"Dad?"
The man slowly turned around. A cigarette rested between his fingers, smoke disappearing into the rain.His eyes widened the moment he saw me.
"...Ace?"
He immediately threw the cigarette onto the wet ground and crushed it beneath his shoe before walking toward me.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice unusually firm.
"I... I'm looking for a friend."
His expression instantly changed. The wind howled through the trees, carrying the cold rain with it.
"You shouldn't be here."
Before I could respond, Dad grabbed my wrist and hurried me toward the road.
"Dad, wait—"
"No."
His grip tightened.
"We're leaving."
I looked back toward the lake one last time, hoping to catch a glimpse of Isabel. But she was nowhere to be seen. Dad had parked the car farther down the road, hidden behind a row of trees.
As soon as we reached it, he took off his coat and draped it over my shoulders.
"Put it on."
"But you'll get soaked."
"I said put it on."
His voice wasn't angry.
It was... worried.
I quietly obeyed.
Once I was inside the car, I removed the coat while Dad started the engine. A few seconds later, he stopped beside my bicycle. The rain was pouring much harder now. Without saying a word, he ran outside, lifted my bike into the back of the vehicle, and secured it before getting back into the driver's seat, completely drenched.
The entire drive home was silent. I kept glancing at him, and questions filled my mind. Why had he been at the lake? Why had he placed a bouquet of sunflowers beneath the large rock? And who were the flowers for? Every time I tried to ask, I stopped myself. Dad looked like he didn't want to talk. When we arrived home, Mom was waiting by the door.
"Dinner's ready—"
She stopped when she saw our soaked clothes. Dad walked past her without saying a word. As I stepped inside, he suddenly spoke.
"Don't ever go back to that place again."
I frowned.
"What?"
"I said don't go back."
His tone left no room for argument, but I couldn't stay silent.
"Why?"
He didn't answer.
"Dad... why?"
He slowly turned to face me.
"Because I said so."
I shook my head.
"That's not an answer."
His jaw tightened.
"Dad, what's wrong? Why are you acting like this?"
Then suddenly—
"I DON'T WANT TO LOSE YOU THE WAY WE LOST DAVID!"
His voice echoed through the house.
Silence followed.
I froze.
Mom stood motionless beside the dining table.
"Dad..."
"I just wanted to see my friend."
His breathing grew heavier.
"...Friend?"
"Yes."
"My friend."
"Her name is Isabel- Isabella."
Everything seemed to stop. Dad's face suddenly turned pale, and Mom slowly raised a hand to cover her mouth. Neither of them moved for a moment. The color drained from Dad's face as he stared at me, as if he had just heard something impossible. "...What did you just say?" he whispered, his voice trembling with disbelief.
I looked at him, confused.
"Isabella Gomez."
My parents stared at each other, neither of them saying a word. I continued, trying to explain everything before they could interrupt me. "She lives near the lake, and she's the one who saved me from drowning. I've been meeting her almost every day." I hesitated, suddenly unsure of how to continue. "I..." A lump formed in my throat as I looked at their worried faces.
"...I like her as more than just a friend."
Mom suddenly gasped. "Oh my God..." She hurried upstairs.
"Dad?" He didn't answer.
He simply stood there, staring blankly at the floor, one hand gripping his head as if trying to wake himself from a nightmare.
"This can't be..."
"It can't..."
A few moments later, Mom came back downstairs carrying an old photo album in her trembling hands. She sat down quietly, opened the album, and carefully removed a faded photograph from between the worn pages. For a moment, she simply stared at it, as if gathering the courage to show me. Then she slowly walked toward me and held the photograph out. "Ace..." she whispered, pointing at a young woman standing beside another girl.
My heart stopped.
It was Isabel.
"Mom..."
I grabbed the photograph.
"That's Isabel."
My voice shook.
"That's her."
Mom's tears began to fall.
"Is... is this the girl you've been meeting?"
"Yes."
"This is Isabel."
Dad slowly lifted his head, his eyes fixed on the photograph. His lips trembled as if even saying the name was painful. For several seconds, he struggled to speak, but with great difficulty, he finally forced the words out in a barely audible whisper. "...Isabella Gomez..."
He swallowed hard.
"...died thirty years ago."
The world around me seemed to disappear.
"...What?"
"...No."
Dad closed his eyes.
"She died thirty years ago, son."
The words echoed inside my head again and again.
Isabel Gomez died thirty years ago.
"No..."
I shook my head.
"No... that's impossible."
I laughed nervously.
"You're lying." My voice trembled as I shook my head, refusing to believe what they were telling me. "This isn't funny. She invited me to her house. She showed me her book collection. We've talked every day. I held her hand. I hugged her." The memories came rushing back, each one feeling too real to simply dismiss. "She was there. I know she was."
My voice broke.
"How can she be dead?" No one answered. Tears streamed down my face as I shook my head in disbelief. "No..." I tore the gold medal from around my neck and threw it onto the floor. "I don't believe you!" I rushed toward the front door, desperate to get back to the lake. "I'm going to see her!" I heard Mom cry out, "Ace!" She ran after me, tears streaming down her face. Outside, the storm was raging violently, with rain pouring from the sky and powerful winds shaking the trees. I ran straight into the darkness, ignoring the storm and everything else around me.
"Ace!" Mom's desperate voice faded behind me as I disappeared into the rain. Dad immediately grabbed his car keys.
"Stay here," he told her.
"I'm bringing our son home." Without another word, he ran into the storm after me.