She followed the plan. Until she didn't.
Ethan never responded to Claire's text.
Not by message, anyway.
But the next day, as their class gathered to help decorate for the upcoming school showcase, Isabella noticed something.
Claire stood closer.
Not accidentally.
Not subtly.
Close enough that a casual observer might think something had changed.
Close enough that Isabella noticed the angle of Ethan's shoulder when he turned toward her. The way his posture opened. The way he smiled — small, distracted, but real.
And for the first time since she agreed to the engagement, Isabella's pulse misfired.
Just slightly.
Just enough.
"Let's divide by sections," she said, voice crisp. "Classroom booths go left. Outdoor stations align along the courtyard perimeter. Claire, you take signage with… Ethan."
She didn't look at either of them when she said it.
Claire arched a brow but didn't argue.
Ethan looked confused. Maybe even wary.
Good.
Let him wonder.
Let both of them wonder.
She stayed back to coordinate supplies. Directed traffic. Managed everything with precision.
And from a distance, she watched.
Watched as Claire laughed at something Ethan said.
Watched as Ethan handed her a zip tie with that same smile she used to think only she could coax out of him.
Her fingers tightened around the clipboard.
Then relaxed.
Then tightened again.
By the time lunch came, she'd regained her rhythm.
She approached Ethan casually while he wiped his hands with a napkin, paint smudged across his wrist.
"Here," she said, handing him a drink.
"Thanks," he said, clearly surprised. "Thought you were still at the booth."
"I was. Now I'm here."
He opened the can. She didn't move.
Across the field, Claire watched them both.
Isabella smiled — perfectly.
She reached forward, brushing a thumb lightly over Ethan's wrist, wiping a streak of paint.
Their hands touched.
Just for a second.
Item 1.3: ☑︎ Accidental Hand Brush.
Already checked.
And yet… something about the way their hands touched this time didn't feel like strategy.
It felt like a threat.
To her outline.
To her timing.
To herself.
She excused herself a moment later, citing a call from her driver.
But the truth was already scribbling itself in the margins of her thoughts.
Unstructured Thought Log — Entry #15Proximity advantage weakening. Reassess behavioral trend of Subject C.Addendum: Spontaneous photo opportunity canceled. Not due to time.Variable: discomfort. Location compromised.I am not losing. I am learning.
She locked her phone.
And smiled.
The kind of smile that didn't reach her eyes.
Some emotions don't appear on graphs.And some girls don't wait to be overwritten.