Chapter 16:

(Isabella POV)

I couldn't believe that this was happening, that this was actually happening. I don't know why I led him to my room or how he was starting to figure out that my family were the ones connected to the gift but more than that I couldn't believe what we were doing. I hitched my breath, what had I done?


(Caleb POV)

- a little while before -

I came into the Madrigal house and my eyes immediately found Isabella as she was dancing in the middle of the floor with two little girls. I watched her for a moment before I remembered why I wanted to talk to her tonight. I made my way out on the dance floor and tapped on her shoulder, "Isabella we need to talk." She smiled up at me, "Um Caleb I'm kind of..." she was gesturing over to the little girls who were already making an excuse to leave us. I realized that everyone in town was looking at us and I didn't want to draw any more attention to us, "May I?" She nodded her head and we began to dance as a slower song began to play.

I didn't know what to say as Isabella and I began to dance. Our eyes stayed drawn to each other and I couldn't bring myself to look away. As the song came to an end I realized that Isabella was trying to slip away. I needed answers and just followed her lead as we walked into the crowd. I pulled her over to the side, "Isabella we need to talk alone."

She brought me upstairs to a room that was filled to the brim with flowers and plants everywhere. It must have been her room. She closed the door and looked over at me, "Caleb." "Isabella, what is going on with your family and the miracle?" She began to try to play it off, "What are you talking about?" No, I needed to know the truth "You're family are the only one's with gifts aren't you, the miracle is only because of your family, isn't it?" She opened her mouth as she looked at the ground and back up at me like she was trying to figure out what to say, "Caleb..." I was coming over to her, "Isabella don't lie to me."

As I was getting closer to her I was losing my nerve as the smell of flowers was becoming more overwhelming. "Caleb..." she spoke softly as she looked up at me and I could feel my heart beat banging against my chest and I let out a breath as her name slipped out of my mouth. I needed to know the truth, it was my job to figure out the truth but as the space between us was closing it didn't feel as important anymore. My fingers grazed her as she hitched a breath looking up at me.

I brought my hand to her hair as I leaned in closer and she did the same. Our lips met and I don't know how this happened but I didn't want it to stop. I shouldn't be doing this, it wasn't right, I had to focus on my job, I was going to let the General down. All these thoughts were flooding my mind but, none outweighed my desire for this to not stop and Isabella didn't seem to be stopping either. When we finally did part she looked up at me and her eyes widened, "Caleb you need to go." My heart dropped to my stomach as my mind began to clear. What had we done?

I shook my head, "No you still need to tell my the truth." I said looking at her suddenly I saw plants were growing all around us as Isabella looked at me you need to leave. I caught a glimpse of yellow flowers that were growing in over her shoulder in the shape of the sigil on the back of my cloak. How did she see that? Did she know what that meant? What was I doing?

Suddenly the plants under my feet shifted me towards the door and I was thrown out of the room. The door slammed behind me. I tried to open the door to see Isabella again but it wouldn't budge. I let out a long breath, I don't know why I was trying to get back in her room. It wasn't to answer my questions about the miracle though.

I went back downstairs as the party continued but I really didn't want to be there. I would talk to someone tomorrow to confirm what I had learned but, not tonight. Not after that. I slipped out of there quickly and unnoticed which probably meant that I was making some progress if I didn't stick out in town like a sore thumb anymore. I made my way back to the shack as my thoughts rang loudly in my mind. Why did she kick me out? Did she not like the kiss? Why was I thinking about this it wasn't important? I had 4 months before everything happened and I needed to get to work so why was I thinking about Isabella like that? How did she see that symbol before? Did she know what it meant? Did she know who I worked for? What had I just done?

I looked over at the calendar, I was going to have to slip out of town tomorrow night for the progress report. I didn't know what I was going to tell the General. I didn't know much about anything anymore. I starred up at the ceiling as I tried to sort through all my thoughts and the questions that I kept circling back to.


(Isabella POV)

I leaned against the back of my door as I pressed my finger up to my lips. I can't believe I just did that. Caleb and I... no there couldn't be a Caleb and I. He needed to leave. I knew that he needed to leave, especially now that he was starting to figure out more and more about the miracle. Why did I like that kiss though? I had never been kissed like that before. When Mariano and I had been 'dating' there was a kiss on the cheek of hand here and there but nothing more than that. Neither of us really liked each other like that nor were we interested in that type of relationship at that point and we barely spent any time together outside of town festivals.

I didn't leave my room the rest of the night. I wasn't sure what to do. This changed everything. Did Caleb like me? Did I like him? We couldn't, we shouldn't. This was not how... I shouldn't be... I groaned, none of this made any sense. Why did he kiss me? Did I kiss him? What was I going to tell my family? Would I tell my family? Would they tell the town if I did? Abuela already thought I was getting too close to Caleb and I didn't want to prove her right. Wait why was I worried about what Abuela thought about me or even the other people in town.

I went over to bed and laid down trying to just let this day end already. I tightly closed my eyes as I could feel all the plants around me growing rapidly and out of control. I hadn't felt this out of control with my gift since I was a little kid but I didn't have the energy to fight it that night at least. I knew that I was going to have to talk to Caleb now. I had been avoiding him for a while, but I couldn't after this.


(Caleb POV)

I looked out the window as the sea breeze hit my face. Suddenly, I heard people yelling downstairs. I stuck my way down to the stairwell and tried to listen in as they were talking downstairs. "NO, YOU CAN'T HAVE HIM," a woman was yelling. A firm voice spoke, "You always knew that this could happen. He is ours." She began to yell again, "You can't take him. You can't." She was crying harshly but I didn't move from my spot. The man's chair was pushed away, "We will be back in 3 days. Don't try to fight us Marina, it won't end well."

I let out a long breath as I shot up. Cold beads of sweat were dripping down my forehead. I took my notebook and began to scribble down the bits and pieces I could remember. I could never remember any of my dreams and I always tried to write it down before I forgot. I sighed as I leaned back into bed trying to untangle my thoughts. Who were those people? Where was I? It was probably just a dream but, it felt different.

I sighed as I looked towards the window. It was still dark outside but there was no way that I was going to fall back asleep now. I went into the kitchen and began to make myself a cup of coffee. I knew that today was going to be long. I honestly would rather Isabella continue to avoid me at this point, I had to give the General my progress report tonight which meat that I was going to have to leave this place and make my way back without anyone noticing, I honestly don't think I would be able to handle anymore. At least not right now. As the sun began to come up over the mountain I downed the coffee that was left in my cup and headed out to work.


(Isabella POV)

I didn't get much sleep last night. I knew that I needed to talk to Caleb tonight and that we were going to need to figure out whatever is going on between the two of us. Honestly I still wasn't sure how I felt about him or everything, but I did know that I didn't regret what happened. I didn't regret the kiss. I didn't regret the kiss. I knew that it was true but for some reason it didn't feel like it was the right thing to do. I looked at the clock and it was almost time for Caleb's shift. I figured I would go out there and talk to him and see where his head is at and everything. I was suddenly nervous. I had no idea what was going to happen and something about that was equally exciting and terrifying.

I made my way down to the fields and hid away. I thought about growing weeds in his plot like I usually did but, I didn't want to today. One look at him and it was clear that he was exhausted and there was something clearly on his mind. Was it the kiss? Was it what he was asking me yesterday? Was it something else?

I didn't know but I was about to find out as he finished and was heading into town. I grew a cactus right in front of him and watched as he stopped and turned to face me. I made my way over to him and saw the bags that were hanging under his eyes. He let out a breath, "So are we finally going to talk?" I asked. He gave me a worn smile as he nodded his head, "Let's go to the shack. I know that we have a lot to discuss." I then heard him mutter, "Why are we doing this today?" We walked to the cabin next to each other as our fingers grazed each others but neither pulling away.

We made our way into the shack and he went right over to the kitchen. He held up a coffee pot and turned to face me, "Want some?" I nodded my head. "Didn't get much sleep last night?" I asked. He nodded his head, "You?" "Same," I said as I went over to the window. I had started to make plants grow outside and I needed to calm down. I wasn't paying attention as he came up behind me handing me a cup, "Here you go." I smiled, "Thank you."

He guided me over to one of the beds, "All these months here and you still didn't get rid of this?" I asked. He shrugged, "I work for Enrique do you think I can afford any furniture to replace it? Besides it is basically a couch." I nodded my head, but neither of us said anything else. Caleb let out a long breath, "Ok so we need to talk about yesterday." I nodded my head, "Yeah we do." I let out a breath, "So about the..." "So was I right about the miracle and your family?" He asked before I could finish asking my question. I looked at him and I felt a lump form in my throat, that was the first thing that he wanted to talk about.

I bit my bottom lip, he was already suspicious and confirming it wasn't going to do anything to change that, "You weren't wrong." His eyes widened as he looked at me, "You have never given me that straight of an answer." I sighed "Well I'm going to have to deal with that later, but if you are already suspicious it wouldn't take long for you to figure out the truth." I looked down at my lap, "My Abuelo was the one who sacrificed himself for the people in town. The town was blessed with protection from the world around them and my family is given a gift when we turn 5 years old."

"So you have been able to grow and manipulate plants since you were 5?" He asked and I nodded my head. "I'm still working on plants that aren't flowers but I have only been practicing those for a few years," I said. I could hear the eye roll, "Is that the reason for all the cacti?" I let out a little laugh, "It was the first plant I made when I admitted that I wasn't living the life I wanted. I guess you could say I got emotionally attached to them." I kept twiddling with my fingers before I looked up at him, "Are we going to talk about the other thing?" He let out a long breath, "Look the kiss was..." He started but stopped as he looked at me. "I don't regret it," I said softly. "You don't?" I shook my head, "Do you?"