Play Not With My Heart

Continuation to 'The Beloved's Bittersweet Torture'

SUMMARY: It is one year later and Bella Jacobs' feelings haven't changed. In fact, they've grown deeper and she's dealing with the consequences of falling for James Parker. Things will never be the same. It's her senior year of high school and while her friends are happily in love and she's happy for them, she can't help but feel and wish that she has her own love story. She moves to get James Parker out of her life. After all, he already has a girlfriend. But then Bella discovers a secret – a secret she can't keep but ends up keeping, and hurting James in the process. Will James be able to see that she didn't want to hurt him intentionally? Or will he think that Bella only wants revenge from him? Will Bella finally be able to get her own love story, and will it end happy this time?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!! WELCOME TWO THOUSAND SIX!!!

last chapter folks! it's been a great show but now it's time to draw the curtains. ;) here's another story...finally finished after 8months! :) three cheers for you readers!

read, enjoy and review

Dear Bella,

You are amazing. I have come to love you more everyday.

I love you, I love you, I love you. God, how I love you.

Carver, Andy and Bryant are teasing me endlessly. They think I am under your love spell. They tease me that you're a witch who's got me under her spell as a way to get back at me. They're jerks. (okay don't show them this but I secretly love them too, but just as friends, okay?) They're just teasing, you know. And anyway, I deserve it because it took me long a long time. They think holding your hand, kissing you, buying flowers for you, writing letters to you (like this one), emailing you, talking to you, instant messaging you, emailing you, wanting to be with you all the time is too much. They threaten to take me of the band if I write another song about you. But I don't care, to me, it's not enough. I want to make up for all those years lost and spent. I want to make up for all the times I was afraid. I want to make up for all the times I hurt you. I want to show you how much I have come to love you. I'm glad we waited because in those months that we waited, I have gotten close to you and I have gotten to know you more. And that has given me more reason to love you. I can't stop saying it, Bella. I might sound scary now, like a crazed psychopath, but I just need to say it. And anyway, every time I say it, Penny, Tory and V smiled like lunatics. I can tell they're so happy for you. They're such great friends (that day at the football field when you left, they totally screamed my ear off. And I was so sure V was ready to strangle me right then and there). They'd do anything for you, Bella and I'm amazed at the intensity of the loyalty you instill in your friends. I've no doubt you'd do the same for them.

I'm amazed at the kind of person you are and I'm so proud of you.

I love you, Isabella Jacobs – my Cinderella, my Sleeping Beauty, my beloved and my angel.

Love James

Bella folded the letter and wiped the tears from her eyes and her cheeks. She sighed deeply and placed the letter bag in the box of letters she had received from her friends, most especially from James. She looked at herself in the mirror, and smiled at herself.

She was going out tonight with James, and he had specifically ask her to wear the same dress she had worn during the Valentine's dance. Same dress, same sandals but this time no armband and her hair hung lose.

She didn't know where he was going to take her tonight but she had a suspicion he was trying to re-create that night.

V, Penny and Tory were with her almost two hours ago. They talked about their senior year, and college, and their lives. She was so happy for her friends and they were happy for her. This time, all four of them were happily in love (maybe not entirely with Penny as she was dating a different guy everyday). The guys were doing great as a band. They now seemed to be the hottest topic at school, and part of the most popular ones. Carver was basking in all the glory as the other three guys were already taken, the only left him as the available one.

"Hey, sis you're lover's here," Adam called as he walked in her room. Then, "Whoa!"

"He's not my lover and if you make any comment about how I look I'm going to kill you," Bella threatened.

Adam smiled. "You look beautiful."

Bella got teary-eyed. "Oh Adam!" Then she rushed forward and hugged him.

Adam hugged her back. "What a year it has been for you, huh? I'm glad your senior year ended this way. I love you, Wee-Bella-Wella-Bee."

"I love you too, Adam."

He laughed. "Hey even though you've got a million grandkids with James, I'm still gonna call you that."

"Adam!"

Adam laughed as he ran out the room. Bella shook her head but she was smiling. Then she left her room and went downstairs. She overheard her dad and James talking about the latest NBA game, and she smiled again. The part when her parents would grill James was over. When James would come over, Bella was surprised at how easily he'd be able to talk to her parents. She was glad her parents were able to trust him now.

The days when her dad would lecture James about being careful and bringing her home by midnight was over too. The days when her mom would show James baby pictures were over too.

That night, her mom was out on a business meeting and Marissa was away at work, so it was only Adam and her dad to see her off. Not that they needed to see her off as this was not the first time James had taken her out.

"Hey James."

James stood up from the couch he was sitting on and grinned widely. "Absolutely beautiful."

Bella blushed that he said right in front of her dad but her dad was smiling knowingly. "Just be home before your curfew, Cinderella."

Bella groaned inwardly. Ever since her parents found out that James called her his Cinderella, they teased her to no end. "Yes, dad."

"We'll see you, Mr. Jacobs."

"Bye, James. Bye, sweetheart."

"Bye, dad."

Bella was right.

James was headed to their school.

Once at the football field, it was the same thing all over again. James laid out the blanket and handed the jacket to her. They both sat down and talked. They talked about their friends, their families, the classes, their teachers and the future. But this time, there were no more tears and no more sadness – just uninhibited joy and happiness. There were still silences but they were never uncomfortable or awkward. They simply basked in the presence of the other.

They were lying down on the blanket, side-by-side, staring at the sky. There were some clouds but through them, they could see the stars.

"There's Orion the Hunter!" Bella said pointing.

"Oh right, with the three stars on his belt," James said.

Bella brought her hand down. "And that's the only constellation I know."

"Same here," he said chuckling. "I don't think I ever bothered to pay that much attention in science class."

She laughed. "Do you ever pay attention in any class?"

James lifted his head and looked at her. "Hey! I do pay attention in class!"

"Yeah sure, uh-huh," Bella replied, turning sideways to face him. "Don't be too sure of yourself. Exactly how would I know?"

James wiggled his eyebrows. "Because you'll believe anything I say."

Bella pushed him. "You bighead!"

James was laughing as he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. "Would you believe I love you?"

Bella's laughter subsided, and she smiled. "Yes, I do."

"Then you believe everything I say," James said with a triumphant grin.

"Only when you say you love me."

"I love you."

"I believe you."

"I love you."

"Oh yes I know."

"I love you."

"You keep saying that."

"I love you."

A pause and then a whisper of, "And I love you."

They kissed with the stars and sky above them, with the grass and earth beneath them, and their newfound lasting love in between.

A/N: And there we go, another happy ending. I hope it wasn't too rushed? Too forced? I was afraid it was going to look like that because this wasn't how the story was. I actually changed the ending just today and I'm posting it today too! I didn't bother to edit it that much (which is probably like breaking the #1 rule of writing fiction) so I'm sorry for grammatical errors. Man, I hope I didn't mix the chapters, characters, stories up! Ehe. Well the initial ending I had in my mind was that Bella and James would get together on the night of Love Auction. The epilogue would simply be about the 8 of them (Bella, James, Andy, V, Tory, Bryant, Carver and Penny). But I liked this one better, don't you agree? It seems more realistic anyways, and less forced. Realistically, James and Bella wouldn't have hooked up instantly. But that's just me. So just send your comments/feedbacks/reactions/reviews!

See you in the next story! :)