ADOPTED HEIR **Rejecting Nathaniel**

Isabella's P O V

Very early by 5:30 am, I jumped off bed and went straight into the shower to have a cold bath.

Ran out thirty minutes later and dressed up beautifully for school.

"Isabel! Are you awake?" I heard grandma yell to me from the dinning room.

"Yes granny, I'm coming." I yell back to her as I picked up my school bag and went outside my room to meet granny arranging the dinning table with plates of cereal milk and bread and egg.

"Good morning grams," I greeted as I took a sit and digged into my own portion of the early morning breakfast.

"How are you child? Did you sleep well?" Grandma asked.

"Of course I did. I slept well, you don't need to ask." I replied as I munched on my meal.

Few minutes later, I ran out from the small house grandma and I lived in. Due to the long distance I have to walk every morning to school I had to wake up very early everyday.

After walking for about 50 minutes, I finally arrive school.

I walked in through the gate and started receiving warm smiles from the students and teachers as always.

Everybody seems to like me in this school. Most look at me with admiration, it's something I don't expect from rich kids.

I am only on scholarship here at Saint olive middle and highschool, when I got this scholarship I wasn't so sure about attending the school because it's packed up with rich kids and I'm not even close to being rich.

I thought they might bully me once I got here but I'm terribly wrong, they all like me and they offer me money most times to eat at the canteen which I mostly refuse of course.

I don't want to be tagged as a beggar or known as a freeloader. I have morals and principles, I was taught that by my late parents.

My parents died two years ago in a car accident and I've been living with my grandma ever since. I love them a whole lot and I promised them that I will grow up to become a very successful woman and that's where am headed right now.

I got closer to my classroom to hear my one and only friend's voice yell to me.

"Isabel!" I turn to see the smiling face of Karen.

"Hi," I waved at her.

"Hi, you are finally here." She said as she came closer to me.

"The head teacher wants to see you during lunch period. I think it might be another competition," Karen groaned out in displease.

I smiled. Karen doesn't like me studying too hard at all, she knows I'll study twice as much as I study before when there is a competition for the school.

"You'll start studying and won't even have time to hang out with me. It's not cool at all," she grumbled.

"Come on K, don't be sad. We aren't even certain it's a competition," I said as I pull her into the classroom. We both sat down at our respective desk, 10 minutes later the first lecture for the day started.

**

I walk out of the classroom and went straight to the head teacher's office immediately the electric bell went off.

There I met the head teacher and one other male teacher.

"Good day ma. Good day sir," I greeted them both.

"Oh, you are here, Isabella. Nice to see you, take a sit, take a sit." The head teacher offered me to a sit and I took it.

"How are you? Hope your grandma is doing okay?" The head teacher asked.

"Yes, she is. And I'm also good. Thanks," I answered.

"Nice. Nice, um...as you may have heard, there is another maths competition coming up next month and since you are our best student, we'll like for you to represent us there. We all know you can win, we all trust and love you very much but if you don't feel like you can represent us this time then it's fine. We understand you.

I personally think you should rest this time around."

I stared at the head teacher for a while before speaking.

"I'll do it. I'll represent the school."

"Oh! You will? Good. Good, thank you." The head teacher thanked happyily.

"You can go now. You can go."

I stood up, bowed my head slightly in greetings before leaving her office.

And right outside, Karen stood there waiting for me.

"It's a competition right?" She groaned.

I chuckled.

"Yes," I responded.

"Why didn't you refuse it? Why? You are going to get sick at this rate. One should study always but not because of one competition. I hate it," she frowned.

"Come on, K, you know that's the main reason I'm here today, because of my intelligence, I can't keep it buried. I have no choice, I'll refuse some other time but not this one. I might refuse the English own but you know maths is my best subject." I grinned.

She stared at my face and scoffed.

"Look at you being proud," she pouted as she pushed my forehead with one of her fingers. I laughed.

"Okay, but there is something you really need to do now," she suddenly paused and turned to fully face me.

"What is it?" I asked curiously.

"You need to go up the rooftop, there is someone waiting for you there. You have five minutes, go now," she pushed me forward.

"Who?" I ask but she kept pushing me.

"You'll find out once you get there." She replied then folded her lips in.

Whenever she does that, I know she is never going to tell me what I needed to know.

So I sighed and curiously started running towards the rooftop, she said 5 minutes. I need to get there in five minutes.

I kept running until I got to the stairs that leads up. I paused for a minute to catch my breath, then started ascending up the stairs.

2 minutes later, I burst out of the room to see someone waiting at the far end of the roof with their back to me.

Huh. Who is that? I asked myself as I started approaching the person. I went closer and it became clear to me that the person is actually a male student.

I halted my step for a few seconds before I continued.

I was about to speak up when I got closer to him but he turned to look at me.

Oh wow! It's Nathaniel. The school most handsome boy.

Okay, what am I doing here? I thought to myself.

"Hey," he said, relaxing his back against the railings of the roof.

"H..hi," I waved at him.

"I'm Nathan."

"I'm Isabella," I replied back.

"It's nice to be finally able to talk to you. I've been trying to get to you for months now but failed, your friend did me a favour." He said and smiled softly.

Woah! He is super cute, I've never been this close to him since I started schooling here. But I've always seen him from afar with his bunch of friends.

"You are even more beautiful up close. I heard you are the most beautiful girl in Saint olive," he smiled again as he spoke.

I took my eyes to the floor at the compliment. I'm super sure that my cheeks are becoming red, I don't want him to see that.

I've been complimented a lot by guys, but not by a very cute one like this. It's as if he read my mind.

I heard him chuckle out this time. He turned to look down at the students.

"I also heard your birthday is coming up next week. I'm glad you don't already have a boyfriend. Maybe I can get to be your date on your birthday, Isa. What do you think?"

I won't lie, the tone of his voice sounds real nice. I've heard Karen talk about his great voice countless times. I wonder how they will sound when he sings.

"Uh..I don't know..."

"I'll let you think about it. By today's end, you should be able to know the answer right?" He turned again to look at me.

I nodded twice in response.

"Okay. I hope it's a positive answer because I think I like you," he's confession made me lift my eyes to stare at his. Our eyes locked for a few seconds before I took it back to the ground.

"So, I'll let you leave now." He added.

"Okay." I mumbled, turned and started heading out. Even tho I'm not looking back, I can feel his burning gaze on my back.

He could kill me with those eyes of his.

**

We are finally done with today's lecture and I'm headed outside the school. Karen is giving me a ride back home, she always does.

She has been asking me what Nathaniel talked to me about and I kept telling her that I'll tell her on the way back home.

I've thought about Nathan's proposal, I know he wants me to be his girlfriend. He didn't just put it straight but I know that's what he wants.

Honestly, if I wasn't pushing for something. I could have agreed to be his girlfriend, but I don't think I can do that now.

Grandma will be so displeased with me once she finds out.

"Hey," I heard the cool tone of his voice call as he stood in front of me.

"Hey," I replied back.

"So, what do you say, Isabel? I don't want to keep you waiting," he went straight to the point and asked.

"I...I don't want to have a boyfriend now, Nate. I'm sorry," I immediately revealed that. I didn't wait to see the reaction on his face and ran off to meet Karen.

I'm sorry Nate.

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