Epov
If someone had to present the idea to me, that an external force would change my mind to such an extent that I would be in pain of the very aspect I'd learnt to despise, I would not believe it. Yet here I stood, my jaw aching from all the smiles, all the damned smiles I had to offer to random people that Isabella stopped to converse with.
If it wasn't over their shoes, it was of their children. She found too many things appealing and made it far too apparent by presenting her thoughts to these people in an exaggerated way. After smiling-purely out of duty-I began to understand exactly the contrast between our lives. She was a Smiler- and I wasn't. There was nothing overly complex about that, but if you were either one and was forced to live with the other, you'd understand the frustration.
"Do you always walk like that?" I was still not accustomed to hearing her voice, so like always, when I did, I had to try my utmost best not to stare.
"Like what exactly?" How did I walk? I am confident that my walk was now a poor image of an old man who suffered from backaches, but I am also sure that I did not walk that way all the time.
We've been walking around for days-I mean, Hours and to say we made a little progress would be a tremendous understatement. She objected to almost every shop, no not purchasing items from them, but even entering them seemed to be a bother. So I assume we had to walk around in search of shops that she deemed "Isabella Appropriate". It seems as though nothing was found appealing because all she had, was some underwear, nothing remotely titillating-Trust me, I checked because she even blushed when we paid, a few basic jeans and some random upper-garment-wear she had the nerve to call tops. After these I simply refrained from looked at her purchases.
"Like you were born with no joints in your body?" She continued to press me, although she sounded more curious than discourteous.
Naturally, after that statement I became self conscious. I shrugged her comment away, I did however square my shoulders, pause for a short while, shake them slightly, and walk on. Out of the corner of my eye I saw it again, that smile, only this time I was sure it was directed towards my. Her before curious face, now held amusement and she was shaking her head slightly.
"Why are you smiling?" That came out worse than I'd intended and she turned to be, both her eyebrows raised in a manner that showed she did not approve of my tone.
"I meant, you always have this …uh, you're always smiling? Why? Don't you think that you should give those muscles a rest or something? And to have someone smile all the time is a little creepy don't you think? If everyone in the world smiled as much as you did I think I'd get really… dizzy." I could hear my reasoning shatter at the end. Whenever I spoke to her, all the eloquence and etiquette I was taught to speak with, dissipated.
Slapped. She looked like someone had questioned the existence of a Sports car, Or, the reason for contraception.
"Are you seriously asking me why I smile?" Now she looked tame like I had two heads.
"I'm just… Curious. Admit it, it does draw some attention," I looked ahead, clearly making my point at the bypasses who starred at her smiling lips, I pursed my own lips, fully aware of this blatant lie. It was true, people did glade in her way and stare for a while, but I know that didn't spike my annoyance.
"I cannot believe…" She was whispering to herself now, I barely heard her.
"You wish me to stop smiling then?" She more or less demanded of me, her voice incredulous, her brown eyes wide and her smile turned down. She stopped walking and turned completely towards me, as if this was the most important issue that will ever be addressed.
I frowned at her, she looked pretty when she smiled, and then I was struck with a welcome revelation, it being so rational that I rolled my eyes internally at the absurdity of me fretting over her smiles, why did it matter whether she smiled or not? Why should I care and why should I fuss?
"Of course not, I was simply curious." I was well aware that my voice was completely void of any expression and was careful to ensure that it remained monotoned.
I didn't wait for a response nor did I look at her expression, instead I made my way into a shoe shop because I knew we had to visit one eventually. She followed silently, her brows furrowed and her face smile-less. She didn't object once to what I suggested her to try on and didn't even protest to the prices of anything.
I knew I was turning into a women when I realized that the very thing about her that annoyed me, was now gone. And I still found myself unhappy and barely satisfied. This could only be a hormonal issues, why else would a mere smile bother me?
After a while she became oddly quiet and I had to look at her to see if she was still beside me. Affirmative. She was, only her face was twisted in pain, the kind that made you shiver with fear and panic.
"Isabella what's wrong?" The minute her name left my lips she directed her attention towards me.
"I think I should take my medication now." Her voice didn't sound like hers. This one sounded weak, unsure. And the look of determination in her eyes was replaced with a look of uncertainty.
I nodded in agreement and quickly hurried her to get some food into her system before she took any medication. She didn't like the idea, as seen from the expression on her face, but she didn't object. Her face paled drastically and I could see her weaken in front of my eyes.
We sat and waited for her food at the nearest Cafe. I didn't realize how nervous I was until I felt her hand on mine, stopping my from tapping the table. She gave me a shaky smile and whispered out to me.
"You should learn to smile more, you wouldn't want to leave this world with sorrow marking your face."
I closed my eyes and I knew I had never been more anxious in my life before. I was left speechless and didn't even bother thinking up a retort. The waiter set the food on the table and his eyes was fixed on Isabella. I cleared my throat and he gave me a cheeky grin and I was forced to refrain from releasing my inner child urges and pull my tongue at him.
Isabella gobbled down her food. In any other circumstances I would have been disgusted at her eating habits but at this point I wondered if she could eat as a quicker pace. She sighed deeply and pulled out a bottle filled with pills and threw two in her mouth. She gulped down some water and I sat watching her intently all the while.
I watched as the color returned to her face and heard her breaths deepen, slow and finally stabilize. She lifted her face and brought her eyes to mine.
"Thanks." She sounded normal, just a little softer than normal.
"Always."
I nodded in her direction, and I saw her eyes light with understanding, her face flush and then the one sign I had been waiting for, to be certain that she was in fact okay.
She smiled.
