"You can't fight the darkness

but, you can make it dance."

Cyrus POV

Sipping my coffee, I think about Isabelle. A smile started playing on my face. She is learning how to bake a chocolate cake. Nonna is helping her. I decided to have some alone time while they made the cake.

I was not sure if she would be able to bond well with Nonna and Nonno. On our first day on the estate, she was agitated and drew a circle around her. I'm happy that she was aware of things and drew a circle. Looking at her now, it's impossible for anyone to tell that she isn't a part of the family. Yet...

She pretty much bonded up with Nonna and Nonno. She is taking baking classes from Nonna even though we tell her not to tire herself with kitchen work. She was hellbent on learning something in her free time. I couldn't stop her from doing anything. It's refreshing watching her do things for the first time.

She joins Nonno in his farming field. He was happy to teach her farming. I couldn't stop thinking of the way her eyes shone with unshed tears of happiness when she was knee-deep in the farming fields. She was and is a city girl. I know these things mean a lot to her.

I decided to stay calm and let her decide her own activities. Nonno and Nonna love Isabelle and they have already teased me about putting a ring on her finger. It's soothing watching her bond with them. There's this unsaid happiness and peace that surrounds my body and mind watching her smile doing the little things.

Those little things mean greater things to her. I know I shouldn't be pushing her towards making life choices. I shouldn't force her to go against her family. I want her to experience things. I want her to be the person to make choices for herself.

My phone started ringing, breaking my thoughts. I chuckled, looking at the caller Id. "Hello..." I heard her cold tone.

"Hi."

"Where are you? Aren't you in London?"

"Nah, Are you in London?" I asked her.

"Yes, mum sent me here."

"Alone?" I already knew the answer. Aish auntie would never send her alone. "No." I laugh while she groans.

"I already regret coming here. Xavier and Elora are too much to handle." She sighs. "And don't get me started on their romance."

"Haha― What about David? Why don't you go out with him? Sure, he hasn't seen London, has he?"

"Nope, we aren't on a talking basis."

"Wow, aren't you guys in love?" She lets out a sarcastic laugh. "Elora hasn't told you?"

"Tell me what?" There was a silence from her side. "Sitara?"

"He is getting engaged with Sejal, probably next month."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah, it's done. They are in engagement preparations."

"Woah, it's really happening? I thought he was going to ask you out."

"Hmm, I don't wanna talk about it on the phone."

"Is someone near you?" She hummed.

"What about your college?"

"We got semester holidays." She then adds. "By the way, where are you? Are you in New York?"

"Nope, I'm at Nonna and Nonno's place."

"Reason?"

"I brought her here... With me," I tell her.

"Wow! Trying your chance?"

"Yeah."

"I'm happy for you, Cyrus." I smiled.

"Not sure of anything. We have got eighteen days left."

"Yet... There's always a chance, Cyrus. Wait for the miracle to happen. Anyone in their right mind wouldn't lose you."

"Yes, there's always a chance. Don't you worry about it. Things might change over there and you might win him over."

She laughed. "I don't need a trophy, Cyrus. I did what I could. Now I left it because I can't invest my time and emotions when there's no response."

I hummed. "Anyway, good luck with her. They are calling. I will call you later!"

"Take care."

"Yup. Bye." The call ended and I stared at the phone. I met Sitara at Xavier's wedding. She is his sister-in-law. Sitara is cold but soft on the inside. Happy that she's someone with whom I can share things openly. We pretty much became friends on the second day. It felt good talking to her.

*

Isabelle was humming as I drove the car to the market. I planned on bringing Isabelle to one of my favourite restaurants in the town.

"Isabelle." She turned her gaze to me. "Yes?"

"Do you like it here?" A soft smile spread on her face.

"More like love..."

"People are sweet. Beth and Pablo are good friends and people that you want in your life. Pablo taught me farming, Beth taught me baking and you taught me to learn how to shoot. It's beautiful to watch the sunset from the fields or spend tea time with Beth in the meadow."

I gazed at her to see her eyes closed like she was remembering everything in her mind with a smile on her face. "Life isn't boring anymore. It is not filled with the same buildings, roads, New York's traffic. It is much more than that and much more beautiful than what I imagined it to be."

We both fell into a comfortable silence. "Have you made any plans for how to utilize your day?"

"Maybe roam around the town, have a coffee in the cafe. I want the day to be spent lazily." We reached the market, I found a parking spot and stepped out of the truck. I went over to help Isabelle. Once her feet hit the ground, my phone started ringing.

"Just a minute."

"Okay." I went over to the other side to answer the call. I ended the call and went over to Isabelle.

Her gaze was fixed on the bookstore. "So, where to?" I asked her and she pointed to the small bookstore across the road.

"You wanna go there first?"

"Yes." She said, pulling me along with her. When she pushed the door of the store, the bells jingled. I looked around the store. It was a cosy kind of old bookstore with a touch of our town's beauty.

Isabelle left my hand and went in search of a book while I was looking at her. I followed her as she went rack to rack. Why is she so adorable?

She finally found a book and I raised my eyebrows when I saw the title. "Don't judge me, werewolf books are bae."

"Do you need something else?" She hummed, looking around. "I will check out the young adult section."

"Okay." I looked around as well. I go through the books arranged in the trending section.

"I'm done." She was holding four books.

"I hold them for you," I said after paying for the books. She smiled. "Thank you for asking but I want to hold them."

"Sure. It would be best if we left the books in the truck." We stepped out of the bookstore. "Yeah, okay." We walked back to the truck and left the books before walking down the shopping street.

We spent the next two hours street walking. I asked Isabelle to get everything that she liked but she refused to buy anything. The only thing she bought was a cotton tote bag to carry her books.

"You sure? Is that all you need?"

She smiled, nodding her head. "Yes."

"You should pick the silver jewellery from the stall. Those earrings and rings were pretty."

She shook her head. "Cyrus, I'm happy that you paid for the books. I don't really need anything." I pushed my hands into my pockets. "Are you hungry?" I asked.

"Hmm― A bit."

"There's a restaurant in the next line. Their beef steak is good."

"Okay."

*

We ordered steak and rice wine. Isabelle is looking out of the window as she is lost in her thoughts. The live music fills out the silence.

"What is bothering your mind?" She broke her gaze and turned her head towards me.

"Nothing's bothering my mind." I hummed and gave her a nod. She was contemplating whether to speak out or not. She huffed her shoulders before leaning her hands on the table.

"I'm going to miss them terribly." She starts. I take a sip of my wine. "I― Was never this happy. Everything was out of a fairytale and I don't want this to end."

She shakes her head. "I know it's going to hurt when it's time for the farewell." She picks up her glass and finishes the wine. "It― It's just that I'm not ready for the reality to set in. I don't want to go back." A laugh leaves her mouth as she looks into my eyes.

"I cannot do anything even if I want to. I have to go back."

I leave the knife and fork. "Everything can be chosen." She stares at me. "You have the freedom to choose what you want."

I licked my lips, looked out the window. "When I asked you to come with me, you made a decision― A decision to come with me."

I looked back at her. "Maybe the next decision is going to be a dangerous one." I picked up my wine glass whilst not breaking eye contact. "But you will be winning what is rightfully yours to enjoy."

Her brows frown in confusion. "And what is it?" she asks.

"Freedom."