A tingle of excitement shot up Isabella's spine when a familiar voice perked up from beside her. Caught off guard by Jane's sudden appearance, the young lady couldn't help but gape awkwardly.
"[color=MediumPurple]Jane! You're here![/color]" She picked her jaw up from the ground, her beaming grin softening into a pout.
"[color=MediumPurple]You're here.[/color]" She repeated softly. A pang of guilt struck her chest, which she responded to by stiffly clutching the frills of her blouse. She bit her bottom lip and averted her eyes. Those warm, caring eyes that belonged only to Jane; Isabella didn't deserve such affection after her behaviour in Crocus.

Taking a deep sigh, she turned her attention back to Jane and gently held out a hand on top of hers.
"[color=MediumPurple]Jane, I am so sorry about standing you up.[/color]" Saying it out loud really emphasized how bad she felt. Her lip quivered, but she continued. "[color=MediumPurple]You are so kind and fun to be around; I didn't know what to do with myself. I was afraid.[/color]" Beyond that the words refused to escape her lips. It was a pathetic excuse, but Isabella couldn't bring herself to admit how she felt. Not just to Jane, but to herself as well.

In an effort to change the subject, Isabella removed the Council summons from her corset and placed it on the counter in front of Jane. The letter was laid out very professionally, but still held a touch of prestige one would come to expect from the Council. It all seemed very standard at first; formal introductions of the Council's role and how they have benefited Fiore in the past. The letter seemed very impersonal, as if it were a template that had been sent off countless times before. Though towards the bottom of the page, one excerpt seemed to stand out.

[i][color=silver]On behalf of the Magic Council's Department of Science and Magical Innovation, Isabella Pinelli is hereby invited to attend a second stage interview for a position at one of the Council's very own laboratories situated on the campus of Crocus University.[/color][/i] 

It then went on to mention the history of the campus and how such a prestigious offer is only given to a select few wizards each year. Isabella waited for Jane to finish reading before picking up the letter. She gazed into the barely legible scrawling, letting each word burn into her mind.
"[color=MediumPurple]I had intended to share this news with Master Jamie and seek her guidance; but I'm so nervous I just couldn't bring myself to do it.[/color]" Isabella sighed, tucking the letter away once more. Throughout all this time, she had failed to notice that her hand still rested gently atop of Jane's. Almost instinctively, her grip tightened.
"[color=MediumPurple]I just don't know what to make of all this.[/color]"

[hider=Mentions][@Zarkun] Isabella confided her troubling news with Jane[/hider]