"Why did you leave me? You promised you'll stay," she said to her mother while sobbing.
"Who will be there for me now that you're gone?" she cried, her voice breaking with pain.
Her mother died after a long battle with a medical condition. Now she feels completely lost. The one person who had always been there to hold her hand, to comfort her, to love her without limits, is gone. And the hardest part is knowing she will never come back.
After A Month...
Isabela stood frozen in the doorway,her fingers tightening around the strap of her bag.Her father stood in the living room, beside a woman Isabel had never seen before.They were standing a little too close.
" Dad...?" Isabel's voice came out smaller than she intended.
He looked up, started."Isabel, sweetheart, I was just going to tell you ".
" Dad , it's just been a month since Mom's funeral,and you've already found someone else?" she asked,staring at him in shock.
Isabela couldn't believe her father had replaced her mother so quickly, In her heart, she had always imagined it would be just the two of them after the funeral holding onto each other, healing together. She never thought someone else would take her mother's place.
" Isabela, your mom is already gone,"he said , trying to steady himself. " Sylvia will be here for us now . We can't stay stuck in the past".
Isabela quietly went to her bedroom, her eyes filling with tears, as she embraced the picture frame of her mother. She missed her mother so much. Isabela fell asleep with the frame still in her hands.
The next day, after getting ready for school, she went downstairs and saw the woman preparing food in the kitchen.
" Breakfast is ready" she said to Isabela.
Isabela didn't pay attention to the woman and noticed her father sigh as he looked at her
" I'll be heading to school now" she said to him.
" Just wait, I'll get my keys and drive you to school," he replied.
" I can go by myself " Isabel said .
Isabela snatched the keys and stormed out, not looking back.The door clicked shut behind her, leaving her father standing in the kitchen, shoulders slumped, watching her go.
Isabela walked briskly down the street, the cool morning air brushing against her face, but it did nothing to calm the storm inside her. Every step felt heavy, weighed down by the memory of her mother.A tear slipped down her cheek, but she quickly wiped it away, not wanting anyone to see. She hated feeling weak, hated that a part of her still longed for comfort that wasn't there.
As Isabela stepped through the school gates, the chatter and laughter of students felt distant, almost foreign. She kept her head down, walking past familiar faces without stopping, not ready to explain the storm of emotions inside her.A classmate waved and called her name, but she only gave a small, polite nod and quickened her pace. Even the comforting routine of the school day couldn't shake the heaviness in her chest.
"Hey, Isabela… are you okay?"
She looked up to see Blessie, a classmate who always seemed to notice when someone was feeling down. Her eyes were kind, patient, and curious, not prying.
"I… I'm fine," Isabel muttered quickly, looking away.
Blessie pulled up a chair and sat beside her. "You don't have to say anything if you don't want to. I just thought… maybe you'd like some company."
Isabela hesitated, then shrugged. "It's nothing. Just… tired, I guess."
Blessie smiled gently. "That's okay. Sometimes tired isn't just about sleep. Want to talk, or should we just… sit together for a bit?"
For the first time that morning, Isabela felt a flicker of relief. She didn't answer right away, but she didn't move away either. The presence of someone who cared—someone who didn't push—felt… comforting.