Burning Desire

~Chapter Twenty Four~

Lando's POV

Isabelle and I had been sitting in the same position now for at least an hour. She was scrunched up in my arms. She'd been crying non stop for at least 40 minutes before her breathing started to slow and return to a somewhat normal state.

I had a slight amount of panic in me because I wasn't really sure what to do in this situation. Isabelle and I hadn't spoken normally in ages and now she's sitting here in my arms crying.

I gently rubbed my hand against her back trying to sooth her a little more. Once her breathing seemed to normalise I thought I'd finally be able to say something.

"Take a deep breath for me Iz..." I said softly.

I could feel her chest rising and falling as she took a deep breath.

"Are you ready to sit up?" I asked, still rubbing her back.

She was still for a couple seconds before nodding. She sat up and tucked her hair behind her ears, wiping the tears away from her face. She looked tired and drained. Her face was red and blotchy, but she still looked incredibly beautiful.

"Ok, I'm going to make you try to focus your attention on some different things" I said, taking her hands in mine. "This really works for me when I can feel my anxiety start to rise"

The best thing I could do was try to relate to her. Mental health is something that quite a few people experience, and I hope that my experiences with it can help her.

"Name three things that you can see" I stated.

She took a deep breath and then looked around the room. "T-The bed, lamp and y-you" she stuttered, her breath hitching a few times.

"Very good," I nodded. "Now name two things you can smell"

"Laundry detergent from the s-sheets and your c-cologne" she let out a breath. Her breathing was steading slowly and she was able to talk.

"Now name one thing you can touch"

She looked at me, making eye contact. Her eyes were bloodshot red and droopy. She needs to sleep but I don't know if she'll get that tonight.

"Your hands" she stated, then removed her hands from mine and placed them in her lap.

I gave her a small smile before making my way over to the bathroom, turning the shower on. I checked the temperature and then dried my hands on the towel that was there.

"I suggest having a shower" I said, leaning against the bathroom door.

She shook her head. "I already had one"

"I don't care," I stated. "It's soothing and it'll help you breathe a bit better"

"Why are you helping me, Lando?" she questioned, letting out a sigh.

"Because I care about you," I said softly.

"Really?" she looked up at me, a questioning look in her eyes.

"Of course I do," I reassured her. "Everyone here does"

She let out a small huff through her nose before rubbing her face with her hands. She got up from the bed and made her way over to me. She stopped right in front of me and looked me in the eyes.

I'd never seen her this lifeless before. Isabelle always had so much energy and was known for her sarcastic but loving personality. But this was different. She was in pain and struggling. She didn't have that usual glow to her. She was defeated and tired. I hated seeing her like this.