Tempting Darkness

Chapter 9

I chose a seat by the window while Danielle placed our order at a diner. I watched as people walked by. Families, friends, and couples. My eyes became watery with emotion. They all looked so happy. After everything that's happened, I don't remember how it feels to be happy and loved and alive. I wish I could feel it all again. I just wish I was one of those fortunate people. I wish I could have a normal life. I envy those people, the ones that live happily with their loved ones. I just live too, but for some reason, it's just so impossible. Tears went down my eyes as I lost control of them. It's as if the universe is hellbent on making my life a bitch. I wish-

"Isabelle?" Danielle called out to me as she sat down in front of me. "You okay?"

I wiped my eyes before turning to her. "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Perfectly fine."

"Were you crying?" She sounded concerned.

"No, no, of course not. Why- why would I cry? That's absurd."

"I know you feel trapped here, living with us, but trust me, it is the best for you."

I did feel trapped but what did she mean by that? What did she mean by saying that it was the best for me? I thought.

"Anyways, let us eat before the food gets cold, shall we?"

"Okay."

***

We finally arrived at this Safe House Danielle was talking about, although it looked nothing like the mansion. It was 20:26 when we reached. Instead, it was a cottage, a big one though. Wooden fences ran around the cottage. Ivy was hanging on some parts of the wooden walls of the cottage. There were no guards in sight and neither could I see any cameras or security systems. Danielle and I walked inside and she dropped the bags. Earlier while we were in the town, we had shopped a couple of things as we had nothing; no clothes, no food; nothing, and we had no idea how long we'd be here.

"Come on, I'll show you to your room. You can get freshened up until then," Danielle said. I nodded as she took me upstairs to the second floor of the three-story cottage, and led me to my room. She handed me a few of the bags which had my clothes as I stepped into the room and closed the door after taking the bags. I took off my clothes, strolled into the bathroom, and turned on the hot water as I stepped into the bathtub. Hell, it's been a long day.

I walked out of the bathroom, dried myself, got dressed in a baby-pink shirt and shorts, and went downstairs to find Danielle. I found her in the kitchen cooking. Her wounds her rebandaged and she wore blue shorts and a red tee. "Hey," I said, "Are you feeling better now?"

"Isabelle," she replied as she turned around to face me. "When did get here? And yes, I'm perfectly fine, how about you?."

"A few minutes ago. I'm fine too, it wasn't like I was injured anyways."

"But you were tired, and annoyed during that drive, I wonder what would your mood have been when you first came to Italy. I mean it was a very long trip, was it not?"

"It was, but I slept through most of it due to jet lag and the timezone difference."

She and I laughed.

"You've changed you know. Back when we first met, you were frightened of...everything that was happening, but now, you're not that scared."

"That is only around you. It's as if, I just know that you're not gonna hurt me, ever. You are also the only friend I have there. And, you know, I'd say your behaviour towards me has changed too, back when I first came here, you were strict and scary, and now you're not."

"I suppose that is true. Sit down now, dinner's ready."

We both sat down at the table and started having our dinner.

"Hey, Danielle? So, umm... I have a question."

She hummed.

"I was wondering if I could back to the U.S. and give my exams for high school and graduate. It's fine if I can't get to go to college, but please let me complete high school. I promise I won't try to run away or anything, I just want to give my exams and graduate. I have my books too."

"When do they start?"

"Next month!" I said quickly, seconds after she had asked.

"I'll ask sir. If he allows you to go to the U.S. and give the exams, you can."

"Oh my god, thank you so, so much!"

"And one more thing, my friends call me Dani or Dan."

I smiled. "Well mine have an awful lot of nicknames for me, and I can't list them all but the most common one is Isa. So you can call me Isa."

"I like it."

We ate our dinner and went to our rooms, and Dani's was close to mine. I sat in the bay window of my room and looked at the stars. If I had just one chance at goodbye, I'd take it. I'd die for just one chance for one last conversation and to bid goodbye to my family. If only I could talk to them, once more, just once more. Mom, Dad, Ellie, I miss you guys, and I don't want to be here, without you. I had tried so many times in the past to take my life, but I was never successful. But now, I wanted to live, I don't want to die, not anymore. I want to live to the fullest and be happy and loved and most of all, I want to feel alive again. I want to feel alive just like I used to before the accident. Maybe even more than that. I just want to be happy like all those people out there. I'm done living like this, living in misery. I'm done being the girl everyone feels sorry for. 

***

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