Page 22 of My Debacle with De Lorenzo

“She’s just making it up to upset you.”

A part of me wants to step in and tell her the truth, so she dumps his stupid ass, but I don’t get involved in other people’s domestic issues.

“Well, she’s right over there.” Shelby points at Bella on the other side of the hall. “Why don’t we go ask her?”

Scott halts in his tracks and leans against the wall, grinning with amusement. “I’m not sure about you, but I’m going to stay and watch the show.”

As much as I like to sit back and watch drama unfold, Bella isn’t in a good headspace today and I’m worried about how she might react to the confrontation.

“I’m gonna go get a better look,” I tell Scott and Peter, then move a few feet closer to her.

Steven looks worried when Shelby finally reaches Isabella. “Did you sleep with my boyfriend?” she snaps.

“Tell her the truth. I would never touch you.” Steven uses a somewhat threatening tone, and it makes Bella a little wary.

“I didn’t sleep with him.”

“Then why did you say what you said on Friday...about you giving him your last fuck and how he begged you for it?” Shelby’s sharp tone causes other people to stop and watch the commotion.

“She only said that because she was jealous,” Steven intervenes again. “Isn’t that right, Isabella? You’re just jealous and looking to cause trouble.”

Bella nods slowly. “Yes, that’s right. I was just jealous, Shelby. I see you with Steven...and I’m so envious of the love the two of you share and...and I just want that for myself.” She fakes a sob, and I already know what’s coming. “I just made that all up because I was longing for the day when he would look at me with lust in his eyes and ask me to whisper sweet Spanish nothings into his ear. I secretly hoped that one day he would tell me that my tits were the best he’s ever seen in the backseat of his mother’s blue minivan. And I dreamed of what it would feel like to have him pounding into me while pictures of him and his little sister dangle from two silver photo frames hanging from the rearview mirror.”

“How does she know all that about your mother’s car, Steven?” Shelby turns wide-eyed to look at him, but Bella doesn’t skip a beat.

“Oh, Shelby, I was so resentful of your relationship, and I wanted him so bad. I even pictured that his dick would be short, too short to hitanykind of G-spot, but dammit, it would be fat, so very fat. And even though he would fuck me with the dexterity of a four-year-old who suffers from drug-induced seizures, his enthusiasm and sheer commitment to the task would make it all worth it!”

Everyone around them, myself included, is laughing at the whole ordeal, but the audience doesn’t deter her at all.

“I dreamed he would text me, begging to touch me and kiss me one more time, and he’d have cute little texting habits...like starting all words with capital letters and using three exclamation marks when one would suffice.”

Behind me, a titter pops out of Peter. “Dude, you do text like that!”

“You do!” Shelby shouts.

“And in my fantasies, I envisioned him having a little birthmark near his navel that’s sort of shaped like Africa.”

Shelby is flustered and breathing hard. “How does she know all that about you, Steven?!”

Bella fakes another sob. “But I have to accept that all those things are just feeble dreams I’ve built in my head. Steven loves you, Shelby, and I should be the bigger person and leave you guys to be happy without interfering and saying stupid things to make you doubt his love for you. I wish the two of you all the blessings you deserve.”

“I can’t believe you slept with that fat slut!” Shelby shrieks, but Bella has already turned to walk away.

She smiles when she sees me and makes her way through the crowd to get to me.

I give her a small round of applause when she reaches me. “That. Was. Masterful.”

“Right? Boy, that was a close call. She almost caught us out there. Wooh!” She pretends to wipe sweat off her brow. “Good thing I was quick on my feet and covered for him. Imagine if she found out we slept together. It would be the end of their relationship. Do you think she still suspects?”

I pull my lips in to stop a grin. “No, I think you did a fantastic job of lying for him.”

“I’m a very good liar.” She sways a bit, then stumbles back a step, and I grab her arm to steady her.

The bell rings, and the hallway starts to clear. I should get to class, but I want to talk to her for a little longer. “One has to admire the sheer volume of bullshit you can spew out.”

She gives a tired laugh. “No one admires anything about me. I have nothing to offer except sex and sarcasm.”

Something is off with her behavior, the way she’s speaking. I cup her face and lean a little closer to get a better look at her. Her skin is too warm. Her pupils are dilated. “Bella, are you drunk?”

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