Love is a risk

Zay talking with phoebe

Isahe sat there for a moment, his fingers tracing the outline of the firepit's stone rim, still feeling the lingering warmth of Delilah's kiss. But the peace didn't last long. The conversation with Delilah had cleared his heart, but something about Phobe's words gnawed at him. Lies like that—why would she say something so damaging?

He couldn't let it go. He knew he had to clear the air, not just for his own peace of mind, but for Delilah's sake, too. Isahe wasn't one to shy away from confrontation, especially when it came to protecting what mattered most.

He stood up, taking a deep breath. "I need to talk to her," he muttered to himself, though his resolve was firm. The firelight still flickered in his eyes as he turned, ready to find Phobe.

A few minutes later, Isahe made his way across the island , walking with purpose toward the area where Phobe had been lingering earlier. The cool night air felt sharp against his skin, heightening his senses as he approached the makeshift tents.

Phobe was sitting by a low stone wall, her back to him. He could tell by the way her shoulders were hunched that she was deep in thought—or possibly brooding, which was a typical Phobe move.

"Phobe," Isahe called, his tone steady but unmistakably firm.

She didn't turn right away. Her eyes slowly lifted, studying him with a quiet wariness. Finally, she spoke, her voice casual, almost too casual. "Isahe. What's up?"

"Why did you say that?" Isahe's voice was low, but there was no mistaking the seriousness behind it. "Why did you tell Delilah that I was giving off 'open signals'?"

Phobe sighed, sitting back against the stone wall. "Look, Isahe, I didn't mean it to get all complicated. But you can't expect me to pretend like I didn't see the way you were acting in Casa Amor. You were always talking to the other girls, getting cozy... and you and I both know the kind of chemistry we have."

Isahe's brows furrowed. "You think I was cozy with anyone? Is that what you think of me?" His voice was sharp now, but he quickly took a breath to calm himself. "What did you expect me to do in there, Phobe? We're in a place where everyone's testing boundaries. But Delilah is the only person I'm with. I never even looked at anyone else like that. And I don't know what you're trying to do, but you're not going to come between us."

Phobe raised an eyebrow, her lips twisting into something that might have been a half-smirk. "Oh, come on. You're telling me you didn't feel the pull? We've always had something, Isahe. You can't just erase that."

Isahe shook his head, his patience thinning. "It's not about some 'pull' or 'chemistry'—this is about trust. And you undermined that. You put ideas in Delilah's head that didn't need to be there. If you cared about her, you wouldn't have said what you did."

Phobe's expression shifted, the casual attitude slowly fading as she realized the gravity of the situation. She looked away, eyes narrowing as if she were calculating her next move. "Maybe I was wrong," she said quietly, her voice tinged with something like regret—or was it annoyance? Isahe wasn't sure, but he didn't want to keep guessing.

"I don't want to hear maybe," Isahe snapped, stepping closer. "I want you to own it. Tell me you're not playing games. Because if you're trying to cause trouble between Delilah and me, I'll make sure you know just how far I'm willing to go to protect what's mine."

For the first time, Phobe looked uncertain. Her gaze flickered away from him, her shoulders dropping slightly as if the weight of the situation was settling in. She finally met his eyes, but there was no defiance, only a quiet admission.

"Alright," she said softly. "I'll apologize to Delilah. I didn't mean for it to get like this. I was just... I guess I wanted to stir things up, make things interesting. But I see now that it wasn't worth it."