The Little Cheeseboy

Chapter 6

Isabel found herself talking to Hugo the entire morning about many things that surprised her every second. He played guitar and piano and loved to go outdoors especially back then with his mother back then. They laughed about jokes he was able to break out every now and then, Isabel told him a little about herself too. Her love for climbing trees had intrigued Hugo the most since he could make why she always had tangled and messy hair. 

Isabel was amazing and Hugo noticed that the better he got to know her, she was a world of wonder he still wanted to explore. 

"I know I may have asked this before...but who do you want to bring back?" Hugo asked and that's when Isabel's smile began to drop. 

"I'm sorry...forget I asked," he said lowering his gaze. 

"My mother..." she whispered. 

"Huh?" he said as he lifted his gaze to meet hers again. 

"I want to get my mother back...she...she passed away not long ago," she explained as a pain crossed her heart like a sharp knife. 

"I'm sorry for your loss," Hugo said with a frown. 

"It's fine...we are looking for the clockmaker after all and that gives me hope," she said with a small sad smile. 

"I hope I can meet her...I bet she was beautiful," he said giving her a smile. 

"Thanks, I hope I can introduce you to her," she said looking out the window. Suddenly an idea came to Hugo as a smile spread across his face and he looked at Isabel. 

"Hey wanna see something cool?" he asked as he saw Isabel's ears perk up in curiosity. 

"Something cool?" she said with her eyes glowing. 

"Yeah! Come on follow me," he said as he stood up from their table. 

Isabel followed Hugo across the long train corridors that had all sorts of freaks enjoying their afternoon. 

Isabel followed Hugo to the end of the train which was empty with no one in sight only a large door that led to the last compartment. 

Isabel watched Hugo curiously as he opened the large door and reveal the large glass window that covered the dome-shaped train cart with a dark and mystic feeling even though it was daytime but for some reason, it felt like the night had lived there all its life. 

Chandeliers fell from the domed roof giving life to the room at the vast area with nothing but space and yet it all impressed Isabel. 

"Wait for it," Hugo said until the whole compartment filled with music Isabel had never heard before. 

Isabel couldn't make out the instruments that played yet it felt so inspiring and alive. The rhythm flowed through every inch of her body as she closed her eyes to take in the moment she was living in. 

"What is this music? It's so...unique," she said as she heard the sweet symphony fill in the room. "It doesn't have a name but this is the only place you'll hear something like it," he said admiring Isabel as she continued to enjoy herself. 

"Hey...um...would..." Hugo said feeling a blush go up to his face. 

"Yes, Hugo?" Isabel asked innocently with a smile. 

"Nevermind," he said finally.

 "Oh come on I thought we were friends now just tell me, I promise to not judge you," she said with a small laugh.

 "Would you like to dance?" he finally asked. Isabel blinked a couple of times, she has never danced before with anyone and it embarrassed her a bit.

 "I don't know how to dance," she said blushing a little bit. "I know how and can teach you...but only if you want to!" he said embarrassed himself. 

Isabel couldn't deny that this music just wanted her to swing around but it scared her until she looked at Hugo's warm smile. She hesitantly walked up to him as he reached his hand out to her in a formal manner until she finally took his cheesy hand into her soft and skin-covered one. 

"It's one step forward then back then left and right," he explained as he held her waist. 

"Okay," she simply said as she tried copying Hugo's steps. 

Isabel stepped on Hugo a couple of times as she tried to cope with him but after a while she found herself laughing in glee as Hugo spun her and her feet moved to the rhythm the music was sending them. 

"You're doing it, Isabel!" Hugo said in between smiles and laughs. 

"This is so much fun! Why didn't I try this before?" she said as she felt Hugo pull her waist in closer sending some chills down her spine she couldn't explain. 

Suddenly a smirk grew in Hugo as he held her down and pulled one of her legs up and then up to twirl her in a spinning frenzy then back down to find both of their faces facing each other. 

His face was so close to hers with his green eyes penetrating into her blue ones and that's when Isabel saw another human expression she couldn't figure out to be. 

His eyelids were half-closed but so were hers and suddenly she felt like a magnet was pulling her closer to him to his lips especially...it was desire. 

Before both could go in any further a voice boomed in through the room. "Attention to all passengers! 

We will be arriving at Boulderwich in ten minutes," the voice boomed. 

"Huh, we got here earlier, I guess that means we better be heading off," Hugo said as he separated himself from Isabel. 

"Right we should be doing that," she said feeling her cheeks burn. '

Were you going to actually kiss him?! What were you thinking?! You barely even know him!' she thought to herself feeling embarrassed as she continued walking.

Hugo and Isabel found themselves outside of the train station, the sun was already setting itself and the street lights were beginning to light up. Boulderwich was much bigger than Frelanidia and it had more of an aesthetic and city-like feel that reminded Isabel of one of her father's stories where a young maiden met a young man to fall in love with each other. 

The story went that the young maiden turned into a large rose field during the winter but then went back to herself in the warm springs and summers. 

The young man collected and planted flowers loving them as people. One day he stumbled upon the freak city she lived in and that's when both met and fell in love...a freak and a human being for the first time fell in love. 

Her father had always told her that story along her mother's side but after her mother died he always refused to tell her that story again. Isabel was going to change that though she would bring back her mother no matter what.