Forgive and Forget: A TCOAAL Story

The corridor hummed with the usual chaos-lockers slamming shut, voices overlapping, the occasional laugh echoing through the narrow space. Isa stood by her locker, staring at her reflection in the tiny mirror taped inside. She carefully reapplied her black lipstick, steadying her trembling hand.

"Ok... Isa... you can do this... Tu consegues..." she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible over the noise around her.

Taking a slow, steadying breath, she snapped the compact shut and turned away.

High school had always been the same. When she first arrived, people stared, whispering about her gothic makeup and the way her skirts always sat just a little too high. But curiosity faded fast, and soon, she became invisible-a shadow in the background, someone people ignored rather than confronted.

Except for Andrew.

Andrew was like her. Quiet. Detached. Even as girls threw themselves at him, fawning over his sharp green eyes and brooding demeanour, he never gave them what they wanted. He rejected them without hesitation, as if love, romance-connection-were things that didn't interest him.

That thought both comforted and terrified her.

She had loved him since the day they met. His distance made her hopeful, but it also made her wonder-if he could turn down every other girl, what made her think she would be different?

At least she wasn't alone. She still had Julia.

Julia was her best friend, even if she was a year younger. She had been Isa's only source of warmth, the one constant in a world that always felt too cold.

Isa stood at the entrance of the cafeteria, taking a deep breath before stepping inside. She hated the canteen-the overwhelming noise, the mass of bodies, the suffocating energy of people who didn't notice she existed. Her eyes darted across the room, searching for a familiar face, before landing on Julia.

She was sitting with her friends, hood pulled up over her long black hair, looking flustered as they all murmured excitedly around her.

Isa smirked as she approached. "What, Julia? Are you pregnant or something?" she teased, sliding into the seat beside her.

The table fell silent.

Julia's eyes widened slightly as she turned to Isa, her hands gripping the sleeves of her hoodie. "No... I just... got a good grade in physics," she said with a forced laugh. "Finally..."

Isa narrowed her eyes, scanning her friend's face. Julia was nervous. That wasn't like her.

"Julia, don't hide from me... what happened?"

The girls at the table exchanged glances, their hushed whispers barely reaching Isa's ears. Julia bit her lip before finally sighing.

"I... I actually have a boyfriend now..."

Isa raised an eyebrow. "And why would you hide that from me?"

Julia hesitated, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her hoodie. "It's just that... you always wanted a boyfriend... and I thought you'd be mad..."

Isa blinked. For a second, she had expected something worse-though she didn't know what exactly. Relief flooded through her, and she chuckled softly.

"Of course I wouldn't be mad, Jules. I'm happy for you," she said, pulling her best friend into a hug. Julia hesitated before hugging her back, her grip lingering just a little longer than usual.

Isa pulled away with a smile. "So, who's the lucky gu-"

The shrill ring of the bell cut her off.

Julia and her friends quickly gathered their things.

"Have to go, Isa! See you after school!" Julia called out with a hurried wave before disappearing into the crowd.

Isa waved back, though a strange feeling settled in her chest-something she couldn't quite place.

-

After class, Isa made her way to the front entrance to meet Julia, but when she didn't see her, she took her time, wandering instead toward the back entrance.

Andrew was always there, leaning against the wall, waiting for Ashley. Maybe she could talk to him, ease the weight in her chest that she had been carrying all day.

But when she turned the corner, her entire world shattered.

Andrew was there.

Julia was there.

And he was pinning her to the wall, his lips on hers.

For a moment, Isa couldn't breathe. The sight of them burned into her mind, her heart twisting violently in her chest.

No.

No.

Her body moved before she could think. She spun on her heels and ran, her breath coming in short, uneven gasps. The hallways blurred as she rushed into the nearest bathroom, slamming the stall door shut behind her.

Her hands shook. Her chest heaved. And then, the tears came.

She cried. Cried like she never had before.

The one person she loved, the one person she thought she could hold onto-he had chosen someone else.

And not just anyone.

Her best friend.

Her worst fear had just come true...

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The motel was a dump-cracked walls, stained carpets, and a faint smell of mildew that clung to the air. It was, if possible, even worse than Isa's apartment. Andrew sat on the edge of the bed, shirtless, his lean frame illuminated by the flickering fluorescent light overhead. They were halfway across the country now, running from the ghosts of Andrew's past, but the silence between them was heavier than any distance they could put between themselves and what they'd left behind.

They hadn't spoken a word since the car ride, not since Andrew had discovered the scars on Isa's arms. The memory of it made his stomach churn, a sickening mix of guilt and anger twisting inside him. How had he not noticed? How had he been so blind to her pain? The thought gnawed at him, a constant reminder of his own failures.

The sound of the bathroom door creaking open pulled him from his thoughts. Isa stepped out, her curly hair damp and clinging to her shoulders, a towel wrapped tightly around her body. She moved cautiously, her violet eyes avoiding his as she made her way to her bag, her fingers fumbling with the towel to keep herself covered.

"You know you don't have to hide your body, right?" Andrew said, his voice low and rough, breaking the silence. "I've seen you naked before..."

Isa paused, her back stiffening as she glanced at him over her shoulder. "Not sure if you want to see the rest of my scars..." she replied, her tone empty, devoid of the usual teasing edge.

Andrew's jaw tightened, his green eyes darkening as he looked away. He hated the way she said it-like she was already resigned to the idea that he wouldn't want her, that she was somehow broken. It made his chest ache in a way he couldn't quite explain.

Isa knelt by her bag, rummaging through it with trembling hands. Andrew watched her for a moment before standing and walking over to her. "Do you want help?" he asked, his voice softer now, though the tension between them was still palpable.

Isa didn't respond at first, her fingers brushing against something at the bottom of the bag. Finally, she pulled out a choker necklace, the black leather gleaming faintly in the dim light. She held it out to him, her eyes downcast.

"Here..." she said quietly.

Andrew took the choker, his fingers brushing against hers as he examined it. It looked familiar-too familiar. The design was almost identical to the one Ashley used to wear, except this one had a small pentagram dangling from it. His stomach twisted at the memory, but he pushed it aside, focusing on the present.

"You gave it to me on my 15th birthday," Isa said, her voice barely above a whisper. A faint smile tugged at her red lips as she spoke. "I always bring it with me..."

Andrew's eyes softened as the memory came flooding back. He remembered the way her face had lit up when he'd given it to her, the way she'd thrown her arms around him in a rare moment of unguarded joy. It had been one of the few times he'd seen her truly happy, and the memory made his chest ache with a strange mix of longing and regret.

He stepped closer to her, his voice dropping to a low murmur. "Put it on..."

Isa's eyebrows raised in surprise, but she didn't argue. She took the choker from him, her fingers trembling slightly as she fastened it around her neck. Andrew watched her intently, his breath catching as she tilted her head, her damp curls falling over her shoulders. The way her long eyelashes fluttered, casting shadows over her amethyst eyes, made his mouth go dry. She was beautiful-so beautiful it almost hurt to look at her-and yet she couldn't see it.

When she finished, Andrew's eyes lingered on the choker, the way it hugged her neck, accentuating the delicate curve of her throat. A soft groan escaped his lips, the sound involuntary, and Isa's eyes flicked up to meet his, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks.

"Now..." Andrew said, his voice low and husky, his green eyes burning with an intensity that made her breath hitch. "Take off your towel..."

Isa's cheeks flushed a deep crimson, but she didn't hesitate. With a slow, deliberate motion, she let the towel fall to the floor, revealing her body in its entirety. The scars Andrew had only glimpsed before were now fully visible-silvery lines etched into her skin, each one a testament to her pain, her struggles, her survival. She stepped closer, her movements tentative but determined, and settled herself onto Andrew's lap, her legs straddling him.

Andrew's green eyes softened as he looked at her, his hands resting lightly on her hips. He leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head, his lips lingering for a moment before he pulled back to meet her gaze.

"Never hide anything from me again, got it?" he said, his voice firm but tender. His fingers traced the scars on her arm, his touch feather-light as he brought his lips to each one, kissing them with a reverence that made Isa's breath catch in her throat.

Isa giggled, the sound soft and breathless, as his kisses tickled her skin. "Stop that, hot-ass..." she said, her voice teasing as she tried to squirm away.

But Andrew's grip tightened, his hand moving to the choker around her neck, pulling her back gently but firmly. "I won't fucking stop," he said, his voice low and rough, his eyes burning with intensity. "Not until you realize you can't keep secrets from me. And not until you understand that I love you no matter what."

Before Isa could respond, Andrew leaned down, pressing a hot, open-mouthed kiss to the largest scar on her thigh. Isa gasped, her hands tangling in his raven hair as a soft moan escaped her lips.

"Fucking hell, Andy..." she breathed, her voice trembling with a mix of pleasure and disbelief. "How can you be so fucking bitchy yet so romantic at the same time?"

Andrew smirked against her skin, his teeth grazing the scar lightly before he looked up at her, his green eyes glinting with mischief. "Because I'm your hot-ass, remember?" he said, his voice dripping with playful arrogance.

Isa rolled her eyes, but the smile on her lips betrayed her amusement. She leaned down, her forehead resting against his as she gazed into his eyes. "You're such an idiot," she said softly, her voice filled with affection.

Andrew's smirk softened into a genuine smile, his hands moving to cradle her face as he pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. "Yeah, but I'm your idiot," he murmured against her mouth.

Isa's heart swelled at his words, a warmth spreading through her chest that had nothing to do with the heat of their bodies pressed together. She pulled back slightly, her violet eyes searching his face as a mischievous grin tugged at her lips.

"Hey," she said, her voice light and teasing but with a hint of something deeper, something sincere. "Wanna get married?"

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(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ Thanks for reading! ♥

Coming soon! The spirit of Isa and Leyley