A sweet smell lingered in my room, and I knew the banging and creaking that had woken me was Bella cooking in the kitchen. I tiptoed down the stairs, grinning as I spotted the plate of her famous chocolate pancakes. Despite my swollen eyes, I felt well rested.

     "You didn't have to do that." I smiled softly; brows furrowed in the slightest frown. Wasn't she supposed to be mad at me too? Hadn't I disappointed her by running away from my date with Lamar, as I had the others?

     "Nothing better to fix a bad couple of days than pancakes." She was so casual, taking out the syrup and setting up our plates like any other day. I only managed a few bites before I had to question her nonchalance.

     "Aren't you mad at me too?" I fiddled with my fork.

     Bella placed her fork down as if to place her entire attention on me, soft eyes boring into me. She watched me for a few moments, and I couldn't decide if it was anger or sadness dancing across her green irises.

     "Of course, I'm not mad," she finally answered, shoulders slumping. "I have no reason to be mad at you. And I know it might not seem like it, but the girls aren't mad at you. They have no reasonable reason to be angry. They're frustrated with the situation and they're taking it out on you."

     I pulled a face. They certainly seemed angry with me.

     "I'm not saying it was right," she went on. "Things were said that shouldn't have been said. They've created this big image of the life they think you deserve, and they're so intent on making it happen for you that they're blinded by the idea that you might not want what they envision."

     "But aren't I selfish for not wanting what they see?" I asked. Had I created such high standards that they were unattainable? "Am I asking for too much?"

     "Is that what you really think?" If her tone was anything to go by, she believed the answers to my questions to be No!"Have you ever been on a date and thought you needed to change something about them? Were you repulsed by them? Did you ever once think you were too good for your date?"

     "Of course, not. They were all great people."

     She smiled pointedly as if my answer should have brought clarity. "If we had set Quinn up with a really great guy no one would have been angry with her for not returning his feelings."

     "Well, of course. We're a group of decent human beings who don't discriminate based on someone's sexuality. Quinn's not in the capacity of returning a man's feelings."

     Again, she looked at me like I was missing the point. I definitely was. I was beyond lost with this conversation.

     "Exactly." She nodded eagerly. "And even if this weren't a sexuality thing, once they get their heads out of their asses, they're going to realize that it's ridiculous to resent someone for not having romantic feelings, something you can't control, for another person."

     If? If this weren't a sexuality thing? I blinked at her. "I'm a little confused right now."

     Bella smirked. Still with no explanation offered, she took another bite. I forgot about my own plate, staring at her dumbfoundedly. She was amused, but there was also a pensive look in her eyes. She was thinking. I couldn't tell if it was a thinking that would get me into more trouble, or of an idea that would solve my problems.

     When she finally tore her gaze from the pool of syrup on her plate and looked up at me, my curiosity turned to fear. Though Josie was known as the friend with the unrefusable puppy eyes, I thought Bella was the most frightening in the group. Her olive-green eyes could stare right into your soul and retrieve any answer she wanted. And she could do it without breaking a sweat, often before you even knew what she was doing.

     "Oh no." I straightened in my chair, ready to run. Those Binsfield genes made me shiver. I had had the misfortune of helping Bella and her mother with a church fundraiser, a few years ago. Bella was much like her mother; a forced to be reckoned with.

     "Just hear me out."

     That was never a good sign. "Bella..."

     "I'm just asking for one more date."

     "No way." There was no hesitation in my answer. Had she forgotten the last 24 hours? Maybe she wasn't as intelligent or perceptive as I had made her to be. "I said I was done, and I meant it."

     "This isn't about the competition," she insisted. "All bets are off. One last set up."

     "Why on earth would you think that's a good idea?"

     "I won't say too much because I don't want to make assumptions," she said carefully. "But I really think the one chat with this guy would offer the clarity you've been looking for."

      I remained hesitant. I had just made a big fuss about putting an end to all these set ups.

     "One last set up," she tried again. "Considering everything, I wouldn't ask this of you, unless I thought it would help."

     "I have little faith that this is going to go anywhere," I warned. Little faith was an understatement of how I thought this would play out.

      She smiled despite my warning. She knew she would win this. I never stood a chance.

     "I don't expect this to go anywhere either. I mean you'll probably get along, might hang out after as friends. But he's definitely not going to try to get into your pants."

     "Then what's the point?"

     "That will be for you to discover."

     I watched her bring her plate to the sink while mine remained half full. My pancakes were getting cold.

     "It's not even really a date." She shot her last shot. "It's like a friend date... between strangers."

     "A friend date?"

     Bella nodded keenly.

     "This is the last one," I caved firmly, and Bella grinned. "I mean it. I'm not forcing this anymore. I'd rather be alone than submit myself to another awkward set up."

     She practically skipped behind me. "I know dear." She kissed my cheek. With a last squeeze of my shoulder, she bounced towards my staircase.

     "Where are you going?"

     "I've got a call to make," she shouted, from where I assumed was somewhere near my bedroom. "You're off Monday, right? Tyson should be free."

     "Yeah, I'm off... Tyson?" It took only a few seconds to recognize the name. "Your brother Tyson?!"

     "Can't talk, Yaz. I'm on the phone."

     Bella took an excruciatingly long phone call. And no amount of eavesdropping could ease my worries because I didn't hear a single word through my door. Her whispered words really served no reassurance. What could she possibly have to hide? I smelt an elaborate plan being formed, a plan that could only lead in disaster.

     As if she had known I was listening, making her approach silent, Bella surprised me by yanking the door I was leaning on. Aching from crouching for so long, I fell at her feet. By the smile on her face, I didn't need a verbal confirmation. I had a date on Monday. I had a date with none other than her well-known trouble-maker brother.