Finding Isabelle

Chapter Two

Halfway through chemistry theory class, a scrunched up piece of A5 lined paper is thrown at the back of my head. I turn Round and there's Marlin wavering a thumbs up at me and grinning like a total idiot. I open the piece of paper and attempt to read the terribly un neat handwriting - it takes a while.

You need to hit up Isabelle QUICK bro! She talked to you! Totally into you ;)

I glance up at the evil science teacher just to check and then speedily reply and throw the paper back at Marlin:

What? She has a boyfriend, plus she would never go for me wtf ...

Marlin: she could pick you over him, easy :)
Me: why the hell would she do that ??
Marlin: common sense. You're smart and gonna earn more money when ur older. He's gonna earn shit.
Me: true, but c'mon.
Marlin: publicity stunt?
Me: hm. I'll work out a way to get to talk to her again.
Marlin: where does she work?
Me: idk god.
Marlin: 1. Find out where she works 2. Go to where she works 3. Act surprised when u see her 4. Snog her
Me: 5. Get beaten up by William James Clayton Smith
Marlin: all worth it ;)

"Mister Gallagher, mister Daley. Pass me that paper and get some work done." The evil science teacher sternly says and practically stomps over to us. Shit. Will he read it? I swiftly look back at Marlin and back at the teacher. Shit, shit, shit. Before even thinking, I stuff the paper into my mouth and chew.
"ISAAC GALLAGHER!" The teacher suddenly turns beetroot red and his glasses practically split in half as if his head is growing out of rage. Over reaction much? "My office after period, you can inform me on what was on the note then instead."
"Its last period, I'll miss my bus." I reply.
"Detention, you utter idiot."

My mother, the woman who knows her son is the brightest student in the year! The son who will NEVER, EVER get in any form of trouble! The son who will get straight A* for every exam he takes! The son who is most u likely to get a detention.... Just got a detention. I think I probably just broke her heart, actually.

"Detention? Is that it?" Someone shouts and laughs from the back of the class.
"Yes, you're right, because of rudeness and answering back - detention tomorrow too mister gallagher." The teacher shoots me a sneaky half-smile and then walks off, leaving me half dead.
I think you'll find, MISTER, that the whole concept of communication is to answer back when someone talks to you. Is it just me, or is that the excuse your parents use every time you row to win. I mean, no, it just doesn't make any sense...

At the end of another long - but more eventful - school day, i head round to the science department and look for 'the head of science's office' - mr Newton. Yes, i know its ironic that he's the head of science and his surname is newton down to several pretty overused jokes shouted by multiple students. But Mr Newton didn't only deserve insulting puns aimed at him, he also deserved to be burned alive because of the humiliation he causes many, many students to feel as they're put on the spot out of nowhere. I guess today i may've stepped over the line a tad, well over my line anyway.

"Come in, Isaac." He says with a slightly raised voice after i knock twice on the large, wooden door. I slowly creak the door open and step inside the office, "yes i knew it was you, you know why?"
"Why?" I pretend to sound half-decently intrigued...
"Because you sounded so nervous and wimpy, Isaac." It was like he had some obsession with adding my name to the end of every sentence he spoke to me. "Right, Isaac?"
"Right... mister Newton."
"Well would you care to explain the mis happening last period today?" He pushes his glasses up his nose and sits back into his chair a little.
"Today? Well, Marlin and I were just discussing prom." I answer out of nowhere, not having a single clue on what to say!
"Prom is but seven months away Isaac. Surely you wouldn't be going on about that just yet? And what were you even talking about? Your tuxes; or maybe you're planning to wear dresses?" He seemed to find himself pretty damn amusing this afternoon.
"No. Um, we were saying now its coming so quickly... And how it only seemed two seconds ago we were starting high school Mister Newton!" I pull a quick smile.
"Right," he rolls his eyes, "of course. because thats what 18 year old boys talk about nowadays; how quickly time is passing. Not girls?" I did strongly dislike Me Newton, but he had a point on that one. As if Marlin and I would discuss prom; as if Marlin and I would even get a date to prom. I mean the impossible can happen though, but then some things are so impossible they're just... Impossible. (For example, Katie Sommers seems to think she will be going with Kevin to prom!).

I arrive home at six o'clock (im supposed to arrive back at half four). As soon as i open the front door, i am questioned by my mother so much its as if my head is going to explode. "Why are you late?"
"Dont tell me it was a detention."
"Why did you get a detention?"
"What did you do so utterly wrong, Isaac?"
"Was it something to do with Marlin?"
"Did Marlin get s detention too?"
"Why the hell did you do that?"
"Mum, im sorry." I say, i sit down by the dinner table and yawn - answering all these endless questions is tiring you know.
"You're grounded for two weeks." She trembles, obviously upset by my first failure.
"Mother, we both know i wasn't going to trek outside of the house anyway in the next two weeks."
"Okay, a month." Oh, damn it, i probably shouldn't have said that.

I skipped dinner that evening (mac&cheese) and just sat upstairs on my bed, chewing the inside of my cheek. Okay, well the book club had inspired me to read the lord of the rings down to the fact that i seemed to be the only human on this earth who has not read it. And strangely, seeing as Isabelle was truly and deeply in love with the writing of William Shakespeare, I take to the decision that he may be alright. Whatever she likes is obviously amazing. I was glad to see her at the book club, it may be evidence that she's intelligent - plus i know i'd noticed her paying extreme, pure attention throughout most lessons i was with her in. I stood up off my bed and wandered off up the second set of stairs in my house into my parents bedroom. Usually, when my Dad's home, he is in his room flicking through spreadsheets on the desk in the corner beside the wardrobe, but tonight he was arriving from work later than usual as he was working further north of Florida, in Georgia. He left at four this morning and woke me up, leaving me looking like a zombie this morning at school.

I rummage through the bookshelf above the desk, fingering every spine of each book. The bookshelf was long and there was another above the one I was looking through. Books ranged from pride and prejudice to the Davinci code but i couldn't find any Shakespeare; But when I got at least twenty books in, I managed to find all three lord of the rings books stood beside eachother. Dracula, Jane Eyre, A midsummer night's dream - William Shakespeare

I speedily pull out the book and flick through the many pages. I take the four books i had pulled out and walk back down to my room, fall lazily onto the red, cushioned seat and slam the novels down on the wooden desk in front of me.

I wish I had Isabelle's cell number, i just wanted to inform her of how I'd listened to her and how I was so madly in love with her that i took her advice almost immediately, even though at first Shakespeare was the most boring and uninteresting writer I'd ever heard of.