... not in love with Kale Eddison (3 page)

Kale stood and
watched Izzie saunter off; he didn’t know whether to be annoyed or
amused at her comments. He shook his head in disbelief; he thought
he might have been on the road to actually making his first friend
but it didn’t seem that way now; he shrugged to himself as he
knocked on the door and went inside.

Izzie was
half-way down the corridor when she felt remorse; she really
shouldn’t have been so nasty to him but he just seemed to bring the
worst out in her. She tried to think of something else as she
entered the English Literature classroom and mumbled an excuse to
Mr Mason. She took her seat beside Maddie and took out her things;
she was going to force herself to focus on something that was
actually important and not to do with Kale Eddison and the
infuriation he caused her. Half-way into the lesson, Maddie pushed
a folded piece of paper over to Izzie. She took it and checked Mr
Mason wasn’t looking before she opened it.

Why do you
look so distracted? What happened to you this morning? Oh and did
you hear … Kale never showed this morning.

Izzie shook her
head at Maddie, rolled her eyes and started to write her reply.

Writing notes
during class Madd? What are we ten? Anyway, I’ll humour you … I am
not distracted! - Ok maybe I am but it was because I was running
late and it was all because of your Mr Eddison as a matter of fact.
God he really is as irritating as I thought he would be!

Izzie shoved
the note back and watched Maddie’s expression go from neutral to
completely shell-shocked the further she read down the page; she
really hoped Maddie wouldn’t squeal in delight like she usually did
when Kale was mentioned. She watched her scribble furiously and
practically lob it at Izzie’s head to get her attention. Izzie took
it and was about to open it when the bell rang, she pocketed it and
packed her bag along with Maddie and then headed out the door
towards the Drama room; their next class.

“I’ll read it
when Ms Belson isn’t looking, I promise.” Izzie told her before
Maddie could interrogate her as they walked along.

Maddie stared
at her incredulously, “Erm hello? I can’t wait that long! What did
you think we were going to talk about on the way to Drama?”

Izzie sighed
exasperatedly, “Oh come on Maddie, I really don’t want to dwell on
my unpleasant encounter with Mr Eddison anymore than necessary.
Let’s just save it for the written word shall we?”

Maddie knew by
the look on Izzie’s face that it was case closed. She dropped it
and made small talk about going to the cinema tonight. Izzie agreed
to go as long as it wasn’t a Kale Eddison film – Maddie said it
wasn’t. They were just deciding on a time as they walked through
the door to the Drama room and took the seats farthest from Ms
Belson; she was an elderly lady who tended to shout a lot due to
her bad hearing and they both refused to have headaches by the end
of the class. While Ms Belson called out the names on the register,
Izzie read Maddie’s reply.

I know it’s
really childish, so sue me! Anyway, what do you mean Kale is the
reason you were late? What happened? I thought he didn’t turn up
today … how come you met him? Oh I’m jealous - I’d loved to have
met him first. You’re so lucky! But what’s this about ‘unpleasant’?
Hello?? It’s KALE EDDISON! How could breathing the same air as him
and actually having a conversation with him be so horrible? Have
you gone completely mad?!

Izzie shook her
head and was about to jot something back when all the girls in the
class squealed … Kale Eddison had just walked in.

He smiled at
them and walked over to Ms Belson who looked like all her birthdays
had come at once; Izzie watched how she unashamedly checked her
reflection in the mirror behind him and smoothed down her short
grey hair while tugging down her knitted cardigan and straightening
out her long skirt.

“Oh, this is a
pleasant surprise Mr Eddison - are you here to demonstrate your
extraordinary talents to us?” she grinned at him and Izzie saw he
looked a little scared of this crazy old lady.

“Erm no Ms
Belson, isn’t it? No, this is my second period class according to
this timetable they gave me.” he waved the sheet of paper at her
and she inspected it closely with her thick spectacles perched on
the end of her nose.

“Oh indeed
you’re right – though it seems rather silly that you should learn
how to act – with you being one of the finest actors out
there.”

Izzie couldn’t
help but let a snort of laughter escape from her, luckily only
Maddie appeared to have heard it as she gave her a disapproving
look.

Kale smiled
modestly, “Oh thanks, I wouldn’t say that but you can never stop
honing your skills in this profession – it is an important craft
after all.”

Ms Belson
nodded wisely, “Indeed dear, now if you just want to take a seat.
Anywhere you wish now.”

Kale turned to
find around fifteen giddy girls all fighting to get their neighbour
to vacate the seat next to them. He also noticed that the guys were
all trying to look disinterested but he knew by their faces that
they were all dying for him to sit near them so they could be seen
to be even cooler than they liked to think they were. Kale wondered
if he could just turn around and walk back out again but he knew he
had to stick this out; he was sure that by the end of the day –
well, he’d be an expert at handling this kind of behaviour. He had
wanted this normal school experience after all and he dealt with
the paparazzi all the time; this was going to be a piece of cake
–well, he hoped it would be.

Kale glanced
around the room and found one person who wasn’t looking like they
were about to handcuff him to the seat and demand he announce their
engagement … and that person was Izzie Frank. She wasn’t looking at
him; she was too engrossed in reading the text that they would be
studying, Kale smiled as he noticed the empty chair on the other
side of her; he had found his seat.

“I think I’ll
just take that empty one near the back Ms Belson, if you don’t
mind.” He made his way across the room, trying to avoid looking at
all the miffed faces and angry glares from the girls and guys
respectively.

Kale was
relieved when everyone turned back to face the front as Ms Belson
starting talking about the play they would be studying this term -
Shakespeare’s ‘Much Ado About Nothing.’ He sat down and extracted
his own battered copy from his bag and leaned towards Izzie.

“Hello again,
fancy seeing you here.” he smiled and laughed when she looked up at
him with a look of disgust on her face.

“Oh it’s you –
I thought it might’ve been somebody important. Oh well, never mind
– what’s one more disappointment.” she threw him a cross look and
returned to intently reading the scene Ms Belson was talking them
through. She pretended not to notice the amused smirk on Kale’s
face nor the incessant elbowing from Maddie on her other side.

Maddie gave up
and leaned forward so she could catch a glimpse of Kale, she
extended her hand when she saw him looking at her and nodding in
acknowledgement. He shook her hand politely as Maddie introduced
herself; he tried not to show what he was thinking - he hoped she
wasn’t going to turn into a crazed stalker – he had had enough of
those back in Hollywood, he didn’t need any here.

“So Kale,”
Maddie began, pulling him out of his thoughts, “how do you like it
here so far?”

Kale turned his
attention to Maddie, “Oh it’s been nice;
most
people have
been very welcoming.” He smirked at Izzie when he said this and
chuckled when she ignored him and turned to the next page of her
book very forcefully.

Maddie noted
this little exchange with slight envy and annoyance but carried on
her interrogation regardless. “So, what are your other classes
today? Do you need any help finding them? I’d love to give you a
tour, if you want.” she looked at him with eager enthusiasm shining
on her face; she really wasn’t going to leave him alone until he
agreed.

“Erm ok, sure …
that would be nice of you.” he smiled at her and then turned his
book to the appropriate page; he hoped Maddie would take the hint
that she should do the same. She knew that that had been a
less-than-subtle hint to leave him alone, so Maddie reluctantly
turned her text to the right page and tried to pay attention to Ms
Belson; who was now talking about some volunteers to act out a
scene.

“Come on now,”
Ms Belson pleaded with her reluctant class, “I just want two people
to act out one little scene; just so we can get a feel of what we
are discussing. Anyone … anyone at all – Mr Eddison, perhaps you
would be so kind?”

Kale had been
expecting this; he unwillingly agreed and went to stand at the
front.

Ms Belson
smiled, “Thank you Kale, now who’s going to read the part of
‘Beatrice’?” Fifteen hands shot up in the air and Kale squirmed,
‘sure they all agree now they know I’ll be reading opposite them’
he thought.

Ms Belson
looked amused, “Well now, that’s the passion I’m looking for … now
let’s see.” She glanced around at the eager faces and stopped when
she notice Izzie sitting reading her script instead of acting like
a love-struck teenager; Ms Belson thought she would be the perfect
choice – at least Izzie wouldn’t act all giddy and would actually
take what they were doing very seriously.

“Miss Frank,
perhaps you’d like a try?” Ms Belson watched as Izzie raised her
head and rolled her eyes.

“Sure, I think
I can control myself, unlike this lot.” she gestured to her overly
excited class-mates and made her way to the front, much to the
dislike of the other girls.

“Now, you will
read ‘Beatrice’ and Kale, you will read ‘Benedick’ … if you could
just take it from ‘Against my will I am sent to bid you come in to
dinner’.”

Izzie smirked
at Ms Belson’s selection; she really wouldn’t have to act like she
couldn’t stand Kale that much – she had that down to a fine art
already.

They read
through the scene and the bell rang just as they had finished it;
everyone clapped them politely and started to file out of the room
as Izzie and Kale returned to the back of the classroom to retrieve
their belongings.

Kale cleared
his throat as he slung his bag over his shoulder, “You were really
good there now.”

Izzie looked up
at him – ‘Wow, he really is super tall’ she thought – and
half-smiled, “Thanks, you weren’t so bad yourself … for a movie
star.”

He laughed and
fell into step with her as they left the classroom. Izzie didn’t
say anything to him as they walked along the corridor, Kale decided
to break the silence.

“So Izzie, can
I ask you something?”

Izzie looked up
to find his blue eyes full of curiosity, “I suppose you can but it
doesn’t mean I’ll answer you.” she smiled when he raised his
eyebrows.

“Oh feisty,
aren’t you? I was just wondering why you seem to hate me – I mean
you don’t even know me.” He looked at her inquisitively; he was
strangely drawn to her for some reason – even if she did clearly
loathe him.

“I don’t hate
you,” Izzie told him truthfully, “I’m just not as infatuated by you
as everyone else appears to be.”

Kale nodded,
“Fair enough, no reason for me to argue with that; everyone’s
entitled to an opinion.”

“Mmm,” Izzie
simply replied; why was he still talking to her? All she wanted was
for him to leave her alone so she could enjoy the break before her
next class. Kale seemed to sense she was ticked off by him.

“You really
don’t like me.” It wasn’t a question, more the case of him stating
a fact. Izzie shrugged, “It’s nothing personal; I just don’t see
what all the fuss is about – no offence.”

Kale laughed,
“None taken, wow, I really love your honesty. You really aren’t
afraid to say what you really think, are you? I could use that,
especially when I’m rehearsing for a role; I need someone brutally
honest, to tell me when my acting is rubbish.”

Izzie laughed,
“Sure, if you want someone to slag you off all the time; I’m your
girl.” She was only half-serious but Kale looked thrilled.

“You really
mean that? It would help me so much.” He beamed at her while she
shook her head disbelievingly.

“I was joking
but if you mean it … sure, why not?” Izzie laughed and noticed Jake
Greenberg waiting outside her next class. She forgot they had
English together and now it looked like Kale would be joining them
too. She smiled at Jake who did a double-take when he saw who Izzie
was with. He grinned back at her and made his way over to talk to
her; something he had never done before.

“Hey Isobel,
how’s it going? Hey Kale, I’m Jake Greenberg, welcome to
Hartside.”

Kale frowned at
him but shook his hand, “Thanks,
Izzie
has been really
helpful.” He put heavy emphasis on his correction of Izzie’s name.
Izzie found herself smiling at this against her will; it was quite
funny when Jake looked a little confused – it was actually quite
adorable.

Jake nodded and
threw his arm around Izzie’s shoulders, giving her a tight
squeeze.

“Oh I bet she
has been helpful. She’s super nice, aren’t you Isobel? Hey, if you
do need anything - anything that our Isobel can’t help you with -
you know who to come to, yeah?” He flashed Kale a smile while Izzie
settled for looking puzzled; why was he acting like they were best
buds all of a sudden? She shrugged this thought off as she found
she really didn’t mind; maybe she could use being Kale’s guide to
get closer to Jake.

Kale’s smile at
Jake was strained and he looked at Izzie with a mixture of pity and
amusement; her baffled expression was priceless. He noticed that
Jake quickly dropped his arm from Izzie when he sensed the
conversation with Kale was over. Izzie rolled her eyes and smiled
as Jake walked on inside the classroom. Kale looked at her like she
was crazy; why was she grinning like a fool after that jackass? He
decided to tell her as much.