The Inconspicious Twist of Fate

C6 - P2

Entering Flashback:

The darkened room slowly began to fill with light as a faint stream of sunshine trickled past the shades and onto Isolde's bed. Iridescent dust particles floated around, igniting whenever they fell under the beams of light.

Isolde's eyes fluttered open, struggling against the brightness of the morning. She yawned stretching her arms over her head as her toes curled and muscles woke up.

She sleepily threw her legs over the edge, pushing her covers to the side as she stared at the clock indicating 6:00. Her bare feet gently touched the ground, a shock wave running down her spine as she felt the cold hardwood on her sensitive skin.

She pulled the blinds open, the prying light finally completely pouring into the room, catching her eyes and igniting the usually brown orbs a fiery ember.

Today was Saturday, the day she and Ines would visit their mother.

With a slump in her shoulders and dark circles around her eyes, Isolde made her way to the kitchen with a spring in her steps.

She was in a surprisingly okay mood today, which made her hopeful for what's to come.

She cut some bagels and as she waited for them to slightly toast, walked around the house watering the numerous plants. She then proceeded to spreading the bagels with different spreads, varying from avocados to cream cheese and even jam, then squeezed orange juice, brewed coffee and washed the dishes all in the silence of the sleeping house.

It was only after she changed out of her pajamas did her father wake up followed by her younger sister. Soon enough the house wasn't all that quiet anymore. Instead it reverberated with the morning news, cartoons, and her father's haste footsteps around the house as he desperately tried to get himself and Ines dressed for her weekly visit to the speech therapist.

In the midst of the weekend conundrum, Isolde felt her phone buzz in the back pocket of her jeans as she packed away the remnants of breakfast into the fridge.

'Going for a quick hike, wanna come?'

Her screen lit up with Octavius's name above the message.

She looked up just in time to see her little sister's hand wave at her before the door slammed shut behind the leaving figures. After ignoring the message for a good few minutes, Isolde hesitated before sending her reply.

'Ok.'

'See you in 20 then!'

She put her phone down onto the kitchen island, trying her hardest to keep her fingers from intertwining together. Instead she resorted to biting her thumb, which she also forced out of her mouth.

Did she make the right choice? She was spending way too much time with these boys. Would it even last or did they just want something from her? No, if she played it cool and remained neutral she'd be just fine.

Why did she even care? She didn't. Did she?

Her train of thoughts was brought to a halt when she heard honking outside her house and her phone buzzed with yet another message.

'Outside.'

Had it already been 20 minutes?

Isolde picked herself off the bar stool and trudged outside.

Once she opened the passenger seat she was met with two cheesy grins on each of the boys' faces. She raised an interrogatory eyebrow before quietly taking a seat and closing the door behind her.

The car smelled of fading air freshener which was meant to conceal the subtle stench of sweat, dust and the lingering smell of the takeout food from a few days ago.