Sparks and Shadows

A sudden rush of emotions – sharp, chaotic, and impossible to name – pulsed through Isabella's veins. Anger. Embarrassment. Annoyance. A combination of all? A messy cocktail.

I literally feel and look a mess. 

Isabella's hand shot up to her hair, trying to smooth down a non-existent tangle. She pulled her robes tighter around her, tying it into a knot at her waist. She walked towards the dining area, where María was saying something about the food, leaving a smile on Agnes face as she walked back to the kitchen. Isabella wasn't listening.

All she could think was –You're in a bikini and a half-open robe, and he looks like he's about to sign your death certificate.

Okay, Isabella. Get it together. Be mature. Whatever that means.

Harry was sitting there at the end of the dinning table –big, silent, impossible to ignore. His presence felt too big for the room. He glanced up as Isabella got to the table. Their eyes met and held – one unreadable, the other throwing daggers. Harry's head moved to the side, his eyes stuck on her face. Isabella gave him a once over, white t-shirt that hugged his chest and biceps. His lower body was under the table but the peek at his waist showed that he had grey joggers on. She smirked. "I see we're no longer dressed for a funeral, huh."

He arched an eyebrow, still holding her gaze. "Want me to send you to yours?"

Isabella scoffed. "Like you can," she muttered, moving over to where María was seated. 

Ugh. I absolutely hate his attitude. I can't believe he's Mar's brother!

"Isa, come. Sit." María tugged at Isabella's hand. "Meet Xander." 

Isabella's eyes moved to the guy that was seated to the right of Harry. He wore a black t-shirt – similar to Harry's – and his physique certainly wasn't lacking either. Isabella's eyes sparkled. 

Was he here when I walked in? 

She hadn't noticed him. She placed her hands on the table and leaned forward. "Hey looker," she teased.

A scoff came from the side. Isabella closed her eyes for a second, taking in a deep breath and then turned to Harry. "What? Are you Jealous?" 

Harry's nose scrunched up. "That's such an old-fashioned way to flirt. What are you, from the nineties?"

Isabella rolled her eyes. "Says the actual person from the nineties. What's your deal, huh?"

Harry leaned back. "Who says I've a deal?"

Isabella's eyes narrowed. "You want your money, don't you?" She brought out her phone from the pocket of her robe. "Fine. Details?" 

María reached for her. "Isa, let's not—" 

"No, Mar. I hate owing anyone and you know that." She turned back to Harry, who was still leaned back in his seat, unfazed. "Yes?" Her hands ached to reach out and slap the smirk slowly forming on his lips off. 

God! He irks me so much. 

Harry called out his numbers calmly and slowly, his eyes on her the whole time. His calmness rankled her to no end. It felt like he was the very opposite of her. While she couldn't seem to keep her temper in check around him, he had absolutely no issues doing so. She wanted to poke at him until he lost that unbearable calm and cool exterior and that thought itself infuriated her. He acted like the world was at his beck and call, said things that salted open wounds and had the guts to look like he didn't offset some chaos. 

"There." Isabella shoved her phone close to his face, the receipt for the transfer she just did on display. "Now you can shove out that stick stuck up your ass." 

Harry turned to his food, his voice a lazy drawl. "Having a guy not trip all over himself for you must feel so strange, doesn't it, princesa?" (Princess)

Isabella pushed away from the table, her seat falling to the floor with a loud clatter. "Vete a la mierda!" (Fuck you!)

Isabella's hair was a fiery blaze behind her as she stormed away, heading to the patio that led to the pool outside. It bounced as she walked, flaming up with her anger. María turned to Harry, her eyes accusatory. "What do you do that for?!" 

Harry turned away from the figure walking across the patio and scooped up a forkful of Tortilla de patatas. "She should be able to take what she dished out." 

María watched him eat. "I don't understand, You're acting out of character. Do you hate her or something?" 

"You should be asking her that." 

"She has every reason to if she does," María countered. "You didn't exactly leave a good first impression, did you?"

Harry shrugged. "Good. She didn't either." So much for wanting to remember. 

"Ugh. It's useless talking to you." María began to pack some food onto her plate and Isabella's. "Disfruta la comida." (Enjoy your meal)

She left with the two plates in her hands, following right behind Isabella. Xander, who had been leaned back in his seat all this while watching everything unfold, cleared his throat. Harry continued to eat, ignoring him. He leaned forward, an asymmetrical smile blooming on his face. "She gets under your skin, doesn't she?" 

Harry gave him a look that would have dissuaded anyone else but it did nothing to faze him. "You do have a cursed lips. Sí. But you're more of a smother with silence kind of guy." Xander rubbed his chin. "You're not as unaffected by her as you do like her to believe, are you? I mean, you've been watching the.—" 

Xander stopped, raising his hands into the air at the look on Harry's face. Harry punctuated every word. "I. Do. Rather. Eat. In. Silence."

"Fine. Fine, man. No need to glower so much." Xander picked up the jar of orange juice and two glasses from the table. "I will take this to them, you don't mind, do you?" 

Harry grunted. "Fuck off."

"As you command, Sir." Xander gave him mock salute, chuckling as he left. 

Harry watched him leave, his brows pulling together. He snapped his finger and within seconds Agnes was by the dining table. 

"A bottle of wine." 

"Wine? But you said—"

Harry scowled at her and Agnes pressed her lips together. "Sure Sir, I'll go get it." 

******

"Isa! What are you doing?!" 

Isabella froze with a leg almost touching the water in the pool and turned towards the voice – María was rushing towards her, plates in hand and a worried look on her face. 

She frowned. "Dipping my legs in water," she answered, pulling back. "What did it seem like I was doing?" 

"Oh." María stood there not knowing what to do. "I thought...I...I brought your food!" 

Isabella started from the plates of food in María's hands to her face. "Wait. It can't be what I'm thinking, right?" 

María looked away, pursing her lips. "Oh my God!" Isabella doubled over in laughter, gripping her sides. 

María pushed her to the side with her bums, walking past her to sit at the pools edge like Isabella had been about to. Isabella followed after, spurts of laughter still escaping her lips. She took her plate from María, sitting beside her.

"Now why would I do that, Mar? I've taken worse over the years, don't you think?" She stared down into the water as she moved her feet about. "A few harsh words doesn't change anything." 

"If it helps, I'm pretty sure he doesn't mean it that way. He just doesn't know when to stop."

A dry laugh left Isabella's lips. "Oh, but I'm pretty sure he means it that way. "

"You don't know that. He—"

Isabella shook her head. "Don't do that, Mar." 

María's forehead creased. "Do what?" 

"Try to defend him." Isabella pivoted her body to face her. "Do you know what else he told him earlier?" 

María shook her head, feeling of dread running through her. Isabella smiled but her eyes lacked sparkle. "He told me he knows I love attention but whoring myself out on a stripper pole was a new low." 

Silence.

"I mean, who doesn't like attention? The right kind at least. He spoke as he if knew me, you know. Like I wasn't just a human that could make mistakes. He's just so judgemental and up on his high horse, just like my dad." She shrugged. "I guess I had too many expectations."

"Expectations?"

"Yeah. I was really looking forward to finally meeting your brother, you know." She scowled. "He's just a jerk tho. I really don't like him." 

"Maybe it's a good thing you two don't get along," María sighed. 

Isabella's head snapped to her. "What? Why would you say that?" 

María shrugged. "Now that I think of it, I'd rather you two don't get close. It would be better if you stayed away from him actually." 

Isabella scratched the back of her neck. "Um. I'd do that gladly. But it sounds rather strange coming from you, you know that, right? He must be a real jerk." 

María chuckled. "Not like that. He's...he's just a little...too much. He's into some...somethings—"

Isabella leaned in conspiratorially, her voice barely above a whisper. "What things? Does he murder people for a living? Pimp out girls? Drugs? Wait. Don't tell me he's holding you hostage here!" 

María stared at her wide-eyed and she burst out laughing, hitting María's arm as she did. "Heavens! You need to have seen your face just now." She opened her eyes wide, infusing some horror into them, her lips dropping open a few centimeters. "You looked like you would faint any minute." She bent over in laughter. 

María chuckled, shaking her head. You've no idea how close you were. 

Isabella sobered up. "I know I've wild imaginations but yeah, you're right about one thing — I should stay away from him." Isabella shoved a forkful of her brunch into her mouth, closing her eyes as the different flavors exploded on her taste buds. "Hmm. Es... este es deliciosa," she said with a full mouth. (This is delicious) 

María beamed at her. "Do you think we should let her stay when Suz comes back with Mami?" 

"Um..." Isabella scooped a few forks into her mouth, munching happily. María watched her, an adoring smile spreading across her face. 

I admire you, Isa. The way you go from sad to laughing the next minute. I've never met anyone like you. 

"Suz would definitely need the help: she should totally stay. I'm sure paying her won't be an issue for your Boba of a BROther," Isabella answered sweetly. (Dumb/silly) "Este es deliciosa!! Really. Make sure she stays!" 

"I guess I brought this at the right time then, it happens to go with it." 

The girl's head snapped to the voice to find Xander walking towards them, a jar of juice and two glasses in his hands. María's face lit up. "Xan! Aww. Aren't you just sweet!"

Isabella gave her a look but kept her lips sealed. She took the glasses and jar from Xander. "Gracias Xander," she poured one for herself and raised the jar at María. "You want?" 

María brought her glass up. "Yes, please." 

Isabella poured another for her. Once done, she took her glass and plate, walked over to the loungers and laid down on one. She placed the glass and plate on a low table and brought out her phone from the pocket of her robe draped over the lounger. She met María's eyes, her gaze moving from her to Xander pointedly, a big smile lighting up her face. 

"I will be right here, guys, as a chape... Just scrolling my phone." She giggled at the look of horror on María's face. "You're nothing like your friend, Xander and that's a big compliment, trust me."

Xander bowed slightly. "Gracias señorita." 

"Aren't you eating?" María asked, capturing Xander's attention. He sat down beside her. 

"About that, I may or may not have been pursued by your brother," he grinned at her. 

Isabella let her phone grab her attention, leaving the two to talk. She ate as she scrolled her phone, giggles and chuckles leaving her lips. 

In-between laughter's, she would glance up at the two figures sitting by the pool talking and laughing. A frown marred her face when time went on and they did nothing, but sit and talk. 

Are they shy? María? probably. The guy? Let's find out. 

"Do I need to leave?" She called out. 

María's head whipped around so fast, Isabella thought for a second her neck had snapped. Just as a laugh burst from her lips, her phone pinged with a notification. She glanced down. "I mean, you two..." She froze, her eyes widening. Her phone slipped from her hands onto the lounger with a thud.