Something Beautiful

Chapter 4

    Isabella sat on the beach for a long time. As she sat her mind went numb, the sound of the surf putting her in a trance. She may have stayed there forever had the rising tide not finally reached her feet. The now cool water shocked her and she snapped back into reality. The white swatch on her left hand read one twenty, in the morning.

    She braced herself for a speech from a worried mother, but when she walked in the house she felt as if she could hear the pendulum of every clock in the house. Michael must have sensed she wouldn't be back for a while and told her parents. What else had he said? Too tired to worry about it, Isabella went straight to bed without even changing. As her head met the pillow all she could do was cry.

    The morning was awful. Michael and Isabella's flight was supposed to have left at nine that morning, Isabella woke right as Michael was boarding. At breakfast her family said little about her choice. It made her mad, someone was supposed to tell her she was wrong and stupid and that she needed to apologize. Isabella rode her bike down to Michael’s. She walked up the stone steps and was greeted before she could ring the bell. Michael’s mom seemed surprised to see her.

“I was coming to apologize to Michael. Maybe we could catch the next flight?” Isabella couldn't meet his mother's eyes.

“Why are you still here? Michael left at five this morning were you not with him? Is he by himself?” Michael's mom began to freak out.  

“Wait, he went by himself! O my gosh, I have to go!” Isabella turned and rode home to get her things. She grabbed her prepacked bag and headed for the car. She had one shot, and it was the only way Michael could ever forgive her, as well. 

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Michael stepped off the plane in busy New York City. He tried not to think of Isabella or how he had lied to his mom. Besides, it wasn't his fault, was it? What had made Isabella change her mind so quickly? He knew dwelling on it wouldn't give him answers so he let it go. It wasn't that easy though. Until now he only felt pity for Isabella, now he started to feel angry. This whole trip was her idea, she was the one who bailed. Why was he still going? The anger passed as quickly as it had come and was replaced with sadness. Michael realized he was alone in a city of over twenty million people, and at that moment he considered hopping on the next plane out. It was also in this moment he saw Isabella. Her back was to him but he knew it was her. He dropped his things and ran to her, grabbed her shoulder and spun her around. If possible, Michael would have shrunk to the size of an ant. The girl wasn't Isabella, just a girl with long, auburn hair. She gave him a strange look and walked away. All Michael could do was raise his hand and hail a taxi. 

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       Isabella didn't have the courage to face her family and admit her wrong, so she left out her window with nothing but a note to tell her parents where she was going. She called the airline and got a ticket for the next plane to new york, then called Chris. Chris was Michael's best guy friend, and the best person she could think of to drive her to the airport. He didn't ask a lot of questions or require to much explanation. He was also smart enough not to talk on the way to the airport.

    “Thanks so much. I'm sorry it was so short notice.” Isabella thanked Chris as she got out.

     “No problem. Good luck, I hope you find him. It takes a lot to make Michael mad, but when you do, well, you know him better than I do.” Chris' comment came out of the blue, but Isabella knew it was true. Michael wasn't very forgiving. She shut the door, smiled and Chris drove away. If she caught the plane that left at ten she could easily be there before twelve.