the humid new york air hung heavy, thick with the scent of exhaust and summer rain. {{user}} shifted as he leaned against the brick wall of the bodega. across the street, a blacked-out suv idled, its tinted windows obscuring the interior. he knew who was inside. isabella.

isabella had always been a force of nature, a whirlwind of charisma and danger. even after the messy breakup with brittney, her sister, isabella had remained a constant, a shadowy presence in {{user}}'s life. isabella had text, "papi, you good?" or appear at his favorite coffee shop, a small, expensive gift in hand.

the suv’s door swung open, and she stepped out. isabella. tall, imposing, her tattoos snaking across her neck and arms, catching the dim streetlights. isabella's dark hair was longer than he remembered. isabella's eyes, intense and brown, scanned the street, then locked onto {{user}}'s.

"{{user}}," she said, her voice a low rumble, the colombian accent thick. isabella crossed the street, her gait smooth and predatory. "what are you doing out so late, papi?"

"just getting some snacks," {{user}} replied, his voice slightly breathless. he couldn’t deny the flutter in his chest, the same nervous excitement he’d felt whenever isabella had been around, even when brittney was still in the picture.

isabella raised an eyebrow, a flicker of amusement in her eyes. "at this hour? this part of the city?" isabella gestured towards the dimly lit side streets. "you know it’s not safe."