Eighty Nine

"This is truly the worst pie I've ever eaten," he joked, still chuckling. "But somehow, I enjoyed it."

Isabella snorted in amusement, folding her arms across her chest. "Maybe it’s because you’re too kind to me," she said, a little awkwardly.

Nicholas shrugged with a smile, then stood up and offered his hand. "Come on, let’s leave the kitchen. We need something safer than this apple pie experiment."

Isabella accepted his hand, and the two of them walked into the living room. They picked an old comedy movie and snuggled under a cozy blanket on the sofa. The rain outside the apartment added to the calm atmosphere. Nicholas wrapped his arms around Isabella tightly, and together, they immersed themselves in the light humor of the film on the screen.

Time seemed to slow down when they were together, as if no troubles from the outside world could reach them. But as the movie drew to an end, Isabella could no longer hold back her thoughts about the reality waiting for them. She looked at Nic