Tristan stood behind the display case of Dark Heaven lost in thought. He absentmindedly ran his index finger over his lower lip as he thought about the previous night. Becca. Last night during their love making Becca had cried out:
‘Tristan…I think I lo-’
Tristan knew what Becca had been about to say: ‘Tristan, I think I love you’. This signaled that it was time for Tristan to run for the hills. Becca Thorn hadn’t even lasted a full week. Their relationship was now officially over. Well, he was the one who’d slept with her early. Crap. I’m such an idiot. What am I going to do now? He was so screwed.
Love…was the one thing he couldn’t give Becca. Couldn’t give anyone because of what had happened with Hazel. Hazel. The anniversary of Hazel’s death…of her suicide was this very week. Tristan had been trying to avoid thinking about it and had been distracting himself with Becca. But now that Becca was no longer with him all he could think about was Hazel. I haven’t forgotten you…Hazel. I’ll never forget.
“Hey!” Issy slapped Tristan on the back to get his attention, and to snap him out of what looked like some rather dark thoughts.
Tristan turned to regard the Living Doll. “Ah…good morning, china doll.” He smiled softly at Issy. It was hard not to smile at her since she was just too cute! Today, Issy was wearing a canary yellow, ruffled, Lolita dress with a matching yellow fascinator on the side of her head. The wig she’d chosen was long and black, and her contact lenses were gold. She had a black choker around her neck that had a small cameo dangling from it. To complete her look she was wearing knee socks, and black, patent leather shoes. The golden contact lenses almost made Issy look as though she were part demon.
Issy gave Tristan an intent look. “Is something wrong?” She asked gently.
Tristan was caught off guard by her perceptiveness. “No, why do you ask?”
“If nothing is wrong then why do you look like you’re about to cry?” Issy asked.
Tristan’s jaw dropped and he was speechless for a moment. How could this young girl see through him so easily? “…”
Issy surprised Tristan further by hugging him and patting his back. “There, there. Whatever is bothering you…it will be alright because you have me. And I’ll never leave you, Tristan. I’ll always be here for you.” Even if it’s in secret and from the shadows.
Tristan looked down at Issy’s head in astonishment, “Issy…” He hesitated before raising his arms and hugging Issy back. This…felt right. So right having Issy in his arms. He felt comforted, not so alone, whole, and content.
“And if you want to talk about it…just know that I’m here to listen.” Issy continued.
Issy…could he really talk to Issy about Hazel? Maybe. This answer surprised him but…Issy was different from other women. Special. There was something about her that drew him to her despite her appearance - not that the whole Living Doll thing was bad, but he yearned to see the ‘real’ her. The real Issy.
What is the real color of her hair? What is the real color of her eyes? I want to know…know the girl behind the mask…
“Hey guys, we’ve got trouble!” Came Mina’s voice as she and Michael walked into the main store area from the kitchen and behind the display case. Mina spotted Issy and Tristan hugging and was immediately irritated by it. “Hey! What’s going on in here, you pedophile!”
Michael had to put a hand over his mouth to hide a smile. That’s right Tristan, get your groove on.
“Ack!” “Epp!” Tristan and Issy immediately sprang away from each other. Both of them were blushing, looking extremely guilty, and acting awkward.
“N-Nothing.” Tristan quickly said with flushed cheeks while he scratched the side of his face with his index finger.
“Yeah, nothing! We were just hugging. You know, as friends. We weren’t hugging like lovers or anything scandalous like that! It was a purely platonic hug. Even if Tristan could probably feel my chest pressed up against him. But I doubt he was aroused by it! I mean, he sees me as a little girl. Well, unless he really is a pedophile!” Issy babbled as she tried to defend what she and Tristan were just doing, which just ended up making her seem even more guilty and suspicious. The Living Doll began to laugh nervously as she waved her hands before her in denial when Mina raised an eyebrow at her. Oops.
A muscled ticked beneath Mina’s eye in irritation. “What the hell is up with you?”
Michael was grinning behind his hand at this point. Yeah! Mental victory dance. Tristan and Issy were hugging! I can’t believe I almost missed that. Nice moment! Mental thumbs up. It’s moments like this that make being a shipper worthwhile. The angel cleared his throat. “Anyways, show them what you found, Mina.”
“Oh, right.” Mina set her laptop down on top of the display case and showed them the web page she was currently on. It was Becca Thorn’s blog: Gourmet Dessert Trends and there was another article about Dark Heaven. However, this blog post wasn’t complimenting the chocolate shop like the others had, but defaming it.
Tristan and Issy both read the flaming blog post that Becca had written about how the chocolates at Dark Heaven were crap, and about how she’d discovered that their kitchen was filthy and that there was rat poop in the chocolates.
“Oh no!” Issy gasped and placed a hand over her mouth.
Tristan’s expression fell as he read the awful review, and sadness and hurt flickered in his bi-colored eyes. “Becca…”
“You broke up with Becca last night, didn’t you?” Issy asked quietly.
Tristan nodded dazedly. He’d expected Becca to be angry with him, but this felt like a betrayal. Even if he probably deserved this.
“Ha! Good riddance! I never liked that cyber socialite anyways. She was such a freak!” Mina declared happily. “Now you can concentrate your attentions on someone who’s actually worth it.” She flipped her long hair over her shoulder. “Someone like me.”
Michael rolled his eyes at Mina and everyone chose to ignore her last comment. “Well…this kind of reaction is only to be expected. After all you broke her heart.” The angel pointed out. This is what Michael had wanted all along - for Tristan to pay the price for his actions. But seeing his friend look so depressed made Michael want to take everything he’d said back about the way Tristan had been handling things.
Michael began to wonder if Tristan having one-night stands had actually been hurting the women less, than the way Michael was having Tristan date these women for a week only to break up with them in the end. The angel worried that maybe he’d actually made things worse. I’m doing a real lousy job as this guy’s guardian angel.
Issy took a deep breath and released it. “Tristan, are you sure this is what you really want? What if…you continued to date Becca? What if you got serious about her? I know you really liked her.” As much as it hurt Issy to say this - it needed to be said.
Michael gave Issy an impressed look. Now, she’s a better guardian angel than I am.
“Issy! What are you saying? Becca and Tristan can’t-” Mina objected, but Michael silenced her by putting his hand on Mina’s shoulder and shaking his head. Mina huffed when she understood that Michael was asking her to be quiet.
“Let Tristan speak, Mina. This decision is his and his alone. What do you want to do about Becca, Tristan?” The guardian angel asked and held his breath. The best-case scenario would be for Tristan to decide he wanted to date Becca seriously, even if Michael was still secretly rooting for Tristan and Issy to get together.
Tristan gave his friends a grateful look. “Guys…I…” The chocolatier shook his head dismally. “I can’t…I can’t be with Becca.” Already I’m changing Becca. She was so sweet and now she’s turned vindictive and it’s all my fault. I’ll only continue to drag her down into the darkness…corrupt her…taint her…
Besides, how can I move on and be happy when I know Hazel is in Hell…suffering because of me! I don’t deserve to move on…to find love…
> “But Tristan maybe you should at least consider-” Issy began.
“No, end of discussion. I need to be alone for a while.” Tristan said gruffly as he left his friends and made his way up to his room to be alone with his troubled thoughts about Becca and Hazel. The incubus’ eyes strayed to the calendar that was on the wall and to the date that was circled in red. Hazel…