Learning To Love Him

Two

Nora's POV

Not much has changed at North Hills High since the beginning of summer break. The school board might have put in a couple of new footpaths and thats it. People chat in groups milling around in the car lot, with lots of smiles waves and hugs. I can see Nathan and Jayden's car parked in our usual spot. Victoria's sits to the right of it and mine usually sits on the left. Usually. Today an old type Chevrolet Corvette is in MY spot. The car lot is full so I end up parking on the grass under a tree. I approach my friends and instantly notice the pale delicate face that is Victoria's. Nathan and Jayden are trying to talk to her as I arrive.

"Look it really can't be that bad you know." Jayden says calmly.

"He just turned up here!" Victoria says in a loud whisper.

"What did I miss?" I say.

"Oh nothing just the end of the world!" Victoria answers.

"Who's car is that?"

Victoria pulls a mock face, "Isaac's."

"Who the hell is Isaac?!" I say in an annoyed voice.

Jayden and Nathan stare me down, I really must have missed something here. They're giving me that look you give someone when they are being insensitive or a total dick. Either way I still have no idea what is happening. Then it hits me like a freight train going 200 miles per hour, Isaac. Isaac is the brother.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry Vic." I say.

"Don't be I'm just as annoyed as you are." She says, "I mean how could he just turn up here unannounced?!"

"Come on you two we can't be late for our first classes of the year." Nathan is calming reasonable voice that can fix any bad situation.

"So serious." I tease Nathan as the four of us stroll in through the front door of the already crowed high school, we skip going to the lockers it'll take us ten years to get through the cluster of people.

We enter room 3118, Mrs Montague's English class. She a larger but short woman probably early fifties and dresses like a hippy, that said she's a good teacher except when she goes on a Shakespeare rant. Everyone is seated, paper aeroplanes fly around the room like a cliche high school drama movie. Victoria seems calmed by the absence of this mysterious Isaac dude, not that I know what he looks like. I do know her, there is no way she would be this calm if he were here. Mrs Montague begins calling names, planes still flying in every direction known to man. The class list is exactly the same as it was last year, good, I won't have to be shy because I know all these people. I recognise the last name on the list and relax, Isaac isn't in here. I let out a sigh of relief and Victoria does the same.

"Alright everyone that's quite enough. Sam don't you throw that aeroplane." She says to Sam Kingston. Where do I start with him, he's jock and has all the credit of popularity. He's the life of the party, a class clown, but he can be a dickhead too. He's had a crush on me forever but like I said he's a dickhead and wouldn't know what love is unless it hit him in the face.

The door to the room opens, no knock. A boy walks in, I don't recognise him from anywhere. He's kind of cute. He looks down at a piece of paper in his hands. "Are you Mrs Montague?" He asks in a voice as if he owns the place. I scowl to myself immediately, he's not cute anymore.

"Yes. How can I help?" Mrs Montague answers.

"I'm new in this class, I'm Isaac Eastern." He says that same owns the place type voice.

"Welcome Mr Eastern, take a seat." She says before turning to write notes for us to copy on the board.

I dare to glance over at Victoria, she looks tense and uncomfortable. When the bell for the end of class goes, Victoria leaves like the building is on fire. I watch Jayden and Nathan chase after her while I slowly pack up my books. By the time I'm done the class is empty except for Mrs Montague, Isaac and I. I get up to leave but Mrs Montague's voice stops me.

"Nora, is Victoria alright? She left incredibly fast today."

"I ah, well," I stutter and I know it's because Isaac is here. He intimidates me for some reason. "She's fine." I lie but Mrs Montague takes the bait and I'm off the hook. I seize my opportunity to leave and make a dash for the door but I stop to let Mrs Montague leave. As soon as she's out I head on toward the door but Isaac steps into my path blocking me from leaving.

"Excuse me." I say, as calmly and politely as I can manage.

"So your the best friend." He says.

"Yeah what it's to you? If you don't mind I have to be somewhere." I say and try to step around him but he moves to block me.

"Can you please move." I say my voice uneven.

"Come on I just want to talk." He says.

"Well I don't." I answer and he still doesn't move.  He just keeps moving to block me.

"Let me out!" I cry out and still he doesn't move.

"Hey!" Jayden appears behind Isaac his face set like concrete, "I believe she asked you to move now do it."

Isaac whistles, "Chill man I just wanted to talk to her."

"Yeah well she doesn't want to talk to you and neither does Vicki, so do us a favour and stay the hell away from us." Jayden puts his arm around my shoulders and leads me away. We walk in silence for a few minutes before he breaks it.

"I shouldn't have left you back there."

"Vicki needed you." I answer my eyes meeting his blue eyes.

"Vicki had Nathan, I can't leave you alone for a second with out some asshole annoying you."

"Jayden, if we weren't epic best friends I would say you're a catch." I smile up at him.

I feel bad for Victoria how would I deal with a long lost sibling just showing up in my life. There's no chance of that ever happening though thank goodness. As Jayden and I walk toward the cafeteria we pass Lucas Green and Natalie Johnson snogging each other like it's their last day on Earth. A few more metres down the hall there's a fight between the jocks yet again, two punching each other while the rest of them just chant "Fight, fight, fight" like the bunch of immature children they are. Nathan and Jayden could kick ass on the football team but they've never bothered to join because of all these babies that give all jocks a bad name.

The cafeteria is loud and people sit on the tables rather than the chairs ninety percent of the time, our table is tucked away in far right corner of the room. I can see Nathan and Victoria there, things must have gotten worse because her head is in her hands. Jayden and I push through the crazed group of hormonal, sweaty teenagers to get to them.

"Vicki hey come on we can just move English classes." I suggest, even though Mr Dickson is the only other teacher and he sucks more than going to KFC and getting old chicken.

"No way am I moving to Dickson's class, he can bloody move." She says and I look at the twins for back up.

They both shrug at the same time and give me an apologetic face. It was going to be one of those days.