Beauty and the Beast

Isabelle's POV

“”I heard Tier bit him.”
“I heard White kicked Tier’s ass.”
“Yeah? I heard Tier turned into the Hulk and…”
“I heard that there were a bunch of pathetic gossipers who spent more time worrying about a inconsequential fight between the local jerk and the Beast boy than they do about learning” I muttered to myself. I haven’t heard anything else the whole day, nothing past “Oh, my God! Did you see Garreth? He was bleeding!” or “That stupid Tier, he should be expelled, jumping on Garreth like that.”
It could only be described as exceedingly annoying.
Even the teachers got in on it. During Mr. Anderson’s class, Garreth had came in with a bandage around his head, and a black eye. I was the only one who was amused at his appearance, and then we spent the whole class, the WHOLE class discussing the fight. And today we were supposed to go to the library to pick out our book report book. So I was extremely pissed about that. I mean, I already know what book I’m doing. It was time I could have spent finishing my book!
But nooooooo!
Beyond irritated now, I raised my hand, interrupting the useless gossip, and asked if we were going to the library today. Which, unfortunately, caused everyone and their mother to turn around and look at me.
Feeling like a goldfish in a stupid fishbowl, I just blushed and sank down in my seat.
Which is when half of the talk turned away from the Fight, to me.
“What’s wrong with her?”
“She’s too pretty to be such a nerd.”
“She is so weird.”
“Odd.”
It’s regrettable to say the least that the words had considerable affect on me. My stomach grew tight, and I stared out the window, trying not to cry.
I’m not odd! Just because I like to read! And I kind of daydream sometimes! I’m not different! I’m just not like them. God. I really wanted to get out of here.
By the time lunch came around I was ready to scream. Not even bothering to go get some food, I just went straight out to my tree. And waited.
“Isabelle! Isabelle! ISABELLE!” Rolling my eyes as my one and only friend ran up to me panting. Maurice Everhardt, a short, rotund fellow, his IQ was quadruple of the whole cheerleading squad. Not that I’m insulting cheerleaders or anything, just OUR cheerleaders. Their intelligence rivals a slug.
“Did you hear?” He sat down heavily next to me.
“Maurice! Not you too!” I wailed. Great, just perfect. Now my ONLY friend has turned to the fight side.
Jeez, I wonder sometimes if I’m like an alien or something, because I really, really don’t fit in here.
Somewhat saddened at the thought, I morosely grabbed the apple he was offering.
“No, I’m not talking about the fight, per se. Just an outcome.”
“What?”
“Tier….” He trailed off at my glare. “Never mind. I’ll tell you later.”
“Good idea.” I told him.
“So…did Garreth hit on you again?”
“What do you think?” Unease filled my stomach at the mention of his name, and I looked around quickly making sure he wasn’t anywhere near. A involuntary reaction I had at the very mention or mere thought of that annoying boy.
“I don’t know why you just don’t go out with him. It’s not like he’s bad to look at.”
“No, he’s handsome alright. But he’s also rude, annoying, arrogant, and not to mention STUPID!” I leaned against the tree, heaving out a long breath. “He’s just not for me, Maurice.”
“Yeah.” He said sadly.
“Maurice?” I asked him, still a little upset. “Do you think I’m odd?”
“No.” Came the automatic friend response. I rolled my eyes.
“I’m serious!”
“Me, too!” He replied, indignantly. “I wouldn’t lie to you Belle! You’re not odd, your just….not like everyone else. Which can be construed to be odd.”
“You’re not helping.” I moaned. Maybe I am weird....
“Sorry!”
We sat there in silence, watching the people in front of us. Cheerleaders and jocks. Nerds and druggies. The band people and the Goths. Emo people and fashion plates. They all had their certain clicks.
And then you had Maurice and I. The outsiders. The odd ones.
“Belle! Are you even listening to me?” Startled, I turned to see Maurice standing above me, frowning.
“Nope.”
“Oh.’ He looked mad, then sad, and then he smiled. “Well, I have to go to the library, I have to help Phillip with something.”
“Alright. Meet me here after school, OK?”
“Yep!” He waved, I waved, and he left trotting towards the library.
Alone at last. Not that I don’t love Maurice, because I do, more than anything. I just really needed to be alone right now. Me and my morose thoughts need some time to ourselves.
Sighing, I pulled out Romeo and Juilet, fully intending to finish it today. Sighing, I went back to one of the only things I really understand, books.

A glooming peace this morning with it brings; The sun, for sorrow, will not show his head: Go hence, to have more talk of these sad things: Some shall be pardon'd, and some punished For never was a story of more woe Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.

God, this is why I love books. Books draw you in, making you a part of the story. Nothing else compares to reading a good book. Nothing. Without books, without words, the world would be empty, flat. Life would be meaningless. I closed my book with a sigh, and eased my head back on the tree. My mind was still swirling with Shakespeare, and I happily lost myself in those flashing images of Romeo and Juliet.
“Isabelle!” Maurice wailed. My eyes flew up to see him hauling ass over to me. I jumped up, frightened at the desperate, horrified look on his face.
“What’s wrong?” Alarmed, I ran to him, meeting him halfway. As I grabbed him, he sank to the ground, and I followed suit. “What happened?”
“The worst thing possible!”
“What, Maurice?’ I’m thinking something with parents, and accident, or he got a B.
“I have to tutor Ryan Tier!” He cried.
“Oh, no...."
“He’s too mean! I can’t do it, Belle! I can’t!”
“Then tell him.”
“I can’t. I promised him I’d help him!”
“Why?!”
“I was trapped into it. I swear.” He put his head in his hands. “Belle, I just can’t do it.” I had never seen Maurice like this, and it made me want to hurt somebody. Maurice is harmless, and too nice for his own good. “He really needs a tutor, or he’d get expelled. So I have to tutor him in EVERYTHING for the whole year. Oh, GOD!!” Grabbing him, and pulling him into a hug, I calmed him down before he started to cry or something. Feeling quite cross at this Ryan Tier.
“Come on, Maurice. We are going to go have a little talk with Ryan Tier.”