new sachool new rules

Half Cherokee and Half black with almond shaped brown eyes and a skin completion of over easy caramel Isis demanded the attention of all around her everywhere she went. Having just transferred from Technical High in Chicago to Michigan Comp, she was slightly nervous about her first day at school. It was the middle of the school year and she was late for her first class. Isis glanced at her schedule and approached the door. Upon entering the class ever person turned to see who the visitor was. Isis sucked in a deep breath and asked
“Is this chemistry... Mr. Mahn?” her voice was calm despite how nervous she felt on the inside.
“Yes this is" he replied” and you must be the new transfer student Isis Moore. We've been expecting you. Please introduce yourself to the class."
“My name is Isis, I moved here from Chicago though I'm originally from Philly. I'm seventeen and I was on the dance and swim team at my old school.
“Thanks you can take a seat in the third row second to the last seat." She sat down and the teacher continued with his lecture.
She could feel people staring at her as she walked to her desk but she paid them no heed. She sat down, took out her binder and began to take notes. Isis had already learned this stuff at her other school so she didn’t have to pay much attention. Isis used the opportunity to survey the class. She looked at the face of the students in the class, the majority of whom had their heads down scribbling the notes into their notebooks. As she looked over the class she came eye to eye with a boy that wasn’t taking notes but who was eyeing her intently. Anyone else would have quickly looked away but not Isis. She boldly stared back and the guy raised one eyebrow, smiled, and looked away.
It couldn’t have been more than two minutes since the exchange between Isis and the unknown boy when she had the feeling that she was being watched. Rather than acknowledge this she continued doodling on the side of her paper trying to ignore the sensation. The feeling persisted for the remainder of the class and she was happy when the bell rang signaling its end.
Isis looked down at her schedule and school map. Her next class was English in room 313. That was downstairs according to her map so she found the nearest stairwell and went in search of her class. Isis entered the class just as the bell rang and the teacher quickly ushered her in and introduced her to the class. Isis took the only seat available which was the desk in the middle of the class. The teacher began to talk as she was she was taking out her notebook.
“Okay class, today we start on analysis of unprepared text. So I want you to take a paper and pass it around. You’re looking for the tone, mood, and any symbols that you can find in the passage and I want you to give evidence from the passage that supports your answers.” Miss Green said in her singsong voice. A girl raised her hand to ask if they could use partner and the teacher said yes. By the time the papers had gotten to Amanda the class was talking in hushed tones about everything except the assignment. As she began to read the text Isis heard her name among one of the numerous conversations that were happening. She didn’t raiser her head or even look up so the girls wouldn’t know that she could hear them and was listening intently.
“That new girl Isis seems nice enough” said a girl with a soft voice.
“Please, look at her sitting over there all quiet and doing her work. Seems like another book worm to me,” Said the girl who’d asked the teacher if they could work with partners “she’s sitting over there not talking to no one or even trying to get to know anyone.”
“Give her a break it’s her first day.” replied the other girl.
“So what on my first day freshman year I had an innumerable amount of friends by the end of second period. Besides she looks like a snobby bitch to me,” the mean one said loudly. Isis whole frame tensed up with that remark. It shouldn’t have hurt her because she’d heard something along those lines before. Somehow that didn’t take away the sting of it. Why was it that someone could talk badly about another person they didn’t even know and have absolutely no qualms about it?
Isis felt tears of anger well up in her eyes but she held them back.
I am not going to allow them to see me angry. As Isis was about to ask the teacher for a pass to the bathroom she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to her left and found herself staring into a pool of sea green eyes. Her breath caught and her pulse accelerated; he was without a doubt the most handsome boy she’d seen yet.
“Don’t allow the things she says to faze you. She’s always been that way and I don’t think she’ll ever change. Plus I think that she’s jealous of you.” he said.
“I have no ideal what you’re talking about.” Isis said not trying to let on how much she was hurt.
“Really?” he asked in and amused tone “ then I guess it was my imagination that saw you tense up when Amber said… what were her exact words… oh yes ‘she looks like a snobby bitch.’” Isis winced “I thought not.”
“So I heard her, so what?”
“So now it’s time we were properly introduced. My name is Gino and I’m the quarterback for the football team here.”
“My name is Isis and I was a swimmer at my old school, nice to meet you Gino.” She said as she reached out to shake his hand.
“The pleasures all mine. So are you going to try out for the team here? Our team is pretty decent.”
“I don’t think so. I don’t think that I’ll swim in competition again.”
“Well I think that if it’s your passion you shouldn’t give it up so easily.”
“Who said I’m giving it up, I only said that I won’t compete.”
“Why not if swimming is what you enjoy?” Gino was curious now.
“It’s the principle of the matter. I won’t compete for another team. I loved my old one and it feels like I’m cheating on my team by joining a new one.”
“Oh so it’s for the loyalty to your old team and team mates; I see but what about what you want?”
“Apparently it does not matter what I want because if it did I wouldn’t be sitting here with you having this conversation.” Gino was about to say something but Isis spoke before he could get any words out. “So, what about you; are you an only child?”
Gino knew that she changed the subject on purpose so he let that conversation drop. I’ll get back to that subject latter. “No I have a younger brother. His name is Ivan and you’ll meet him at lunch.”
“Are you asking me to have lunch with you?”
“Yes I am and your answer would be…”
“I don’t know… I was planning on going home for lunch.”
“We don’t have a off campus lunch policy”
“You mean you’re not allowed to leave during lunch?”
“Nope.” Gino replied for once happy that rule was there.
“Man, I guess I have no choice I mean it’s not like I know anyone else here.”
“Don’t have to sound so overjoyed about it.” Gino teased.
“I was just looking forward to some lasagna for lunch. I didn’t mean to offend you but do you think that I maintained this athletic body by eating school lunch.” Gino laughed at this because he didn’t eat the school lunch for that same reason and told her as much.
Isis and Gino continued to talk for the remainder of the period. Isis’s musical laugh had people looking up from their conversations. The two were completely oblivious to the fact that Amber was watching them. Had either of them bother to look up they would’ve seem the storm that was brewing within Amber. The final bell rang and Gino waited as Isis gathered her things. They walked out the class together and stopped for a second as Isis checked her schedule. Amber came storming out the classroom and deliberately bumped into Isis who would’ve fell if Gino hadn’t had grabbed her.
“Amber stop going out of your way to cause a scene.” Amber didn’t say anything she only gave Gino a withering look and glanced at Isis with contempt, turned and stormed down the hallway. Amber didn’t have to say anything. The look said it all and from what Isis could see that Amber and Gino had something that didn’t end according to Ambers liking. “Are you okay?” Gino asked Isis concern written all over his face.
“I’m fine, friend of yours?”
“Hum… long story.” Gino said avoiding Isis curious stare.
“Well we have all lunch to talk about it. Meanwhile I have to get to my next class.”
Gino walked Isis top her class and left to go to his own. Isis walked into the room and Amber was sitting in the back giving her dirty looks. Great, this is just what I need a dragon breathing down my back, thought Isis. That class was the longest fifty minutes that Isis ever had to endure and when the bell for lunch finally rang she raced out of the class and went to the cafeteria. Isis went into the lunch line to see if there was anything suitable to eat there. She found a chicken salad and thought it a safer alternative to the pre cooked pizza and burritos. After paying for her lunch, Isis stood in the front of the cafeteria trying to find out where Gino had sat. She heard a shrill whistle then someone called ‘yo Isis, and she turned in the direction of the voice. Gino was sitting on the far left side of the cafeteria at a table that was nearly full except for two chairs. As she reached the table Gino indicated the seat she was to take.
“Wow there are a lot if guys at this table, here I thought I was going to have top fight to get your attention from all the females I was sure were going to be surrounding you.” Isis said teasingly.
“There was a compliment in there somewhere, I think.” Isis laughed and tried her salad.
“Hum, not the best salad I’ve ever had but certainly not the worst. Maybe I should reconsider my ‘don’t eat school lunch’ policy.” Said Isis as she took another bite.
“That looks like the same salad that we had yesterday,” Isis spit it out and looked at him horrified. “Just kidding.” Gino laughed and Isis punched him in the shoulder.
“Dang Isis you hit hard” Gino said holding his arm.
“I may be an only child and therefore have no brothers but the majority of my friends back home are guys.”
“Really and what did you and your guy friends do for fun?” Gino asked fishing for more information that would help him get to know her better.
“Well we used to skate board, go cliff jumping, and do motocross. That reminds me, I should probably go get the chain on my bike fixed. Know any stores that specialize in dirt bikes?”
“Well there’s Pete’s garage, they can fix anything.”
“I’m very picky about who I let touch let alone fix my bike… maybe I should just take it back to Chicago and let Jay fix it.”
“Who’s jay?”
“He’s the best mechanic in Chicago and my ex-boyfriend.”
“Wow… so how good are you at skateboarding? I’ve never seen a black girl skateboard before.” Gino said deliberately changing the subject back to calmer waters.
Why is it that when she mentioned her ex I got this sudden rush of possessiveness? That’s a first.
“I get that often and when I go to competitions the other skaters look at me like I have four heads. That’s before I get in the half pike. After that it’s all respect. That’s one of the things I’m going to miss about Chicago; my skater crew. They’ve been my friends through some tough times. Maybe mom will let me adopt them so they can move here.” Isis laughed at the audacity of the thought.
Isis and Gino were still talking when Amber walked up to the table with her crew of people. She was standing up behind Gino who turned when he saw the look of annoyance on Isis’s face.
“Awe the new girl seems to be a little confused. You see she’s sitting with people who are above her station.” Amber said snidely to he goons.
“Amber leave…” Gino started only to have Isis interrupted.
“And what would you say is my station? It must certainly be above yours because class is always trumps trash.” Isis said just as rudely and a crowd started to gather around.
“Listen you may have been the shit at your old school but around here I run things.”
“That was before I came here. You may intimidate a lot of people but you don’t intimidate me. And this desperate little act of your show how stupid you are.” Isis said in a calm tone.
“I’m stupid! Girl you have obviously lost your mind. How do you figure I’m stupid?” Amber asks indignantly.
“I say that you’re stupid because you don’t know me or what I’m capable of doing and yet you would step to me with all of this b s. That’s why I say you’re stupid. If you had any sense you would heed this warning. I am not like any of these other chicks around here. I am not easily intimidated and can throw blows with the best of them. Not to brag or anything but I’ve been street boxing since I was thirteen so please just walk away. If it’s Gino you’re after you’re welcome to him. Classy females don’t fight over men however you don’t fall into that category. So I won’t treat you like one.” Amber listened to this whole thing and her face turned red with anger.
Who dose this little girl think she was talking to. I am not the one Amber thought as Isis turned to walk away. In the split second it took Isis to turn her back to grab her tray Amber had grabbed a milk carton and poured it all over Isis’s head. The crowd gasped and Isis slowly turned around glared at Amber.
“The milk doesn’t seem to like her guys. It didn’t turn on the rest of us.” Amber said and entire crowd laughed. Until that point Gino had remained silent, he figured that Isis wanted to handle the situation herself but this got him beyond the point of pissed.
“Amber why the hell did you do that. If that was a little ploy to get me back it won’t work. I do NOT want to go out with you anymore. Get that through your thick head.” As Gino finished yelling at Amber, Isis grabbed him by the head and kissed him on the lips in front of the entire cafeteria. Amber’s jaw dropped, she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. When Isis finally pulled away from Gino she turned a hard, unblinking stare at Amber.
“This,” Isis used her fingers and pointed to the milk still running down her head “means war. You messed with the wrong one.” Then she turned and walked out of the cafeteria with all the poise and dignity she could muster. Gino looked at Amber then turned and ran after Isis. By the time he caught up to her she was in the school parking lot putting on a helmet that matched the motorcycle that she drove.
“Isis are you okay? I’m, so sorry you had to go through that. I had no idea she would react that way.” Isis didn’t answer instead she grabbed her jacket, got on the bike and revved up the bike. “Isis please …”
Isis took of her helmet to answer him.
“I’ll be fine, I’m just so pissed off that that…that…bitch poured milk all over me that if I don’t leave right now I’m going to walk back in there and kick her ass. Trust me you don’t want to see that I will tear that little girl to pieces in .5 seconds. I’m going to go blow off some steam.”
“Do you want some company?” Isis thought about it for a second then gave the other helmet to Gino.
“Have you ever ridden on one of these before?” Isis asked as he mounted the bike behind her.
“I’ve only been on one three times.”
“Listen I don’t drive like other motorcyclist. I do motocross so I take to the road fast and weave in and out of traffic if you think you can handle it the stay on if not get off grab you car and follow me.”
“I think I can handle it.” Isis smiled behind her helmet.
“Okay then hold on!”

They drove for about an hour and the when she finally got off the bike they were in the out skirts if town. She was atop a hill and there it was nothing but wide open spaces and a few weather worn houses where the older tenets of the city stayed once the developers came and made the city. They were all either too old or too poor to move into the fancy high rises and many didn’t even want to be a part of the city. Its loud flashiness was not what they considered a part of life. Isis ignored the fact that Gino was with her and sat down on the hill and stared out into the scene before her.
Gino came quietly beside her and sat down. They didn’t speak and were happy to sit in silence. At one point Gino glanced over at Isis and saw that there were tears in her eyes. She quickly swiped at them and Gino could tell that she didn’t want him to know she was upset so he didn’t comment. After about fifteen minutes of silence Isis turned to Gino and spoke for the first time since they left the school.
“What is between you and Amber? I need to know because this,” she indicated the still wet shirt she wore “doesn’t just happen out of no where and I’ll be damned if I’m going to allow it to happen again.”
“We had a thing that went of for about three years. She cheated on me with a college guy and I dumped her. I guess she just doesn’t want to see me with anyone else.”
“The first thing I’m going to do is to let everyone know that we are not together. The last thing I need is for everyone to think that I’m fighting over a boy.”
“Would it really be that bad if we were together?” Isis didn’t answer but looked at him as though she was seeing him for the first time. She opened her mouth to speak but her cell phone rang and she answered it
“Hello?” a smile lit her face. “Hey Ray! No my first day was horrible.” She looked Gino in his eye then said “well not all bad, I met this great guy but he’s got a psycho ex who poured milk all over me. He thinks she’s jealous of me.” Gino heard the guy reply ‘what girl wouldn’t be’ and smiled. Isis is one in a million, he thought, you don’t come across a girl like her everyday.
“What!” Isis screeched and brought Gino out of his worship like thoughts. “We got it. Yay, I’m so happy I can’t wait. What day and what time? That’s a school night my parents are not going to let me go all the way back to Chicago on a school night.” She was silent as the person on the other line spoke; Gino couldn’t understand a word of what was being said.
“That’s right I always could find a way to get around the rules. I’ll be in contact before next Wednesday. Oh yea are you and the crew still coming to visit on Friday?... Okay but I’ll still be at school so come and get me and don’t forget the boards. … no I haven’t found a place to skate yet but I’ll look into it. Tell the guys I miss them. I love you. Bye bye.” Isis hung up the phone and turned to Gino.
“Great news, remember my skateboard crew that I told you about from back home?” Isis continued when Gino shook his head yes. “Well before I left we were in a tournament and we got second place only because the winning team bribed the judges before hand. The guys were laughing in our faces saying that my team didn’t win because they let a chick skate on there team. I went up to the lead guy and decked him right in the face. Well, I’m getting a little off subject. The committee said that I could never skate in anymore tournaments and that sucked because we placed in the nationals which are next week on Wednesday. So my guy Ray just called and said that they fought the case and the committee said that I can skate but only after my guys threatened to quit.”
“What would happen if your team quit.”
“They’d be short one team and they can’t have a competition with only one team competing.”
“ So that means that you have to find a way to get to Chicago without your parents finding out.”
“I will think of something I always do.” Amber smiled so hard her face lit up. “ And the guys are coming for a visit on Friday I have to get the guest room cleared out. Its currently being used as my closet.” She laughed
Wow her friends mean a lot to her. Her face lights up at the thought of them coming here. I wish it would light up at the thought of her hanging out with me. What am I thinking, snap out of it. “I heard you say you were looking for a place to practice.”
“Yea we are. Got any suggestions?”
“Well there isn’t really a skate park in the city but I have a friend that has a few ramps in his back yard. I could get him to let you guys use them if you want.”
“Well how many is a few ramps?” Isis asked curious as to how anyone could have a ramp in their backyard let alone a few.
“I want to say about four with one under construction.”
“Wow it must be a pretty big yard.”
“You’ll see it on Friday.”
“Wait I haven’t actually said I would accept.”
“You haven’t exactly said no either.”
There was a pause in their conversation and they just stared at each other. There was something almost touchable surrounding them. It felt as if a warm weight had settled around them and the tension levels spiked. Isis looked away and Gino caught a hold of her chin and turned her back to face him. Isis saw a look of longing in his eyes and something else. Want. Gino’s mouth started to close the distance between them.
“Wait don’t.” Isis said as she turned her head out of his grasp. Gino stopped and waited for her to say something. “Don’t get me wrong I think that you’re amazing, and handsome and I am attracted to you too its just… I don’t want to get involved with anyone right now.”
“I understand and I will wait until you’re ready.”
“That’s not really it.” There was a short pause as Isis tried to get her thoughts together. “I just don’t really think that it’s a good ideal for us to date each other. I am the new girl and you’re the popular heart throb of the school that everyone wants. I just want to blend in and finish out my high school career. I don’t want to be in the limelight.”
“Is this because of Amber?”
“No not at all. I just want to let the past be in the past. I am not looking for my life to be as it was back at home. When I dated the schools heart throb and was always in the limelight. This is not Chicago.”
“So you’re just going to give up being the person that you are because this isn’t your first choice in places to be. Earlier today you said ‘Apparently it does not matter what I want because if it did I wouldn’t be sitting here with you having this conversation’ then you changed the subject so fast. I now know why. You didn’t want come here you were forced and now your going to give up who you are just like that?”
“What do you want me to say? You’re right, I didn’t want to come here but dad got promoted and so we had to move. I don’t see why I couldn’t have stayed. My gram lives in the city and she would have been more than happy to have me. But no, Mom wouldn’t hear of it and dad listens to everything mom wants.” Gino saw the tears building up in her eyes and started to tell her to stop but Isis stopped him. “No you wanted to know the truth so here it is. I just want to forget it all. I want everything that happened in Chicago to stay in Chicago. If that means I give up the things I am used to then so be it. The guys are coming up and I don’t think anyone understands how hard it’s going to be for me to cope after they leave. They were my world and having them here for a week end just to leave again is going to hurt worst than if they just never came at all. I just want to go home.” By the end of this little speech Isis was sobbing silently to herself Gino move toward her and attempted to comfort her. He touched her shoulder and she pulled away.
“Don’t you’ll just make it worst.” Isis started to sob a little louder. Gino ignored her and pulled her into his arms. He cradled her like a baby and let her cry her heart out. Some time latter after the tears had subsided Isis looked up into Gino’s eyes.
“Sorry. I don’t usually just break down like that.”
“No problem, you have a lot of things on your mind its only natural that eventually you would need to release it all. I am just sorry that you feel that sad about being here and that I am so glad that you’re here. This is my home and I was born and raised here. I love it here and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else but I don’t think that I could give up the things I love just because I didn’t wanna live in a new place. And I don’t think that you should either, it’s what makes you the great person you are, and you shouldn’t give it up that easily.”
“I just wanna go home. I was so happy now I am just lost.’ Her voice sounded dead.
“Look at it this way this is your home now. There isn’t much you can do about it but if you just sit around moping then you are just gonna make yourself miserable. Be happy. Do the things you’re used to try and make the best of this situation.”
“I guess you’re right,” Isis sighed “as much as I hate to admit it.” She untangled her arms from around Gino and stood up. “Its getting late so I guess we should head back.”
They hopped back onto the motorcycle and headed back to the school. They made it back just as the final bell of the day rang.
“I had fun with you today. I hope that we can do it again sometimes.” Gino said as he stepped off the back of the bike.
“Me too. We will hang out together again soon.”