☔️Then the Rain Starts to Fall☔️

PROLOGUE

"Isn't it time to let go?"

What is strength? Isabelle always asked herself. Is it pure and physical? Or about sheer will? Or maybe a bit of both? As she was in her own turmoil, she recalled her father's words saying that if you can withstand pain, then it meant you were strong. She remembered, as a child, all the time she purposefully hurt herself to prove to her parents how strong she was. However her efforts never seemed to work, as they always belittled her telling her how pitiful and weak she was. They never cared in the first place, she thought. Real parents would have been there and told her to stop this nonsense, to stop hurting herself to prove something. Yes, her father's words meant nothing now, she was conscious that strength was more than just the capacity to take in pain. The world was far more complicated and she finally was able to notice all the shades of gray.

She was strong, she was sure of that, after all the belittling, the pain, the loneliness, how could she not? Walking to school, and coming back home to an empty space, to do her own homework, preparing her meal, watching TV, going to bed, all that alone for all those years. Only to be said, that she was worthless, without any future, that no one would ever want anything to do with her. It was time to let go, to leave this dull place and these hurtful thoughts. Her worth was more than that, she hoped so at least. Isabelle wasn't assured or confident, all she could do was to try to trust the process.

She looked outside the window only to see clouds. It had been such a long time since she took the plane, but it was worth it. Finally she would make her dream come true. Since that one time she met this girl who introduced her to manga and anime, Isa only thought was to go to Japan and see this beautiful place for herself. She admired everything, the respect, the traditions, and how they managed to ally past and future. She just wished she didn't set her expectations too high and that she would be able to blend in even if it would not be easy since she was pierced and got tattoos. It would be hard to get their trust. Her punk aesthetic would certainly play a lot with it. But even if it was hard she would do everything not to go back to the hell she left. Everything was better than that.

She was so frightened. She wanted to cry and scream afraid of what might be, but nothing will ever get out of her mouth. It seemed words she tried to speak were always blocked in her throat as if someone was clenching on it trying to suffocate her. What she could do was only cry in pure silence, letting the tears fall into her laps. Should she be happy, no? To be able to leave this nightmare? So why was she crying? Deep down she knew, but she didn't want to acknowledge it. It hurt so bad to recognize that the persons who were supposed to help you, to support you in your decisions weren't even capable of that. She was all alone and it hurt. For now, all she could do was support herself as she always did since childhood.

"Your attention please, we are about to land, please put on your belt."

Isabelle got out of her reverie and quickly wiped her tears before attaching her belt, ready to finally set a foot in Japan. It was finally it, she should be happy and not thinking about the past. But alas the girl couldn't help but feel her stomach clench. She was terrified as every actions as their consequences. But it didn't matter now, she did it, she just had to gather up some courage and go through the storm. She got out of the plane and took her luggage before leaving the airport. She took a deep breath and looked at the landscape. And now what to do?