RISK

2

Isabella sits awkwardly in her chair in room 233. She tries to make it seem like she doesn't notice all the stares she's getting but it's very hard considering no ones even trying to be discreet about their curious eyes. She guesses new people are rare here because she feels like an exhibit.

Her heart is still pounding just as nervously as it was when she was talking to the cute boy in the hallway. He's not even near her yet just the thought of him affects the rhythm of her heart. Her heart really can't catch a break. If it's not beating at a fast speed because she's nervous about her new school, it's beating because she's thinking of him. She's snapped out of her thoughts when someone taps her on the shoulder. She turns her head and her eyes meet with a wide smile.

"Hi," the girl speaks, "I'm Melissa."

Isabella mentally tells herself not to be as shy as she is.

"Isabella." She smiles back at the girl.

"Are you ok? You seem nervous."

Isabella begins to say she's not but who is she kidding. "Oh I am. I feel like everyone's staring at me and this school is huge, and," she realizes she's about to begin her habit of rambling nervously so she stops herself, "Well I'm just not used to the attention."

Melissa nods. "Yeah we don't get new people around here. It's like the only people who live here are the ones who were born here," she laughs and Isabella smiles, "But you'll like it. Everyone's really close. You can hang out with me and my friends if you want?"

Isabella is shocked at the offer. The world needs more nice gestures like this.

"I'd love that. Thank you." She smiles.

"You're welcome. They're nice, hopefully you like them. Well one of them is my brother, Xander, he seems kind of cold at first but-" Melissa pauses when she hears, with her werewolf hearing, Isabella's heartbeat pick up.

"You ok?" She ask once again.

Isabella smiles a little forced. "I'm fine! I'm just wondering if that's who I met before I came into class." Isabella starts to blush. Of course the guy who she's been thinking about all class is the brother of the first possible friend she can make here.

"Is he tall? Brown hair? Wearing a black jacket?" She ask and Isabella nods. Melissa wonders why the mention of Xander would spark the new girl's heart rate but suddenly it clicks in her head and she prays to the Moon Goddess that this pretty girl is her brother's mate. She decides to get more out of Isabella.

"How'd you meet him?"

"I ran into him. Literally." Isabella blushes remembering how embarrassed she was when she ran into him and of course dropped all her stuff.

"Hopefully he was nice." Melissa states knowing that if her brother were to meet his mate he may be stand offish considering he's not interested in having one.

"Um yeah he was. We didn't say much though. I was la-"

"Girls." Their conversation is cut short by the teacher addressing their attention to him.

"Just find us at lunch." Melissa whispers and Isabella nods.

Isabella walks by herself to her next class, finally-just a little bit more-understanding the layout of the school. She internally smiles to herself when she gets to her art class. The one class she has on her schedule that she will actually enjoy. Sure she loves learning, but school makes it so tedious and borderline torturous. She shyly peaks her head in and takes a breath before walking in. Her head moves around as she takes in the large room. She sits at the only group table, as there are no desk, that has a seat open. The students smile at her and she smiles back. The bell rings and right on cue the teacher walks in. Isabella can sense her free spirit right off the bat. Her long brunette hair is down and her yellow dress, with a sunflower pattern, flows as she walks.