Chapter 3: a visit from an old friend

I woke up with red puffy eyes, a restless night again. I rolled over and opened my eyes at the crunching noise that came from underneath my body. I looked down on the bed to find pages and pages of paper spread out everywhere. I closed my eyes and sighed in disappointment. I had almost forgotten my failed attempts from last night. “Love.” I laughed softly to myself while sitting up on my bed. Even Mrs. Sarya was fooled by it.

“Isabella wake up!” I flinched at the sudden noise from down stairs.

“Yah, yah.” I muttered answering my mother half conscious. I rubbed my head and stared at the only paper that was filled with words front and back. I grabbed it tightly in my hand and started to read what I had written.

 

It was his eyes she loved so much. The cruelty in them seemed to give her comfort; a challenge not to let him get close. But the only thing she wanted most was to give in. to fall in love again-

 

“Wow. Heh…” I crumpled up the page before even finishing it and threw it in the trash can. “She’s pathetic…” I whispered to myself in disgust while covering my eyes with my hand.

“Issy?”

I slowly moved my hand from my eyes, and tilted my head to the left with my eyes glued to the floor.

“Nick?” I guessed while slowly raising my eyes to the tall figure standing in my door way. His short spiky ruby red hair was popping with intensity next to his porcelain skin. His dark dull leafy green eyes stared at me as if I was a rare object.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I asked tiredly but still pleased. My eyes glanced over his new look, torn up genes and black. My lips twisted into a smile. “Nice.” I complemented in shock at the change, and popped off of my bed and in front of him. His eyes remained on me and his features didn’t move. I fidgeted in my spot in discomfort with the silence and the pair of eyes on me.

“So going from prep to bad a*s?” I laughed nervously while hitting his chest with the back of my hand. I wanted the silence to stop and the eyes to move away from me. I stared into his face waiting to see it change.

A crooked smile finally showed on his face. “Well you always did like the bad ones.” He chuckled while rubbing the back of his neck. His eyes stared me down. “What about you?” He changed the subject to me. “Miss never cusses in my life to trash talk?” He joked. His eyebrows moved up on his forehead.

I rolled my eyes but a little smile was glued to my face. “Ehh…” I sighed while turning my body away from him, my smile faded. “I’ve changed more than you would believe.” I answered while shrugging.

“Excluding height?” He taunted me. I felt his body move closer towards me.

I rolled my eyes and laughed a little. “Yah.” I sighed. I walked over to my closet and opened up the doors. “So what are you doing here?” I asked while trying to figure out what I was going to wear.

“Well… I moved back.” He simply stated not sure I guess how I was going to take it. “I wanted to see you.” He whispered from behind me.

My hands froze on my black and purple plaid Tripp skirt. I remembered something I wish I hadn’t.

“Sorry Nick, I love Zak.” My voice cried softly in my mind.

“But Issy, I’ve always loved you. I would never hurt you- he doesn’t deserve you- he just uses you. Please… pick me.” Nicks voice pleaded replaying in my mind. “I love you Issy…”

I blinked three times and rubbed my head in irritation. Why did he have to say that? I never wanted to hurt my Nick. He was my best friend and he knew the answer that I was going to say.

“Issy.” Nick said my name to get my attention.

“Yah?” I mumbled while pulling my skirt off the hanger.

There was a pause as if he was debating on asking me. I felt his eyes staring hard at me, but kept my back turned away from him. I tore my black tight t-shirt off another hanger. My hands shook as the silence continued.

“Do you still love him?”

I flinched at the question. It hit me hard, even though I knew it was coming. “No.” I answered unsure myself, but didn’t want to say anything to get Nick upset. I kept my back turned to him and another pause filled the room.

I was the first to speak. “Could you turn around or close your eyes? I got to change.” I asked awkwardly, not even peering over my shoulder to look at him.

“Oh-yah.” He stammered over his words.

I started to pull off my tank top not even caring to check if he turned or not. I’ve known Nick since I was two. He was honest and well mannered, so of course he turned. I quickly finished changing, and turned around to find Nick on my bed, reading the pages that were scattered everywhere on it, with his back turned to me.

I walked over to the side of my bed that his back was to and sat on the floor. My hands grabbed my long black boots that had buckles wrapped all the way up to my knees and stuck out from under my bed. At the bottom of my boots they were completely flat, but looked as though someone had stuck three bricks to the bottom of them and pulled leather over them. I snapped all the buckles and slowly stood up. I stared at the silent Nick that was continuing to grab random pages from my bed and reading them.

“I’m done.” I whispered knowing that it was loud enough for him to hear, but he continued to read every word on every page even though they were all unfinished.

 I fidgeted around and awkwardly moved to the bathroom. I stared into the mirror at the pale little girl who stared back. I was five feet tall and that was never going to change but I was happy with it. My long curly black hair tangled around my slim heart shaped face from a night of constant turning. My long thick black lashes accompanied my big hazel eyes that glared me down in disgust, and my full small but big lips pouted at me.

“Ugly.” I labeled myself while grabbing my brush and attacking the tangled mess. With each pull my eyes squeezed at the tug. Each curl spiraled down to my hip, and my bangs swished over my right eye. My hand quickly flew to my make up, and I began to cover up the thing that I hated the most, myself. Thick black eyeliner and smoky purple eye shadow now covered my eyelids, and light pink lip gloss covered my lips.

“Issy…” I heard Nick whisper from behind me.

My eyes fluttered up the mirror and stopped at Nick’s refection. I put down the mascara and leaned away from the mirror. “Yah?” I whispered back keeping my eyes on his reflection.

His eyes squinted down on me, and my eyes flew to the paper clutched in his hand. It seemed to have been crumpled. I turned slowly away from the mirror and stared at him in person. My eyes kept snapping to the paper I had thrown away.

“You don’t have to wear that much make up.” Nick claimed with his eyes wondering over my face.

My frown deepened. “I look bad-”

“No-no you look great-it’s just its intense and..” He began to stumble but his eyes stared at me and quickly his words froze. My eyes remained on his waiting for him to tell me that I was ugly. “You’re too beautiful.” He whispered but still had his eyes locked on me.

My eyes quickly snapped away from his, and I searched for something to say back. “Thanks Nick…” I mumbled awkwardly while fighting the empty feeling in my stomach. I felt sick and scared. My heart pounded hard against my chest.

“Issy… I-”

“O school we’re going to be late. We should go.” My words flew out of my mouth afraid of what he was going to say next. I kept my head down and walked quickly out of the bathroom.

“It’s Saturday.” I heard Nick call after me in confusion. I paused in my doorway perplexed.

“Really?” I mumbled counting the days I’ve gone to school that week on my fingers.

“Yah…” He whispered from behind me. “I was sorta hoping we could hang out. Go skateboarding or something.”

“You know I can’t skateboard to save my life.” I reminded him while turning around to face him. He still had the page clutched in his hands.

He smiled and chuckled to himself. Probably remembering the last time he attempted to teach me. “Fine, rollerblading around town?” He suggested with such a serious face.

A huge smile spread a crossed my face at his expression. “Yah, but make sure I don’t fall, kay?” I approved but could still picture me falling. “I haven’t skated since we skated.” I pointed out while running over to my closet.

“But Issy, you still love him huh?”

I heard the page crumple a little in his hand. I turned and faced him with tears building up. I bit my lip hard making the tears disappear. “Loves not real.” I simply whispered while smiling a sad smile and turning back to the closet to get my skates.

Author's Note

This is showing another character Nick. He really cares about Isabella and hates Zak for mistreating her. Hope you like.