To Steal the Heart of a Thief {Pokemon Ranger Fanfiction} (Pokemon Watty Awards 2015)

Chapter 19: Family Matters

Reluctantly, I stood up from the table with my tray to throw away my trash. I waved good-bye to Keith and Rhythimi, then trudged my way upstairs alongside Isaac.

Isaac laughed at how pale my face was. "There's no need to be so nervous, you know... She's just my sister." He smiled at me, trying to calm me down as we approached the door to his dorm room.

"Eheh... Right..." I nervously laughed, scratching at the back of my head.

Isaac led me inside, and I immediately took notice of the state of the boys' room. Holy---

Isaac's side of the room was organized and tidy, while Keith's half of the room was a complete mess. Papers and clothes were scattered all over the floor, and it was just a disgustingly dirty mess. Eww... How can boys survive being such slobs? Seriously?

Perhaps I will never know the answer to that.

"Over here, Rena!" Isaac waved me over to his desk on his side of the room, and his laptop was positioned on top of it. He borrowed the desk chair from Keith's desk and pulled it over to his for me to sit in. After we took our seats at the desk, Isaac lifted the lid to his laptop and frantically began setting up the Skype call. "This should only take a minute." Isaac reassured me.

A few beads of cold sweat were dripping down my forehead as my hands anxiously shook. "Eheh... Take your time! No, seriously. Take your time."

Isaac clicked the call button on Melody's Skype contact, and before I knew it, it began ringing.

Ring Ring! Ring Ring!

One second, two seconds...

"Hello?" The face of a little girl with bright green eyes popped up on the screen, and I instantly noticed she had straight blonde hair the same shade as Isaac's. "Oh! Big brother!!"

"Hi, Melody!" Isaac's face lit up with the most happy expression I've ever seen him make. "I've missed you so much!"

"I've missed you too!" Melody pouted a little, then quickly grew confused when she saw me. "Umm... Big brother? Who's that girl?"

Isaac then looked over at me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and pulling me into a side hug. "Melody, I would like you to meet my good friend Rena! She transferred in a little late this year."

"Oh! Okay!" Melody smiled brightly, then locked eyes with me. "Hi, Rena!!"

"U-uh umm... H-hi...!" I stammered out my broken words, struggling to speak from my high level of anxiety.

"Don't be so nervous..." Isaac laughed under his breath, whispering to me. "You'll do fine."

"Okay..." I whispered back, then cleared my throat. I looked back on the screen at Melody's expectant eyes. "Umm... H-hey. My name is Rena Deveraux, and I'm seventeen." I gave her a quick little introduction to myself.

"That's a pretty name!" Melody grinned brightly, wearing an adorable smile across her face. "My name is Melody Genevieve Gram Bell, and I'm seven years old." Her eyes then widened in awe. "Oh, wow! You're ten whole years older than me! Big brother is eleven years older."

Isaac is eighteen? Huh. I never would've guessed, since he just looks so young.

"How are things back home?" Isaac asked Melody, resting his elbows on the desks.

"Super fun!" Melody cheered. "Mommy got me a few new Poke plushies, and Daddy even took me out to the park yesterday!" Her eyes then dimmed a little as she grew sad. "Although, I wish you'd come home soon..."