03. ISABELLE'S POV

“Are you really not going to talk to me? I am really sorry…I just automatically shut down when things like that happen.” I was trying to apologize for my depression. 

“ You are so hard to hate, you know that?” Camille said, almost smiling as she folded a shirt. She was cleaning up her wardrobe.

Camille was my best friend, but really, she was more like a sister to me. She was a few inches taller, with soft brown skin and long black curly hair that reached her back. Her big eyes were framed by long lashes, and she had heterochromia: one eye a warm brown and the other a vibrant green. She loved food but somehow never gained weight,no matter how much she ate.

“If I forgive you,you are going to make me those French shell-shaped sponge cakes,” She said, raising an eyebrow at me.

“ Lemon madeleines. Got it.” I nodded, and she pulled me into hug.

“ Before anything else,I have to tell you, I have an interview today at 11:00 am at Banderas Étoile.” I said as we pulled apart.

“ Nooo way!” Camille gasped.

“Yeees way.” I said, showing her the email I received this morning from the company.

“ Oh my God! My Isabelle is going to be rich rich,” he squealed, jumping up with excitement.

I laughed, “Oh come on. Not yet.”

“But why 11:00am and not 08;00am?, Isn't that like the usual interview time for most companies?” She asked, tying her hair up into a messy bun.

“Well,they just said in the email that there were some emergencies,so they adjusted it to 11:00 am.” I explained while sniffing myself. Yikes. I had just come back from a jog and smelled like literal trash.

“Oh,I see. Well,amiga, you should probably get some rest and of course a shower” she said, pointing at me dramatically with her chin.

“What if I don't feel like it?” I teased with a smirk.

“ Well,in that case,you don't belong here!” She said, laughing as she dragged me toward the door.

“Okay, okay, I'm leaving!”I laughed. “See you later, corazón.”

“Bye!” Camille called back.

Outside, the sky was cloudy and grey as I made my way home. Once inside my room, I peeled off my sweaty clothes and headed for a quick shower.

Then,

THUD.

I froze, my heart skipping a beat. It sounded like something or someone fell right outside my window. I crept over, peeking out to see what it was, but there was nothing. Probably my imagination, right?

I shook off the nerves,showered,and by the time I was out, it was already 09:00 am.

“Arise and shine, Luna.” I said, placing breakfast in front of my cat.

Doja cat was blasting through my subwoofer as I danced around, singing:

“Can you kiss me more, we're so young boy, we ain't got nothing to lose..” 

She's one of my favorite artists. 

I made eggs for breakfast and inhaled them quickly. “Is it that I'm starving or are these eggs just too good today?” I said to myself,licking my plate clean.

After breakfast, I tidied my room, but an overwhelming wave of exhaustion hit me. My body felt like it weighed a ton.

“ I'll set an alarm for 10:30am, just to be safe.” I said, yawning,setting it on my phone before dozing off.

…….

I woke up to the sound of my landlord screaming outside.

“ Miguel,I don't know why you're still in bed till this afternoon.” She yelled. 

Eyes still closed, I muttered, “Can't she just -”

Wait.

Did she just say afternoon?

Shit.

I bolted upright,grabbing my phone. 13:15 blinked on the screen. Turns out I dozed off before setting the alarm. 

Shit shit shit.

I jumped out of bed, threw myself into the bathroom for the fastest shower in human history, and threw on my dress. Thank God I had prepared it earlier today. As I hunted for my shoes,a sudden sharp pain struck my head.

I gasped, clutching the door frame as the world blurred. I couldn't breathe properly. Everything spun around me.

I tried reaching the door, and the pain kept getting worse. I fell and everything went black.

………….

The next I heard was a muffled voice, Camille was arguing with someone. 

“Is she okay?What do you mean?”

 I forced my eyes open. Blurry hospital lights swam above me. Doctors were speaking calmly to Camille, trying to ease her panick.  

“What…… happened,” I whispered hoarsely.

“ Baby, you're awake!”, Camille rushed over,grasping my hand.      

“Are you okay?”

“ I'm fine,” I rasped. 

Camille bit her lip. “The doctor said it's likely you had a concussion before,and today's collapse was just the aftermath.” 

I was quiet.

I already knew.

I'd been fainting for months,hiding it from everyone, including Camille. I didn't want to burden her. 

In the background, I noticed the doctor talking on the phone,mentioning something about his son being hired by the hospital.

Hired.

Interview. 

Panic clawed its way back to me.

“ What time is it?” I asked, clutching Camille's wrist.

“ 15:15 pm,why?,” she said gently.

“The interview!” I wailed, tears blurring my vision. “I ruined everything, why does it have to be me all the time? What exactly did I do to deserve all this?”

Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. Camille hugged me tightly.

“Don't say that,Isa”, She murmured against my hair. 

We stayed like that, locked in for a few minutes,until I finally pulled away,wiping my eyes-

Then,

Standing by the door was a face I hadn't seen in years.

Lucas Lucas. 

Lulu. 

My childhood friend.

“Hey, Redhead,” He said,flashing a crooked smile.

“Lulu?”, I gasped, laughing through my tears. I pulled him into a hug.

“Oh my God,you're an adult now.” I said, pulling back and eyeing him. “You have big biceps? I can't believe I used to babysit you!”

“Okay, Miss ma'am.” he laughed, “Probably not the best place to bring that up.”

I giggled,about to ask where he'd been all these years when I noticed something.

Or rather, someone.

My words died in my throat.

Lulu and Camille followed my gaze to the door.

And there he stood. 

Tall. Commanding, dressed in a sleek black Zoot suit. His hair, black and gleaming under the hospital lights. Deep brown eyes, framed by lashes so thick they could have been drawn on, a jawline sharp enough to cut glass.

 Giovanni Banderas.

What the actual hell was he doing here?