Finding Isabelle

Chapter One

"Good morning Isaac, good morning Marlin, may i introduce to you my boyfriend Kevin." Katie says with a large grin from ear-to-ear. An 18 year-old boy (clearly over six foot tall) stands next to her, smiling down at us. We smile back. "Nice to meet you, kevin." marlin holds out his right hand and they shake hands happily, I copy him and we just stand there awkwardly looking at one another.
"He doesn't speak much does he?" I whisper into one of my best friends, Katie's, ear. She rolls her eyes and we begin a conversation full of unplanned silences and extremely awkward chuckles in between comments made - those kind of comments that you regret immediately after you speak them. She always brought in these utterly random boys and introduced them as her new partner, i mean, she is attractive and all but is she attractive enough to go through roughly ten boyfriends each month? I think not. Then there's me, stood here with my two best friends ignored by practically everyone who walks past me; i haven't had a serious girlfriend since sixth grade... And that was certainly a mistake.

"Where the books at, mister faggot?" An overly muscular bully named Hunter Wright yells right in my face as i lean against my locker, "up your asshole? Or up his" he gestures over to Marlin who stood in the doorway into calc. No, in fact my books were right behind me, in my locker that i cant open because of your overly forceful arms that are currently in the way..? "Um, i dont know. I guess they're-"
"Shut the fuck up and fuck off" he says whilst unnecessarily looking me up and down in complete disgust. At least i dont look like i have two beach balls stuffed up my sleeves (several, actually, in that case). Marlin and I walk into period one whilst Katie strolls off hand-in-hand with Kevin off to biology - oooh! What a convenience that they're in the same class first period.

"Actually mate, thinking about it, i do need a good book." I tell Marlin as class begins and a study teacher stands at the front of the classroom, obviously not quite knowing what to do with everyone.
"I know, same. God we're such nerds." He replies, glancing back at the woman who was continuously rubbing her palms together and not saying a word to stop everyone screaming across the classroom. It was like we were sixth graders again, jesus, we were all practically 18. "Any reccomendations?" I ask him.
"No, you probably read them all. Go to some kind of website."
"Hell no. Can't trust them. They'll probably send me to some pornographic fanfiction..."
"Okay, okay! Shushh, i tell you what's more trust-worthy bro." He begins, leaning in as if he's going to tell me the biggest secret of science right then. He says, "book club! On every tuesday and thursday lunchtime."
"Great. Another club to join that will totally uplift my reputation. Yay!" I roll my eyes. I made the ultimate mistake of attempting one chess club meet-up one recess and ended up being given multiple inventive nicknames, courtesy of Hunter and his 'hard-man' squad. "Just give it a go." Marlin says.
"I guess one visit will give me a couple of books to read. Only going once though, Marlin, ONCE."
Finally the study teacher screams at us, and afterwards breathes heavily for at least twenty seconds, sits down and informs us on the revision we are set to do. Marlin is quickly deep into studying as he loves mathematics and all that shit - i mean its not shit its sometimes pretty cool, but he like obsesses over algebra and goes on and on about infinite equations that no one else understands. It gets pretty annoying. But then him and algebra is like me and books; im pretty certain i manage to flick through books like Katie goes through boyfriends.
"What about you?" I ask Marlin, tapping him on the shoulder again.
"Eh, i'll have a little look online for some-"
"Math books? Algebra books?"
"I need to work on my geometry skillls, Isaac, geometry is important too."

"Book club is kinda for losers Isaac." Katie crunches on an apple whilst sat on a wall around where we usually stand in recess; her legs swinging violently. "But then again, you are kind of a loser."
"So are you. You're friends with me K." I say rather bluntly and shove her shoulder gently. Her amazingly sociable boyfriend seems to have disappeared and its rather likely that they've gone their separate ways already. I look around with a slight pout and open my mouth, just about to start my predictable sentence...
"Kevin's gone to a soccer match. He's playing away today!" Katie exclaims, almost over-excitedly.
"I owe you five bucks Isaac. It seems today it lasted more than ten minutes." Marlin receives an immediate slap on his back - more aggressive than usual today?! Okay, honestly, i love my best friends a lot. They are the only ones always there for me other than my over-protective parents and my Nan. But after telling my mum and dad about Hunter calling me a faggot one time (plus laughing whilst telling them), they think the name-calling gets me down but seriously, i dont give a shit. Hunter doesn't seem to have a wide vocabulary range and he never seems to alter his insults; faggot all the way. "I'll just go once, Katie do not fret!" I say. Katie swishes her chestnut hair as if there is wind blowing through it, but today is one of the hottest days of the year and everyone seems to be sweating like a p-i-g.