Chapter 1 The New Girl
Isaiah had a routine.
Wake up.
Shower.
Get dressed.
Do her hair.
Stand in front of the mirror for far longer than necessary
And today she was convincing herself that she was completely fine.
However, that part wasn't going particularly well.
She stood in front of her bedroom mirror, adjusting the collar of her new school uniform while staring at her reflection.
Westfield High.
A new school.
New teachers.
New students.
New everything.
She took a slow breath.
“You're totally fine,” she whispered to herself.
Her reflection stared back.
“You're going to walk in there, find your classes, make some friends, and survive the day.”
She paused when a voice said from the door.
“Easy.”
A small head suddenly appeared around her bedroom door.
Malachi.
Her six-year-old brother. I'
He stared at her reflection through the mirror.
“Are you not scared of your ugly reflection?”
Isaiah slowly turned.
“Malachi.”
He grinned.
She reached for the door.
Malachi immediately disappeared down the hallway, laughing.
“Come back here!”
He only laughed harder.
Isaiah closed her bedroom door and rolled her eyes.
Apparently, he had expected her to chase him.
Instead, she walked back toward the mirror.
“Okay,” she muttered.
“Where was I?”
She looked at herself again.
“You're beautiful. You're smart. You're going to be fine.”
From downstairs came Malachi's voice.
“Mom! Isaiah is talking to herself again!”
Isaiah closed her eyes.
“She might need special attention!”
Their mother called back from the kitchen.
“Malachi, leave your sister alone!”
“But—”
“Now.”
Silence.
Finally.
Isaiah smiled to herself.
“Thank you.”
Downstairs, breakfast was already waiting.
Isaiah sat at the table while her little brother occupied himself with making as much noise as humanly possible.
He had apparently decided that chewing loudly was a talent.
Isaiah glanced at him.
“Do you ever stop?”
“No.”
Isaiah stared at him for a moment before shaking her head.
“At least you're honest.”
Malachi continued chewing for another few seconds before looking at her.
“And you're not what we were expecting.”
Isaiah frowned.
“What?”
Malachi swallowed.
“Isaiah is a boy's name.”
Before Isaiah could answer, their father, who was sitting closer to them, looked over at Malachi.
“You weren't even born yet. What exactly were you expecting unproduced?”
Malachi shrugged.
“She was supposed to be a boy.”
Isaiah immediately stopped eating.
She looked between the two of them.
“I'm not having this argument again.”
She pushed her chair back, picked up her unfinished breakfast, and began packing it away.
Malachi grinned.
“Because you know I'm right.”
Isaiah rolled her eyes and walked away from the table.
Their mother laughed from the kitchen.
Malachi looked at Isaiah.
“Mom and Dad thought you were going to be a boy.”
Isaiah slowly put down her spoon.
“We've discussed this.”
“They named you Isaiah.”
“Yes.”
“That's a boy name.”
“I know.”
“So they thought you were a boy.”
Isaiah stared at him.
“Eat your breakfast.”
Malachi grinned.
“You're just mad because I'm right.”
“Eat.”
He laughed.
Their mother shook her head.
“Malachi.”
“What?”
“Leave your sister alone for one second.”
“But I'm just telling her the truth.”
Isaiah packed her things before the conversation could somehow become even more ridiculous.
She grabbed an apple from the kitchen counter, slipped her bag over her shoulder, and headed for the door.
Her first day at Westfield High had officially begun.
The walk to school wasn't particularly long.
Isaiah kept her apple in one hand and her bag over the other shoulder as she made her way through the morning crowd.
She could already see the school in the distance.
Students were pouring through the gates.
Groups of friends stood around talking.
Some were laughing.
Others were rushing toward the building.
Isaiah slowed slightly.
Okay.
This was it.
She stepped through the gates.
Westfield High.
She had barely made it halfway toward the administration office when someone suddenly called her name.
“Isaiah!”
She turned.
Mason came running toward her.
A huge grin spread across his face.
“You weren't kidding!”
Isaiah laughed.
“About what?”
"Coming to Westfield."
She shook her head no clearly amused.
Mason stopped in front of her and looked her over.
Then he glanced down at her uniform.
“You really can't stop being beautiful, can you?”
Isaiah laughed.
“Thanks.”
“Seriously. It's annoying.”
“You'll survive.”
“I don't know.”
She was about to answer when someone walked out from behind Mason.
Isaiah's attention immediately shifted.
Tall.
Basketball bag hanging from one shoulder.
Two other boys walked beside him, along with three girls wearing identical pink-and-black cheer uniforms.
Isaiah's eyes followed him without permission.
Jordan.
She didn't know his name yet.
She didn't know anything about him.
She just knew that he was cute.
Very cute.
He walked toward the lockers, completely unaware that the new girl across the hallway had already forgotten what she was saying.
Mason noticed.
His smile disappeared.
He turned around.
Looked at Jordan.
Then looked back at Isaiah.
“No.”
Isaiah blinked.
“No what?”
Mason stared at her.
Then at Jordan.
Then back at her.
Isaiah looked toward Jordan again.
Mason immediately stepped sideways, deliberately blocking her view.
Isaiah frowned.
“Move.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I know exactly what you're doing.”
“I'm not doing anything.”
“You were staring.”
“I was looking.”
“Same thing.”
Isaiah tried to look around him.
Mason moved with her.
She laughed.
“Mason!”
“No.”
“Why not?”
He finally sighed.
“Because that's Jordan.”
Isaiah glanced around him.
Jordan was now opening his locker, still completely unaware of the conversation happening several metres away.
Mason lowered his voice.
“I've known that boy almost my entire life.”
“And?”
“And he's a player.”
Isaiah looked at Jordan, then at Mason.
“Yeah, I'm aware. He's clearly wearing a basketball jersey.”
Mason stared at her, visibly annoyed.
Isaiah burst out laughing.
“I'm joking!”
Mason shook his head.
“I'm serious, Isaiah. He doesn't settle. Girls are constantly after him, and he knows exactly how to keep them interested.”
“Okay, okay.” She raised her hands in surrender. “Stay away from Mr. Handsome over there. Got it.”
Mason folded his arms.
Isaiah looked back at Jordan.
Mason caught her.
“Don't.”
She looked at him.
“Sorry?”
“Would you just trust me.”
Mason's expression became more serious.
“You don't want to become one of those girls.”
Isaiah frowned.
“What girls?”
“The ones who think they're going to be different.”
He shook his head.
“Just trust me on this one.”
Isaiah didn't answer.
Mason grabbed the strap of his backpack.
“Come on. I'll show you where your class is.”
She followed him.
But before she walked away, she couldn't resist one last glance toward Jordan.
And Mason noticed.
By the time they reached Isaiah's classroom, the lesson had already started.
Mason pointed toward the door.
“This is you.”
Isaiah looked at him.
“And you?”
“Grade twelve.”
“Right.”
He smiled.
“I'll see you later.”
Isaiah nodded and stepped inside.
The teacher stopped speaking when she entered.
“Ah. You must be Isaiah.”
“Yes.”
“Welcome. Take the empty seat beside Felix.”
Isaiah followed her gaze.
A boy sitting near the middle of the classroom looked up at her.
He had an expressive face and a certain way of speaking that immediately stood out.
He smiled.
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
“Felix.”
“Isaiah.”
“I know.”
She laughed quietly.
For the next few minutes, she tried to concentrate.
She really did.
But Felix kept whispering little comments under his breath.
About the teacher.
About the assignment.
About the boy sleeping two seats ahead.
Isaiah kept trying not to laugh.
Eventually, the teacher stopped mid-sentence.
“Felix.”
He looked up innocently.
“Yes?”
“Stop please, your bad behavior might be contagious to Isaiah.”
The entire class laughed.
Felix raised his hands.
“I didn't do anything.”
The teacher gave them both a look.
“Both of you. Pay attention.”
“Yes, ma'am.”
They lasted approximately three minutes.
When the bell finally rang, Felix packed his books.
“I've got somewhere to be.”
“Oh.”
“I'll catch up with you later.”
Isaiah nodded.
“Okay.”
She headed toward the cafeteria.
She bought a sandwich and a soda, then looked around for somewhere to sit.
There was an empty table.
Perfect.
She sat down.
Then she noticed people looking at her.
Isaiah glanced around.
Maybe it was because she was new.
That made sense.
Still, the attention felt strange.
She took a bite of her sandwich.
A few moments later, three girls approached.
Two blondes.
One with black hair.
All three were wearing pink-and-black cheerleading uniforms.
They stopped at her table.
One of the blondes was chewing gum.
She looked Isaiah up and down.
“You lost?”
Isaiah pointed at herself.
“Me?”
She looked around.
There was nobody else sitting at the table.
The girl stared at her.
Isaiah shook her head.
“No.”
The blonde raised an eyebrow.
“Do I look cross-eyed?”
Isaiah blinked.
“No.”
The other blonde snorted.
The black-haired girl finally spoke.
Her voice was much calmer.
Almost too calm.
“Can you read?”
Isaiah nodded.
“Yes.”
The girl reached into her pocket and pulled out a pen.
She leaned over the table and wrote four words on its surface.
POPULAR KIDS ONLY.
Isaiah stared at it.
Then looked around.
Her expression slowly changed.
“Oh.”
Now she understood.
This was their table.
She hadn't known.
“Okay.”
She reached over for her things ready to leave before things got messy.
But both her hands were already full.
She looked toward her soda.
Before she could grab it, the black-haired girl reached for it first.
“Here.”
Isaiah looked up.
The girl smiled.
“Let me help.”
She took the soda.
And then deliberately tipped it.
Cold liquid spilled down the front of Isaiah's uniform.
Isaiah froze.
The cafeteria erupted with laughter.
The girl looked at the mess.
Then back at Isaiah.
“Oops.”
Isaiah didn't move.
She didn't know what to say.
She had never been bullied before.
Never had to deal with someone deliberately humiliating her in front of an entire room.
She was still trying to understand what had just happened when one of the blondes walked past Isaiah and intentionally knocked her to the floor.
Isaiah lost her balance.
She hit the floor.
More laughter.
The blonde looked down at her unfixed.
Isaiah remained completely still.
Her sandwich lay beside her.
Her soda had spilled across the table.
Her uniform was stained.
And suddenly, the entire cafeteria seemed to be watching her.
For the first time that morning, Isaiah didn't know what to do.
She just sat there, stunned.
And somewhere across the cafeteria, the basketball team had just walked through the doors.
