Duality - oc x Isaiah Jesus

Chapter 24

Picture it, the misty fog curtaining the mysterious town, as the night sky was painted black, singular stars shining through the dark cloak. The crowds of many tiptoeing through the streets, making their way to a place of escape.

Laughs, the prolonged flash of cameras, as glasses clinked echoing through the atmospherical den. The dim lights of the club illuminated in a spotlight, the deep rouge glow reflecting off of the diamond tasseled dress, shrugged to perfection from her toned shoulders to décolletage. Curls pin to perfection, her hand perched against the cool metal microphone, as the softening of the crowds chatter simmered to a low hum. The sweetest of melodies echoed through every crevice of the Quarter, leaving no ear not serenanaded by her enchanting echo, almost as if she were a siren calling the lost sailors into the depths of the ocean.

Each night the Quarter was filled, much to the Shelby's brothers delight, as men and women from all corners of the country filed in, loosing themselves for the night in this world. Who wasn't fully entranced by Marianna's performance each night? Not even her talents could go unnoticed by her two childhood friends.

Each night was no different, just as Marianna knew, nothing ever changed, she would perform night after night, dazzling the crowds, but not being dazzled in her own life. How she longed for some thrill, something to make her feel again.

Marianna had often taken it upon herself, in between her day work ending, and heading to the Quarter, to walk through the streets of the small city, and just immerse herself. She had even taken it upon herself to befriend someone new.

Louis Scudberd was a 6 year old paper boy, who each day without fault, sat by the same corner, selling papers, pamphlets, anything that could grab an interested buyers attention. He was a spry little boy, who would do just about anything to earn a coin, performing tricks, polishing shoes, holding coats, any job you had for him he would take.

Marianna had been walking home one evening whilst carrying a bag of food, little Louis weaved between the crowds grabbing the bags off of her. At first she had worried he was stealing from her, thinking the worst of everyone, but no, he had offered to carry her bags for her, and she had been endeared ever since.

So the next afternoon and every afternoon following, she found the boy and made the request that he walk with her each time. Knowing he had loyal clients, she offered to pay each time, never forgetting, and an unbreakable bond was formed.

Marianna brought Louis with her everywhere, whether it would be a stage testing at the Quarter, or checking on Tommy's horses, the boy barely left her side, and others began to noticed the girls growing affection towards the small boy. Others like Isaiah, who often watched Marianna, though he made sure it was discreetly.

A lot of time had passed since Marianna's father's death, and Isaiah saw how deeply it wounded her, though he watched how she slowly began to heal in the presence of the little boy. Almost unnoticeably, but he could see how her tired frown, turned into a faded smile, even hearing her giggle through the streets as the young boy ran around her.

Time hadn't mended their friendship fully, things were sort of weird still between Marianna, Finn and Isaiah, though both boys couldn't complain, she at least spoke to them without a complete look of disgust on her face.

Marianna could feel it too, letting in Louis, allowed a part of herself to begin to mend itself, and slowly but surely, the pain of her fathers death began to fade away into the back of her mind.