Chapter 4: Her Dreams

Since that day happened Isabella tried her best to make things mostly in favor with Nerissa, so she can't think to leave again. She mostly the one to do the house work, while Nerissa would rest inside her room doing what makes her happy. Isabella did everything that might not let Nerissa feel too neglected and unhappy, because she doesn't want her parents' also to worried more for Nerissa. She can't just afford to see her parents hurting when Nerissa leave them, and she herself also get attached to Nerissa, so she wants to avoid that from happening.

"Nerissa?" She put the plastic bags of freshly cooked spaghetti in the kitchen cupboard and walked upstairs. She just came at the store to buy it.

"I'm at our room, Isabella!" She heard Nerissa answered in the distance. She peeked through the gap at her sister, who is lying comfortably on the bed, taking some selfie.

"Here, I bought it. Let's eat!" Nerissa immediately put down her phone and sat upright.

"Wow! It's that spaghetti? Oh, I like it, Isabella. Yeah, come on, sit. Let's eat your spaghetti together." With a big grin on her face Nerissa offered the fork to Isabella also.

Isabella can't help but to feel her cheeks warming up and smiled brightly. She's happy that their relationship as a sister is going well.

"Nerissa?" she said softly. Nerissa raised her head up to look Isabella in the eye.

"I hope that we stay like this. I mean, I can't ask anymore, because our family already looks perfect." Nerissa fake her smile, as they continued eating and talking about their dreams in life.

"What do you want in life?" Isabella asked after some other time, when they already done eating all the spaghetti.

"Well, I just have a simple dream, Isabella. I want to marry a rich man, to be spoiled by wealth, so I can do everything I want!" She replied happily. Her eyes were shining with happiness. It's the opposite of Isabella's shocked reaction. She didn't expect to hear that from Nerissa.

"Why you look surprised with my answer, Isabella? Oh! I get it. You are the type of girl who wants to put too much hard work and effort first before you get what you desired. And you know, that's so typical of girls nowadays. They don't care if they don't get anything in return."

"If I were you, Isabella. I will choose thr easiest way in every decision that you'll make. It's up to you, I just hope that your kindness won't hurt yourself someday." Nerissa smiled weakly, while their conversation made Isabella remained silent.

"By the way, don't you still need to clean the backyard, Isabella?"

"Oh. Yeah, right..." Isabella got up from her seat.

"How about you? Don't you want to go outside? You can watched me cut some plant's leaves." Nerissa shake her head and grabbed her phone again.

"No, I am fine here," she said, as she lay down on their bed again and turned her back at Isabella who just nod in reply, and walked outside the room to do what she needs to finish before their parents get home.

When she can't already feel Isabella's presence she got up from lying again and rolled her eyes. Then she stood from seating and walked towards the window of their room and see Isabella there digging soil and putting some new cut plants there.

"Arghh! I didn't know until when should I pretend being a good sister to you, Isabella. I just wished to find a very rich man soon, so I can leave in this disgusting life of your family," she said bitterly, while crossing her arms.

Meanwhile, the backyard has always been Isabella's favorite place to relax. There's nothing else in that small backyard except her favorite flower beds, that are growing beautifully now. She plucked a rose, which she likes very much and cut a part of it to put it into a new vase. While doing this, she remembered Nerissa's words.

She can't deny that it saddened her to hear those kind of words to her sister, but she can't blame her also for having opposite perspective in life, like she does. That is why she decided to not say anything and just keep quiet about everything that Nerissa says, although she can't do anything to hide how sad it had left her, after hearing it from her sister.

Weeks passed, their parents both called them and now they're all sitting at the round table with chairs in their living room. It's their Dad who spoke first.

"We have something to tell you," he started, but it's only Isabella who's paying attention because Nerissa's busy typing something in her phone. So, their mother just continue.

"We already have enough savings, Isabella. And me and your Dad decided now that you can continue on your study." Isabella was stunned, while it already made Nerissa looked up, her brows started to frown and her jaw clench slightly, making her look like a little lioness ready to pounce.

"Really, Mom? Dad?" Isabella feels so happy. She really wants to continue her study, to achieve her dreams. And she didn't even expect today that her parents' will tell this surprised.

"Yes, Isabella. You deserve it, darling. You've been sacrificing a lot lately." Isabella quickly stood up from seating, and hugged her parents. Her smile reached her eyes because of too much happiness, but their laughter were interrupted by Nerissa's sudden outburst from the table, making everyone turn their heads towards her.

"It's only Isabella who'll go to school?" she yelled angrily from the chair.

"You don't even consider if I want to study too? I thought we are family here? But look, you are also deciding in favor of your real daughter!" Isabella's Dad stood up.

"Nerissa, why are you shouting like that at us? We didn't adopt you to spoiled that kind of character." Jio, stated, causing her wife to calm him. Nerissa tried her best to calm herself also, despite the fact that her life is at peace and happier when she's at the orphanage, she just don't want to stay there forever. She needs to be free and do her best to get all she wants, so she needs to pretend more as a good person in this family, because it's a part of her plans.

"I-I'm sorry, D-Dad..." she wiped her tears. And it even made Isabella pity her. She didn't expect that Nerissa will make it a big deal again, because the last time they talked about this topic, she remembered that she said that she's not interested to study anymore.

"I... I just also want to study. I want to pursue my dreams of becoming a flight attendant someday. But, I'm wrong, I shouldn't demand it, because you are right, you just adopted me. I am not your real daughter." The room suddenly became so quiet, until Isabella stepped beside Nerissa, as couple of tears also fell down her cheek.

"Mom, Dad, I will not going to study anymore. Let Nerissa, instead." Her Mom and Dad look at each other for few seconds with a surprised expression.