Falling...

Chapter 3 ~ Don't Lie to Me

Bella's POV

Was I excited about having Isaac as a partner? Yes and no, of course having him as my partner would be exciting because he's popular and supposedly cute but I really don't like him and if anything he's actually one of the most annoying people I know other than Gloria. Sometimes people just need to suck it up and stop whining.

"Why aren't you eating your dinner?" My mom looked at me from across the dining room table.

"I just don't feel like it." I sighed.

"Again? Is this about what happened this morning because-" 

"Oh so now you want to talk about Travis? Mom, you keep avoiding the topic like it's going to come back and haunt you." I stand up shaking the table.

"You wouldn't understand," She sets down her fork.

"Oh, I wouldn't understand? Who comforted you when Travis died? Who helped you get back on your feet when dad left? Who was helping me!? No one, not even you." 

"Do not raise your voice at me!" My mom pointed a finger at me. 

"You can't tell me what to do!" I sneer.

"I sure can, how dare you disrespect me like this, sit down right now! I'm the parent here not you!" 

"Then start acting like one," I pushed my chair back and ran to my room.

~~~

I wake up in the morning feeling guilty. 

"You can actually be a total bitch sometimes, Bella," I said to myself. 

I got out of bed to get dressed fully aware that I had to make it quick so that I could leave without my mom noticing, otherwise it was going to be a very awkward morning. 

~~~

When I got to school repeating my routine for the morning someone yelled my name behind me.

"Huh?" I turned around to see Isaac running down the hallway. "Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit." I pulled on my hood and started walking faster hoping that he would forget about it and just walk away. What was he doing? He was risking his reputation.

"Hey, where are you going?" He ran up to me and put his arm around my shoulders.

Someone please tell me what he's doing. Why would Isaac do that?

I shrugged his arm off and kept walking, ignoring him.

"What's up with you? Are you okay?" He stood in front of me trying to block my way out. 

"What's your problem?" I looked up at him realizing how tall he is.

"Woah, what's going on? Are you mad at me?" 

Why the hell is this guy talking to me like we've been best friends for years and that I just started ignoring him? Does he actually care about me? No, he doesn't. He's just acting like he cares to not make him look bad.

That's all it is.

"Can you stop? I'm not mad you, I'm just having a bad day so please back off. I don't even know why you're talking to me." I pushed past him.

"Wait," He grabbed my arm and leaned closer. "Come over, tonight and we can work on the project together."

"No," I pulled my arm free. "I'm not one of your hookups." 

~~~

I don't take the bus. Not because I'm antisocial but because I enjoy the scenery. My neighborhood is pretty big and there are these huge mountains with trees that turn red, orange, and yellow during the fall and evergreens that stand high during the winter. It's pretty jaw-dropping once you first see it but once you get used to it, it's just like another piece of a routine. 

"Bella! Wait, please!" By now, I recognize his voice and it's like a pounding headache that never goes away.

"Please stop following me. I don't know what you want and I don't care." I continued walking at my usual pace and facing forward with a neutral expression on my face.

I heard the clapping of his sneakers hitting the pavement and the sound quickly traveled to right next to me.

"Let me just explain. When I invited you to my house, I didn't mean it like that. I actually wanted to do the project." He reasoned with me.

"Okay," I stopped and faced him. " Don't lie to me, people like you don't talk or be friendly with people like me." 

"But I'm not lying to you. I know you might think of me as this high and mighty person but I need you to understand that I don't think of you as the girl who killed her brother one summer I-"

"Just shut up! How could you bring that up with me?! I didn't kill him I just-" I sighed. " It's a rough topic and I don't appreciate you bringing that kind of thing up."

"Okay, I'm sorry. Just come over to my house now and I promise that I can do better. I really want to be friends with you and it's not a dare and I'm not joking with you. I just want some things to change and I want to help you as well." He looked me in the eye like he really meant it. 

Could I trust him? I don't even know anymore...