Reassurance (#sytycw15) (#loveInspiredRomance)

Part Twenty-four

February 4th, 1999

"Back off!" Carrie yelled at Simon who had been picking on Isla the whole day with a bunch of others. Isla on the other hand had been trying her best to ignore the hurtful comments.

"What are you going to do about it?" One of the cheerleader girls taunted.

"You know, you're starting to make me question our friendship, Simon! I told you enough was darn enough! You're not only hurting Isla but now it's affecting me!" Carrie yelled as she fought with Simon.

This was one of their normal fights. These past few weeks, Isla had been receiving many harsh comments. "Friendship? Who said anything about friendship?" Simon questioned causing all the kids to laugh. Isla could see the way Carrie was confused.

"What do you mean, we've been friends since preschool!" She elaborated, as if trying to jog his memory. "So?" Simon asked.

"So! Doesn't that mean anything to you?" Carrie screeched feeling irritated with Simon's behaviour. Isla couldn't agree more. John and her have been friends since in diapers and he had never treated their bond so foolishly like Simon was.

"So we hanged together a few times, don't let it get to your head! You're starting to sound clingy." Simon said with a bit of disgust in his voice. Isla was shocked to no end. She couldn't believe the betrayal that Carrie must have been feeling. It was nearly insane.

Having the friend Carrie thought she could trust with her life, then having that friend betray her in front of the whole school... It was obscured.

"So what you're really telling is that all this was fake?" Carrie asked, Isla noticed the way her voice broke and the way her eyes looked glossy.

"I guess, if that's what you want to call a guy trying to get in a girl's pants." A crowd of laughter erupted and Isla could barely breath. She felt the pain of Carrie emitting off her in waves. It was only just a moment of silence before Carrie had run off, pushing her way through the crowd.

Isla stood there, watching as everyone laughed. Isla turned her gaze at Simon watching for a reaction, only to see a smirk graze his face. But when Isla stared in his eyes, underneath all that smug attitude, she saw remorse and guilt.

Isla sent them a glare. She felt mute for the past few weeks. She hadn't even told John about what had been going on at school. John thought that Isla was the popular girl in school with grades to kill, but what was happening in reality was so much more different then his assumptions.

"Carrie wait up!" Isla screamed as she followed the cries of Carrie. Heading into the school's library, Isla had searched nearly everywhere for Carrie but was no where to be found.

"Carrie? Where are you?" Isla called out.

"Under here." She said, sniffing.

Isla followed the voice till she found a curled up Carrie, sitting underneath a table. Isla quickly bent down and crawled underneath the table to comfort her.

By the time Isla was setting her arms around Carrie, Carrie had blown out in full sobs. She was letting out all her pain.

"I don't even know w-why I'm c-crying over that douche bag! You're the one w-who had to suffer his wrath!" Isla softly laughed at her choice of words.

"You and him are more closer; your bond is so much stronger. I am hardly affected by his comments because he means nothing to me. But to you, he is one of your closest friends. Or used to be." Isla added the last part in a soft mutter.

"Yeah... I guess so," Carrie stated as she snuggled more into Isla's arms. "You know, I always wondered how we even became friends." Carrie mumbled in wonder after a moment of silence.

"Well however you guys did, it sure must have been..." Isla trailed off not knowing the right words to say.

"Yeah." Carrie replied, leaning off of Isla.

"I'm sorry." Isla softly murmured.

"What? why are you apologizing?" Carrie asked, turning her gaze towards Isla in question.

"Well for a lot of reasons. One being that today, you lost a friend. Another reason is because you had to go through that confession all alone when all you've been doing for me is defending me. I couldn't even open my mouth." Isla said honestly.

And it was true. Isla had been like all the others surrounding the two bickering students. She had been a bystander, and she hated the feeling of being helpless. She had made a new years resolution to be more driven and work harder to reach her dreams. And so far, she wasn't doing such a good job.

"No, it's fine Isla. It wasn't your battle to fight anyway-"

"No, when Simon picked on me it wasn't your battle to fight either. But you still stuck up for me. Because that's what friends do... They stick up for you; defend you; comfort you in the times of need. It's not fair on your part and I'm sorry. I'm going to make it all better." Isla swore as she crawled up from the table before Carrie had a chance to object.

Isla began striding her way towards the crowd that was still gathered as they chatted amongst themselves.

"Hey!" Isla screamed out towards Simon who turned around with a raised eyebrow. "What do you want?" He asked bitterly.

"Oh, just that I don't like the way you ended things with Carrie." Isla crossed her arms over her chest as she stared at him daringly.

"Is that so?" Simon asked as he smirked in her direction.

"Don't play dumb with me, Simon." Isla had added so much disgust in his name as she could muster.

Simon narrowed his eyes in Isla's direction, feeling quite offended.

"Oh, so she speaks. And I was beginning to think you were just another bystander." Simon said, making his way closer to her.

"And I was beginning to think you were just another self conceited jerk... oh wait a second, you are!" Isla said in a fake surprised voice.

"Isla-" Came Carrie's cries.

"No, Carrie..." Isla held up a hand in Carrie's direction.

"You have no right to come up in this place, and act like royalty. Nor, do you have any right to be picking on me and Carrie. So why don't you go take your big ego-filled head and all your wannabe friends and bring them somewhere that's not here. Thanks." Isla finished as she grabbed Carrie's hand and pushed past the crowd who were yipping and howling at Isla's remarks.

"Thank you..." Carrie said as soon as they turned around the corner.

Isla didn't know what this feeling was, but she liked it. The feeling of adrenaline mixed with confidence. It was definitely a good combination.

***