when he’s not there // bella hines
𝗉𝖺𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀: bella hines x reader
𝗌𝗎𝗆𝗆𝖺𝗋𝗒: you’re cheating on your boyfriend with bella
𝗌𝗈𝗅á𝗇𝖺’𝗌 𝗇𝗈𝗍𝖾𝗌: kinda based off “when he’s not there” by kehlani cause i genuinely love that song but here’s the bella oneshot
you’ve been fucking with bella behind your boyfriend’s back for a while now.
it started small. it always does. a look that stayed a second too long. a joke that got a little too real. bella’s hand brushing yours and neither of you pulling away fast enough to act like it didn’t mean anything.
you told yourself it was nothing.
bella never said that.
she’s only seen your boyfriend twice. once when you invited her over, and once at a coffee shop downtown.
she smiled at him. polite. normal.
kept it pushing.
he doesn’t know.
you’re on the couch, tv on, not really watching it when your phone buzzes on the table.
bels💕: he gone?
you stare at it for a second. he left almost two hours ago to see his parents. he won’t be back for a while.
you: yeah
bels💕: ok coming leave the door unlocked
you get up and unlock it.
about twenty minutes later, the door opens and you look up.
there she is.
she moves like she’s been here a hundred times. like she knows exactly where everything is.
“miss me?” she asks, voice low, eyes already on you.
you shouldn’t smile.
you do anyway. “i saw you yesterday.”
“and?”
you step closer. too close.
“you didn’t even give me time to miss you.”
bella huffs out a quiet laugh like she expected that.
later you’re both on the couch, some random netflix movie playing.
her arm’s around you, her head resting against yours, fingers in your hair.
then—
“you ever gonna tell him?” she asks.
you look up. “about what?”
she sighs, already irritated. “don’t do that. you know what.”
you look away. “no, i haven’t told him.” a pause. “what you want me to say? ‘yeah i’ve been fucking bella behind your back’?”
“be serious.”
you glance at her. “i am.”
her hand stills in your hair.
“you think this just stays like this?” she asks, quieter now, but heavier.
you shift under her. “i don’t know what you want from me.”
“honesty,” she says. “at least with yourself.”
you let out a small scoff. “i am honest.”
bella tilts her head, looking at you like she already knows that’s not true. “no. you’re comfortable.”
that hits.
you sit up, her arm slipping off you. “and you not? you keep coming over, you text me first. don’t act like i forced you into this.”
“i didn’t say that,” she says calm. “i knew what i was getting into.”
“then what’s the problem?”
she watches you for a second before answering.
“you act like i only exist when he’s not here,” she says. “like i’m something you pick up when it’s convenient.”
you frown. “i text you all the time.”
“yeah,” she says. “when you can.”
it goes quiet.
“are you not my secret?” you ask. “you knew what this was.”
“yeah,” she nods. “at first. but now it’s too much.”
she leans forward, elbows on her knees.
“don’t treat me like i don’t matter outside of that.”
you swallow. “that’s not what i’m doing.”
bella raises an eyebrow. “isn’t it?”
you open your mouth, then close it again.
“i’m not asking you to tell him,” she says. “i just wanna know where i stand.”
that sits there.
then she leans in, presses a kiss to your cheek, and stands up.
and just like that, she leaves.
a week passes.
no texts. no random “you alone?” no her just showing up.
nothing.
you hate it more than you thought you would.
you’re back on the couch, phone in your hand, staring at your messages.
you type.
delete.
type again.
you: you good?
no reply.
you toss your phone beside you. “whatever,” you mutter, like you don’t care.
like you didn’t just check twice.
buzz.
you grab it fast.
bels💕: i’m straight
that’s it.
you: haven’t seen you in a minute
long pause.
bels💕: yeah
you frown.
you: so what that mean
typing… gone… back again.
bels💕: it mean i meant what i said
your jaw tightens.
you: so now you just acting different
bels💕: i’m not acting bels💕: i just stopped acting like i’m okay with stuff i’m not
you stare at that.
you: so what you want me to do then
she calls you.
you answer quick. “what?”
she’s quiet for a second. you hear her moving around.
“that right there,” she says. “you always act like i’m asking for too much.”
you sigh. “because you are. you knew the situation.”
“and you knew i wasn’t staying in it forever.”
silence.
“i’m not telling you to leave him,” she adds. “i’m telling you stop treating me like i only exist when he’s not there.”
you press your fingers to your temple. “that’s not—”
“then what is it?”
you don’t answer.
because you don’t have one.
“i don’t know,” you admit.
she exhales. not mad. just done.
“exactly,” she says.
a pause.
“figure it out,” she adds. “and don’t call me till you do.”
the line goes dead.
and now it’s just you.
same couch.
same silence.
but it feels different now.
like you can’t ignore it anymore.
the next few days feel fake.
like you’re just going through motions.
you and your boyfriend in the kitchen, talking, moving around each other like normal. he kisses your cheek. you let him.
you always let him.
“you good?” he asks one night.
“yeah,” you say, rinsing a plate that’s already clean.
“you been off.”
off feels like the smallest word for this.
“just tired,” you say.
he nods. “come to bed early.”
you hum, but your mind’s somewhere else.
later, he’s asleep.
you’re not.
your phone’s in your hand under the covers.
you scroll through old messages.
he gone? leave the door unlocked you up?
your chest tightens.
you wait for a text that doesn’t come.
the next evening, he leaves again.
“i’ll be out a few hours,” he says.
“okay.”
the door closes.
and everything shifts.
you sit there for a minute.
then grab your phone.
you: you busy?
three dots.
bels💕: depends
you: on what
pause.
bels💕: on if you figured it out
your jaw tightens.
you: he’s not here
bels💕: that’s not what i asked
you lean back, exhaling.
then—
you: i miss you
it just sits there.
then
bels💕: missing me ain’t the issue
you: that’s not fair
she reads it.
no reply.
you: you act like i just switched up for no reason
nothing.
the door opens.
your head snaps up.
“hey,” your boyfriend calls.
you straighten up. “yeah.”
he sits beside you. too close.
your phone is right there.
screen down.
like that fixes anything.
“what you watching?” he asks.
you glance at the tv. “nothing.”
“you good?”
“i said yeah.”
he looks at you for a second.
then stands. “i’m gonna shower.”
you wait.
water starts running.
then you grab your phone.
you: what you want me to do then
read.
bels💕: stop acting like i’m something you can pick up and drop
you: i’m not doing that
bels💕: you are
you: so what, you want me to ignore him when he’s here
pause.
bels💕: no bels💕: i want you to stop hiding me like i’m something to be ashamed of
that one sits heavy.
because she’s right.
a few days pass.
not quiet.
just off.
then one night, you see it.
her story.
bella, arm around some girl.
close.
too close.
no caption.
you watch it again.
and again.
your chest tightens.
you text.
you: who is that
bels💕: don’t worry about it
you: be serious
bels💕: i am
you: so that’s what we doing now
pause.
bels💕: what are we doing
you: you know what i mean
bels💕: say it
you: you posting up with other girls
bels💕: yeah
simple.
it stings.
you: wow
bels💕: you got a whole boyfriend
you: that’s different
bels💕: how
you: because you know what this is
pause.
bels💕: yeah bels💕: and i’m done acting like i don’t
your stomach drops.
you: so you just gonna replace me
bels💕: you not even available to be replaced
that one hurts.
bels💕: i’m just moving how you been moving
you stare at the screen.
and for the first time, you don’t have anything to say.
…
the next day, you go to her anyway.
you tell your boyfriend everything first.
all of it.
no half truth.
no soft version.
just the truth.
he listens.
then he tells you to go.
so you do.
you end up at bella’s door.
she opens it, looks at you.
“what?”
“i told him.”
she pauses.
“told him what.”
“everything.”
she studies your face for a second.
making sure.
then she steps back.
“come in.”
you walk in slow.
it’s quiet.
different this time.
you look at her. “i’m not going back to that.”
she watches you. “you sure?”
“yeah.”
a beat.
then she reaches for you.
slow.
her arm wraps around your waist, pulling you in.
your body folds into hers easy.
like it already knows where to go.
her hand comes up to the back of your head, fingers sliding into your hair, holding you there.
close.
steady.
you breathe against her.
and for once, you don’t feel split between two lives.
you’re just here.
with her.
her thumb moves slow against your side.
“you took long enough,” she murmurs.
you let out a small breath. “i know.”
she pulls you a little closer.
not tight.
just enough.
and this time it doesn’t feel temporary.
it feels real.
