Theo & Isabelle

  

I got up in the morning and got dressed in the same clothes I'd worn yesterday. Theo had said yesterday he'd take me shopping today, which just made me cringe. I didn't want to be here, let alone out and around other people. I knew they would stare. People always did stare at people with visible scars. This place was huge, and unfamiliar. I missed Ryan and my family so badly it ached, and I was so worried about what was going to happen to them. I hadn't been able to sleep at all, just tossed and turned all night, but exhaustion wasn't an unfamiliar feeling to me. I'd just have to make it through the day somehow. I finished dressing and went slowly downstairs. I could smell food cooking and sat nervously at the dining room table. It was so god damned quiet it almost made my skin crawl.

I stopped in the dining room doorway, surprised to see her awake already. "Good morning." I smiled.

I nodded without looking at him. "Hello."

"Breakfast should be done soon. Would you like juice or anything while we wait?"

"Anything is fine. Thank you," I said, still not looking at him. We'd been told this was Tywin's decision and I was trying to remember that. That would mean this wasn't Theo's fault. It was hard not to be cold towards him though. I didn't want to be here. I wanted to be with Ryan, even if that meant being in prison. And I had yet to let him get a good look at my face. I didn't know if he'd seen the scars or not, but I'd just as soon not see his expression when he did. Faded or not, they were still ugly as sin to me.

I went over and sat down next to her, she was going out of her way to not look my way and I had a good idea why. "Will you please look at me?" I asked her.

My body stiffened when he sat next to me. I could feel his body heat radiating off of him. He must've taken a shower recently. I took my time, slowly turning my head, but didn't raise my eyes to his. "Yes?"

"I know about what happened." I took her chin and tilted her head a little so her eyes could finally meet mine. "Isabelle, I think you're beautiful. Scars or not."

I trembled under his touch and felt tears in my eyes, though I fought desperately to hold them back. "Then you're blind," I whispered. "I'm far from beautiful. I can at least admit that. You don't have to try to make me feel better by lying."

"I'm not lying and I'm certainly not blind. Not by a long shot." I said "I'm sorry that you're going through this...but I'm not such a bad guy. I'll be good to you."

"Then you have a pretty fucked up idea of what beautiful is," I whispered. "I don't want to be here. I want to be with Ryan. I don't want to be married to you. I was supposed to marry him," I whispered and felt a traitorous tear slide down my cheek.

"I know you don't want to be here. I'm sorry for that." I wiped her tear away and then stood up "I'll get you something to drink."

"Thank you," I whispered and turned my head away to wipe the rest of my tears from my eyes. I was trying to be strong through all of this, but it was hard right now. Everything was so overwhelming.

I went into the kitchen and poured her a glass of juice. Breakfast was done too so I decided to take it out with me as well. I set her plate down in front of her and then the juice. "Here you go."

"Thank you," I said and stared down at my plate as I started to eat.

I started to eat too, I wanted to talk to her but I also didn't want to bother her.

The tension was unbearable and I couldn't stand the silence anymore. "We can talk if you want. I hate the silence," I said, still not looking up from my plate.

"Alright. Tell me a little bit about yourself. Do you have any hobbies or interests?"

"Not really. I used to love taking walks in the forest. That's not really going to happen now though."

"Why? I wouldn't mind taking you on walks."

"In the woods? I didn't think I'd be allowed out there."

"Tywin made some changes and that was one of them. The districts are no longer separated either."

"I see. What else has he done?"

"He ended the slave trade and got rid of corrupt doctors. There are a lot of projects going on all over the place right now and work for everyone."