Tame

Part 4

Sorry for such a late update, I've been on holiday but I'm back now!! Don't forget to vote and comment!

"Hello?" Bella called, today, the house smelt like lavender, a very different scent to the lemon fragrance she was used to.

"Ah, Miss Isabel, there is a meeting in the dining room, would you like me to fetch you anything?" Mary asked. Isabel shook her head,

"No thank you Mary, I'd like to talk to Kip." It was against the agreement to walk in on a meeting, she was not allowed to take part in them nor was she allowed to know what they were talking about but the fact that Alex had turned up unexpectedly to her college this afternoon was still bugging her, she dismissed the rule and stormed straight into the dining room. Twelve men in suits were sat, smoking around the table, they all looked up at her curiously. It wasn't often that they saw their boss's daughter, some of them had never met her at all. "Kip," she began, "a word. Now." Kip looked at the others, he was meaty and short with a receding hairline and weathered skin.

"Gentlemen, excuse me." He tucked his chair back into the table and followed Bella into the hallway. "Isabel, what can I thank for this... abrupt interference?" He asked, closing the door. Bella folded her arms and glared at him,

"Alex. I want him to leave me alone. He is not subtle and I do not wish to be a gossip item, do I make myself clear?" Kip nodded and clasped his hands.

"Understood. Is there anything else?" Isabel chewed her bottom lip and narrowed her eyes,

"Keep your dogs on a leash Kip." Before he had the chance to reply, she span on her heel, heading straight back to Gabby and Mary still stood at the bottom of the stairs. "Mary, would you be a dime and grab the whisky, two glasses and a pizza menu please?" She asked, already making her way upstairs to her bedroom, Gabby following behind.

"Yes Miss." Mary replied, tottering off into the kitchen.

The two girls sat in Bella's room, half a pizza left in a box and just under half a bottle of whisky. Gabby was pretty drunk and Isabel was on her way.

"Oh, you absolutely must read this one, it's amazing." Isabel stated, tossing a paperback book at her friend, it was titled 'Mirrored Soul'. "It's so sad though."

"What is it about?" Gabby inquired, turning the book over in her hand to read the blurb,

"This girl dies but because she never experienced being loved, her ghost or soul or whatever, lives on and she tortures herself by watching the boy she loved grow up and have a family, never knowing that she fell for him." Gabby sipped at her glass of whiskey,

"Sounds... slightly morbid but sure, I'll give it a read."

They sat up most of the night, giggling until Bella's neighbour started blaring rap music in their room.

"Who is that?" Gabby questioned, Isabel rolled her eyes,

"Freaking Ryder, his bedroom is opposite my window." She groaned, Gabby sighed,

"Ah, he's so hot." She blushed, Isabel gasped and threw a cushion at her gushing friend,

"Gabby! Don't you dare forget what happened." She warned, Gabby stared down at the cold floor guiltily, nodding.

"Right, sorry." Bella stood up, wearing a long grey t-shirt and her underwear with some white trainer socks, she walked over to her window. Whiskey bottle in hand.

"Ladies." Dylan bobbed his head at them as he sat by Aiden's window, smoking something that smelt suspicious.

"Is that weed?" Gabby asked, her eyes widening. Isabel shook her head, smirking. How was her best friend so innocent? She looked at Gabby, stood there with her hair in a ponytail and baggy pyjama bottoms with a loose jumper. Both belonging to Mary.

"Yeah, you want some?" he puffed thick white smoke at them and Gabby looked at Isabel, unsure. It was almost as if she was asking for permission. Bella looked down at her friend, then the boy in the window, lifting the bottle to her lips and taking a mouthful of the fiery liquor.

Bella shrugged at her friend, turning back to the boys before putting the whisky down by her feet and climbing onto the window ledge, holding on tightly as she leaned across to accept the joint Dylan was holding. He laughed through his chest and handed it over. Isabel climbed back into the room and took a long toke. She blew the thick white fog into the cold night air and smiled as her muscles relaxed and head began to circle slightly. She offered some to Gabby who politely refused.

'Well, I guess we know you're not a first time pot smoker' Dylan mumbled, Isabel rolled her eyes,

'You have no idea.' Aiden looked at her as if he understood, curiosity in his eyes.

'Why don't you come over here?' He asked, folding his arms across his chest, his biceps stretching the short black sleeves over them, Bella's jaw tensed and she scowled at him as she took another hit before climbing back out and handing the last few inch of the joint back. Still annoyed at herself for communicating with someone that had done her so wrong.

'No. We're fine here.' She mumbled, swinging back into her window and pulling it closed. Gabby looked at her,

'You good?' She asked, Bella nodded.

'Yeah, I just feel guilty that sometimes it slips my mind that he's a piece of shit.' Isabel scowled at her window as if Ryder could see her.