The Dark or The Light? (Chapter 8)

Ps. I forgot to mention when I was describing the cottage in previous chapters that it had a kitchen. Like a massive one so yeah.. Thanks and don't forget to comment!!!
XOXO
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Chapter 8.

I heard the sound of a door shut. I opened my eyes and turned my head to see Mark walking out slowly.

"Hey."
"Oh. Hey Izzy. I didn’t mean to wake you."
"Its fine. Where are you going?"
"I am supposed to meet Jeremiah like now. We have to go to our parents for the day remember?"
"Oh yeah. That’s right." I said sadly. I really wanted to spend the day with him.
"Don’t worry, I’ll be back before you know it."
"Promise."
"Cross my heart." He then walked around to my side of the bed. He leaned in and kissed my cheek. He was about to pull away when I put my hands to the side of his face. I lend in, slowly, and lightly brushed his lips. I had the same feeling I felt the first time. Like the world stopped and just time stood still. I pulled back and he smiled.
"Goodbye love." He whispered then walked out of the room. When he walked away it was like I wanted to go with him. Like I wouldn’t feel whole if I didn’t. That scared me. I slid back under the covers and let sleep consume me.

I woke to the smell of pancakes and orange juice. I waited for my eyes to adjust, to see my mother at the end of the bed with a tray of food.

"Good morning baby." My mother said.
"Mmm…Morning. That smells good."
"I had them make pancakes even though it is two in the afternoon."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I knew you would wake up to the smell of them." I giggled. My mother knew me too well.
After I finished eating I decided to have a shower. The warm water that trickled onto my skin, instantly woke me. I decided to wear my light blue dress that hugged the top part of my body and flowed out at my hips, like a 60’s/70’s type dress. I put on a white headband and my white flats. I walked out to see my mother looking at my painting.

"You know, even though it is a bit late for admissions I think you grandfather could pull a few strings."
"For what?"
"Art school. Duh." I laughed. "What?"
"Mom I am so not a painter."
"Well this says otherwise." She said pointing towards the painting.
"That was for therapy."
She rolled her eyes. "So?"
"Anyway…what are we doing today?"
"How about we go into town?"
"Sure."

She linked her arm through mine and we walked out towards the house. When we got there we jumped into our car (it was a beat up, old car that had a loud engine,) and made our way towards the town. My mother put on some old 80’s funk music that we sung along to even though we had no idea what the lyrics were. We drove into the center of the town and I noticed that people begun to stare. We pulled into the next parking space and got out.

"Mom why are they staring?"
"Because they’re just…idiots." I looked at her. "What that was the best I could come up with." I giggled. I went to her side and she put her arm around my waist.
"Where to first mama?"
"Hmm…well I have to buy a stupid dress for the stupid luncheon that will no doubt be filled with stupid people." Oh yeah one thing you should learn about my mother is that she hated this place, well more the people but none the less she hated it!
"It will be okay mom and besides it’s not like your going to be the centre of attention."
"True. Under normal circumstances I would probably laugh at you and say HA but considering these people aren’t normal…"
"Mum."
"Sorry but sweetie. You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. These people well they can be like sharks. They will circle you then all of a sudden they pounce and you’re left for dead."
"I’m sure I can handle it and besides if it gets bad at least I can actually look sick when I fake it."
"Yes. It was a good thing you were home schooled." I rolled my eyes.
"I wasn’t that bad." She looked at me with her eyebrows raised. "Okay, okay, so maybe I was. Come on I see a boutique over there." I pulled her in the direction towards the boutique.

It was a French style boutique with lots of gowns and cocktail dresses. This shop was different though. Its style was edgy and unique. Something told me we might be in here for a while. I looked up to see a older girl, she looked about twenty-eight with long black hair and dark green eyes, walking towards us.

"Good afternoon. How are you ladies today?"
"Were great thanks. You?" She looked thrown off guard.
"I’m good. Thanks for asking. Um…was there anything I could help you with?"
"Yeah I was looking for a cocktail dress that was unusual and bright." I rolled my eyes. Of course.
"Oh wow, okay I have just the thing." She said all jittery. I looked at mom and she shrugged. The girl noticed. "Sorry its just, well I have never actually had that many people come here. My style is so different and it doesn’t fit…theirs."
"Its okay. I know what you mean." My mother said. And its true she did. I mean having a kid at fifteen doesn’t exactly fit their ‘style’.
"Anyway. I think I have the perfect dress."

She went around the corner and suddenly came back with a short Red patterned dress that had small swirls that looked like roses. It had strapless corset top and then went down to hug her hips but it had a second layer that flared out, making it look vintage. It was definitely something.

"Wow!" We both said in unison.
"I’m so glad you like it. It’s one of my best designs."
"How old are you?" My mother asked.
"I’m thirty."
"Your incredible. Did you ever think of franchising?"
"Yeah but I can find an investor so…Its okay though. I don’t mind it here."
"Really? You like it here?"
"Um…not really but I don’t mind it." My mother giggled.

My mother and Lillian, her name, soon couldn’t stop talking. While my mother tried on the dresses I looked around. Some of her creations were amazing. I have to admit they were definitely out there but wow were they gorgeous. I think the one my mother picked was the most discreet one. She did look gorgeous in it though and even though it looks like something you would wear to an important event that’s apparently how they did things here. I didn’t mind it though. Dressing up was one of the things I did enjoy doing. When we were done we decided to head back home. It was almost four and the grandparents were probably getting worried.
When we got home my grandmother came storming out. She looked furious. I quickly shut my door and went to my mother’s side.

"What in the world did you think you were doing?!" She screamed. I was utterly confused.
"Taking my daughter shopping mother." My mothers voice was seemed distant like this was a conversation that was regular.
"Yes I am aware of that thank you, but what I meant was…WHAT DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING DRIVING THAT CAR AROUND!" Oh no.
"What is wrong with my car mother?!"
"It is a piece of junk that’s what’s wrong with it, among other things."
"Yeah well I worked my ass off to buy that car and I am pretty proud of it!"
"Well I’m not! You not only embarrassed me today but you embarrassed your daughter! Now everyone is going to think that I don’t take care of you and that you don't take care of your daughter!"
"YEAH BECAUSE YOU DON’T! AND DON’T YOU EVER BRING ISBELL INTO THIS!"
"Don’t you raise your voice to me young lady."
"I WILL RAISE MY VOICE IF I WANT TO! AND ANOTHER THING I AM NOT A YOUNG LADY ANY MORE! I AM A GROWN WOMAN, NO BETTER, I AM A MOTHER WHO ACTUALLY GIVES A DAMN ABOUT HER DAUGHTER! DON’T YOU EVER SAY THAT I DO NOT TAKE CARE OF HER OR I SWEAR I WILL DO SOMETHING THAT I WILL REGRET!"

I could see the hurt and pain in my grandmothers eyes. Suddenly she turns around and bolts into the house. A few seconds later my mother does the same. I am standing there feeling, confused, hurt, sad and dumbfounded. I didn’t know whether to go to my mother, walk away, sit down instead I just stood there like an idiot.

"Don’t worry about them. It happened all the time before, they had worse fights then next thing you know they are laughing with each other." I turned to see it was Mr.Bradly.
"Oh."
"I’m sorry ms. I shouldn’t have said that." His posture suddenly turned formal.
"Its okay. Thank you for telling me, oh and call me Izzy."
He smiled at me and I returned the favour then left for the cottage. I need to paint something or I feel like I would explode.

After the walk I opened the door to find all my stuff in the corner. I was surprised and confused. I noticed a letter on the top of the suitcase so I picked it up and opened it. It said;
To my dearest granddaughter,
I thought that you would like to have your own space now.
I believe that staying in the house with your mother and grandmother could affect you. They need to sort things out and so do you. I have stocked the cupboards with food (junk food as well) so you won’t have to come up all the time although I would like for you to join us for dinner. Especially me. Nothing would give me more joy than to get to know you better.
Yours truly,
Grandfather.

It was funny how I knew the guy for only a day and yet he knows me all to well. He was right about my mother and grandmother to. I would like to try to mend their relationship but then forget about my problems and they would probably come back to bite me. They needed to sort things out on their own and something tells me that they will. I think I might tend to my suitcases later but now I really needed to paint.

I put a new board on the easel and grabbed all the different paint colours, from blue to red to green. It looked like a rainbow. So beautiful. I decided on what I was going to paint. I began to paint two different faces. One of my mother and one of my grandmother. They were both holding each other. One was crying tears of joy and the other was laughing.

I was so engrossed in my painting that I felt someone grab my shoulder. I jerked around to find…Mark. I breathed a sigh of relief.
"Oh you scared me."
"Sorry. I knocked several times but you didn’t answer."
"Huh I didn’t even hear it. Anyway how was your day with the parents?"
"Oh it was excellent." He said sarcastically.
"That good huh? What happened?"
"Well first of all my parents want me to move back in with them and then they said that Jeremiah was a bad influence on me and that I shouldn’t be around him."
"They didn’t."
"Oh yeah they did, while he was standing right next to me."
"What did you say?"
"I told them that he was the smartest person I had ever met and that he has become the most incredible person I know. They then told me that I would probably never amount to anything and that I should leave so we did."
"Oh my god, Mark. I’m so, so sorry." I got up and pulled him into me. I knew that, that moment I wasn’t supposed to be happy but when he held me it was like I couldn’t help it.
"I feel better now." He whispered. I slightly smiled. He didn’t let go though and I was more than happy to stay there. "I feel really tired. Do you want to go to sleep?"
"Wait what time is it?"
"Its around 9.30."
"Really? Wait what took you guys so long to get back?"

"Well we were going to come straight back but we decided to take a detour and look at some houses around town. Jeremiah actually found one that is really nice but he doesn’t know whether he will get it yet."
"So if he does, that means you will be living here?"
"Yeah I guess so I mean I was going to live at the dorms but considering that the college is only forty minutes away I think I might." I couldn’t help but smile at that. "What?"
"Nothing. It just means that you won’t be far away that’s all."
"Yeah but you and your mom will be moving back won’t you?"
"Oh…um…m-maybe. I guess I never really thought about that."
"Oh well, Jeremiah said he would be coming down to talk to you any minute. Do you mind if I take a shower?"
"No not at all." He leaned in and kissed me on the forehead then disappeared into the other room. A few seconds later there was a knock on the door and sure enough it was Jeremiah.
"Hey."
"Hey Jeremiah. I heard what happened. I’m so sorry."
"Yeah Its Mark that I’m worried about. He didn’t really say much about it the whole way home."
"Yeah well that must have been tough on him."
"Anyway I want to know about you. How was your day?"
"It was fine."
"Fine?"
"Okay it was excellent." I stressed.
"That’s better. What did you do?"
"I spent some quality time with my mom."
"Oh that sounds good."
"Yeah it was. Um…I wanted to ask you a question."
"What is it?"
"Do you think we will be moving back, my mom and I, I mean."
"Oh, well I think you have to ask your mother that."
"I know but its just that I…I’m afraid of what she might say."
"Which is?"
"That we will."
"Why are you afraid of that?"
"Because I…I don’t…know." I said quickly changing my answer.
"Its okay to be afraid to go back Isabell."
"I’m not afraid. I just…I don’t know."
"Isabell-"
"I think I’m going to go to bed. It’s going to be a long day tomorrow." I said cutting him off.
"Isabell we need to talk about this."
"No we don’t."
"Yes we do."
"No, we don’t. There is nothing to talk about. Okay. Now can you leave please?"
"Okay Izzy but I will be speaking to you tomorrow."
"Fine."
"Goodnight."
"Bye."
He sighed and walked out the door. I know I should tell him that I don’t want to go but I can’t. I just don’t know if I can.. okay changing the subject!
"Mark? Are you finished?" I called.
"Yeah." I heard him call back. I turned and walked towards the room. He was lying in the bed with his eyes closed. He looked so peaceful. It was surprising considering the day he had. I grabbed my pj shorts out of my bag and a t-shirt and walked into the bathroom to change. I came out and crawled to my side of the bed. I laid my head on Mark’s chest. Hearing the rhythm of his breathing made me feel better. I’m not sure why but none the less it was there. I closed my eyes and let sleep consume me. Tomorrow I’m sure will be an interesting day.