If It Gave Us Time

Pulling the keys out of the ignition, Isla leant back into her seat, her eyes fixed on the house which stood ahead of her. She had tried to avoid it, with her knowing that she had to tell Gerard about Sergio and the kiss, she had spent a while trying to avoid heading home, but she knew that it wasn’t something she could do forever, even if there was a part of her that had been tempted to head towards her parents’ home or Luna’s. She knew that, in the long run, getting it over and done with was likely to be for the best. She knew that she had to tell him, as soon as Sergio had kissed her, she’d known that she had to tell Gerard, knowing that if Sergio got the chance, then he would, but still it had a knot in her stomach.

Pushing the frames of her glasses up her nose, she took in a slightly shaky breath before she nudged the car door open. Hesitating for a second, she carefully placed her feet down onto the pavement before she slowly made her way up the front path, sticking the key into the lock before she nudged the front door open, closing it quietly behind her.

Letting out another shaky sigh, she quietly slipped her feet out of her shoes before she felt something nudge against her hand, causing her to look up slightly, her eyes settling on Milo who’d sat down ahead of her. “Hey, buddy” she greeted softly.

“I always thought I was his favourite”

Isla, who’d moved to ruffle Milo’s fur gently, stilled fractionally at the sound of Gerard’s voice before she looked up at him, offering him a small smile. “What can I say?” she mumbled “I am pretty lovable” she added, trying her hardest to keep her voice bright and cheerful.

Gerard frowned a little, not missing the slight shake in her voice, but he opted against saying anything, instead opting to offer out his hand towards her. “I’ve just finished making some food” he mused “You hungry?” he asked, gently knotting their fingers together.

Isla stared down at their hands for a few seconds before she nodded, slowly lifting her head so that her eyes mirrored Gerard’s. “I...I could eat” she stumbled out.

“You don’t sound sure about that” Gerard teased, leading her through towards the kitchen.

Isla felt her cheeks warm a little before she shook her head, forcing another small smile onto her lips. “Sorry” she murmured “It’s just...it’s been a long day, I guess” she added, forcing out a small laugh.

Gerard’s expression softened at the sound. He’d known her long enough to easily recognize a forced laugh when he heard it. “Isla?” he asked, turning back to look at her “You OK?” he pressed.

Isla blinked a couple of times, her blue eyes mirroring his, before she let out a soft sigh, her fingers nudging her glasses back up her nose. “No” she mumbled just loud enough for him to hear.

“What’s wrong?” Gerard pressed “Is it Sprout?” he asked.

Isla shook her head quickly. “No” she insisted “Sprout’s fine” she added.

Gerard nodded his head slowly. “So what is it?” he asked.

Isla shifted her feet a little, taking a few moments to think of what to say, before she reached her hand up, twisting the ends of her hair around her fingers. “I...uh...I need to tell you something” she murmured.

Gerard quirked reassuring half smile. “Go on then” he teased, rolling his eyes playfully.

Isla shifted a little more on the spot before she shook her head, her eyes glued to her feet. “Sergio and I talked” she admitted quietly “I’d just finished taking the pictures for Eduardo and Camille, and he found me and bought me a drink. I tried to let him down gently, I told him that I wasn’t interested in him, that even if you weren’t in the picture, that I’d not be interested him and I thought...I thought I’d gotten through to him. I mean, I was clear with him and I really thought...”

“Isla” Gerard interrupted, cutting off her rambling “Nena, is there going to be a point to this story any time soon?” he teased with a small laugh.

Isla’s stomach tightened a little at his teasing before she shook her head, once more pushing her glasses up her nose. “Sergio...uh” she stumbled out softly “He...he kissed me” she added.

The teasing smile melted off of Gerard’s face. “What?” he asked.

Isla took in a breath, not even making an attempt to look up at Gerard. “He kissed me” she repeated quietly.

Gerard opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, trying to force something, anything, out of it, but he couldn’t, something which made him shake his head, his fingers pushing back through his hair.

“It...it wasn’t anything” Isla stumbled out, desperate to fill the silence “He just...it didn’t...Gerard, please” she added.

Gerard closed his eyes, taking in a breath, before he shook his head, allowing a humorless laugh to fall out of his mouth. “He just won’t take a hint, will he?” he muttered.

“Gerard...”

“Did you kiss him back?” Gerard interrupted, opening his eyes so that they could meet hers.

Isla startled a little. “What?” she pressed.

“Did you kiss him back?” Gerard repeated firmly.

“Of course I didn’t” Isla shot back quickly “It was nothing, Gerard. He just...”

“Just kissed you” Gerard finished for her, a bitter smirk twitching at the corner of his mouth.

Isla fell quiet, catching sight of the look on his face, before she sighed. “It was nothing” she repeated softly “He thought he could change my mind...”

“Did he?” Gerard asked.

Isla shook her head. “Of course not” she breathed “Gerard, it was nothing. Like you and Luna...”

Gerard snorted, shaking his head. “It’s not the same” he muttered “Luna...she would have kissed anyone, but Sergio? He only had eyes for you. Luna never kissed me, Isla, I never gave her the chance to, and even if I had, it wouldn’t have been anything. This...Sergio, it’s different. He’s someone you loved once, someone you’ve been intimate with, someone who’s so very clearly still carrying a torch for you... You could have stopped him, Lala, but you didn’t and... Excuse me for wondering if there’s still something there” he added, his voice softening a little.

Isla just stared at him, not quite sure what to say to him.

Gerard watched her, allowing the silence to linger for a few long seconds, before he gently shook his head, a pained smile stretching across his face. “I...uh...” he breathed “I think I need to...get out of here” he added.

Isla shook her head. “I should” she murmured “My parents are closer” she added.

Gerard glanced down at her stomach, something which caused Isla to look down too before she shook her head, offering him a slightly tearful smile. “My madre will take good care of the two of us” she mused “You know how she is” she added, a snuffly laugh falling out of her mouth.

Gerard just nodded his head slowly, something which caused Isla to wipe her eyes before she shuffled out of the room.

Gerard stood still for a few seconds, listening to the sound of Isla’s sniffles as she walked further away, before he leant forwards over the kitchen counter, resting his head in his hands as a deep sigh fell out of his mouth.