My Love Burns for Anyone Worth It novel Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

“Perhaps it’s because we’re all headed to different colleges,” Bella mused aloud, her voice barely above a whisper as she snatched the acceptance letter from Sebastian and Ronald’s hands. Without so much as a flicker of hesitation, she dismissed the moment, her mind already racing ahead. “I’m tired. I’m going back inside.”

The door slammed behind her with a definitive thud, leaving Sebastian and Ronald standing in stunned silence. Their expressions shifted from confusion to concern, a knot of unease tightening in their chests. They exchanged glances, sensing that something was amiss, but before they could voice their worries, Bella was gone, leaving them with a cascade of unanswered questions.

“What’s going on with her?” Ronald asked, his brow furrowed as he crossed his arms, irritation simmering beneath the surface. “It’s like she’s slipping away from us, and I can’t quite figure out why.”

Sebastian sighed heavily, trying to piece together the puzzle. “Maybe you should go smooth things over with her,” he suggested, casting a sidelong glance at Ronald. He felt a twinge of guilt, assuming Bella was upset and ready to delegate the task.

Ronald ran a frustrated hand through his tousled hair, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. “I’m tired of pretending everything is fine. If you think you can handle it, then you go talk to her.”

“I’m going to find Tess,” Sebastian declared, determination flickering in his eyes. “She should have received her acceptance letter by now, and I know she’ll want to celebrate with us.”

“I’ll go see Tess too,” Ronald agreed, the idea of confronting Bella feeling too daunting at the moment.

With that, they turned away from the Shaw residence, their previous intentions to comfort Bella fading into the background. Unbeknownst to them, Bella was watching the entire exchange unfold through the video doorbell, a bitter smile creeping onto her lips as she observed their retreating figures. In her heart, she believed that soon, the three of them would be inseparable, bound together by their shared futures.

Later that evening, Sebastian and Ronald arrived at the Shaw residence, their faces adorned with cheerful smiles, as if the earlier tension had never existed. Their bright demeanor was a stark contrast to their earlier argument about who should approach Bella.

“Bella, we’ve noticed you haven’t been yourself lately,” Sebastian began, his voice laced with concern. “Remember when you mentioned wanting to check out a bar after exams? We thought it might be unsafe before, but we’re free tonight. Let us take you out.”

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