Bella

Isabella.

Isabella felt hopeless. She had been sat at her desk for over an hour, yet the document opened up on her MacBook still didn't feel right. She closed her eyes and rubbed them, she didn't know why she was struggling so much with her college application, but she knew something was missing and each time she added something, she would erase it straight afterwards. Isabella knew that she wanted to become doctor, just like her parents had been. She had work experience at a hospital shadowing consultants from different departments, she had work experience at a GP surgery, she had been a first aider for several years now and she volunteered at a care home for the elderly. She was the captain of her school's cheerleading team and the class president and she excelled in her academic work. Yet she still felt like there was something missing. Isabella knew that in order to get into Harvard, she had to make herself stand out as all of the other applicants would be exceptional.

"Izzy! Dinner's ready!" Isabella was glad when she heard her uncle call her, she wasn't getting anywhere with her application and she was hungry. She saved her work, closed her MacBook and skipped down stairs to the dining room.

"Smells delicious Uncle Cal, what have you cooked up?" Isabella said as she entered the room.

"Lasagne, you're favourite dish dear niece," Callum joked as he looked at his niece's face light up, he knew good food was the way to win his niece's heart. Callum looked at Izzy and sighed. He had returned to town to look after her when her parents had tragically passed away in a car accident three years ago, and being her mum's younger brother he was her next of kin. Callum loved Isabella and he admired her strength. Isabelle was still the most kind hearted person he knew and even after the loss of her parents, she always wore a smile on her face. She didn't even carry any resentment towards the drunk driver that had killed her parents. She always saw the best in people. Isabella reminded Callum so much of her mother, she was the spitting image of her but Callum never broached the subject of her parents, it was the only thing that made Isabella close off.

"Have you made any progress with your application?" Callum asked his niece and she scrunched her face up as she looked at him.
"Something's missing, I feel like there's nothing that I do that makes me different." She replied as she chewed her lasagne. Callum looked at Izzy thoughtfully. He knew that she was a model student and she excelled in her school work, to him he had no doubt that she would get in anywhere she wanted. Her parents had left aside separate money for Izzy's education, both to fund for her school and college. "Don't worry kiddo, I'm sure you'll get in to Harvard, it would be their loss of they rejected you," he exclaimed proudly.
Izzy laughed at her uncle, "You're just saying that because I'm your niece."
"I would say that even if you weren't my niece and you were just another one of my students," Callum stated.

Izzy blushed at the compliment. Unlike her school which was a prestigious institution, her uncle worked in a public school on the other, more rough side of town. The students there were challenging and were underprivileged with nearly all of them coming from poor backgrounds, but to Callum working there was a challenge and he wanted to make a difference to these students' lives even if it meant doing something to help better just one of them.

"How was your day at school Uncle Cal?" She asked him. He always had a story to tell. Callum sighed as he thought about his day. Working where he did he saw so many students being forced along the unfair path that life had thrown their way, he saw so many potentials that were wasted but the one student that stood out to him the most was Noah Scott. Noah was bright, that much was evident from the work he produced in class, but he had a tumultaneous home life that seemed to pull him back from his maximum capabilities. Callum knew that should Noah put his mind to it, he could get into a good college. Noah was the silent type, he constantly had a shield up and he was wary of everyone around him, but he was a polite student and never purposely set out to cause trouble. "You remember when I told you about the senior that I teach who is a genius at math? Noah Scott?"
Izzy nodded her head."Yeah I remember him." She had to work hard to understand algebra and trigonometry so when her uncle had told her about Noah Scott she remembered being instantly jealous.
"He got suspended today. He was minding his own business when another boy, Kyle, comes and shoves himself in Noah's face accusing him  of sleeping with his girlfriend. Noah never reacted at first but when Kyle tried punching him, well let's just say Noah never took it lying down and Kyle had to be rushed to hospital with a broken nose. Of course he got suspended too." Callum told her.

Izzy was shocked, things like that would never happen at her school."How do you know about it in so much detail?" She asked her uncle.
"Students talk you know Izzy. The funny thing is that Noah has girls fawning over him all the time but it's like he doesn't even notice them." Callum paused as a thought came to him, "Izzy I have just had an idea. There's a scheme in place at my school where the students get placed with other students from different schools, sort of like tuition. Would you be willing to partner up with Noah? It would be the perfect extra curricular activity you need for your college application and it would be beneficial to Noah to have some extra time to go over his work in a one on one situation."
Izzy chewed her lip as she thought about her uncle's proposal. "If he's a genius why would he need my help? And what if he doesn't want to be a part of the scheme or doesn't turn up?"

Callum looked at her and smirked, "he'll come if I tell the principle to reverse his suspension if he attends his one hour sessions with you. Math may come easily to him but more time doing his work will benefit him and he could brush up on his other subjects."

Izzy pondered over it and finally she made up her mind, "I'll do it."