Chapter 3: First Impressions

IzzyPOV

I pulled up at the crappy place they call a high school in Forks. I woulda thought it was just another grouping of buildings if not for the sign. Huh. The sign that had no graffiti on it whatsoever. Either the janitors put in overtime for the first day of school, or this place boring as the name suggested. Either one was depressing. Actually, this whole town was like a giant wad of boring and depressing. Mental sigh here. Everybody was staring at me and my car. Well, probably mostly my car, since the windows were so tinted, they were basically blacked out. It is a pretty awesome car though.

My baby was a 1969 427 COPO Chevelle, and I loved it. I'd restored it to it's full glory and then jacked it up a little. I saw everyone whispering about the new classic car, and I smirked. I used to hate attention, didn't want people to figure out how crappy my home life was. Now, I loved it. It didn't bother me like it used to. I wanted to make a lasting impression, so I pulled on my shades, since it was a rare sunny-ish day in Forks. I kicked off my Vans and instead, pulled on my combat boots and made sure I had my weaponry stashed where they belonged. I tied up my tee so the edges of my tattoo were showing. This way I feel more comfortable and confident. Might as well make a big first impression. I got out of my car and I think everyone took in a collective gasp. They didn't think a short, thin looking girl like me would drive that kind of vehicle. They had no idea what I was capable of.

Within the first five seconds, I had fully taken in and comprehended my surroundings, mentally labeling the smallest things that could possibly have the slightest of effects on me. There was a blonde ice queen in the corner who seemed to be the queen bitch. A spiky haired girl in designer clothes seemed to be talking to her. They didn't seem like friends, yet, anyway. I'd assume she was new, like me, but if there's one thing I've learned in my brief sixteen years of this so called life, it was to never assume things. Well, we all have to make little conclusions, but you have to make sure you get all the facts for the larger ones.

After all, that's how most of my opponents went down. They saw me as little or no threat at all, until I knocked 'em flat on their backs. Which was always an easy thing to do. Across the parking lot, a dude with weird reddish hair, that I think some people would describe as "bronze" was staring intently, and a little creepily, if you ask me, at the spiky haired girl. He was in practically the same pose as this giant buff guy who was practically drooling over the blond. He was all muscle, and would have probably looked pretty intimidating to anyone else. But the one person who really caught my eye, was the silent guy in the corner.

He looked like could tell that he was strong, but in a leaner way than the buff guy. He had this fast, almost deadly look about him that told me all that I needed to know. He was like me. He had that strategizing look about him that I had usually only seen on myself. He was easily overlooked, but I knew that he was possibly the most lethal one here, other than me. He started walking over to Ginger, and, let me tell you, that male had the sexiest walk I'd ever seen. His walk, while slow and almost lazy, exuded a kind of quiet confidence and power that seemed almost seductive, to me at least. Mid-stride, the corner of his mouth drew up into a smirk, and I knew that he had made the same observations as I had about his friend, the ginger. I also knew that he saw me watching him; by the way he glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. It was a look I was familiar with, having made it myself, many times. I smirked right back at him. I recognized the look of a fighter, and by the way he casually shifted his stance as he walked in response to people, things, around him, I knew he was good. It had been a while since I had a challenge, and I was looking forward to this one.

Trouble and a challenge.

This should be interesting.

JasperPOV

As I approached my brother, I knew several things. He was enraptured by the well dressed spiky headed girl, she was attracted to him, too, even if she didn't know it, and the sexy brunette in the combat boots was watching me. As for the first two, well they were pretty obvious. I knew my brother well enough to say that this was the first girl he had ever felt an attachment to, never mind one this strong. The girl in question was instantly aware of him; it was all in her posture. Her body was already instinctually in aware of him, even before she saw him. And I was glad for my brother; after all, it would be really sad if he stayed a virgin forever.

The third I knew with the same certainty that I knew that she was a fighter. A good one, too. Her analytical gaze was too evaluating for anything else. Most people would dismiss her as no threat, but I could tell she was very competent. For the first time in a long while, I could tell she was probably as good as I was, and I was interested in who would win if we faced off. I was confident that I would in a fair fight, but there was something about her that told me she was not to be hurt, to protect her at all costs. It was such a strong instinct, I wondered if I could fight it for long enough to actually fight her. Oh well, no use in thinking about that strangeness now, I have a brother to harass.

The thought brought a smirk to my lips. After all, who would miss an opportunity to tease their brother about something like this? But even as I focused on my teasing my brother, I glanced once more at the brunette out of the corner of my eye, and I knew with certainty that as hard as I tried to push her out of my mind, there would always be some small part of me that was constantly, almost painfully aware of her, and more than in a strictly strategic way. I somehow felt that this year was the turning point for not just me, but somehow, this was one of those moments where certain people and certain things come together and that it would change my life forever. Trouble or opposite was still up for debate. And that she was an important part of it. That she would be an important part of me.