Isabelle

Curiosity. I

That time of the year was slowly approaching, she could feel it, more like she was reminded of it. That time of the year when the so-called family bond was supposed to be stronger.

That time of the year that reminds some people why they wish they were dead, that time of the year that just reminds you that you are one day closer to your death day.

Yes, it was that time of the year indeed. Isabelle's Birthday. Another day to celebrate with the evil ones, in her term 'wolf in sheep clothing".

Ever year her mother would throw a formal party. Invited guests were family members, family friends and close friends. They were mostly her mother's friends and business partners who wanted to look like they supported her.

If only they knew the strong dislike Isabelle held towards them. She hated the way they looked at her, their judgmental eyes all over the place. Like they were waiting for something to happen. All they did was gossip about her mother's private life and how her father left them.

At her fifteenth birthday party, as she greeted the guests with the usual fake smile she learnt to pull off over the years. Carl, her mother's business partner stopped her to ask.

"How is your mother? I guess throwing a party to get her mind off things isn't such a bad idea considering what she did." He laughed shamelessly with a glass of champagne in his hands.

"And what exactly did she do?" Isabelle held up all seriousness, the fake smile she had on her face had vanished. She has tried her best to ignore every and any lousy comments they made of her mother but there's only so much one could take.

"Oh don't act like you don't know. Your mother cheated, that's why your father left her for a much more elegant and well-mannered woman". Isabelle didn't bat an eyelash for a moment staring at the so-called close Friends her mother chose to have. 'Doesn't that woman know how to select her friends wisely?' she thought.

Isabelle watched how he praised the other woman, which means he had already met her.

"My mother never cheated, so you can go ahead and shove that rumor down your throat." Isabelle took a step closer glaring at him before walking away.

"What an uncultured young lady" She heard him say.

As she was walking away trying to escape the glare and the gossips, she bumped into her grandmother Patty.

"Oh dear, I'm sorry didn't see you there" Isabelle apologized.

"Of course you didn't." Patty rolled her wrinkly eyes. "She still doesn't know how to keep a man, throughout her teenage years it was one boyfriend to another, they don't last. I told her to use her womanly features but oh well. I mean I was able to keep Sir Julian to myself." She said with her face high in pride staring at her own daughter Evelin as she was greeting some of the guests.

Sir Julian, according to what she heard was Grandma patty's lover. A man in his early 40's having a love affair with a 70 year old woman.

'Womanly features she says' Isabelle thought.

"Anyway, nice party at least it covers up the fact that Eveline has brought shame to our family". Patty said shaking her head sadly.

"So your one and only daughter brought shame to the family, how? How is it her fault that the man she married has his eyes on other women?" Isabelle couldn't help but talk.

"You should be ashamed of yourself Grandma... And you think sir Julian is with you because of your womanly features?" she scoffed and continued. "Grandpa in heaven is ashamed of....

And before she could finish her statement patty raised her hand to hit the side of her cheeks making Isabelle swallow her words.

"You manner less brat, you are lucky your father didn't take the money and house from you or else you'd be on the streets by now." She raised her voice, her little act caused some attention.

"The nerves of some people". Isabelle heard the woman say as she walked away, she glared at the old woman without saying a word.

She hated the world itself, the people in it were no good. Liars, Pretenders, fake friends, fake love. She turned to find her mother talking to one of the guests with a smile on her face and behind those pupil where sadness. She could see it, she could feel it.
The only real love she could say that ever existed was that between her and her mother.

Isabelle stood in her room looking out the window. She fixed her gaze on Mrs. Noel taking care of the rose bush in the garden. She really doesn't know why the woman is so obsessed with the rose bushes, apart from the different colors that could be quite attracting. But, it was fun watching her sing and attend to the bushes.

She heard a soft knock on the door, the person needed no response to know what to do, she walked in.
"Hey belle"

She turned to see Candice, her hands in her two front pockets, her feet placed together moving up and down continuously. Isabelle knew she had something to say.

"What is it you want?" Isabelle asked. For some reason, she didn't change out of her silky night ware, she wasn't going anywhere was she? And the silky pillow helped with the less friction, her hair was slightly better.

"How would the preparations be like this year?" Candice and Noel had a brief discussion about Isabelle's birthday over a popcorn while they were watching the movie with a low volume. Noel had suggested a few things and Candice wanted to ask Isabelle if she was down for it.

"There would be no preparations or whatsoever." Isabelle sighed, remembering what happened on her previous birthdays, she said "And if anyone comes to visit do not open the gates, tell Mr. Orlando not to answer any phone calls throughout that day."

She had a feeling her aunt and uncle with grandma patty might decide on coming over.

Stunned by that answer Candice wished to object.
"We could bake a small cake just to wish you a happy birthday, since you don't want anyone coming over. "

"I'll wish myself a happy birthday." The thought of it put the smallest smile on her face." Come to think of it my mother's birthday was her death day. Can you imagine how cruel this world is, to take someone you love away from you?" She let out a bitter laugh.

"I can imagine" Candice replied with a sigh.

"Imagine? Did you just say you can imagine?" Isabelle laughed again, the laughter wasn't to her amusement, it was just sad to hear those words from Candice "All you Clara and Mrs. Noel do is to laugh and gossip"

"Well at least we do laugh and not stay up in our rooms or library all day mourning over someone who is already gone." Candice found the laughter to be rather offensive, she still doesn't understand why she's still in this house taking care of her.

"We try to make ourselves happy, do you think it was easy for Mrs. Noel to take it? She LOVED YOUR MOTHER".

"Do not speak to me about love." Happy early birthday Candice you may leave now". Isabelle turned to look out the window

Candice and Isabelle shared the same birthday month but different dates. Candice was a few years older.

"Look around you, you have the life every kid dreams of having and.....

"Hold it right there. 'The life every kid dreams of having?" Isabelle interrupted Candice, She couldn't believe her ears, was Candice blind?

"What kid would dream of having a dead mother? What kid would dream of having a birthday party filled with egotistical people who do nothing but to gossip about their mother's private life? What kid would dream of having a father who would runs to the next available woman?"

Unless Candice was being materialistic, no kid would want to be in the same situation as she right now.

"I'm going to go help Clara with her chores now". Candice walked out, she wasn't going to have a conversation someone who refuses to listen and interrupts her.