AoT: The red thread of fate: A new world

Chapter 8: thanks for the happy memories

A few days had passed, and Chaz was still a little fragile from his tragic experience. But there was one thing that was helping him get through the gloomy day and eerie night. That one thing, was Isabel, her kind heart and willingness to stay with him all day made him appreciate her.

Levi and Petra had learned from Isabel that Chaz's stress migraines seemed to only occur at night and the often sometimes come from his nightmares. Isabel was Chaz's one thing he held onto, she was possibly the only thing keeping him sane.

'Mom, Dad... I'm so sorry, that I couldn't save you. I was never a good son to you... but you loved me anyway, and I loved you, even though I may not have acted like it. But there is one person that has made me-' the door then opened as Chaz snapped out of it.

"Chaz? Did you not hear my dad? He wanted to speak to you." Isabel told him, seeing him sitting on the end of his bed. He then looked up seeing her cute face, making his lips quirk up forming a smile.

"Sorry Isabel, I was just lost in my thoughts. What does he want?" He asked getting up. "He wants to talk to you about something? I don't know, but he said it was important." She told him.

"Thanks, Isabel." He smiled, giving her a small hug and then exiting the room, heading downstairs. He then entered the living room, seeing Levi and Petra sitting down on across from him. "Hey Chaz, take a seat please," Levi asked him politely. Chaz then swallowed hard, taking a seat at the other end, feeling the fear shiver down his arms.

"W-what is it?" Chaz asked nervously, as Levi and Petra then briefly looked at each other and nodded, as they looked back over at him, with Petra speaking first. "Listen Chaz dear, we had a phone call from the orphanage, and they have a spot open for you." She confessed sadly.

Hearing what he heard, Chaz was pondering about what to say to Isabel. He knew it wouldn't be ideal to go with people he didn't know, but he felt like without Isabel there, he couldn't go on. "I... I want to stay, I can't leave Isabel, I don't know if I can go without seeing her again." He told them, as Levi painfully closed his eyes, as he just didn't want to hear that come out of his mouth.

"I know... but, I'm sorry, I've made the choice that you can't stay. They've told me that I can't decline now, trust me, Chaz, I wish I could take it back, but it's just not possible." Chaz was devastated, his heart ached with pain and sadness, as he was starting to take a liking to Isabel.

"... Can I at least stay for today then? Since it'll be the last time Isabel sees me?" He asked them, hoping he would at least grant him that. "S-sure, you can stay for today... for her," Levi replied with a beaten tone.

Chaz then left their presence as he slumped his way back upstairs, sighing very sadly. When he entered back into his unlighted room, he saw Isabel looking at a frame of his family. "Hey! That's mine!" He snapped, causing Isabel to gasp and look in terror.

"Oh, I'm... I'm sorry! I just saw this on your bedside table and-"

"it's fine... don't worry." He bitterly cut her off. She then had tears leaking out of her eyes as she couldn't contain her sadness. "Hey, what's wrong?" Chaz asked, seeing the scared look on Isabel, as she was shaking like a leaf. Chaz's face then widened as he only just realised what he had done.

"Oh my goodness, Isabel I-I'm so sorry!" She then looked away, diverting her gaze from him. "No... I don't deserve your forgiveness." She told him, disappointed with herself. but then she felt his warm touch on her face, as he cupped it with his right hand. "It's fine, really." He assured her, as he took the frame and sat down beside her staring it at it.

It was a landscape portrait of him and his family, his parents were holding him in their arms, while his brother stood by his dad on the right, and his sister by his mom on the left. "Did they love you?" Isabel asked, sitting on the edge of the bed with him.