Some people wait their whole lives to find the perfect friend.
But not Isabella Washington.
She knew she'd be best friends with Aiden Cunningham the moment she set eyes on him. But staying friends through school is easy. It's what comes after that c...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Isabella made it home from Matthew's house, not wanting anyone to talk to her. She headed upstairs and went to her bathroom, shutting the door behind her.
When she saw herself in the mirror, she gasped. There was an angry red bruise on her cheek where Matthew had slapped her. She carefully rested a hand on her cheek and winced in pain when it stung.
She didn't know a slap could cause this much pain.
"Bella! Are you home?" Isabella's mother echoed in the house.
Isabella panicked. She didn't even realize Marybeth was home. She didn't want her mother to see her face.
"U-Uh, yeah, I'm upstairs!" Isabella responded.
"Can you come down here, please? Your dad and I want to talk to you."
"Okay!"
Even her father was home. She couldn't let them see her face; they were going to suspect something.
She hastily opened her drawer and found her foundation. She grabbed the makeup product and opened the cap, applying two liquid coats with a sponge on her cheek. She patted the cheek a few times, and the handprint disappeared as if it were never there.
She relaxed, throwing the foundation back into the drawer.
Isabella rechecked her face before she emerged from the bathroom. She headed downstairs and met with her parents, sitting on the couch.
"Hey. You guys wanted to see me?" She sat on the chair across from them.
"Yes, we do," Marybeth replied. "It's nothing bad."
"What is it?" Isabella asked.
Bradley cleared his throat. "Your mother and I have been invited to go on a business trip."
That's it? Isabella thought.
"Oh, well, that's important, isn't it?" She chuckled. "How long will you be gone? A week, a few days?"
"No," Marybeth said with a nervous glint in her eyes. "We'll be gone for two months."
Two months?
They were going to be gone for two months? While Isabella was in the house all alone?
"Really?" she breathed in disbelief.
"Yes," Bradley said. "Although we work at different banks, the bank presidents want all the Community Banks to get together and outline our annual strategies for business development and philanthropic priorities for the upcoming year. We also have the launch of the new Youth Financial Program in the city to support the local schools and students, so we'll be going to New York."
Wow, this was the first time Isabella's parents would be away from her for that long. It would be lonely without them, but she could manage.
"We wanted to tell you as soon as possible so you wouldn't freak out. Maybe you can spend time with Aiden or Matthew while we're gone," Marybeth suggested.
