Tainted Dreams

1

ISABELLA

IM ON MY WAY back to the US after living in Lebanon for 10 years following that incident. I'm not looking forward to seeing Gabriel at all. Ever since my father had the audacity to kill his mother, he blamed me for everything that happened. I've always felt guilty when I hear his cries at the funeral 10 years ago.

But all of this is in the past. I will never forgive Gabriel for blaming me and making me cry every night, even though I had nothing to do with the death of his mother. Besides, I loved his mother; she used to cook us pasta every night when we slept over at their house.

We landed at the private airport, collected our bags, and got into the car.

"Ahmed, please make some space for your sisters," Mama said. Ahmed rolled his eyes and closed his legs as we sat in the car. We reached our home, and oh, how I miss this place.

We walked to the entrance, where I noticed a letter tucked under the rug. "Baba, there's a letter for you," I said. My father looked up, confused. "A letter? At this time," he checked his watch.

I shrugged and went into the house, feeling an odd sense of discomfort.

"Bella, come to my office now," my father called. What have I done now?

My father greeted me, and I sat in front of his desk. "Habibti, im going to host this masquerade ball" he said. I scoffed, "oh?"

"I want you to attend this ball" Baba explained.

As I went upstairs to finish my unpacking, I couldn't help but roll my eyes. I had a grand masquerade ball to attend in just a week, so the pressure to find the perfect gown and accessories weighed heavily on my mind. But beyond the glittering festivities, there was an even stronger desire within me—to catch up with my best friend Laura, whom I had missed terribly. All we'd done was talk on the phone during my time in Lebanon, and I longed to see her in person.

I picked up my phone and called her, the excitement in my voice palpable. She answered quickly, her voice filled with the same enthusiasm. "You're here?!" she yelled, her laughter echoing through the phone. I nodded with a chuckle, and she wasted no time, promising to run the two miles to my house.

The doorbell rang, and I rushed downstairs to greet her, my heart racing with anticipation. I wrapped my arms around her, hugging her tightly. "Oh, Bella, how I've missed you," I said, a wide smile stretching across my face. Laura had grown significantly taller than me during our separation and had become a well-known model in our town. Her beauty was undeniable, and her presence was as radiant as ever.

Laura, always one to stir things up, couldn't resist teasing me, "So, Bella, have you heard from Gabe yet or not?" It was no secret that Gabriel had a crush on me, though I didn't particularly like him until I was nine, the last year I saw him before the incident. "No, Laura," I replied with a hint of bashfulness, "We never talked, and I was in Lebanon the whole time. I didn't have the luxury to think about him."

Laura playfully teased, "Oh, I honestly ship you guys. Your ship name would be 'Gabella' or 'Gabriella,' or something like that. I ship Gabella until I die." I rolled my eyes, and when she suggested going out to see the snow, I declined. "No, Laura, I have some unpacking to do, and I need to plan for the mission. It's crucial for my father."

Laura pouted, "Please, Bella, come on, don't be a mood killer." After a moment of thought, I reiterated my decision, "No, let me be, Laura. I'm so stressed right now." She had the audacity to laugh, but I let her go as she mentioned needing to walk her dog.