Chapter One: The New Beginning

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the world seemed to pause, there was Aiden Carter an introverted, yet funny young man who found his place online. Known on the Mangatoon app for his humorous posts and his unwavering willingness to help others, Aiden didn’t have many friends in real life, but the friends he did have were everything to him. He valued loyalty above all else, and his small circle knew they could always count on him. But despite his kindness and his jokes that made people smile, Aiden often felt a quiet loneliness at the edges of his world. He had a way of brightening others' days, but when the screen went dark, he was just a boy with too many thoughts and not enough connections.

Then one day, in 2021, everything changed.

Aiden was scrolling through the app, when he saw her Isabella Reed. Her online presence was different; there was something raw and intriguing about her. Curious, Aiden sent her a funny message, something that might make her laugh, hoping to break through the icy demeanor that she seemed to have.

Her reply was blunt, but it caught his attention: “I am good, but stone-hearted.”

Her words stayed with him. There was a mystery behind them, a sadness he couldn’t quite place, and it piqued his interest. Isabella was 16, and Aiden, a year older at 17, had no idea that this seemingly simple conversation would change his life.

At first, Isabella seemed like someone who wore a protective wall around herself. She didn’t respond to him in the same way others did, but Aiden wasn’t discouraged. He had a natural way with words, and he was determined to crack the tough exterior she showed the world. So, he did what he did best he made her laugh.

His humor was genuine, always aimed at lifting others up, and soon, Isabella began to open up. She shared snippets of her day with him, and in return, he shared his. They talked for hours, and despite the distance between them, there was a closeness that developed. Aiden was cautious, however. He was careful never to overstep, always aware of the lines that shouldn’t be crossed. He didn’t want to risk ruining their newfound friendship.

But months passed, and something shifted.

As their conversations grew deeper, Aiden started noticing something he hadn’t before feelings. Isabella, with her quick wit and occasional moments of vulnerability, began to take up more space in his thoughts. He never imagined he would see her as more than just a friend, but slowly, he couldn’t help himself. Isabella was unlike anyone he had ever met funny, sweet, and always a little bit mischievous. She wasn’t just a girl who talked to him; she was someone who brightened his days in ways he hadn’t expected.

One day, seven months after they first started talking, Isabella made a bold move. She proposed to him, but it wasn’t an outright confession. It was subtle.an indirect proposal that made Aiden freeze. He didn’t know what to say at first. His gut told him to reject it, but he had to be honest with her.

“I see you as a sister,” he told her softly.

Isabella didn’t take kindly to being compared to a sibling. She rejected the idea of being seen that way, her voice firm as she replied, “I am not your sister.”

Despite the rejection, she didn’t stop pursuing him. Her feelings for Aiden grew stronger, and the bond between them began to change. Aiden found himself thinking about her more often than he thought possible. Maybe, just maybe, she was right. There was something about her that made him want to give this more than just a passing thought.

One night, after talking about their mutual friends and their past, Aiden decided to take a leap of faith. He realized that Isabella wasn’t like anyone he had ever met. She acted cute, behaved well, and even their shared friends thought she was a good person. He hadn’t seen her that way until now, but in that moment, he saw her for who she truly was.

But there was one thing that still nagged at him the fear of betrayal. He had been hurt before, and the idea of trusting someone again was terrifying. So, before accepting her proposal, Aiden set one condition:

“If you have any close guy friends, or a ‘guy BFF,’ I need to know. I don’t want to be betrayed.”

Isabella’s response was quick and unwavering. She denied having anyone else, saying that he was the only one she truly trusted. She promised him that if she had any such friend, she wouldn’t be interested in a relationship. Aiden believed her, his fears slowly fading as he looked at the girl who had been a constant presence in his life.

That was the moment he decided to take the plunge.

With a soft smile, Aiden accepted her proposal. “Okay. I’ll give you a chance,” he said, and for the first time in a long while, he felt a warmth spread through him. Isabella, in turn, was ecstatic, her heart racing at the thought of them being together.

They were happy, for now. They had taken the first step into something new, something neither of them had expected. But as they both knew, happiness could be fleeting.

For how long would it last?

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