Love Against Reality
996 Words
The world suddenly felt smaller.
Like there was no space left for both love and reality to exist at the same time.
Daniel and Isabella stood under the tree, their hands still locked together.
Neither of them wanted to let go.
But both of them knew—
Something was coming.
⸻
“Daniel…” Isabella said softly.
“Yes?”
“What are we going to do?”
He didn’t answer immediately.
Because the truth was—
He didn’t know.
He exhaled slowly.
“We need to think,” he said. “Not just feel.”
She frowned.
“Why does everything have to be so hard?”
He gave a faint smile.
“Because nothing about this is normal.”
She stepped closer.
“I don’t care about normal.”
“I do,” he replied. “Because normal is what keeps people safe.”
She shook her head.
“Safe is not the same as happy.”
That hit him.
Hard.
⸻
Meanwhile…
Inside a black SUV parked not too far away—
Two men watched them.
“She’s with him again,” one of them said.
The other nodded.
“Call her father.”
⸻
Back under the tree…
Daniel suddenly felt uneasy.
He glanced around.
“What is it?” Isabella asked.
“I don’t know… I just feel like—”
His words stopped as a black car slowly approached.
Isabella froze.
“No…” she whispered.
The car stopped.
The door opened.
And her father stepped out.
⸻
The air changed instantly.
Cold.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
“Isabella.”
His voice was calm—but filled with authority.
She slowly released Daniel’s hand.
“Dad…”
He looked at Daniel.
From head to toe.
Judging.
Dismissing.
“You,” he said. “So this is the boy.”
Daniel stood still.
Respectful—but not afraid.
“Good afternoon, sir.”
Her father ignored the greeting.
Instead, he stepped closer.
“How much?”
Daniel blinked.
“Excuse me?”
“How much do you want to stay away from my daughter?”
Isabella gasped.
“Dad!”
But he raised his hand to silence her.
“I’m talking to him.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“I’m not for sale, sir.”
Her father smirked.
“Everyone is.”
“Not me.”
Silence.
Tense.
Sharp.
⸻
Isabella stepped between them.
“Stop this!”
Her father’s eyes hardened.
“Move aside.”
“No,” she said firmly. “You don’t get to treat him like that.”
Her father’s voice dropped lower.
“Isabella… don’t test me.”
But she didn’t move.
“I care about him.”
That statement hung in the air.
Heavy.
Final.
Her father looked at her—
Then back at Daniel.
“So you’ve already filled her head with nonsense.”
Daniel spoke calmly.
“I didn’t force anything. She chose to be here.”
“People like you don’t belong in her world.”
Daniel nodded slowly.
“I know.”
That surprised everyone.
Even Isabella.
“But she came into mine,” he added quietly.
⸻
Her father laughed coldly.
“This ends today.”
Isabella shook her head.
“No, it doesn’t.”
He turned to her.
“You’re coming with me.”
“I’m not.”
That was it.
The moment everything broke.
⸻
Her father’s expression changed completely.
“No more arguments.”
He signaled to the men in the car.
They stepped out immediately.
Isabella stepped back, fear rising.
“Don’t touch me!”
Daniel moved forward.
“Sir, please—”
“Stay out of this!” her father snapped.
One of the men grabbed Isabella’s arm.
“Let go of me!” she struggled.
Daniel’s fists clenched.
“Leave her!”
He stepped forward—but another man blocked him.
“This is not your place,” the man said.
Daniel pushed him.
“Move!”
Everything happened fast.
Too fast.
The tension exploded.
⸻
“Stop it!” Isabella screamed.
But no one listened.
Daniel tried to reach her.
But he was held back.
“Daniel!” she cried.
Their eyes met—
Filled with fear.
With desperation.
With something deeper than either of them had ever felt before.
“Don’t take her!” Daniel shouted.
But it was too late.
⸻
Her father opened the car door.
“Get in.”
“I won’t!”
“You will.”
She looked at Daniel one last time.
Tears falling freely now.
“I’m sorry…”
He shook his head.
“No—don’t go.”
“I have to…” she whispered.
And then—
She was forced into the car.
The door slammed shut.
⸻
The engine started.
Daniel stood there.
Helpless.
Powerless.
Watching as the car drove away—
Taking her with it.
⸻
Silence filled the street.
Heavy.
Painful.
Emeka slowly approached.
“Daniel…”
But Daniel didn’t respond.
He couldn’t.
Because something inside him had just broken.
⸻
“I told you…” Emeka said quietly. “This world no go allow am.”
Daniel finally spoke.
His voice low.
Cold.
Determined.
“I’m not giving up.”
Emeka looked at him, surprised.
“Guy… you fit fight this kind people?”
Daniel’s eyes were fixed on the road where the car disappeared.
“I don’t care how powerful they are.”
He clenched his fists.
“I’m not losing her.”
⸻
Far away…
Inside the moving car…
Isabella wiped her tears.
Her father sat beside her, silent.
“You will forget him,” he said finally.
She shook her head.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No,” she repeated. “You can take me away from him… but you can’t take him out of my heart.”
Her father didn’t respond.
But his silence was not agreement.
It was warning.
⸻
Isabella looked out the window.
Whispering softly—
“Daniel… don’t give up on me.”
- Writer
