There's a Place For Us (Complete)

Part 10

I. An Exquisitely Tragic Love Affair

(Part 10)

He took a deep breath and anxiously rubbed his hands on his jeans. "Um back to our earlier conversation... Isabella..." He took another breath and pushed the words out. "You may not need a friend, or even want one for that matter, but... I want to be your friend." He looked at her face, which held no reaction, then quickly got into his car and drove away, mortified.

Isabella stood there. He wanted to be her friend? No. She tried to recall if there had been a smirk on his face or sarcasm in his voice, but she didn't remember seeing any of that. But she doubted that he was being genuine about it. She wasn't about to forget who he was.

Isabella didn't go to school the next day, which was Friday. She just needed space, especially away from Adam.

Adam sighed as he realized Isabella wasn't in school. 'I really scared her away,' he thought. Now he was all alone.

He sat in the class which he had had a test in the day before. "Alrighty!" the teacher said in her all-too-thrilled-to-be-here voice. "The tests were ok. Only one 100."

"Who got it? Who got it?" the rest of the class chanted.

She responded with, "I honestly don't remember."

She handed the tests back, one by one. "Adam," she said disappointingly when she reached him. He looked down at his desk, already knowing he had failed yet again. She started to hand him his paper, then took it back, stared at it some more, than handed it back to him. He covered his eyes and turned the paper face down. His teacher leaned down and said quietly, "I wouldn't do that if I were you..."

She walked away and Adam turned his paper over, revealing his grade. Staring him in the face was a big red 100.

After class ended, he didn't care; he rushed out of that school and drove to Isabella's house. He didn't care about the awkwardness or her social issues; he got 100 and he was going to tell her. By the time he got to her house, he decided it would be rude to just show up and knock on her door, especially if she was sick. So he left a note in her mailbox,

"hey Isabella! I got a 100 on my math test! I couldn't have done it without you! Thanks!

- Adam

PS: I hope you're feeling better."

Isabella watched as he put it in the mailbox wondering why he didn't just knock on her door, but then thinking....

Is that what she wanted?

After he left, she opened her front door and retrieved the letter. As she read it inside the house, she felt a smile creep onto her lips. She knew he could do it. He only put up a stupid front, but he was really very smart; if he would just focus and actually try, he could go far.

Sunday night her dreams kept Isabella awake. The bright lights that were now familiar to her. The screams and the loud honking horns. The crashes of metal on metal. But there was more this time. A whisper. Being sung to her.

"You are mine forever and if I should leave you, you will find me no matter how hard it may be. Look for me and I'll be there...."

"I'll be there..."

"If I should leave..."

The words echoed over and over again. Isabella tossed and turned, stuck in time. She suddenly awoke though, thankful for the relief.

There were noises outside her house. Men with deep voices. They yelled, they laughed, and they made loud sounds. A familiar voice rung out.

Isabella heard banging outside of her house. She looked out of her one story house window and saw a group of guys outside her house. They were holding something.

Cartons of eggs.

She saw headlights in the distance and hoped whoever it was, would call the cops so she wouldn't have to confront them. But the car didn't drive by. It stopped, and out walked a boy she knew. A boy she almost trusted...

Adam.

She quickly moved the curtains back to cover the window and went back to her bed. As she covered herself with her warm blankets, she thought better of it. No. She was going to confront them herself. She wasn't a Barbie doll to be played with, she was a strong girl who could do anything. She threw on her bathrobe and a pair of shoes. She turned the knob to the front door and heard them yell, "she's coming! She's coming! Let's get outta here!!!"

When the door opened, only one person remained on her front lawn. Adam. They stood ten feet away from eachother. Isabella looked hurt and confused. She turned and watched as raw egg dripped off the sides of her house.

"You know I have to clean this all up now..." she said quietly, and the hurt was apparent in her voice.

Adam said, "well yea, but I'll help you too." He stepped towards her to comfort her.

"Don't come any closer Adam." Her eyes held terror. "I thought- I thought you were my friend..."

He tilted his head to one side. "Waa," he said in a mixed attempt to say "well" but then changed his mind and dragged out "what." "You never..." he continued.

"So that's what its about?!" she yelled, pointing to her egged house. "I never gave you a straight answer as to whether we were friends so this is your revenge?!?!" Adam watched as tears of anger and betrayal filled her eyes. "How could you?" she asked softly.

"I didn't," Adam said quietly. He was confused, and angry that he was being accused, and he was also hurt that she thought so low of him. "You did," Isabella said nodding her head, almost as if she was trying to convince him.

Adam shook his head. "I didn't" formed on his lips once again. Isabella's anger billowed up to the point of explosion. "Don't lie to me and give me a straight answer!" she shrilled at him. "Did you egg my house?"

Her crazy outrage was gone, replaced with wickedness in her eyes, ready to get revenge on the people who thought could take advantage of the fool they thought she was.