2 | Defiance Discipline Dream Repeat

5 Grandads Know Best - Bella's POV

I plunk away on the doorbell, playing the Happy Birthday melody until the door opens, and a smiling Alfie peeks out. My eyes draw to his Mickey Mouse tie that sweetens his checked charcoal suit. I wish they'd allow us to wear appealing ties like that to school instead of a simple two-coloured striped one.

''Good morning, precious Bells!'' Alfie exclaims sprightly, and I smile back, bouncing a little on the stone stairs. ''What brought you here this early?''

''Is Harry at home?''

''Harry left for work two hours ago, and Ollie just headed to school. Aren't you going there today, too?''

''Yeah, but I needed Harry's help to figure something out." I suck on my teeth, feeling some worry unfolding in my body.

''Figure something out?" Alfie wonders. "I'm sure I can figure it out, and if not, one of my brilliant friends will!'' He invites me inside the manor convivially, and just as he does, I spot a Spynxh behind him and dash in. ''Becoming Mozart's friend is an achievement. That cat is timid and reserved like your teacher.''

I crouch on the ground to pick the hairless cat up and carry him where Alfie guides us.

I am awestruck to be guided into a part of the manor I've never been in before. I've snuck around here and explored every corner of the building that I could access without keys. Unfortunately for my nosy brain, many doors require keys or codes.

My ankle boots clack against the glossy stone floor in the darkish hallway; Alfie ushers me into. It's lit up by an immense yet dim chandelier on the ceiling. There are paintings along the walls, all of old noblemen and a statue of a man with a sword in the middle of the hallway that I take a quick run around. All the doors but the one to the right at the end are closed—light shines out of that room, and I hear animated chatter and some gentle uplifting classical music harmonising from there.

I slide into the room, holding Mozart in my arms, encountering a dozen older gentlemen lounging to a breakfast buffet. I think so, at least. I recognise nobody but Michael, who munches on fancy toast in a vintage brown leather armchair.

''Hiya, I'm Isabella Everly, but I go by Bella, Bells or Icey!'' My automatic greeting phrase comes out as a chirrup, and the seniors welcome me jovially.

I let Mozart jump down as he wishes and watch him trot across the wide antique rug into the warmth of the crackling fireplace. This is when I glimpse a ginger tail sticking out behind the light gold curtains. Despite my eagerness to run up to the dog, I refrain from it because it probably wants to rest undisturbed if it hides.

''Bella stopped by because she needs help to figure out an issue,'' Alfie tells everybody, directing me to the breakfast table.

Three golden candelabras with burning candles stand among the ample food options. My gaze actively searches for anything chocolate on the buffet, and on top of the 6-tier cupcake stand, I detect a jar of Nutella. I rise on my tippy toes to grab it, and as many rice cakes as I can fit between my teeth. It might not sound like a tasty combo, but it absolutely is delicious!

''Don't worry, lass! We will figure it out in no time!'' One of the men calls brightly, rising from the grand piano across the room.

''Well, it's kinda a secret, too,'' I shush them, plopping myself down on one of the sofas. Beside me, a man with tiny Setters on his scarf and trousers sits, and I can't forbear from touching the scarf.

''We share secrets daily, and none have been shared, Miss Everly,'' the man assures me while I admire the adorable pattern.

"...Well, my problem is that I am in trouble with Ms Bell," I confess. ''I found pictures of Ms Bell on an adult site. I took screenshots and showed them to her yesterday because she wouldn't answer my questions about her and Debbie. She got pissed off and seized my phone out of my hand...'' I continue telling them the whole story.

They listen intently to me, a pair of them noting in notebooks like therapists, Alfie redirecting me to the point as I trail off, and all of them maintain a neutral and calm expression through it. As the last confession of taking her beret and phone slips out, I chew on my lip, unsure how they will react.

"Do you struggle to understand why she became upset, or do you struggle to know how you are going to continue your relationship?'' One of the two men, who noted my lengthy recap, questions.

''Both, but mostly the second one,'' I hum, tapping my chin as I contemplate. ''...She was pretty in those pics, and I told her that, and I have them if you want to see how pretty she was–''

''No, no, no, you should delete those pictures and not tell anyone else that you saw them or that they even exist,'' Alfie says.

The grandads continue to explain pedagogically why Ms Bell became upset, and how I did wrong, puffing on their pipes and cigars.

''Okay, but how do I solve it?''

''You should schedule a talk with Ms Bell and Mr Hollingworth," the bald man with a Santa-looking beard, sitting opposite me, says in a friendly and poised tone.

"He's angry with me, too, since he thought I behaved like a bloody child and utterly unacceptable, and I called him a precious pussy." I reckon they find my last saying humorous as hearty chuckles fill the room. "I know the last one was a little cheeky."

"That's a phrase too cheeky for your teachers," Alfie states.

I smile at them as I chew my last bite of Nutella rice cake. "...Phia said I'm a cheeky fucker."

"You certainly are, but even Phia has had to learn to curb her cheeky tongue at school," Alfie reasons.

"Yeah, she's become a bit of a pussy, too," I blurt out. "I mean, she doesn't want to skive and wouldn't cuss Mr Hollingworth out when he confiscated my phone."

"That's called normal behaviour that you'd expect," Michael says.

"But she isn't a normal lass. She does weird stuff at home–"

"What people do behind closed doors is none of your business, dear," the man next to me chips in. "Or anyone that isn't a part of it."

"That's a very important life rule to remember," Alfie emphasises.

"Yeah, yeah," I sigh.

"Grandad knows best," Alfie quips.

"Alfie, can you talk him out of putting me to rot in isolation?"

"I'll talk to him, but you must expect a few days in isolation. That's fair, and what your mates would get, too."

I groan. "I don't wanna be in isolation! It's so boring!"

"Right, but you bought yourself a ticket there when you behaved like you did yesterday."

I huff, pouting. "...Anyways, has anyone here watched The Vampire Diaries?"