In only two of her classes did Isobel want to just melt into a puddle and disappear; her first one being Home Room. They met for fifteen minutes every day, it was like having five minutes of counseling and then ten minutes of just texting on a cell phone or catching up on the latest gossip. Her home room instructor, Mr. Parks, forced her to stand in the front and introduce herself while he advised some of the other students; he had records on all of them and so would speak with them individually on a weekly basis about school and sports or clubs they were interested in.

"My name is Isobel Miles…I moved here from Arizona," she had stood in the front explaining, "and I've never been to New York before." She wasn't quite certain what was interesting about her, but she was thankful when she was allowed to take her seat again. Sadly Mr. Parks wasn't the only one to make her endure such humiliation as public speaking, Isobel had two classes where she was saved the embarrassment before another problem arrived. The cafeteria at lunch, she had packed a lunch so thankfully she didn't have to gamble with the food, but she wasn't certain where to sit. She remembered looking around at all the tables that seemed to be crowded with cliques, some looked to her curiously as she was the new girl. Isobel ate her lunch in homeroom with Mr. Parks who nervously talked too much and asked her questions that she would give short answers to.

Physical Education was her last torture of the day, not just because the school was forcing her to do sports she had no interest in and parade around in a t-shirt and girl shorts, but because the physical education teacher, Mrs. Gellar forced her to stand in front of the entire class and once more present herself to the class. She was completely uncomfortable, especially since there were a couple of girls in her class from previous classes that were giggling in the background and whispering to one another. Isobel tried to comfort herself that she was just paranoid and that they weren't talking about her at all, but she couldn't ignore the slight glances and nods towards her. And if that didn't affirm that the small clique was judging and hating on her, the fact that she was brutally attacked during volleyball with various spikes told her enough.

"How was your first day of school," Altair had asked her once he had gotten home from work. He was met with silence and daggers glaring at him with such hatred that he dropped the subject altogether.

The next day didn't serve to be much better, Altair rode the subway with his niece every morning and took her to school before going to work himself. "Alright, have a good day at school," Altair said as he walked her to the front gates.

"Whatever," Isobel sighed and started to walk before Altair grabbed at her arm.

"Hey, I know high school may seem important now, but the school is just full of jerks. Don't let them get to you…and talk to me," Altair said.

Isobel gave the nicest smile she could muster as she said sweetly, "if they're such jerks, you'd feel right at home, wouldn't you?"

With that, she turned on her heel and entered her school without a glance behind her towards Altair. Your father would be disappointed in you…he didn't raise you like this, Isobel arrived at home room on time, learning that her school did block schedules that consisted of classes changing every day. Wednesday changed every week so there was an even amount of time going to Monday/Thursday classes as there were going to Tuesday/Friday classes. So yesterday while she had English 1, Orchestra 1, lunch, and Physical Education, today she had Science 1, History 1, lunch, and then Math 1. Sadly she was late to her Science class as she had gotten a bit lost, the teacher had introduced her briefly and then paired her with a small group of three that was missing a fourth person.

"Hi, I'm Katie," a brunette said as soon as the teacher finished giving instruction and left us to complete the experiment on our own.

"Hi, Isobel," Isobel introduced with a smile of greeting.

A boy sitting across from her introduced himself next, "I'm Ryan, and this is Yvonne. Where'd you move here from?"

"Arizona," Isobel responded as she fiddled with her pencil, wanting to just get the experiment done and over with but uncertain on how to convey that without sounding completely rude.

Yvonne was already working on the assignment, she didn't seem to talk too much and Isobel eagerly scooted her seat a bit closer to Yvonne so that they could work on it together, since there was only one set of tools per group, "what caused you to fly across the continent?" Ryan asked curiously, fiddling with one of the weights that Yvonne seemed to be eyeing.

Isobel grabbed the weight from Ryan and handed it to Yvonne who gave Isobel an appreciative smile, "moved in with my Uncle." Isobel was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable, she returned her focus to the experiment at hand.

It seemed Katie caught on as she too changed the subject, "well, welcome and you arrived just in time for the Winter Ball! Would you like to join the planning committee?"

"Uh..no, I'm good," Isobel said, a bit startled by the sudden invite.

"Oh come on," Katie said with a smile, "it seems lame, but it's totally cool. And then you can help with the Freshman Formal as well!" When Isobel looked doubtful still yet, Katie resorted to begging, "Please? All the cool people are in it."

Glancing at the table with the beautiful girls that had giggled at her all day yesterday, Isobel asked, "And who are these 'cool' people."

"Us of course," Katie said with an exasperated tone, she reached across the table to touch her, but Isobel jerked away. Katie didn't let this falter her, "C'mon, you get to go for free too."

Isobel inhaled deeply before finally nodding, "okay."

"Yes," Katie high fived Ryan enthusiastically, and then looked behind Isobel just as she was shoved in her seat.

A far too sweet voice gave an "oops" and Isobel turned to see exactly who it was. It was the blonde from earlier, her hair was pencil straight, but it looked like a wall of white gold and framed her actual square face wonderfully. She looked flawless and as though she should've been an upper classmen rather than a freshman. There was one girl with her, though the two at her table were watching the exchange. Her friend had light, brown skin that made her look almost like Beyoncé with those large hazel eyes and springy, brown curls that she let fall in almost an afro.

"Its fine," Isobel tried to ignore the situation, turning back in her seat. But by the way the hairs on the back of her neck raised, she knew for a fact that the girl hadn't left.

"Where's your scarf," this question was out of the blue.

Isobel turned back towards her, "excuse me?"

"We saw your dad drop you off, you two look like terrorists," she stated matter of factly, running a hand through her hair. Isobel closed her mouth tightly, turning away from her as she flexed her jaw in annoyance and tried to go back to the experiment, "is that how you afford private school? You threatened the principal?"

"Better than having my mother spread her legs, you uncultured swine," Isobel roared, unable to hold her temper, rising and whirling on the girl so fast that someone might have gotten whip lash.

"Miss Miles! Outside, right. Now." Ordered her instructor, Ms. Taylor, and Isobel obeyed as she went outside and stood there, arms folded in anger.

A few minutes later, Ms. Taylor came out, looking quite upset with Isobel as she scolded her student. Isobel simply took it, if she had learned anything it was that talking back only made matters worse with adults and adults tended not to listen or find teenager's issues trivial. What made adults so special anyways? Just a number, Isobel determinedly listened as the teacher gave her detention at lunch and told her that this time it would go without other consequences, but the next time Isobel disrupted the teacher's class with such vulgar words that her parents would be called.

Isobel didn't say anything the rest of the class even though her group mates said that they would talk to Ms. Taylor, and when Isobel denied them that they said they would speak with Heather, the ring leader of the clique that seemed to have it out for the new girl, Isobel denied this as well, worried it might back fire.

Nothing special happened during History, it was the one class she was free from Heather and her gang. Lunch she fulfilled her detention, which consisted of her wiping down Ms. Taylor's white board and cleaning petri dishes. In Math she showed her instructor that she had already taken Algebra, she even took a test during class which Heather was in and aced it. Rather than keep her stuck in Math 1, her instructor told her to go to the office and have her placed in Math 2. She was called a nerd by Heather on her way out as she left.

"How was school today," Altair asked.

Isobel was doing her Math 2 homework as she shot Altair yet another glare. Altair was just about to give up on speaking with her as he made a pizza for the two when he heard her say, "I'm on the formal planning committee."

"That's good," Altair praised, smiling at her, "making any friends?"

Once more there was a long pause, Altair didn't rush her even though he wanted to sigh in impatience as she finally gave a shrug, "I guess."

Altair didn't argue that he found it odd that she could only guess that she had friends, isn't that something you either did have or didn't have?

The next day was Wednesday, Isobel had the same classes that she did yesterday and Altair hadn't been able to take her to school as he had to arrive to work early. He explained that he wouldn't be home that night either and would be home very late on Thursday but would still be there on Friday to take her to school. Mr. Parks gave her a brief scolding for getting detention yesterday but congratulated her on being placed into Math 2, which was mostly Geometry. Isobel then went to her locker once the bell rang for a ten minute passing, she had just made it to her locker when she was shoved into it, bag and books falling.

"Oops," that fake voice said once again, Isobel reached for her bag but someone kicked it out of reach and so Isobel rose and glared at Heather, "where's your father? Didn't see him drop you off today, is he off on a suicide bombing? Good-"

She didn't get the next word out as she was suddenly punched, Isobel's fist connecting with her cheek, close to her eye. Isobel let out a grunt as she ignored her throbbing hand as there was an echoed gasp and Heather stumbled with the punch. Heather let out a yell of rage and then went to scratch Isobel, but the other was quicker as she grabbed Heather's wrist and twisted it, forcing Heather to twist with her arm, or risk letting Isobel break it before she shoved Heather away. Heather turned, this time her friends had grabbed Isobel and Heather scratched her cheek, Isobel hissed before she yanked herself free from Heather's bodyguards and rushed her but before she could do anymore damage to Heather, a strong arm was wrapped around her abdomen and Isobel was pulled away from Heather.

By the condition Heather was in, Isobel's story didn't fit as she was already accused of being the bully instead of the bullied. She was told to calm down, though Isobel was her usual stoic and quiet self, silently raging at Heather and her words. After the Principal gave her quite a talking to, Altair was called much to Isobel's dismay and Isobel was forced to sit in the front office while the Principal spoke with Heather and her parents, the latter were roaring for Isobel to be expelled from the school as they yelled about the condition that her daughter was in. Isobel couldn't help but give a smug smirk when Heather walked into the front office to go into the principal's office with her parents, her eye was already swollen and she was sniffling.

Altair entered the front office thirty minutes after he was called, not looking the least bit amused or calm as he moved towards Isobel who immediately straightened in her chair, "why the Hell am I getting called from work to come pick you up because you punched another student? Hm?" Isobel was ready to defend herself, but Altair didn't seem ready to listen as he went on, "It better be a damn good reason, because I was pulled away from something that was very important! It is the third day of school Isobel and already you have gotten detention – yeah they told me," he growled at her surprised look, "and now you just might be expelled! You go in that office right now and apologize."

"I will not apologize to her," growled Isobel, snatching her bag and walking away from Altair, heading towards the front doors. Altair was hot on her heels and she barely made it to the doorway when he grabbed her arm.

"Young lady, you have been a pain in my ass since you've gotten here," Altair snapped, "You have been disrespectful, rude, and for no-"

"No reason," Isobel yelled, it echoed down the hallway as she glared at him, "how about the fact that out of nowhere, I have to be stuck with you."

This time she made it out of the door before Altair grabbed at her again, "Stop walking away from me! What is that supposed to mean?"

"You have never been there. And then suddenly I have to live with you? You didn't care about us, about my father, your brother," Isobel yelled, everything just coming out of her mouth like word vomit as tears sprang to her eyes.

"Don't you say that," Altair growled, "you don't know that."

"I do too," Isobel's voice was cracking and she was trying to get it under control as she argued back, "you were never there for anything; Christmas, Thanksgiving, birthdays, you weren't even there when he was behind in rent! You were never involved and you never tried to be. So do everyone a fucking favor and stop pretending like you care." She gave him a shove to get him off her arm and away from her before she turned and stormed away.

"Isobel, don't you walk away from me-"

"Don't talk to me like you're my father! He was ten times the man and guardian you'd ever dream to be," her voice had cracked as she glared up at the man that was the mirror image of her father before storming away and heading back home as she cried. Altair sighed as he watched run her off and then went to go speak with the principal to hopefully clear up Isobel's expulsion.

Isobel returned home alone, and just as Altair had said the previous night, Altair did not return home. She was left to her own devices, which at first consisted of her angrily hating her Uncle. But as she gazed upon the picture of her father, she had taken the frame and threw it against the wall with a roar of anger. And after that one act, Isobel simply lost it as she destroyed her room, yelling in pure rage. Isobel had never felt such anger before; she wanted the world to burn and consume her. There was a ringing in her ear that made her deaf, redness in her vision that made her blind, and a burn in her throat that made her mute though she would later realize the latter was due to her screaming. She broke trophies, threw books and clothes, and destroyed more photographs of her and her father. Only when there was nothing more to destroy did she fall to her knees, breathing heavily and looking at the mess. Her gaze landed on a picture of her and her father; him hugging her from behind and smiling at the person taking a picture of them. That burn in her throat grew, forming a lump as she let out a whimper at the image. The redness faded into just a blur as tears fell from her eyes. And the ringing was swallowed by sobs as she lay in her destroyed room, rocking herself, holding her stomach tightly as she sobbed. "Daddy," she suddenly forced out, saying that one word hurt her more than anything. She had no single word to describe the single amount of pain that came with that one simple title, but it felt as though someone had cut open her stomach, began to choke her, ripped out her heart, and gauged her eyes all at once while screaming in her mind. The grief and despair she had swallowed since she had found her father on the living room floor hit her like a train, almost as hard as the rage but Isobel wished nothing more than to go back to the rage – at the least her anger had been sated with destroying her room, she could find something else to destroy, she was certain.

But what could stop this grief? Late into the night she continued to cry, howling in pain and sounding more like a hurt animal than anything else, the only time she grew silent was when it hurt too much to sob and even then her body shook silently with sobs that made no noise other than soft gasps.

When Thursday came, Isobel locked her door in case Altair came home though he told her he wouldn't be. She had no clue if he had cleared up school or not, but she wasn't going even if he was there. She ran a warm shower and sat in the tub as the spray hit her. She stayed there, staring at the drain and wishing that if she stayed in the water long enough that she might slowly dissolve into water herself and slip into the drain and be mixed with filth and disappear forever.

Her entire body ached and she felt like she had a head cold with her sore, puffy eyes, sore throat, and runny nose. But she still patiently cleaned her room, being careful of any glass and placed the pictures on her desk until they could be re-framed. After that she curled up on her bed, staring at the wall as tears just slid from her eyes, burning them before making an acid trail slide down her cheek and throat…but she couldn't be bothered to wipe them away or even try to stop them from falling. Her phone buzzed in her night stand, she didn't answer it at all, not caring if it was Altair or Ezio. If it was Ezio then he had to learn that she was no longer apart of his life anymore. If it was Altair than he was nothing to her and she couldn't be bothered to speak with someone that she hated so much. But even as she thought that way, an ache settled in her already torn and broken heart. "Ow," she whimpered softly to herself, holding her chest as though to ease it, but no relief came.

"Why can't I go? I'm almost fourteen, you can't keep locked up in some bubble," Isobel yelled at her father, Desmond looked panicked as he frantically dressed and looked for his shoes.

"Isobel, we're not having this discussion again," Desmond glared at her, "you are only fourteen years old! You are not going to a rock concert by yourself."

"I wouldn't be by myself," Isobel said, throwing up her hands in exasperation; furious that her father couldn't quite see her side of things. He had never denied her before, and now he was going to deny her a rite of passage during her freshman year? "Emma will be there, and so will everyone from school."

"That's reassuring," Desmond said sarcastically, "I wasn't born yesterday – you know what happens at these parties? Underage drinking, that's not something to mess with either, Isobel."

Isobel let out a growl of annoyance, "you're the worst dad ever! You're going to make me the biggest loser in school!"

"You may be the biggest loser, but at least I know you're safe," Desmond shouted after her.

"I hate you," Isobel yelled back in return, shutting and locking her door. She had grabbed her phone and told Emma the bad news. Just as she heard her father shut the door and head off to work, Emma appeared outside of her apartment building complex and told her to get into the car. "No way, my dad would kill me if he found out," Isobel scowled.

"Well it's a good thing he won't, I'll have you back before daddy is home – promise."

Hazel eyes snapped open as she stiffened in the darkness, she listened intently but heard nothing, but something was off. Isobel held her breath for a moment, listening to the silence that rang in her ear and attempting to look through the darkness of her room, with only the moonlight to help her see. Nothing was in her room…it was the living room. She pushed off the covers and moved down the hall, hoping to get rid of the feeling that was weighing heavily in the pit of her stomach.