Bet My Life

Chapter 9

Isabella Sawyer Martin, born into the perfect family of Jace and Lydia Martin. Mr. and Mrs. Martin are perfectionists and expected the same from their children - Ryan and his sister. They had their children’s life mapped out. From what breakfast to eat, to which classes to attend, to whom to date, everything was a given. As terrible as they sounded, Jace and Lydia loved their children and only wanted to see them become the best.

Ryan, their firstborn, followed every order, every instruction with the utmost dedication. They were indeed blessed to have an heir, who could follow his father’s footsteps and take over his company someday. Their daughter, however, was an entirely different story altogether.

Isabella, always the stubborn child, never fit in any boxes. From the mere age of 3, it was obvious to her parents that she wasn’t going to be an easy child. But at the mere age of 3, it wasn’t obvious to her why she was a disappointment to her parents.

When her parents moved from Chicago to Los Angeles when she was 3, she threw a fit. She went on a hunger strike and pouted the whole way, till she finally saw them. Her parent’s best friends, Mr. and Mrs. Hart. And that was the minute she saw her for the first time. A girl, about her age, stood behind her brother and peaked at them. Isabella walked to her and held her hand out for her to take. The tiny girl surprised her, by giving her the biggest hug in the world. That was the day they pinky-promised, to be best friends forever.

And for the next 11 years, they were inseparable. Through every breakup, through every fight with their families, through every failed test, through every tear shed, through every laugh shared, Isabella and Zoey were always there for each other. They were the terror two, and no one dared mess with them. The Harts meant more to her than her own family.

On her the eve of her 14th birthday, her parents broke the news to her. They were moving back to Chicago. With a heavy heart, she ran to her best friend, who came up with the best possible plan. So, on the morning of her birthday, Isabella, Zoey, and Jay decided to run away. Although they were caught, two blocks from their house, that day Izzie was sure of 2 things, her real family was dead to her, and her best friend will always be above everyone else in her life. She would always be there for her, and that was her promise.

But all promises are meant to be broken. She couldn’t protect her. She couldn’t save her that day. She should have been there for her. She should have seen the signs. She should have never trusted them with her. But more than anything, she shouldn’t have left her alone with him.

Today, when Zoey didn’t answer her phone and was nowhere to be seen, a sense of nostalgia hit her, and not the good kind. Her mind was filled with images of Zoey, in the hospital bed 2 years ago, barely recognizable. With their families and cops everywhere, there was barely any space to breathe. Izzie and Jay stayed by her side for a week, refusing to step out for even a minute, before she finally woke up. That day had changed her. The brave, wild, confident girl was gone, and in her place was a shy, scared, fragile girl, that could break at the slightest of touch.

It took 2 years, and counting, of therapy to get Zoey somewhat back to normal. There were still times when she would close off, but they were all trying, and that was the only thing that mattered.

The first time Izzie saw a glimpse of the old Zoey, was the day she bumped into Nathan. The way he looked at her was more than enough to convince her that it was going to last. Anyone with eyes could see that. He cared about her, he was careful with her, and her eyes lit up every time she was with him. And that was the only thing Izzie cared about.

Isabella Martin never fit in any box, and that was what made her different from the rest of the world.