Enchanted feelings

Loss

Isabela went cold as she stared at Elena

"Well Isabela here, has something to say. Don't you?" Eduardo glanced at her with a smile

"No" She recoiled

"You know if you don't want me to tell her, you can, hmm...Stop being her friend" He whispered so only she could hear.

"What are you doing here Eduardo?" Elena's tone was accusatory "I told you I wanted to hang out with my friend...Alone"

"And I wanted to make sure of some things, darling" Eduardo walked over and kissed her cheek "Besides, the caves are kind of dangerous. Now you have a man to protect you"

Elena scoffed and pushed him away "You are unbelievable''

"But you love me" He grinned and raised an eyebrow towards Isabela

"No comment " Elena chuckled and turned to look at Isabela "I thought we could go into the Luster cave...But only if that's alright with you, we can go anywhere else if you'd like. I just need to talk to you about something"

"The cave is fine" Elena muttered, trying to avoid eye contact

"Great!" Elena smiled and held her hand "We will be going ahead" She called back to Eduardo

"I'll be close behind. I promise not to interrupt your ...Girl time" He smirked

Elena seemed to ignore his face and just nodded

They made their way to the cave within a reasonable distance from him, but they barely shared a word with each other

"Have you ever been to the cave?" Elena finally asked when they were near the entrance

"When I was little'' Isabela gave her a small smile

The inside was pitch black and Isabela was afraid of taking a wrong step "Are you sure this is a good idea?" She frowned, not that Elena could see her.

She heard some shuffling and the sound of a match and suddenly there was a hint of light, she glanced at Elena surprised  "You had a candle and matches in your boots?"

"I'm always prepared" She winked with a chuckle

Isabela felt her chest full "Of course" Her laugh came with a bit of sadness, she still was on thin ice with Eduardo.

They adventured further in, quickly loosing any sign of him.

Soon Elena slowed down and found a place to sit down "Care to join me?" Isabela nodded and immediately sat next to her

"Uh...So what were you and Eduardo talking about before I arrived?" Elena set the candle in a rock which had a small dent to hold it

Isabela cleared her throat anxiously "Um, nothing important really..."

"Oh. But he mentioned me having to know about something? Did you want to talk to me about something?" She looked at her with those always caring eyes

"Eh...Well... I- I Just wanted to apologize for leaving that day without telling you, it was rude of me"

Elena smiled "You don't have to apologize"

Isabela wondered what according to her sister and cousin caused her change of mood that day. "I do"

"Can I ask you something?"

Isabela hesitated "Yeah, anything" She didn't sound very thrilled

There was a beat of silence afterwards and Elena sighed "Isabela, these past two weeks have been" She paused to think about it "Different'' She bit her lip and Isabela held her breath "I've noticed you acting different around me...And I... Did I do anything to cause that?"

Isabela could only look at her

"I feel like you don't want to be around me anymore"

"T-That's not it"

"Maybe I'm too much and I get it if you need space...I know I take too much of your time"

Isabela shook her head with a painful expression

"Your family doesn't even know that we are friends" She stated after a while with a frown

"What?''

"The day of the party...When I talked with your family I realized that they had no idea about our friendship"

"I-" Isabela didn't know how to explain it to her

"It's okay" Elena stared at the ground "Isabela, I love your company, I want to spend every day with you" She laughed sadly "That's what I did wrong...Right?" She waited for her answer but it never came so she continued "I've placed myself into your life, when you never asked me to. It's okay if you've grown tired. I understand it and I promise to tone it down"

"Elena...No, you are-" Isabela felt a knot in her stomach, she had to choose her next words carefully. But just then the candle tipped over and the flame went out

Elena reached out for her and accidentally cupped her chest without realizing "Sorry!" Elena dropped her hands and backed away from her embarrassed "I-I think I have more matches..."

Isabela's feelings were too intense, she had never felt this much yearning for any girl.

How could Elena think that she was tired of her?

There was a magnetic force pulling her towards Elena, her hands found her face in the dark and she caressed her cheek tenderly. "Elena I-"
She felt her warm breath and Isabela's lips parted instinctively, for a moment she lost herself in that feeling, until it suddenly all became clear again and she realized that she was slowly leaning into Elena.

Isabela was about to kiss her...Something totally stupid and wrong . She stood up alarmed hoping that Elena hadn't perceived her intentions, guilty she took several steps back until her back hit a wall.

This was completely going to break her apart, she had to put a stop on all of this before it did.
She had to do what Eduardo wanted, he wouldn't share her secret and Elena wouldn't completely hate her this way...At least she hoped so.

"Elena, listen I... I do need space, but not just temporarily ...I don't think-" Her voice was breaking "I don't think we fit as friends" She whispered, her body trembled along her pain

the cave was in complete silence

but after a moment she heard Elena sniff and Isabela's heart sunk, she never wanted to hurt Elena.

"W-Why?"

"I'm sorry, you-" Isabela's eyes teared "You were right, you inserted yourself into my life...A-and I want you out of it"

She couldn't be around her anymore, as much as she longed for her. Elena wanted a friend and Isabela couldn't just be that for her, even if she wanted to try, Eduardo would never allow it. This was what she had to do for her own sake, in the end she knew that keeping her closeness with Elena would only lead to one thing,

falling in love with her...Or maybe she already had, for what she knew.

"I need to go" Elena bit back a sob.