Burning Touch

Chapter 31

"Mia?" She called again above the loud music.

"Up here."

Izzy made her way up to Mia's room and when she pushed the door open, she was left gaping at the scene that unfolded before her.
"What is going on?"

Mia zipped one of the trolleys and set it in a corner of her room as she got started on the second one.
"What does it look like?"

"Like you're packing."

Mia smiled.
"I am."

Izzy leaned against the doorpost sighing.
"This means you've made your decision."

Mia looked at her sadly and nodded.

"But why do you need to pack so early?"

"My flight leaves in the morning."

Izzy felt the breath escape her at the news.
"What?!"

"I leave in the morning."

"I...I don't understand." Izzy said confused. "Why do you have to leave so soon?"

Mia sighed and sat at the edge of her bed.
"I just really need to think, gather my thoughts, and what's left of my dreams."

Izzy frowned and joined her on the edge of her bed.
"There's something you aren't telling me."

Mia looked at Izzy and sighed.
"I'm still trying to figure it out myself."

"Do you have to leave the continent to do that?"

Mia nodded.
"Besides, I taking this as an opportunity to see my aunt after so long."

Izzy nodded.
"Fine." She said. "Does Fred know?"

"Why does Fred need to know what's going on in my life, he isn't my boyfriend."

"You two have been seeing a lot of each other, I just figured he'd be the first you'd tell."

"Fred doesn't know and I plan on keeping it that way."

Izzy raised a brow.
"You're going to leave without telling him?"

"That's the plan."

"I see what's happening; you're running away."

"I'm not running away." Mia said adamantly.

Izzy smiled with a casual shrug.
"If you say so."

Mia huffed and got back to packing and that moment Izzy thought of something.
"Fine. After you're done packing, let's have dinner out."

"Sure." Mia smiled.

"I'm going to go see Andre. Text me when you're done so we'll meet up there."

"Alright." Mia said. "Just don't say anything to Andre, he might say something to Fred."

"I won't." Izzy promised before she left.

Izzy headed straight for the restaurant she was going to meet Mia at and called Fred. She wasn't going to tell Ander anything but Fred...she didn't say anything about not telling him.

"Isabelle?" Fred answered on the second ring.

Izzy made her way towards the bar and took a seat.
"Hey, Fred. I know this is unexpected but I'm supposed to meet Mia sometime soon, I was wondering if you could take my place because I wouldn't be able to make it."

"Hmm, of course. I'd be glad to take your place."

Izzy smiled.
"Perfect, I'll text you where, when she calls."

"Alright," Fred said. "Thanks, Iz."

She smiled.
"Don't mention."

Mia dialed Izzy as she left the apartment later that evening and Izzy sent a quick text to Fred of the location and a p.s to 'Hurry the fuck up.'

When Mia had walked in, Izzy had been left speechless. Her best friend looked smoking hot. A mixture of the day-time Mia and the night-time Mia. She looked amazing. She watched as Mia took a seat at their table and took out her phone. Izzy's phone rang a second later and she picked up Mia's call as she watched her from the bar.

"Where are you?" Mia asked.

"I should be there right about..." Izzy looked at the entrance just in time for Fred to walk in. "Now." She said with a smile.

Mia frowned as she looked around.
"I don't see..." She stopped when she caught sight of Fred looking right at her.

Izzy saw when Mia caught sight of Fred and smiled.

Mia stared at Fred for a moment longer, gaping. She noticed him making a way to her table and she quickly turned away.
"What the fuck Izzy?!"

"I'm sorry but I'm doing this because I love you." Izzy said as she scrambled out of her seat and paid for her drink.

"I'm going to kill you." Izzy had hung up just in time for Fred to stop at the table before she dashed out and went back to the apartment.

When Mia got home, Izzy already ordered in Mia's favorite with some wine. But the look on Mia's face when she walked in wasn't what Izzy had been expecting.

"Mia?" Izzy called her in barely a whisper as her friend looked like she had been ripped to pieces and put back together again.

Mia looked up at Izzy and walked into her open arms.
"The look on his face," Mia said. "It was heartbreaking, Iz."

Izzy sighed and hugged her tighter.
"Are you ok?"

Mia shook her head.
"I don't think I will be, ever."

"Don't say that." Izzy said.

"Why does it hurt?"

"Because you care about him."

Mis sighed.
"I don't like the feeling very much."

Izzy smiled and led her to the living room and sat her down on one of the sofas.
"I got your favorites."

Mia sighed heavily.

"I'm sorry I did what I did but you needed to tell him you are leaving."

"About that..."

Izzy frowned.
"Oh goodness Mia, you didn't tell him after my plan for your rendezvous."

Mia sighed again.
"He would have tried to get me to change my mind and I would have let him. I couldn't."

Izzy let out a breath.
"It's fine. It was your decision to make anyway and I shouldn't have gone against what you wanted."

Mia looked at her and gave her a small smile.
"Thank you for trying."

Izzy smiled.
"You're welcome. Now let the marathon begin, it's our last night together."

Izzy joined Mia on the sofa with boxes of food and wine as they both binge-watched The Bachelorette laughing and blushing like high school girls having a sleepover. This was their thing and Izzy wanted it to be the last thing they did before Mia went off.

Izzy glanced at Mia and sighed when she saw the happy smile on her face. At least she had been able to get her to forget her pain for now. That was what mattered.

But damn, she was going to miss Mia.