Roses grew around her with thick thorns to keep away whoever was approaching.
The footsteps grew heavier until someone yelped and Isabela knew that they had crossed the prickly wall.
she had no intentions of staying but before she could get away someone grabbed her arm tightly "Wait"
"Dolores?" Of course, Dolores knew how to pass through, she'd learned Isabela's tricks from the plant obstacles she'd make when they were kids playing tag
"Hey"
"What are you doing here?"
"Is everything alright?"
"Did you follow me here?"
"After you left in such a hurry I..."
"I'm fine"
"You don't look fine" Dolores frowned
"Just leave me alone, please" Isabela freed her arm and started to walk away
"Why did you leave then?"
She ignored her
"I know what the notes are"
"What are you talking about ?" Isabela stopped and turned to look at her with interest
"Listen Isa, I know that you don't want to talk to me...But I think that you need help with something" She cleared her throat awkwardly "And those notes you kept getting- "
"You were spying on me?" She pointed an accusatory finger at her
"I wanted to know if something was happening, and one said-"
Isabela's eyes widened and her mouth quivered with anger "You...You had no right to read them!"
"I know and I'm sorry, but I was worried"
"Why do you even care?"
"Why?" Dolores scoffed "You're my best friend!"
Isabela rolled her eyes, she didn't mean it but she was feeling too many things right now.
"Why won't you just talk to me?" Dolores pleaded "Like in the old times"
There was a long pause
"Because you won't understand" She finally said
"Understand what? I don't even know what's going on with you anymore"
"So you're just going to pry into my business until you find out?"
Dolores stayed silent
Isabela glared "Really Lola?"
"I want you to be happy" Dolores reached out for her "I don't want to invade your privacy but I need to know that you're okay"
Isabela let out a sigh
"Is Mr.Gomez the one sending those notes? Is that why you couldn't stay at the party?"
"Mr.Gomez? What? Why would you even think that?"
"I saw you two the other day, and now I know that it was to discuss the decorations for the party...But you seemed nervous around him"
Isabela laughed bitterly "You don't want to invade my privacy...And stop coming up with scenarios that aren't true. Mr.Gomez had nothing to do with those notes!"
Before Dolores could talk Isabela continued "And if I was nervous the other day is because he is Elena's father...Don't tell me you've never been anxious to make a good impression"
"But the note said to meet at the river that day. Did he not sent it? You met up with him, was that pure coincidence?" Dolores pressed on
"Yes! It was a coincidence he happened to be there. I was going to meet up with someone else! I don't know if you believe me but it's true"
"Oh... I believe you" Dolores rubbed her forehead, aware of all the wrong assumptions they had possibly made "So the notes...Who were they from?"
"I've told you enough, don't you think?"
"I- Look I'll leave you alone, but I can't let this go if I don't now the truth...And Camilo said that one of the notes seemed-"
"Camilo...He read them too? Who else, my sisters? The whole family?" She joked angrily
Dolores chose not to tell her the whole story just yet "If someone is bothering you, we'll put a stop on it"
"I said to stop with the false scenarios! No one is bothering me"
"Then why do the notes trouble you? You can't deny that you have been acting different. We've all noticed it!"
Isabela shook her head and looked away
"You can tell me Isabela, don't be afraid to talk to me. If there is someone doing something to upset you in any way I-"
"I already told you it's not that!"
"Then what is it Isa?" She gave her hand a warm squeeze "Don't think that I haven't noticed your cries some nights"
Dolores just wouldn't give up
"You want to know what's going on?" Isabela's voice softened "You all got something that you wished for, Luisa doesn't have to carry the weight of the family, Mirabel is our gift, you get to be with the man you love...And I...I thought that I'd get to figure some things out too"
"I thought that your power was growing" Dolores looked at her tenderly
"It is...But I can't figure out how to live the so called life of my dreams" She admitted, tired.
"Oh Isa" Her look was of pity and Isabela wanted to get far away from it "We can figure it out, It's okay"
"It's not okay" Isabela bit her lip
"You don't have to have all of your life sorted out, I don't think any of us do.
And I'm sure that you'll get what you wished for, even if it takes time. I'd never thought that I would end up with Mariano but here I am"
"You did, but not everyone gets to be with the person they want" If Isabela's turmoil hadn't shown at full force, Dolores would've thought she meant nothing by it.
But something clicked like pieces of a puzzle coming together and it all made sense "Wait, the notes from that someone you've been meeting up...Your letter, are part of the the things that you need to figure out?"
"What?" Isabela's eyes widened and she automatically shook her head again, she feared that she had said too much.
"The notes make your heart race for a different reason...The letter, the one that you wanted my help with, the things that you wrote were-" Dolores met Isabela's gaze
"It's not what you think" She tried to shut Dolores out
"All this time we've had it wrong" Dolores muttered and Isabela didn't have it in her to ask her who did 'We' involve
"I've felt that too, I don't know how I didn't realize sooner" Dolores kept a low voice
"I don't know what you're talking about"
"When I thought that I couldn't be with someone that I had feelings for, it was terrible Isa, it made me miserable"
Isabela stared at her with glossy eyes, it was too soon but her heart already ached.
"The notes are from someone that you like, aren't they?"
And that's when Eduardo appeared out of the blue looking alarmed "Isabela! Finally, I found you. We need to talk about the letter"
Dolores face turned and her eyes grew wide with apparent knowledge, she would get the wrong idea once again.