You both walked to the night market, in comfortable silence. Sometimes, nudging the other softly, when you find something of interest.
Isabela offered to walk you home but you refused, instead you lead her on the lower part of the hill... just before the climb to their house.
There you waved her goodbye, watching her walked...or use her vines to climb slash transport her, whatever works for her. You shrugged before feeling something dropped on your head.
A ring of purple rose, you shook your head smiling, scrolling down your phone.
'Ways to preserve flowers,'
It's already late when you got home, because after saying goodbye to Isabela, you lingered inside the market.
Buying resins, few papers, strings, leather and glue. You decided to give something to Isabela in return for her kindness. Though you know yourself, that's a weak excuse to see her again.
Mariano and your mams look at you suspiciously, because normally you would be dying to come home early. Yet, there you are on their doorstep with bags of new clothes, a guitar and a heap of raw materials.
"So did you enjoy a time with Mi amor?" Mariano inquired as you flinched in the pet name he called her.
"Very much." You responded as you set the bags down, now feeling the tiredness from walking around town.
"Good it's nice to see my hermana and my amor getting along." He hugged you. "We can't have both of you at odds at my wedding can't I?"
'Not if the bride-to-be is unsure.' You thought. "Propose first," you rolled your eyes. "Before daydreaming," you poke his sides as he giggled happily.
"Aye!" He agreed. "I will maybe after the gift ceremony that's in two weeks," he told you.
Oh yeah they did say that Antonio will be earning his gift. Speaking of gifts, Isabela didn't react much seeing her sister-in-law. .You. having a gift.
She just asked you a few questions like where did you get it and does Mariano have one? And since when?
Which you answered in "I didn't know, Mariano doesn't and ever since you're a child." Your gift is the primary reason why your father and you constantly move houses in your early years.
"Paps thought the houses was haunted that time... but it was just me getting a kick out of scaring people," you confessed as Isabela laughed.
"You're a naughty kid!" She poke you. "Though I could say the same," Isabela blushed. She told you how she would sometimes play roughly with her cousin Dolores, to the point that they broke some of the plates and vases. They got an earful of scolding though.
You smiled to yourself feeling drawn to the irresistible presence of the flower girl, who is also your brother's girlfriend.... you sighed as you reminded yourself, groaning to the fact that the girl was plaguing your mind 24/7.
Huffing in annoyance you changed your clothes into your pajamas. Hoping to get a good night sleep this time as you drift inside your dreamland.
*-*-*-
You slept fairly well this time, only waking up to the sound of your window being tapped at.
"What?" You swiftly stood up as a pang of dizziness took over you. Anemic. "Hold yourself!" You told the person who is insistently tapping it.
You opened the damn still as your bloodshot eyes greets the morning breeze in full force. "Wha-" you grunted before the girl who's in your mind for the past days popped her cute little head.
"Morning Isabela...?" You greeted still out of loop. "Wait, this is the second floor how?" You said before peeking outside.
"Morning Artesia," She smiled, holding over the vine she carefully constructed.
"Girl what?" You muttered surprised. "What are you doing?-" she put her finger on your lips.
"Come with me," Isabela whispered holding out her hand.
"Uh no. Nonono.." you moved your finger as you gestured your comfortable get up. "I'm going back to bed... and holy! Its only 4am in the morning." You whispered yelled.
"C'mon, I've got something to show you," she gave you an excited smile that you can't refuse.
"Ok... fine let me just," you wrapped your blanket with you and fastening your trusty black sandal slipper before taking her hand.
Isabela grinned widely as she wrapped the vines on your waist, transporting you to the ground below. She took your hand excitedly as she ran with you to the wide open hill.
Of course, you followed while internally dying as your lungs expand in its maximum capacity in less than a minute.
Forget exercising your weak disposition! If you're with Isabela everyday, you doubt you'll get to be a couch potato, heck you can even be an track and field contestant with how fast you two are going.
You gasped, wheezing and coughing by the time Isabela stopped. "You're really have a weak body. Do you need some water?" She looked at you concerned.
"No... doubt... about....it," you still panted gasping for air. You sighed as you composed yourself. "No... at least not yet,"
Isabela gave you an apologetic look as she bring you to.... a picnic mat? You gave her a confused glance.
"Well, I don't have... friends outside Casita... so I.... uhm wanted to share this view with you," she smiled shyly. "I'm sorry that I may seemed to overwork you?"
"No. Don't be sorry. I'm just weak at running in a long period of time," you reassured her, while biting back the thought of ....why did she brought you here not your brother. But you chalked it up as girl's night out? Or rather morning out.
"Still... I'm sorry," she said holding your arm as she passed you a cold bottled water.
"Thanks, and wow you did come prepared," you said as you counted the food she brought.
"I..." she blushed. "I couldn't sleep much last night and I thought of making some food to share and ended up filling the container."
You smiled at her before chuckling. "That's kinda cute," you picked the equally cute flower cookies she made. "Mmm! It's delicious, wanna try some?" You pulled a cookie, putting it on her lips.
"I... sure," Isabela smiled letting you feed her. "Mmm sweet,"
You both take turns in feeding eachother as you talked about nonsensical things.
"So when did you learn to play guitar?" Isabela started as she drank her share of water.
"Maybe at age seven, paps always played me and Mariano some tunes, while mams bring out the piano. We used to jam together and when....Mariano and mams moved here, Paps rarely played the guitar. So I taught myself," you answered. "Though I did cut my finger four times attempting to shred."
"How about you? When did you learn to make this heaven tasting goodies?" You asked Isabela, taking another one from her basket.
Isabela gave you an amused look. "Mami always cook and I picked it up from her as I grew older. My first creation was a slice of pizza, granted.....the dough was so thick that Mami struggled to take a bite from it. But she still complimented my work, giving me pointers, here and there."
You clapped as she turned to ask another question."Do you play other instruments?"
"Piano, flute, ukulele, beatbox and a bit of violin. I learned it while attending university. Its one of my favorite past time," you said while helping Isabela packed up.
"How about you? What are your hobbies and past time?" You stared at the flower girl.
"Gardening, I know its ironic because I can grow my own flowers. But there is some satisfaction in seeing them grow naturally. I also sing and dance, sometimes I join Papi in playing piano but I stopped since I became busy with chores." Her eyes flickered sadly.
You held her hands, "Why not.....let's play a piano duet one of these days?" You suggested. "Whenever you're free.... but lets walk next time," you gave her a frightened look as she elbowed you.
"Fine," she rolled her eyes, giving you her amused smirk before her attention was caught by the rising sun.
You followed her line of sight as you both watched the town turned lighter and brighter as the sun shown upon it. You both didn't realized that you somehow huddled together.
But then again you both began to get used to the closeness you shared. Not knowing a certain Madrigal is facepalming at your denseness.