If It Gave Us Time

Pushing her bedroom door closed, Isla allowed her head to fall forwards against it, a soft thump echoing in the otherwise quiet room. She was annoyed with herself, after Gerard had attempted to kiss her, she had panicked and run off, and she irked that she’d done it, even if it had seemed like the best thing to do. She knew that her running off, and leaving Gerard looking more than slightly embarrassed, had almost certainly served to make things more uncomfortable between them than they needed to be. It had surprised her, the move that Gerard had made to kiss her had caught her more than a little off guard, and whilst she had been tempted to let it happen, the nerves had gotten the best of her at the last moment, causing her to turn her head and miss the kiss before she had scuttled away, not quite sure what else she could say to him.

Allowing her eyes to close, she stood against the door for a couple of seconds, grumbling quietly to herself before the sound of the front door opening and closing reached her ears, causing her to let out a quiet sigh before she stepped back slightly, edging the bedroom door open again. Peeking her head around the door, she listened to the muffled sound of voices for a couple of seconds before Luna’s voice raised, calling out Isla’s name. “Are you back from your lunch date yet?” she added, giggling a little.

Isla’s stomach turned a little at Luna’s teasing before she shuffled out into the hall, her eyes widening a little as they settled on her mother who stood beside Luna, giggling at something other woman had said. “Mama?” she pressed.

Eva, who’d been chatting quietly with Luna, looked up at the sound of Isla’s voice before she smiled, quickly moving to wrap her daughter up in a hug. “You’re here” she gushed.

“I live here” Isla replied “What are you doing here?” she added, carefully pulling out of her mother’s embrace.

Eva shrugged. “I bumped into Luna” she mused “And she mentioned that you were free this afternoon, so I thought I’d drop by. You’re not happy to see me, baby?” she teased, tucking Isla’s blonde hair behind her ear.

Isla smiled as brightly as she could before she shook her head, gently bumping her glasses back up her nose. “I didn’t say that” she mused “I’m just surprised to see you” she added.

Eva noticed that the smile on Isla’s face was a little tight, but didn’t comment, instead opting to clap her hands together. “I’ll make some tea” she mused “A cup for both of you?” she added, looking between Luna and Isla.

“I’ve got some work to get on with” Luna replied “But it shouldn’t take me too long. I’ll catch up with you in a bit, Eva?” she asked with a pleasant smile.

Eva nodded her head before she moved to walk towards the kitchen, something which allowed Isla to turn towards Luna, a frown on her face. “Did you...?”

“Mention Gerard?” Luna finished for her “Not by name, no, but she asked if you’d ever followed up on that blind date I set you up on, and I couldn’t lie to her. You know how terrible I am at lying” she added, her voice slightly apologetic.

Isla let out a soft sigh, but didn’t say anything, instead opting to nod her head slowly.

“How was lunch?” Luna asked, breaking the momentary silence which had passed between them.

Isla grimaced, something which made Luna frown. “How could it have gone that badly?” she prodded “I mean, I saw you two together at breakfast this morning, and you were doing that adorable flirty teasing thing you do. How could it have changed that much in a matter of hours?” she added.

Isla shook her head. “He...uh...he tried to kiss me” she admitted quietly “And when he did, I dodged it and then ran off” she added, grimacing uncomfortably as the words fell out of her mouth.

Luna’s eyes widened a little. “You’re sure that he tried to kiss you?” she spluttered out, being careful not to be too loud.

Isla offered her a pointed look. “I think I know what it looks when someone is trying to kiss me, Luna” she quipped.

Luna nodded. “Sorry” she mumbled “I just...I thought you’d jump at the chance. I mean, the way you were talking about him this morning, it was almost like you were waiting for a signal from him to let you know that you weren’t barking up the wrong tree, and when he offered it, I thought you’d jump at it. You ran away?” she pressed.

Isla blushed, nodding her head timidly. “I practically sprinted out of the restaurant” she admitted “He looked mortified, I felt mortified, and I...I didn’t know what else to do. I got nervous, Luna, really nervous, and I panicked” she added.

Luna’s expression softened a little before she opened her mouth, preparing to say something.

“You’re still hung up on that Piqué boy?”

Isla, who’d been staring at Luna, visibly jumped a little at the sound of her mother’s voice before she turned, her already red cheeks flushing a shade deeper as she admired the knowing smile that Eva wore on her face. “Ma...”

“Honey, I know you liked him when you were kids” Eva interrupted, cutting off what she was sure would be Isla insisting that she’d never had feelings for Gerard “Anyone who saw the two of you together would know that you had the biggest crushes on each other. I’m actually amazed that this is the first time we’ve talked about it” she added, motioning between herself and her daughter.

Isla gaped at her, trying to think of something to say, before she shook her head. “How much did you hear?” she asked quietly.

“Enough to know that you’re talking about Gerard” Eva replied “And that you left him sitting in a restaurant, wondering if the idea of him trying to kiss you was so repulsive that you had to run away” she added.

Isla squeezed her eyes closed. “I’m an idiot” she mumbled.

Luna looked between the mother and daughter before she shook her head, clearing her throat slightly. “I’m going to...” she trailed off before she scuttled away towards her bedroom, pulling he door closed with a small thump.

Eva watched her walk away before she shook her head, refocusing on Isla who stood in front of her, shyly pulling at the bottom of her blouse so that she could avoid looking up at her mother. Eva stared at her for a second before she shook her head, patting Isla’s cheek softly. “Why didn’t you kiss him?” she asked quietly.

Isla shrugged. “I don’t know, ma” she mumbled.

“You must have had a reason, Isla” Eva replied “I mean, he’s grown into a remarkably handsome man” she added with a knowing smirk.

Isla shook her head, blushing. “Ma” she complained.

“I’m just saying” Eva quipped, holding her hands up.

Isla rolled her eyes gently before she lightly shrugged her shoulders again. “I don’t know, ma” she repeated quietly “I mean, I think...it’s possible that I do...like him, but I just...I freaked out and I ran off, and I’ve probably upset him, or, at the very least, embarrassed him, and I don’t quite know how to come back from that. He must think I am still as embarrassing as I was when we were kids” she added, a slightly rueful smile on her lips.

Eva shook her head, gently smoothing Isla’s hair out. “I’m sure he doesn’t, honey” she mumbled.

Isla scoffed, but didn’t have the chance to say anything, Eva cutting her off quickly. “You got scared” she mused “And that’s Ok. I mean, yes, you could have handled it better, and yes, it’s a little embarrassing, but you do know that this is the same boy that you asked to by you tampons, right?” she added with a grin.

Isla wrinkled her nose. “Mama” she complained softly.

“I’m just saying that this isn’t the end of the world” Eva clarified gently “Yes, it’s going to be awkward when you call him, or see him, but if he still means as much to you as he did when you were kids, then I am sure that you can get over it. I’m also sure that your first kiss, when you have it, will be magical” she added giddily.

Isla let out a quiet laugh, something which made Eva grin before she leant forwards, kissing her daughter’s cheek gently. “I’m sure he’ll forgive you, baby” she mumbled softly before she pulled away, mumbling about fixing them tea.

Isla watched her mother walk away before she shook her head to herself, carefully sliding her phone out of her pocket. Staring at it for a second, she carefully scrolled through the phone before she highlighted Gerard’s name, clicking on it hesitantly. Opening a blank message, she quickly typed out a short text before she hesitantly hit send, stuffing the phone back into her pocket before she followed after her mother, hoping that she was right.