To Be a Beauty

Chapter 52: Archer Coleman

"Hey Isabelle, you sure you don't wanna come?"

"Yeah, thanks anyway."

"Okay then, just give a heads up when you change your mind."

The woman headed string to the door, smiling at her friends waiting for her outside.

Ocean blue eyes blinked tiredly, eyebrows being rubbed by pale white hands.

Isabelle sighed, leaning back on her chair. Trying to lessen the pounding ache on her head.

'I need to go home.'

If she wanted proper rest, then sleeping on her apartment would be better.

But instead of getting up, she opened her bag, pulling out a familiar leather book.

She placed it on the table with a thud, taking a deep breath first before opening the book.

The smell of pine and a mixture of herbs greeted her senses. Her ocean blues squinted itself, leaning towards the book, scraping by each word.

A familiar sensation built up the moment she saw letters appearing from the book.

It was afternoon when Archer stepped out of the hall.

Halfway through his destination, he suddenly remembered something. He forgot his bag.

Archer frantically searched for his bag, finally finding it inside the second to the last class he attended.

Slinging it on his shoulders, a slight jingle sounded from the corner of his bag.

His eyes shifted, looking at the familiar keychain hanging from the handle of his bag.

His eye glistened, his lower lip bitten between his teeth.

Memories flashed through his mind like a train running inside a tunnel, zooming past every barrier, every reason that there ever was or were.

Even if his mother decided to abandon his sister, he could not.

Because even after everything that has happened, the only thing Archer knew was that-

He missed his sister.

A spot from the page darkened as it absorbed the fallen tear.

Isabelle blinked her eyes, a few drops spilling out due to her actions.

She pulled herself up and put the book back inside the bag. Closing the door of the room, she left the hall.

A light pitter patter mixed with the boisterous bustle of the people around her. 

It came to a stop the moment her feet passed the building door.

Her grip on her bag tightened, her eyes narrowing slightly from the noises she heard around her, as well as the scene in front of her.

"Why did you agree to be her model?"

A girl and a boy stood face-to-face, where the girl had a frown on her face as well as the boy.

"I told you, I needed to repay a favor."

The girl gritted her teeth, her eyes becoming red as tears spilled out of the corner of her eyes.

"What favor do you still need to repay?! Haven't you done enough?! Haven't you ended it already?!"

"I did and that was the last. I just needed to do that to have peace of mind-"

"Oh really now?! How am I so sure you won't come back to her?! Should I just sit here and do nothing?!"

"No, Dahlia it's not like that. I-I-you know I'll never leave you."