Chapter Twelve
Clouds walked with her the entire way
Clouds have shapes, you know? It might be a glitch in my eyes but I can see dragons in them and of course, no one would believe me if I said I just saw a unicorn. Maybe I won't believe it too coz it can't be true. If Zavy was there he would have believed me, maybe not Zavy but baby Zavy. The memories are still so vivid in my mind when I and Zavy sat on a bench outside of the house because we were too scared to stay in, and sometimes Zavy cried because Mom came home late in the evening and I remember how I used to distract him by showing shapes in the clouds.
It's been so long since I've seen clouds like this. I must be going crazy now- I definitely am going crazy to see a monster in there too but I got one- I mean two people to believe that and both of them are sitting behind me talking non-stop about mythological monsters. And I don't know about shapes but their voices are going to make me crazy soon
The journey to The coastal range was boring for Isabell, her head stayed glued to the window. Ashley and Arine didn't stop talking for a minute the entire way because of their common interest in mythology.
Isabell didn't know anything about mythology except the things she googled whenever she messed something up with Ashley and she had zero interest in it anyway
Steve sat beside Isabell but they never talked to each other as something was on Isabell's mind, something like a confused feeling not confusing enough to be labeled as jealousy. She knew Arine was pretty and even the VC's son and every person was crazy for her but this person being Sebastian was tying a nod in her stomach and she would never allow herself to call it jealousy because she knew she hated Sebastian
The ski lift was the first stop, Isabell had memorized all the reasons why she didn't want to go on the lift, and as soon as they were out of the bus Ashley jumped with joy "S-k-i L-i-f-t, S-k-i L-i-f-t, S-k-i L-i-f-t" she sang,
Arine had gone back to her friends and Ashley was excited to ride a ski lift and her excitement was making Isabell more anxious "Let's go, Izzy," She said, locking her arm with Isabell's "I'm not feeling like it" Her reason number one "We are literally in the best ski lift in the world and you are not feeling like? Are you gonna feel like in a desert?" The reason was eradicated but she still had many to go
"I- just want to sit somewhere and have some rest, Ash" The second one "Were you dancing on the bus? How the hell can you be tired after sitting for hours" The second elimination "But I-I had eaten a snack- yeah snacks on the way so I may feel like puking" She threw the third reason but she missed a minor detail of Steve been with her; looking at her all the way there "No you didn't eat anything, Izzy" Steve killed the reason this time and that's how she ran out of excuses when Ashley asked her
"Are you scared?" It was supposed to be a question but Ashley felt the urge to scream it at the top of her lungs to the entire group, making everyone look at the three of them
"N-o no, I'm not afraid" She panicked, gasping for air. Isabell laughed nervously "Then what's the problem?" Ashley asked while Isabell stayed the center of everyone's gaze "Nothing, nothing is the problem' she exhaled 'Let- Let's go" and this was the exact reason why her mother was worried. The scared Isabell was now leading the other two
After the leader handed everyone tickets, they took the stairs to the Ski lift Station. For some reason, Steve stayed glued to Isabell the entire time except the one minute he left her side pulling Ashley away from her
"Hey, Ash," Steve said, stopping Ashley while Isabell continued to walk without noticing her absence
"Can I go on the lift with Izzy, please? I need to tell her something" he said it as a request, big plans she got what are his plans, the way Steve looked at Isabell could easily pass for him having feelings for her and Ashley has been noticed since the first year
"Yeah of course" Steve's eyebrows lifted at her impossibility normal response "Like I can? That's it? Just like this? No deal and no conditions?" the confused Steve asked in abrupt shock "Yes, that's all, I'm going to sit with Arine anyway and I actually was worried about Izzy being alone and you basically solved the problem" Her explanation made sense "Thank you, Ash" he was still in disbelief "Thank you so much, Ash" he repeated "No problem, Steve. Izzy is in Lift number two," she said "Okay," Steve said, the disbelief turned into a smile
"I swear I'm so so sorry to trouble you but can you please buy me a bottle of water before that, like I have got an upset stomach and don't know what it's about," Ashley requested appearing to be in pain
"Okay, okay sure sure I'll be back in an instant," Steve said practically running in the other direction "Thank y…" He was already gone without listening to her gratitude. Ashley flew with her ticket to her lift and after some moments her feet landed on the ground
"Izzy! Izzy!" Ashley yelled running towards Isabell when she was about to go in the lift that reads number two "I was looking for you, where did you go, Ash?" She asked "I- I'm sorry, Izzy but' She said, hardly catching her breath 'Arine asked me to sit with her ca- can you please go to Lift number three" Isabell bit her lip, shooting a stare at Ashley "Oh' she said, her voice was harsh 'okay" Isabell replied after a moment of pause. "I'll take you to a fancy dinner, bestie" Isabell smiled and never said anything to her.
Am I supposed to get jealous or something? I guess preferring solitude is better. She decided and she moved
As per Ashley's instructions, Isabell went to Lift number three, she took a deep breath before entering. To her surprise, no one was there.
"Am I being lucky? Like lucky lucky?" She said with a gigantic smile. Isabell felt happy because she could now scream and yell and probably both of them, at the same time, in peace. She took a seat on the left side and the door was ready to be closed
But
As soon as the operator announced that 'lift will be starting in one minute' a veiny hand grabbed the door of the ski lift and slid it open. Isabell stared at the hand, she recognized these veins they were the ones who saved the fall of Isabell last week, following the veins she reached the dark eyes
Bastarian
When she confirmed that Sebastian was standing at the door of her lift she was already up from her place and was taking a step toward the door
"I won't eat you" The depth in his voice stayed usual
"You might would," She said trying to take the door but the muscular hand had already sealed the door "Sit down," Sebastian said, Isabell turned herself towards him, her eyes were actually in shock "If you think I'm going to spend next ten minutes of my life closed in this cage with you, then you are absolutely wrong, Mr. Bastarian" Sebastian closed his eyes, he hissed loudly at the name
"Didn't you hear what the operator just said?" She heard it about fifty seconds ago and she knew his words were making sense but "I don't ca-" She didn't complete her sentence when the lift started to move and in a flash, she was already back at her place and a corner Sebastian's lip curved but he adjusted it back to numb normal before she could ever notice
The level of oxygen decreases in the atmosphere as you go to altitude and Isabell could swear she could testify to the statement for the universe because she was unable to feel anything in the name of oxygen around her
Her breaths were slight and short, her hands shaking, Hazel hairs hanging on her face, in any context, it didn't look normal and Sebastian just seemed to notice it.
"Are you okay?" he bent forward to check on shivering Isabell but didn't get a response. The trembling nails of Isabell's fingers started to scrap the skin of her hands, Sebastian's dead face darted worry
"Hey" his voice got sharper, and again there was no response "Are you afraid," he asked, Isabell could hear him clearly but right at that moment all she knew was that she was at a height and no matter what happened Isabell was going to feel down, not even the metal floor beneath her feet could save her from death now
"Isabell!" Sebastian shouted, his eyes widened as Isabell's nails started to leave scratches over her hand.
Isabell looked up, tears welling up in her eyes her nails moved faster hurting her hands "Listen to me, Isabell" A cold wave from the windows passed between them
"Cross your fingers with each other and squeeze your eyes" For the first time Isabell listens to Sebastian without any Rebelliousness. Her hands moved clenching into each other, eyes shut tightly, exactly like Sebastian told her but Isabell could not feel the effect of it on her
"It- it's not helping" Her tears come out faster with sobs, her hands trembling, breaths barely coming out
Sebastian gazed at her, anxiety reflecting in his eyes "Isabell" he called, but she didn't look at him. Sebastian moved his hands forward, parting the fingers from each other
"Hold them"
He said calmly, Isabell opened her eyes,
There was no way she was going to hold Sebastian Lightwood's hands, Isabell did know that but suddenly the ski lift had a jump which involuntarily caused Isabell's hand to cross with Sebastian's.
Unlike hers, his hands were large and warmly comforting.
The nails got the new target as they dug into Sebastian's hands but he didn't even blink an eye as if this was the slightest amount of pain his body had ever received.
Isabell kept her eyes closed for as long as she possibly could. Time felt to pass slowly and now she could feel her heart going back to the normal rate and the level of oxygen was excessive now, enough to make her breathe
"Hey" Sebastian called, Isabell nodded, her eyes were still closed
"Open your eyes" Isabell's eyes opened unwillingly on his peaceful voice. She couldn't feel the height nor could she notice the iron floor which was ready to explode and made her fall a couple of minutes ago.
All she could see was Sebastian and his dark eyes which were now warm and she didn't realize she was staring at Sebastian's eyes and he was staring back at her for moments and moments
"Feeling better?" her eyes twitched at his voice, It's The Knight in front of you, get a hold of yourself! She yelled at herself and in an instant she retreated her fingers, leaving deep marks on the back of Sebastian's hands "I- I am okay" She said staring at the roof, Sebastian nodded staring at her
They didn't have anything to talk about because they weren't friend but the surroundings were becoming so uncomfortable and someone had to say something or Isabell's Breath would go crazy all over again
"Can I ask you something?" Isabell finally broke the silence herself, Sebastian moved his head up and down and leaned back on the seat
"Why exactly did you reject my report?" Sebastian's jaw tense, eyes closed on her question "I told you because I don't—"
Isabell was probably the only person who could interrupt Sebastian this many times and still managed to stay alive
"Except that you don't like it, what is the reason?" Sebastian didn't reply to her and stayed silent
"Why, Mr. Bastarian?" He couldn't count how many times she has annoyed him in these two weeks by using a single word
"I—" and she cut in again
"Haven't told you the reason but have ignored your question so many times" She finished his words "Huh?" He appeared to be in disbelief because this was the same girl who was shivering like a scaredy cat moments ago and now attacking like a lioness
"You want to know the reason?' Isabell nodded but she didn't look that excited "Fine, I'll tell you" Her face could have given a smile or smirk but instead, it never changed expression maybe for some reason she now didn't want to hear him having a connection to Throne Of Demon
"When this trip is over, come to my office, and then I will tell you my reason" Isabell was relieved to not hear his explanation right now when she shouldn't and she was well aware of it "Well, I can wait for this much" After her words stopped coming out, the silence regained its position but in a couple of minutes the Ski lift was over,
Sebastian was gone and so was Isabell finding her friends
She spotted her friends standing as she took the stairs down to the station "Who will fight my case when I kill you?" Isabell said clenching her fingers at the back of Ashley's neck
"You?" She asked Steve with a moment of chin "No" he refused "Why?"
"Because I'll be the one helping you with her murder" He said giving Ashley a deadly stare "She played tricks on you too?" Isabell dragged her down pinching her ear "No-no-no, Izzzzzzy" her voice trembled
"Izzy" Steve said ignoring her screams, Isabell raised one of her brows asking what "When we get to the resort, I ne-need to talk to you about something" The irritation in his voice caused by Ashley was gone now, but before Isabell could answer to him Ashley cleared her throat
"Izzy, When we get to the resort I need you to help me unpack" Ashley looked at Steve stretching her lips into a forced smile, she blinked a couple of times "It's okay, we can talk after you help Ash with unpacking" He returned the stretchy smile with four blinks
"After unpacking I want you to sing me a lullaby until I fall asleep" She blinked her eyes at Steve about fifty times in five seconds,
The level of frustration couldn't exceed at his face, he just stayed quiet while Isabell looked at them in confusion not exactly knowing what to say. Maybe she should be telling them how Ashley's eagerness caused her a near-death experience.