Stiletto

Chapter 3: Isabella

Isabella sat in the waiting room, the sounds of ticking clocks and muffled coughs filled the silenced air. She looked up as she heard her name.

"Isabella?"

She stood as her therapist asked in a soft voice,

"Are you ready?"

Isabella nodded and followed Rosa down the long hallway of rooms, aroma diffusers and white noise machines placed between each few sets of doors. Rosa held the door open for Isabella and slowly let it close behind them.

"It is nice to see you again Isabella." Rosa said in a gentle tone.

Isabella sat down in her usual spot on the couch, allowing the calming white noise and lavender aroma to calm her. She always found it hard to speak at the start of their sessions. Isabella knew what she was supposed to talk about, but she felt uncomfortable being the first to acknowledge it.

"We have been seeing each other for a while now Bella, you can tell me if something is bothering you." Rosa's voice sounded so nurturing, like a mother or grandmother. She waited for Isabella to speak.

"I- I think I have started to emotionally connect what happened to me... to this place" Isabella said softly.

"Why do you think you feel that way?" Rosa asked curiously.

Isabella thought for a moment, "I only talk about what happened when I am here. Outside of the nightmares I only relive it all when I am here" she said nervously.

"This is the second time I have heard you mention nightmares, what do you see?" Rosa asked.

Isabella started fidgeting with her hands. "Shadows, faceless figures. Sometimes they wear masks. Other times I see them clearly" she said making eye contact with the ground.

Rosa gave a moment of silence before speaking, "What parallels do you see in your nightmare's with what happened that night?" She leaned forward in her chair, folding her hands together.

Isabella closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "I'm on the floor. I hear voices and laughter. I feel paralyzed and can't move" she shuttered.

Rosa took notes as she listened, she saw Isabella's eyes start to water and gave her a box of tissues.

"I know this is hard Bella, but I am here to help you. Now tell me, how many people were there that night?" Rosa asked Isabella.

Bella kept staring at the ground. "Five" she said embarrassed, thinking back to the most traumatic night of her life.

Electronic dance music blasted from all around. Red solo cups could be found in the hand of every college student outside the Firefly Hotel. A man screamed, "SPRING BREAK 2020!" followed by a loud splash of water. The air was warm with a breeze to balance out the humidity. Isabella was getting cozy with her girlfriend by the pool.

"You got us wet!" Isabella shouted after being splashed by water.

Liza whispered in her ear, "Please, you were wet way before that" she teased, leaning in for another kiss. Isabella smiled at her remark and deepened the kiss.

"Let's get more drinks'' Liza said standing up with a wobble.

"You're drunk" Isabella laughed, "You wont make it anywhere by yourself." She said following Liza.

They looked for the colorful tub filled with different canned alcoholic drinks. Once they found it they drank their sanity away. Liza flirtatiously pulled Isabella in for another kiss, this one drew some attention. Liza felt the boys staring at them, so she made sure to put on a show. She slowed the kiss to create tension, moved her hands around Isabella's curves, grinding against her ever so softly. Liza finally pulled away, teasing Isabella by biting her lower lip.

"You are so sexy in the moonlight" she said tucking a piece of hair behind Isabella's ear.

Two guys approached them. They looked about their age and seemed harmless. "Hey ladies, my buddy and I could use some partners for pong. You girls game?"

Liza looked at her beautiful girlfriend and nodded with a smile. She grabbed Isabella's hand and drunkenly followed behind the boys.