#g1arc1

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Isidora and her mum spent the rest of the day arguing over her hair. She was asking her mother to lighten it slightly, not trusting herself to do it alone, for fear of having it turn out completely blond.

The only way her mother would agree was if Isi promised to take better care of it and wear her bonnet every night, without fail. They went down to watch one of her mother's favourite movies, talking about their plans for the next day together.

"I thought you said you wouldn't be working while you're here Dora?"

"I know, I know... I just can't take a break right now, Amani is working on the visuals for my album release next week and I need to approve some of them." Isi explained, feeling guilty.

Her mother made a disapproving noise but didn't push the matter further. It didn't stop Isi from hearing everything she hadn't said. That she'd already spent the holidays working away and would just miss out on so much if she only ever focused on work.

The movie started and she realised it was the sequel to the movie that had been shown in Moonwood Mill's outdoor cinema, a few months before. Her throat had gotten thick all of a sudden. Quick to notice, her mum asked her what was wrong. And the tears started filling her eyes.

It was hard to explain, but Isi found herself describing how out of place she'd been feeling since coming back from touring. At first, she had blamed it on the remorse she felt about Jak vanishing.

But her therapist had unravelled that, along with other things, and now she was just left with the need to get out. The feeling that Del Sol wasn't her home anymore... And she had no idea what to do with that.

Pulling her closer, her mother started humming a lullaby.

Isi's heart rate slowed down, she managed to breathe normally again. Only then did her mother stop singing, and kissed her head. She hadn't expected any advice, only a listening ear, so she changed the subject: "Rory singing voice is amazing, too, did I tell you?"

An amused look on her face, her mum asked, her voice barely more than a whisper:

"Maybe if you feel so strongly about this woman, you should consider reaching out again?"

Shaking her head, Isi refused to let the idea set in. "It was just a fling, Mama."

A few days later, the long train journey home gave Isidora some time to think. Visiting her mother had been one of the best things she'd done in ages and, as she could see Del Sol Valley approaching through the windows, she couldn't help but notice the pollution surrounding it.

Couldn't help thinking of all the other places she'd seen while on tour and how much more appealing they'd been. Maybe she'd ask Wes if he wanted to go on the road again. Although she wasn't sure she couldn't handle that without Jak and with the threats she'd been receiving.

She got home some time in the afternoon, immediately doing a remote interview for the release of the album, now only two days away. She planned a date with Quintin, the journalist she'd been seeing, wondering if sleeping with him would make him more or less interesting.

An hour later, her phone was lighting up, her agent's face on it.

"Hey Wes! Is it gonna be the album release of the century?!" she asked, hoping he'd be as excited as she was. But all she heard for a few seconds was the crackling of the line.

Then: "Iz'. They found Jak."

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Her mother lived right next to the university she worked at and it only took them ten minutes to reach her office in the historical and social sciences wing of the main building. Isidora hadn't been inside her mother's office in years.

Her mother used to take her to work when she was a child. Even back then, she'd always felt out of place though. Too focused to notice, her mother began rummaging through one of her bookcases and mumbling to herself, as Isi took a seat.

"So, should we start from scratch?"

Isi shook her head. "No, I remember the basics: Djinn were the first beings, their fire spreading life and magic everywhere they went. Then came merfolk and humans, each claiming their part of the planet, water and earth." She recited, her mother sitting across from her.

"Not only did djinn not have enough space to live their lives in peace anymore, but they also realised humans and merfolk were trying to harness their powers: trapping them, binding them... I don't remember everything, but it doesn't matter because djinn are extinct now, right?"

Her mother only gave her a slight nod: "We can't have proof that they are still around. Doesn't make them extinct. But you can continue."

"Djinn rebelled, started using their magic against humans and merfolk. Each species reacted differently."

"Merfolk swore off magic and made a peace treaty, the seven priestesses all agreeing for the first and last time in mer history to advise the empress that it was the only way for them to survive."

Her mother lifted an eyebrow, clearly surprised at how much she remembered.

Isi lifted her chin, carrying on: "Humans did the opposite. They used their alchemy knowledge to try and harness the djinn's and the mer's essences. Foolish experiments ensued. They were trying to make themselves stronger, more powerful, so they could take on the djinn."

They heard footsteps in the hallway outside and Isi hesitated. She'd trained herself not to talk about occults anymore and it was hard to keep going knowing there could be someone listening in. The secrecy had been what had kept her safe, as it had many others before her...

With an encouraging hand gesture from her mother, she finished:

"But they created vamps instead, with no idea how to control them. With two enemies they couldn't face and talks of them allying, some casters tried to harness the moon's magic and turned themselves into werewolves."

"My knowledge stops here. What happened after? I just always assumed the Century Conflict scattered occults. That everyone was just riding it out alone, like I do..."

Isidora could hear the curiosity and loneliness in her voice. With time, she'd  isolated herself, she knew it.

Her mother started counting fingers. "The merfolk, as you know, retreated underwater. The djinn pretty much disappeared. Vampires and spellcasters formed a council, keeping a close eye on their populations. With the years, that council has been protecting as much as punishing."

"But what about the wolves?!" she asked, her patience running low.

"The wolves were different, made from raw magic, similar to what runs in the merfolk's veins really. They were unruly. Quickly, they formed packs. Alphas took charge."

Isi's mother seemed less confident than usual.

"Unfortunately, we don't have as much information as we'd like... Werewolves aren't as compliant as other species when it comes to divulging information about themselves. They can be wary."

"Why aren't they part of the council?" Isi wondered out loud.

Her mother shook her head, clearly bothered by her limited knowledge on the subject.

"From what we could gather, they could never agree on one person to represent them, so instead, they meet every year or so for a summit meet."

She leaned forward, a small smile on her face.

"However, I would love to get to ask your new friend a bit more about her people's customs."

"She not a friend and I don't think I'll ever get to see her again so you're out of luck Mama!" Isi was trying to sound playful but the sentence came out strained instead.

Picking up a pen and one of her journals, her mother readied herself to take notes:

"Even more reason to tell me everything you learned, even things that you think I'd already know about."

And so Isidora did as she was told.

She didn't end up telling her mother about how vulnerable Rory had been to her mer-kiss though. Didn't mention just how much sexual tension there had been between the two of them either.

And as soon as she was finished, she yawned: "Can we go take care of my hair now?"

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"Dora!" Her mother's eyes had gone wide and she let go of her hair after completely undoing her braids. "You know I've been looking for one for years now! You've 𝙜𝙤𝙩 to let me meet her!"

Isi began laughing, trying to hold her hair back and put it in a ponytail.

She sat back on the couch, giving her mum a minute to feel her feelings before dropping another bomb on her: "And, from what I can tell, she's the leader of her pack."

Unable to contain her enthusiasm, her mother got off the couch and started pacing. "Which pack?! Where did you say it was?"

"In Moonwood Mill" she answered, her mother stopping in her tracks for a second.

"Wow, so 𝙩𝙝𝙚 alpha of all packs then! That pack is more or less the original pack you know."

Isi could see her slip into her professor stance, eager to share her knowledge.

And for once, she actually wanted to listen. She'd spent her whole life trying to sneak out of the room as soon as her mum started to talk about the history of the paranormal, occults and supernaturals. However, this time, she paid more attention than she had ever done in the past.

"Wait, but Rory said that there were two packs that lived there" Isi said, curious to know what her mother would make of that.

"Did she? That's very interesting... Maybe a new pack formed alongside the old one, or maybe it was split in two recently?"

"Maybe I've got outdated information now. We need to go, I need to write this down Dora, it's important you give me all of the information you gathered!"

Rolling her eyes, she got up, knowing very well there'd be no convincing her mother to stay in now.

As they left the house again, Isi made sure to state:

"You know I didn't actually try to conduct field research for you, right? I can only tell you as much as what I was told."

"You're my daughter, I'm sure you understood more than you think" her mother reassured her with a wave.

"Fine, but in return, you have to teach me as much lore as you can on werewolves, I want to know more now that I've met some" Isi admitted, looking away so her mother wouldn't notice the slight blush on her cheeks.

The little happy noise she made in response was enough.

"In all my years as a parapsychologist and a supernatural anthropologist, I never thought I'd be able to share any of it with you, baby! Even when you wanted to look into your father's species it only lasted half-an-hour before you decided to just give up. I'm thrilled!"

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Isidora was still oblivious the next morning when she climbed in the train heading north to her home town. But she left the city troubles behind, watching the views change and the weather accordingly. Her mum was waiting for her, scents of cinnamon and chamomile surrounding her.

They walked back towards her childhood home, discussing the latest gossip in their lives. A few minutes in, and Isi was already feeling so calm. She wasn't sure if it was the non-polluted air or her mother's reassuring demeanour, but she was taking deeper, calmer breaths.

Once in the house, her mother immediately made her some coffee, frowning at the smell, but knowing very well how cranky her daughter would get without her daily dose. They took time to catch up, ate lunch, hours trickling by, each of them feeling longer, fuller.

"So what are we doing with your hair?" her mother finally asked, in the middle of the afternoon.

"Wow, four hours, you've lasted longer this time!" laughed Isi, checking the time on the big grandfather clock.

"Dora, baby, did you expect me to say nothing when I can see you tried to conceal it all in braids?"

Her mother's tone was gentle but she could hear the worry behind it.

"It's just been growing a lot and I've sort of given up on taming it..."

"You need your mother's touch to fix it. Get over here, I'll have a look."

Shuffling to the floor, Isi couldn't help but smile as her mother's hands started taking her braids apart, examining her hair like she used to do when she was a child. She closed her eyes for a second.

The silence stretched for only a few minutes before her mother asked, trying to keep her voice light: "So, anyone special in your life at the moment baby?"

But Isi had gotten really good at reading her and immediately understood.

"Mama. Have you been talking to Wes lately?!"

The sheepish look she gave her made Isi laugh, unable to hold any kind of grudge against her mother anyway. She mentioned the man she'd gone on a date with, quickly realising that wasn't what had been expected of her to talk about. So she also talked about Rory.

About her beautiful eyes. How great of a listener she was. How complex and observant she'd seemed. She lost herself slightly, her mother's fingers going still as she listened attentively.

So Isi skipped to the part she knew her mother would react to: "She's also a werewolf."

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Only shows that were held in Del Sol Valley did Wes cave in for: they would only be hiring one bodyguard and let them go as soon as Isidora's performance was finished. That was mainly because they both liked to stay and enjoy the rest of the night away in those cases.

She felt much more free when not surrounded by security. Plus, her DelSol shows tended to be a bit smaller, bigger venues having way bigger names than hers playing in them. That night, Amani had also decided to come and enjoy the club, which wasn't a common occurrence.

Right after her set, Isi met up with her friends at the bar, knocking back a few drinks.

"So! You said you went on a real date with Mr Journalist?!" her friend asked.

"Yes, this afternoon, it was great. He took me to see a foreign movie."

"Wow, try to sound less excited girl!"

She rolled her eyes: "It wasn't bad, I guess I've just felt more thrilled to be close to someone before. We'll go on another date when I get back from my mum's."

Amani smiled approvingly, while Wes was shaking his head slightly. She changed the subject before they could comment.

A little while later, all three of them agreed it was time to go home and they started walking together, until hitting the point where Amani needed to go left and they were going right.

"Wait, one of us needs to go with you babe, I'm not okay with you walking all alone."

"Why are you such a mother hen with me lately?!" her best friend rebelled.

"I'm not, I just..." Isi didn't have time to finish before Wes pointed at her.

"Wait, she's right, you've been hyper protective of Amani!"

Trying to sound as detached as possible, Isi groaned.

"Really guys, I'm not, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 just have to go through a rough bit before you get home and I don't think it's cool for you to do so alone. So who's gonna go with you?"

She didn't leave any space for arguments so they caved in quickly, Amani taking Wes by the arm.

"Hey! I'm just as likely to get robbed on the way back you know!" Isi heard Wes protest.

"No you're not, now walk fast, it's getting chilly" answered Amani, pulling him away.

Isidora laughed and continued on towards her own flat.

Eager to make the trip back as fast as she could, the night air getting to her, she put her headphones on.

Had she not, she might have noticed the two dark figures that followed her. One hooded, the other one not.

She might have heard the commotion when they started fighting.

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"Are you ready for the last show of the year?" Wes asked, running late as always.

"I am, but you're not!" Isi answered, pointing at his head, still wrapped in a towel.

Shrugging, he walked to the bathroom door: "You know I like your hair products more!"

Rolling her eyes, she yelled after him: "Don't use too much, I'm running low and there's still two weeks left until I go to my mother's!"

He growled and Isi finished checking the comments on her last show. She had been back in the scene for about a month now.

They were now posting every show online and she was dedicating a mix to the top commenter each time. But this time, it was saying something about Isidora finally being free of Melody, asking the song Vampire. Raising her voice so he would hear her, she asked Wes what he thought.

"Of course you can. I'm sure if you're asking, it means you've already got a riff in mind anyway, so don't censor yourself! We're close to winning this whole thing you know."

"I know! That's why I don't want to risk it!" She answered, knowing what her therapist would say.

Wes came back out of the bathroom, his hair looking better than ever and they made their way to the car, preparing for the hour-long drive they had ahead of them.

As they got out, she was still checking her phone, trying to get news from Amani, so she didn't notice right away.

But after getting text confirmation that their friend was home and was going to stay there all night, she lifted her head and realised she was surrounded by not one, not two but three bodyguards.

"What's going on?" Isi asked Wes, confused.

He wasn't looking her in the eye when he answered: "Just routine security measures for big shows like tonight's, you know how it is."

Before she could get more information, the techs were showing her the setup and she was engrossed in the atmosphere of the show about to start.

Once the music had started, she tried not to think of the amount of muscle surrounding her anymore. She did play the parts of Olivia Rodrigo's song within her new set, mostly the "how do you lie" part and her favourite line: "that would mean you had a heart".

There was something intoxicating about using parts of songs that were extremely well-known or liked at a point in time and mixing them with ones that weren't so popular. Seeing how the crowd responded to the new rhythms tangled in what they knew.

That's why at first, she didn't trust her own eyes when she saw a flash of blue hair in the crowd. Then she blinked and it was still there. She was on a high, but not to the point to be hallucinating. And this didn't feel like any of her daydreams either.

She started following the familiar figure, only to be stopped in her tracks two steps out, a security guard extending an arm in front of her, keeping her from the crowd.

Isidora tried dodging it but Wesley's voice rang from behind her.

"Hun, you have to stay here."

"What?!"

He took her by the arm and led her back to their car, explaining as they walked:

"We got word that this event might be infiltrated by people who want to hurt you..."

"Hurt-" she was about to protest when she realised. She'd seen some discourse online lately... Racist propaganda.

Her followers and PR team would usually run them out of her online space quickly, but she couldn't help remembering the words used against her. The threats. All because she'd dared to contradict a white woman publicly. She didn't resist when Wes pushed her into the car.

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"Is Matteus meant to be my partner forever? Is he my soulmate?"

Padma let her eyes leave Amani to move on to Wesley. Closed them. Then, only a second later, reopened them.

"No . And that was two questions. But I'm feeling nice so I'll let your last friend get one as well."

Isidora hadn't thought of an interesting question up until then, but hearing Wesley's prompted one:

"The idea of a perfect person, a soulmate, is it even real?"

The woman raised an eyebrow, not closing her eyes this time. Isi felt her friends lean in, curious of the answer.

"For most people, the answer is no. But fate seems to have plans for you, specifically."

Wesley cheered as Amani gasped, yet Isidora didn't let herself react. She didn't know what to make of this. She promised herself she wouldn't overthink it.

"It is time for your collective question now" Padma stated.

Wes gave the girls a look, as if to ask if he could go ahead, and no one seemed to want to stop him, so he simply queried:

"Have either of us already met the person they'll end up marrying?"

Padma started pointing.

First, at Amani and Wes.

"No, and no."

Then, at Isi: "For you though, it's a yes."

As she said that, the crystal ball in front of her seemed to shimmer, brighten. It stopped when Padma broke eye contact.

An entire minute of silence went by before the psychic decided they'd had enough of her time. She stood up, giving everyone the signal that the session was over. However, as they started walking out, she put a hand on Isidora's shoulder.

"Can I have a word with you?"

Startled, Isi nodded to her friends, who were looking back at her, curious. As soon as they'd left, she turned to face the woman.

"What is it?"

Across from her, Padma seemed to hesitate. Sensing that she wouldn't have stopped her without a real reason, Isi pushed:

"Tell me."

"By now, I'm sure you've figured I'm the real deal. Sure, not the strongest of seers this earth has known, but I can usually tell what the near future holds for humans and occults alike." There was a pause. Isi waited. "Your friend there, the one who asked about her mother."

"Keep a close eye on her. I can't see anything in her future."

This time, Isi urged her on: "What does that mean?"

"There are only two possibilities: one is death."

Something in Isidora broke, as Padma was continuing.

"The other is even worse."

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Amani wasn't convinced, but Isi thought it'd be fun, so they went.

"I can totally feel the vibes!" Wesley smiled as they entered the 'prophecy shop', as it was called online. Isi and Amani stayed silent, one trying not to laugh, the other trying not to be too dubious.

Before they could sit down, a woman appeared and introduced herself:

"Good evening votaries, I'm Padma and I own this place. What has brought you to me today?"

Excited like a kid on Christmas morning, Wes started explaining that they were looking for dating advice.

"Great. Matters of love are my specialty."

She was talking with a matter of fact tone, her eyes lingering on the three of them, as if to evaluate them. She raised her brows, asking: "Are you all coming in at the same time?"

"Yeah, we want the group discount!" answered Wesley.

"In that case, come on in."

The woman pulled the curtain hiding her 'divination room', beckoning them inside with a shrewd smile. She sat behind the small rounded table, gesturing for them to sit across from her.

They settled in, Isi trying to ignore their surroundings.

She could feel that some of the items in this room held real power, things that would actually affect occults and humans alike. But whether this woman also knew that... Isi couldn't tell just yet.

"Who'll start?" Padma asked, her eyes full of mischief and promises.

Amani leaned in, clearly humoring her friends:

"I'll go. What are the rules of this? Can I ask any question and you'll answer?"

The woman's smile got wider.

"I would recommend you not asking a question you've not thought deeply about as I will only answer one for each of you."

"And once you've all had your turn, I will give you a group question. One that applies to you all individually."

Padma went quiet and the three friends mulled it over. The rules were clear enough, now they had to decide what mattered most to them.

Amani spoke first.

"Will I marry someone that my mother approves of?"

Isi hung her head low, knowing fully well that Amani's mum never spoke kindly of her daughter's boyfriends. Not even Jak, who had been a devoted partner.

Padma closed her eyes for a moment before answering.

She frowned, her mouth tensing slightly, before opening her eyes again and saying:

"I'm sorry, it seems to me that your mother won't be present on your wedding day."

The temperature in the room dropped for a few seconds, nobody knowing how to react.

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If you're wondering what they'd see if your sims lived near mine in DelSolValley, these three would pop up on Cupid's Corner.

And if you want to be teased: these two potential matches would also be there at this moment in my story 😌

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After an entire day out, Amani was satisfied with the pictures of Isi she had and started to create a Cupid Corner's profile for her. And as they were climbing up the stairs to get back to her flat, her best friend stopped, looking at Wesley's door.

They could hear the melancholic music coming out from it and Amani sighed.

"I haven't brought him any food today, I thought he and Matt would have patched things up by now..."

"Wait, you've been cooking for him too?!" Isi frowned, realising he'd been getting doubles for a week.

Without needing to exchange a word, they both adjusted their path to go knocking on Wes's door instead of continuing up the stairs.

They waited a bit longer than usual for him to come and open it and noticed the smell of food as soon as the door cracked open.

"What's in the oven?" Isi asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Is it her lasagna or my shakshuka?" Amani followed up, mimicking her tone.

Wes had the decency to look a bit sheepish and, before they knew what hit them, pulled them inside.

"It's actually Nessa's Japchae! Come in!"

They sat at his kitchen table and he brought out some food for the three of them, asking how their day had gone. Taking the invitation to talk about something else than his boyfriend, for once, Isi didn't hesitate to give Wes the long story while Amani was checking her phone.

"So you're now seeing if you have any matches?" Wes asked her when Isi was done.

"Any? More like I'm seeing if any of them are viable..."

They all sighed and moved on to the couch, thinking about all the times they'd been lied to on a dating app, all the shitty first dates.

"You know what?" Wes suddenly chirped. "Let's make me a profile too!"

Amani and Isidora stared at him for a couple of seconds, silent.

"Hey, if Matt doesn't know what he's got, I'm not about to wait for him to realise it!"

The silence went on for another beat.

"Fuck yeah!"

"I never liked him anyway!" said Amani, almost as excited as when she'd convinced Isi to get back into dating.

"Okay, still a bit too soon" Wes stated, looking like he was trying to hold it it.

"It's true though, remember when he tried to convince Jak that I was cheating?"

Wes's eyes went wide. "Oh I remember that clearly, it was a mess!"

"If only we knew ahead of time which ones would be a waste of time" Isi stated, thinking out loud.

"Wait. You're right! We should totally do that!"

"Do what Wes?" Amani asked, looking scared.

"Go see a psychic!"

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Interviews came and went, Isi not risking to be anything other than professional again. She went to therapy and started writing songs again. Not great songs, it was hard for her to find inspiration these days. Like walking through thick fog. But she was still trying.

She felt her passion and talent slowly dimming in the city. Like a candle, slowly burning itself out, silently. She couldn't tell if it would come back after being completely spent, but she was doing her best not to think about it. She had no idea how to stop it or fix it anyway.

She talked about it with her therapist. Even mentioned it to Amani once. Her best friend had always been her safe place, nothing could beat the comfort of talking to her.

Even though she had to admit professional help was good for her, especially with Jak still missing.

She was convinced that's why she was still daydreaming about Rory constantly. At her therapist's office, at the store, everywhere, all the time. In bed, mostly... It was the only thing that still sparked a little bit of inspiration, so she didn't try to wish it away.

That, she hadn't even told Amani about. Every time she'd thought about it, she'd realised that most of the daydreaming was a bit too... intimate to be shared with anyone. And she didn't want to encourage Wes in his disillusion that they were "meant to be".​

She could see that his own boyfriend trouble were pushing him to idolise what fleeting thing she'd had with Rory. She didn't believe in such things as "soulmates" herself and wasn't about to. Even though, she was still waking up every day thinking about Moonwood Mill.

Isi thought about the mysteries that were unfolding there. About how good it had felt to embrace the non-human part of her life, for once. She thought about werewolves, and packs, and how it had been so much easier to live in that world, even with all the bad in it.

It wasn't just Rory she kept thinking about: she was just the embodiment of all the things Isidora hadn't felt for so long. Of the freedom that came with not hiding herself.

Eager to stop longing for it, she got back into her routines. Tried to fall in love with the city again.

As the holidays were just finishing, she planned a trip to go see her mother, hoping a short break would help.

But before that, she had promised Amani she would get back on the dating horse with her. And her best friend had tons of ideas for that.

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They moved to a couch, outside, the weather sunny and not too cold for the end of December. At first, Isi wasn't sure if he was trying to get some 'of the record' statements or if she was right in thinking he wanted to get to know her more... personally.

It didn't take long for it to be clear that he was flirting. He started opening up about his life, his daughter, some stories about old friends, all kinds of personal stuff, shedding the journalist façade as much as possible. And she did so as well. He was a good listener.

It felt easy, nice. For the first time in a while, her stomach didn't turn when she let herself imagine them kissing. His laugh was contagious, she could feel it all the way into her toes. Slowly, the gap between them was closing. Until she caught sight of a silhouette.

Melody's agent and his wife were giving her some insistent looks. All of a sudden, she started to feel the cold, even with a jacket on. Shivering, she got up and quickly explained that she needed to dash away. Her flat was only a short 10 minutes away, but the ride felt longer.

Once she got there, she noticed another familiar figure not far from the front door of her building. Why was the day turning so shit all of a sudden?! Ignoring her ex, she slipped in the back door and headed straight to Wes' apartment, a floor below hers.

"Wes!" She barged in, using her key and hoping that he'd be awake.

"What's wrong?!" he asked, getting up from his desk, already in emergency mode.

"Mel's agent and the lawyer, they saw me speaking to the journalist!"

"So?" he seemed confused by her panic.

"So she's going to know I'm talking to the press again!" Isi said, her voice getting higher and her breathing not slowing down.

"That's fine, Iz, we never intended to hide this from them, it doesn't matter if they saw you!"

"But we were flirting!"

"You were what?!"

He looked stunned and she couldn't understand why exactly, but she repeated herself for his benefit:

"We were having breakfast after the interview, quite clearly not just 'working' anymore... I don't want anyone to say I seduced him to get a good article!"

"Oh my god."

Her heart skipped a beat. Had she destroyed all her chances of being heard?

"If they do, I'll take care of it" said Wes. Then, softly: "She really did a number on you, didn't she?"

Isi closed her eyes, trying to steady herself. Hands in her hair, she slowly breathed in and out.

"Okay, now let's go do some shopping, I feel like you need some retail therapy."

She shook her head and he frowned.

"We can't, she's standing right outside the building right now..." Isi's head was spinning slightly and she decided to sit down.

"What the fuck is she doing here?!"

"Don't know and I don't care. Put something on, please, I need a distraction. And I don't want to go home, in case she comes knocking."

Wes just nodded and turned the TV on, stepping into the kitchen to make her a hot cup of coffee. When he got back, they stayed silent for a bit.

A little while later, he opened his mouth again. "Hun... Do you think, maybe, it could do you some good to go and see someone?"

She wasn't in panic mode anymore and she had to stop herself from laughing. At how gentle her best friend was, and at them always thinking alike.

"I've got an appointment next week."

He sighed, betraying some deeper feeling than she'd expected. But true to himself, instead of dwelling on it, he changed the subject again.

"So. You and the journalist were flirting?! What about Rory?"

"Weeees! Will you let it go already?"

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Early the next morning, Isidora was sitting in an empty café, across from a nice looking journalist.

"Are you sure you don't want anything to drink?" he asked again, his notebook already open and pen ready.

"I'm fine, already drank 3 coffees and I've only been awake for an hour."

He seemed surprised but didn't get side-tracked.

"Alright, in that case we should probably start the interview, if that's fine with you?"

"Shoot" Isi smiled, eager to talk about her work to someone else than her best friends for the first time in months.

First, he asked about her biggest influences, in music and life alike. He enquired about her process, her favourite places to write and her advice for anyone starting off in the business. All the usual questions. None of what she knew he really wanted to know and write about.

Eventually, as she sensed he was running out of innocent questions, she started preparing herself. She was expecting him to simply come out with it. But instead, he said:

"I've heard you hired a PR team. Were you worried for your reputation?"

Isidora thought about it.

The framing of the question was subtle.

"You're probably aware of some... rumours that are being spread about me."

He stayed silent, raising an eyebrow to encourage her.

"My agent and I were wanting some exterior eyes to have a look at those. To tell us if it ever went too far."

"And has it?"

"We think so" she nodded.

"Is there any public statements you would like us to publish regarding this?"

She studied him for a minute. She had become wary, didn't believe in people's good intentions anymore. Yet, he had made her feel comfortable. Heard.

She decided it was worth a shot. After all, Wes had vetted him before choosing him as her first interviewer.

"Truth be told, there's only one thing I need to make clear. I want people to know that everything I make comes from deep within me. Not everyone can say that."

The journalist smiled softly. She noticed how nice his cupid's bow was and turned away.

"I think you're being too nice on her. But I respect you wanting to stay above it. Of course, I won't, when I write this article. Because she's on her way down and you're on your way up."

Isi leaned in and the sun hit him just right as he continued: "And if you ask me, you'll get to go way higher that she ever did."

A short silence followed. He closed his notebook and got up.

"The interview's over, but I'd love to treat you to breakfast, if you're interested?"

[polillalegacyarchive]

About a month in, Wes and Amani barged into her apartment, both clearly on a mission.

"Come on Iz, get off your arse, let's get this party started!"

"Easy, Wesley."

Isi had been sitting on the floor, watching some random reality TV on her phone, and chose to ignore them.

"At least the place is clean." Amani pointed out, looking around.

"Of course it is, she spends all her time in here, she's got nothing else to do!" Wes answered.

"And who's fault is that?!" Isidora jumped in, giving him a murderous look.

"Don't worry, I've come bearing news!"

He stopped and shook his head: "But first, you really need to wash your hair. And get ready, we're going out."

"Where?"

"To get your nails done, first. Then to get you some inspiration, because you've not written anything in weeks."

She did as she was told, knowing she wouldn't win against the both of them.

An hour later, they were at the nail salon, getting the full treatment, Wes telling her all about the plan that had been put in place for the near future.

"Did you say *tomorrow*?!"

"Yep! Phase one is finally done, you can come out of the shadows again!" Wes answered, proudly.

"So it was all part of your plan to have Isi tucked away in her flat for so long?" Amani asked, confused.

"It was! Although I didn't tell her to be miserable all through it."

"See, we were letting Melody spit out garbage, knowing that if Isi didn't engage, she would start lying more and more. She's dug a hole for herself. And now we're going to start throwing dirt back on it!" He seemed so proud of his scheming. And he was right to be.

"Have to say, I didn't believe it either, at first" Isi said, leaning over to see Amani. "But her and her team made exactly all the choices he said they would."

"What a surprise, I'm always right! So now, we're on to part two!" Wes smiled, the girls looking at him expectantly.

"The interviews, the spotlight, you're going to take it all in! Meet and greets, social media presence, the works! And within the shitload of things you'll say to reporters and to the public, you'll drop small bits of the true story. Bit by bit, we'll debunk Mel's lies."

There was a short silence after that. Amani broke it as her nail tech got up.

"And then what?"

"Then, she'll play at the biggest events, I've already got amazing plans for New Years. We'll be careful who she associates with and nothing like this will ever happen again."

[polillalegacyarchive]

The weeks after that were a blur. A rinse and repeat, really.

She knew how to handle the grind and the non-stop city life. However, this was different. Instead of busy days and sleepless nights, everything was now moving too slowly. Nights were long, days even longer.

She had no experience in the uneventful day-to-day that she was finding herself having to deal with.

She was still releasing songs, mostly things she'd written while away on tour. Her name was still rising, popularity growing, the label people ecstatic about her performances.

But overall, she was getting too big for the clubs she used to play at before the tour. And that was a problem. Because she wasn't big enough yet to fill venues either.

Wesley had reassured her that they had plenty of things planned ahead, that great stuff was brewing.

Yet in the meantime, all there was to do was wait.

Winter was creeping in, the temperatures not changing much in DelSol, leaving Isi feeling even more stuck in time. She spent a lot of time alone. Trying to write more. But the city now felt empty. And so did she.

Most days she stayed in bed as long as possible. On her phone or simply just lost in thought.

Some nights she would go partying, hoping to take the edge off. She went to dark clubs, zoned out by simply focusing on the music. Made sure to avoid the places she'd gone to in the past.

She'd bring people home, knowing very well they weren't going to fill the void that was slowly growing in her chest. Pretending to sleep in the next morning to give them time to leave her appartment without having to interact again in daylight. She felt pathetic.

Her friends took notice. Wesley visited more often, telling her what was going on on the business side of things, giving her advice about what to say or not to say publicly and online. They had contacted a PR team to handle the whole Melody thing, which helped a bit...

Amani came to see her every other day, always bringing food, entertainment, anything to bring a smile to Isi's face. She was fleeing the chaos her house had become, what with two dogs there and her mother having officially moved in now:

"You positive I can't move in with you?"

"Again, babe, where would you sleep?! You know we can't share a bed, I move all night and you're an incredibly light sleeper..."

Isi tried not to let it show, but she thought it might make everything even worse if she didn't have her own space to retreat to. To be alone.

[polillalegacyarchive]

The next day, just as the moon was starting to rise up in the sky, Isidora and Wesley arrived at their best friend's town house for Friends-giving. They could hear the multitude of voices coming from the outside and both unconsciously picked up the pace.

Jak's dog, lying by the door, raised some hopeful eyes when the door swung open. Isi tried to ignore the pinch in her chest and to focus on the warm vibes in the small living room. Amani dropped the plates she was carrying on the table to come and hug them, welcoming them inside.

As soon as Wes had sat his ass down, Amani was going back to the kitchen, Isi asking if she needed any help.

"Not at all, settle in, I'm bringing some drinks out in a minute, you were the last ones here!"

"As usual!" someone said and laughter filled the air.

It felt good to be amongst friends. They all looked forward to this event every year, marking the end of the unbearable heat in DelSol, but also a privileged time without the pressure that the city was putting on them, just enjoying their long lasting friendships.

The rule had always been to *not* bring significant others to Friends-giving. Yet after a couple of drinks, Isi surprised herself daydreaming about bringing Rory to meet her friends...

Lost in the fantasy, she didn't catch on immediately when her name was called.

"ISI !!"

And before she could react, Wes chuckled. "Oh, I recognise that look now! You were thinking of your dearest Rory, weren't you?"

"Wesley! No I was not!" she shushed, but it was too late already and her friends could all spot the lie easily.

All their friends started asking questions at the same time:

"Who's Rory?!" "She or he? Or they? You've not tried that yet, have you?!" "Did you sleep with someone on tour?! I thought you were too broken up about the bitch for that!"

Isi put her hands up to ask for a cease fire.

When they all quieted down, she started with: "It's not that serious, Wes is just reading into it a lot."

"I am *not*" he simply said, looking smug.

"Tell us anyway!"

"Fine!" She started giving them a quick rundown of their time in Moonwood and how Rory fit into it.

When she stopped, they all looked at each other.

"Guys, stop it! It was just a hookup!" Isi protested.

"Yet you didn't hook up!" said Nessa.

"Only one way to settle this: Amani, did you know about this woman before today?"

When her best friend slowly nodded, everyone cheered.