have been other wounds, Luiz, but I just hurt my elbow. It's not a big deal.'

BJ chimed in, 'But she won't be able to ride her motorbike for a while now.' Luiz then inquired, 'Do you need to go somewhere, Izzy?' Izzy nodded and explained, 'Actually, I need to go home today. I'm going to sleep at my place.' Luiz agreed to accompany her, reassuringly saying, 'I'll take you there for now.' Izzy smiled gratefully and replied, 'Thanks, Luiz.'

During their time at the apartment, Blake kept discussing Chris's frequent appearances at school with injuries. Izzy suspected that Grey might still be involved in altercations with Chris now and then. Meanwhile, Alex and Evy took charge of making coffee and snacks for everyone.

Despite spending time together, Luiz and the rest remained unaware of the recent fire incident, and Izzy had no intention of bringing it up. As much as Izzy wanted to inquire about Izaiah, it didn't feel appropriate to broach the subject at that moment.

Luiz offered Izzy a ride back home, ensuring she could sneak into her room without her parents noticing her injury. She opted not to disclose the truth about her elbow, knowing her parents would forbid her from riding the motorbike again.

Later, Luiz messaged Izzy, asking if her arms were hurting. Izzy responded, 'Not much,' even though she had more significant injuries. She chose not to share this information with him. Luiz then inquired if she'd be at school the next day. Izzy expressed her desire to attend but doubted her arms could handle it. Understanding her situation, Luiz offered to be available if she needed assistance. Izzy teased him, asking if he would be her chauffeur, to which Luiz replied warmly. He assured her that spending time together wouldn't bother him, mentioning he enjoyed it. Izzy wondered if this meant friendship or something more, but she replied, 'I feel the same way, Luiz.'

The next morning, Izzy messaged her mom, explaining that she wasn't feeling well and decided not to go to school until she felt better. Her mom, concerned, asked if she needed anything, to which Izzy assured her that she didn't and would stay home, not planning to go anywhere.

After school ended, Luiz picked up Izzy, and they met with the others at W City. Izzy noticed a change in Alex and Evy's dynamic. Though they were friends before, they didn't interact much. However, lately, Alex seemed more interested in Evy's activities. He'd ask about her and have one-on-one conversations, a shift from their previous interactions.

In the café, Izzy leaned towards Nina, whispering, 'Have you noticed how close Alex and Evy have become?' Nina glanced at the two and replied, 'Definitely. They've grown closer. Alex fetches Evy's lunch at school, and he often comes to our class. Today, Evy rode Alex's motorbike to meet us here.' Izzy observed silently, letting the two enjoy their bond.

Evy sat in her classroom, gazing at Izzy's empty desk with a pang of longing. 'I hope she gets better soon,' she mused to herself. 'Our lunches feel incomplete without her.' Suddenly, she felt someone next to her and turned to see Alex by her side. Their faces were close, almost touching, and there was a fleeting moment that felt significant. Alex swiftly pulled back, grinning playfully. "Missing Izzy, huh?" he teased. Evy quickly gathered her belongings, responding, "Yeah, I really hope she comes back soon."

Alex changed the subject, suggesting they head to the cafeteria where the others were waiting. On the way, Evy realized she'd left her phone behind. Alex assured her he'd retrieve it and encouraged her to go ahead. Reluctantly, Evy went to join their friends while Alex went back for her phone.

The following day, Evy was preparing to leave for school when she spotted Alex waiting outside her house. Puzzled, she approached him, asking, "Alex, why are you here?" He smiled, explaining, "I was heading to school, but then I thought I could pick you up too. We could go together." Evy hesitated, pointing out, "Our houses are in opposite directions." Dismissing her concern, Alex urged, "Ah, don't worry about that. Let's ride together; otherwise, we'll be late."

Evy, finding it easier to just go along, hopped on the back of Alex's bike, and they made their way to school. From that day onward, Evy noticed a shift in their relationship as Alex gradually opened up more, and they began conversing more frequently than before.