Learning To Love Him

Fourteen

Isaac's POV

I can hear Nora yelling something over the booming noise of cars hurtling by, but I'm too busy trying to pull the flat tire off and get the spare on. Something's jammed though and I can't get it loose.

I try kicking at the wedged tyre iron to dislodge the wheel but nothing's happening. I get up and motion for Victoria to lock the car because I'll have to try and get a tow. I get back in my car, and Victoria is basically sitting on Nora's lap, downsides to having a two seater. We pull away from Victoria's car and into the lane. I focus on the road but I can hear them talking.

"What are you doing with him anyway?" Victoria asks.

"You do know I'm right here?" I say and Victoria just scoffs.

"Nothing just finally figured him out I think, you should try it sometime." Nora says.

"Oh great more ways to make me look like the arsehole in front of Mum and dad." Victoria retorts.

"You could have called Nathan or Jayden, they would have been much more help than me!" Nora says sounding fed up.

"Maybe I should have!" Victoria is practically yelling now.

"ENOUGH! Both of you." I interject because this argument was going nowhere. "I think you both know I'm the problem between you. Victoria I'm sorry I got in the way of you and Nora, but you're being unreasonable. You can't force her to pick you or me that's not fair to her. She wasn't trying to make you look bad, she was giving an arsehole like me a chance to change. So if you're going to be mad take it out on me not her."

There's a stunned silence like both of them look like they've seen a ghost, Nora less than Victoria but still.

"I called you because I needed an excuse." Victoria finally says her voice soft but even. "I'd been such a jerk I didn't know how to fix it."

"You didn't need an excuse, I would have been there regardless." Nora says quietly, "All I wanted you to do was stop your vendetta for two seconds and try to be civil to Isaac."

"I don't know why you care so much about my family drama."

"I don't know why you don't care." Nora says looking out the window.

"That's not true."

"Yes Vicki it is. Your life was perfect and he came along and you just vilified him from the start. Granted he didn't help himself but you know better than to do that. We're friends because we're not judgemental, horrible people. But you need to start trying because I know he has been but you just haven't. I'm not attacking you I'm just stating the facts." Nora says without looking at me.

By this point I'm pulling into the driveway at my house, Mum is looking out the window stressed and I assume Victoria already called her to tell her the situation.

"I have to go get something from the garage to get the wheel off." I say to Nora.

"Isaac don't it's too dangerous out there, we can just get it towed here and then you can fix it."

"I have to prove a point, to Victoria." I answer as I find the tool I was looking for and turn back toward my car.

"Please."

Her voice sounds different now, almost as if she is begging me not to go. I feel an unfamiliar feeling inside.

"It's not worth your life." She says looking straight down at her feet not at me.

I put the tool down and walk toward her, as I get closer I can hear her quietly sobbing. I put my arms around her and pull her into my chest and hold her there.