Fight For Her

Prologue

Isabella Carter placed her feet on the chair next to her and tapped her pencil against the desk. She watched the clock intently as the seconds ticked by. Some students turned in her direction, clearly irritated by the annoying sound her pencil made every time it came in contact with the table. Isabella paid them no mind though, her eyes still locked on the clock that was right above the teacher's head. She couldn't wait to get out of her last class so she could go home and jump in the pool. The temperature is way over 90 degrees Fahrenheit and she is dying for a swim. Isabella loves the water. She has been on the swimming team since middle school and she absolutely adores it.

On her twelfth birthday, Isabella asked for a pool and her father agreed without hesitation. Isabella's dad is always working and never has time to spend with his family so to compensate, he gets them whatever they ask. "Them" consisting of Isabella, her mother, and her little brother.

"Miss Carter," Isabella heard her teacher say and snapped her head in the direction of the plump woman that was in her early forties.

"Yes, Mrs. James?" Isabella answered in her fake polite tone. "Stop tapping your pencil, you're distracting the other students," Mrs. James answered and turned away before getting an answer.

Isabella obeyed, not wanting to get in trouble, but did it grudgingly as she has nothing to do with her hands anymore. Finally, after 20 minutes of hearing her teacher ramble about equations that they'll never use in real life, the bell rung signaling the end of the school day. Isabella happily gathered her things and made her way out of the room and towards the lockers. Upon reaching her locker Isabella began to put her stuff away. Mid-way of stuffing her calculus book into her small backpack, arms wrapped around her waist. Without even looking, Isabella knew exactly who it was.

"Hey, Izzy," the voice of Isabella's one year long boyfriend said as he pecked her cheek. "Hey, Ryan, what are you up to?" Isabella asked as she successfully got her textbook in her backpack.

"Nothing really, just watching the most beautiful girl leaving the school," Ryan replied with a flirty tone. Isabella rolled her eyes at his comment, already use to his flirtatious antics. That's just the way Ryan was made and although it was cute, it still got annoying at times.

"Anyway what are you doing once you get home, Izzy?" Ryan asked as they made their way to the double doors that will lead them outside. "I'm gonna go dip in the pool for a bit."

"Oo my girl in a bikini, count me in!" Ryan exclaimed and gave Isabella a cheeky smile. "No, Ryan, you know swimming is my alone time," Isabella replied seriously. "I know, I know, Izzy chill—I was only joking. Well I'm going to go hang with the bros so I'll call you later." Ryan gave Isabella a quick kiss on the lips and made his way over to his group of friends.

Isabella continued her way home, walking since she hasn't gotten her license yet even though she's eighteen, humming a random tune in her head. She reached her house in no time and pulled out her keys to open the door only to find the door already cracked open. Suspiciously, she opened the door and quietly walked in. She heard some noise in the kitchen and made her way there, stopping mid-step and gasping at the sight before her.

The kitchen was trashed, pots and pans thrown everywhere, and in the midst of it all was her father and mother quietly arguing. At the sound of her gasp, the adults snapped their heads in Isabella's direction.

Silence filled the room and nobody made an attempt to break it. Isabella was the first to speak. "What happened? Is something wrong? Were we robbed?" Isabella bombarded them with questions to which neither answered. This only made Isabella's fear grow. "Can someone please tell me what happened!?" She quietly screamed after a few silent moments passed. She felt anxiety grow in the pit of her stomach and her hands grew sweaty. Why aren't they saying anything? Can they hurry up and tell me what the hell is going on?

"Izzy, sweetie, calm down, take a seat, we'll explain everything. Right Robert?" Isabella's mother turned to her husband with an eyebrow raised. He didn't say anything, only hung his head in shame.

Isabella's confusion grew but she did as told. Isabella's mother grabbed the last unbroken cup in the kitchen and filled it with water. She placed it in front of her daughter and Isabella chugged it in order to calm her nerves. Once calmed, she asked again, "What happened?"

Isabella's mother turned to Robert expecting him to explain but he made no move to do so. The older woman sighed and turned to her eldest kid. "Izzy, I'm afraid I have to say this but we're moving."

Isabella was still very confused. Her mother sighed again, "We're moving because," a pause, "well because we're broke Izzy, your idiot of a father gambled all our money on an investment that didn't go through and now we got nothing left."

Isabella could almost faint due to shock. Did she just say broke?