Three weeks had passed since that incident with Vanessa, and life had settled into a somewhat predictable rhythm. Isabel was now a constant presence, always by my side, almost like a protective shadow. I haven't talk with Vanessa since and had even asked the teacher to give me another person for the class project and he had say yes.
Isabel now seemed especially vigilant when Zaya was around, which I found both comforting and slightly overbearing. Isabel's protectiveness was surprising, considering I was engaged and theoretically off-limits.
But perhaps she sensed something in Zaya's persistent attention that made her wary. Well Zaya was very nice to me always present.