Chapter 4

Because of this improvement, I trusted Gabriel's abilities even more and studied harder.

Isabella's grades, however, plummeted, and she couldn't keep up with her classes anymore.

Her gaze towards me grew increasingly strange.

Then, the rumors started.

Chloe secretly told me, "Isabella's been going around telling people you and Gabriel are dating, just so he'll help you cheat on tests. She also said..."

"Said what else?"

"She said you don't know how much you 'gave up' to improve your grades, that you're too young to be so immoral, clinging to Gabriel because he's smart, and tomorrow you'll be fawning over the school's bad boy because he's handsome."

She looked at me, cautiously. "She also said you have no self-respect."

My hand, holding the pen, tightened.

Chloe looked at me worriedly. "Catherine, maybe you should keep some distance from Gabriel? Until this blows over."

"I'm not dating," I said. "We're just studying together."

Chloe opened her mouth, about to say something else, when our homeroom teacher suddenly appeared at the classroom door.

"Catherine, to the office, please."

In the office, Isabella stood in the corner, a smirk of schadenfreude on her face.

Gabriel was there too, standing beside his homeroom teacher, Mr. Davies.

I was a little nervous, but my expression was calm.

Ms. Hayes, my homeroom teacher, asked, "Catherine, what's your relationship with Gabriel?"

"Study buddies," I quickly said. "Gabriel and I both struggled with certain subjects, so we're tutoring each other."

Isabella cut in, "Does tutoring require you to always be glued to each other? Together during breaks, together during evening study, and even together coming and going on weekends?"

I ignored her, intending to continue explaining, when Gabriel suddenly spoke.

"I like her. Is that a problem?"