Secrets | 5SOS

[25]

Despite Michael's comforting presence and the support of her brothers, the pressure of her final exams continued to weigh heavily on Isabella. Desperate to find some way to cope, she kept stealing cigarettes from Jasper. She convinced herself that smoking was the only thing that made her feel better, even though she knew it wasn't a healthy solution.

Jasper, on his part, had been noticing his cigarette packs running out faster than usual. He was confused because he had been trying to cut back for Isabella's sake. The realization that something was off nagged at the back of his mind, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

Michael, too, had noticed the smell of smoke in Isabella's room. He was deeply concerned but didn't know how to approach her about it. She was already under so much stress, and he didn't want to add to her burden. He decided to talk to Ashton and Luke about it.

One evening, Michael gathered Ashton and Luke in the kitchen, away from Isabella's earshot.

"I need to talk to you guys about Bella," Michael began, his tone serious. "I've noticed the smell of smoke in her room. I think she's been smoking."

Ashton frowned, concern etched on his face. "She's been under so much pressure lately. I don't blame her for finding ways to cope, but smoking is dangerous."

Luke nodded. "We need to do something, but we can't just confront her and add to her stress."

Michael sighed. "I was thinking, maybe we should talk to Jasper. They're best friends, and he might be able to help us figure out how to approach her."

Ashton agreed. "It's worth a try. Jasper cares about Bella. He wouldn't want to see her hurt herself."

Determined to get to the bottom of the issue, Michael decided to talk to Jasper. He knew Jasper worked part-time at a local café, so he decided to drop by one afternoon.

Michael walked into the café and spotted Jasper behind the counter. Jasper looked up and smiled when he saw him.

"Hey, Michael. What brings you here?" Jasper asked, wiping his hands on a towel.

"Hey, Jasper. I need to talk to you about something. It's about Bella," Michael said, his tone serious.

Jasper's smile faded, replaced by a look of concern. "Is everything okay?"

Michael took a deep breath. "I've noticed the smell of smoke in her room. I think she's been stealing your cigarettes."

Jasper's eyes widened in realization. "That explains why my packs have been running out faster. I've been smoking less, but I didn't think much of it. I should have connected the dots."

"She's under a lot of pressure with these exams," Michael said. "We need to figure out how to help her without making things worse."

Jasper nodded, his expression determined. "I'll talk to her. Maybe I can get through to her in a way that won't add to her stress."

The next day, after school, Jasper found Isabella in their usual spot behind the school. She was sitting on the steps, looking exhausted.

"Hey, Bella," Jasper said, sitting down beside her.

"Hey, Jasper," Isabella replied, her voice tired.

"I need to talk to you about something," Jasper said gently. "I know you've been taking my cigarettes."

Isabella looked down, shame washing over her. "I'm sorry, Jasper. I just... I needed something to help me cope."

Jasper sighed, putting an arm around her shoulders. "I understand, Bella. But smoking isn't the answer. It's only going to hurt you more in the long run."

"I know," Isabella whispered. "But I feel so trapped. Calum keeps pushing me, and I can't take it."

"You don't have to do this alone," Jasper said softly. "We’re all here for you. Your brothers, me... we want to help you."

Isabella nodded, tears brimming in her eyes. "I just feel so overwhelmed."

"Let's find healthier ways to cope," Jasper suggested. "Maybe we can go for walks or something."

Later that evening, Jasper met with Michael, Ashton, and Luke to discuss their conversation.

"She admitted to it," Jasper said. "She’s just so overwhelmed with everything. We need to find a way to ease the pressure."

Ashton nodded. "We need to talk to Calum. He means well, but his pressure is doing more harm than good."

"Thank you, Jasper," Michael said, grateful. "You’ve been a big help."