Disclaimer: once again, Stepheine Meyers deserves all the credit for the characters and universe we can play in
Professor Stewart was rumbling through his papers and trying to get himself organized, apologizing to the class for his tardiness and his absent mindedness. It took him a few more minutes to get organized, finally finding the syllabuses he intended to pass out. He handed them to an over enthusiastic girl in the first row who proceeded to pass them back to the rest of the class. While the syllabus was finding its way to everyone, Professor Stewart began to introduce himself.
"Hello class, my name is Rob. You are out of high school and we are all adults, there is no need for formalities as long as you treat me with respect." He began, still fumbling through a few papers. "I am a Ph.D. candidate studying literature and mythology, and am excited to explore English 101 with you this semester."
How ironic can life get, I wonder how this guy would react to the fact a creature of myth was sitting in this very classroom. I am sure he thinks it is all fascinating and neat, and doesn't actually realize how dangerous and real some myths are in a reality careful hid from him. Nor does he realize the emotional heartbreak it causes. I let out a slight laugh, getting a few weird head glances and stares directed towards me. They all were questioning my sanity or professionalism for laughing at something that seemed devoid of any comic reference. I didn't care what they thought though, it was not like any of them were destined to my mate, I would have already known that by now. The professor would have been acceptable to me, he was tall dark and handsome for a lack of a better descriptor. He probably wouldn't freak out as much if I told him of my secret identity as beta-wolf. But, no imprint, no future. Besides, it seems like if giggly girls that arrive first had staked their claim, constantly making batty eyes at the young professor. It was sickening to watch them make obvious fools out of themselves, making a mockery of love.
Rob continued his speech about his qualifications and his background, mentioning that this was only his second time teaching in the process. Meanwhile, I decided to flip through the syllabus that had finally gotten to me, keeping only minimal attention on irrelevant personal history that was being discussed as it was important to the actual subject matter of the class.
After doing my initial flip through the syllabus, I discovered I actually had two copies. Meaning there was exactly one extra, something I dreaded the implication of, which I sat on the empty chair next to me.
Sighing a little too loud, causing the student directly in front of me to turn around just briefly to see what my problem was, I turned back to the first page of the syllabus and started reading. The syllabus talked about the dates for papers and tests, all the usual stuff first, but it was the reading list that caught my attention. King Arthur, Dracula, Frankenstein, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and The Tailsman. Great, seeing the theme, I internally groaned. Not only is he studying mythology, he is having us dabble in it too. I took a second to wonder if there was another class I could switch into, but decided it might be fun to read about bloodsuckers and werewolves in a class where no one knew they existed. However, I did decided it would be wise to figure out why he wanted to cover these books in class, just in case it might lead to some future problems for those who I was supposed to protect. I raised my hand, making it clear I had no intention of waiting until he asked for questions to satisfy my curiosity.
"Yes, miss?" Rob asked, a little impatiently. I think I interrupted him in the middle of something he deemed important, but I was too sidetracked by the reading to pay attention to what he was saying.
"I was wondering why all the reading are with myths and the creatures of myths."
"As I said miss…."
"Clearwater, Leah."
"Leah?" he paused just briefly to allow me to correct him if preferred Miss Clearwater or he mispronounced my name. "As I said earlier, I am working in mythology for my Ph.D."
"I got that, but what I don't understand is why we are studying it." I put used my hands to gesture to the entire class, to take some of the questioning off of me. A few others joined with a shake of their heads, now wondering the same question themselves.
"Each professor can chose a theme for his class, I chose myths. It is our collective imagination that brings the world together, myths show how the imagination soars to explain the unknown or to teach cultural values of the society."
"Oh," he was way to logical to deal with mythological creatures, I guess it was a good thing I didn't imprint on him. He had no clue what myths really meant to some cultures, how some myths are only considered false because people rationalized them too much. He had no clue of the reality that was staring directly at him. But I guess in regards to my world, ignorance is bliss. I know I wished some days I was ignorant to it, or rather not party to it at all.
Rob continued with what he was talking about earlier, I guess, which was grading and the attendance policy. He apparently was going bullet point by bullet point down the syllabus; we were on point three. It was in the middle of him explaining the absence and tardy policy; the door burst open with a sense of immediacy. The door was wide open, blocking my view of the visitor, but I heard him ask with exasperation if this was the classroom he was looking for. His voice alone made my heart skip a beat. It appeared from the conversation that the syllabus I once dreaded someone taking was going to belong to the man with the beautiful voice.
The new student made a quick apology to Rob and came into view. It was not that he was breathtakingly handsome, but my breath was taken away. He was blonde with pale blue eyes; handsome, but not in the cover of GQ sort of way. He really was the "all-American guy" with his look.
Since this boy-man walked into the room, all my feelings of hatred towards Sam had melted away. All my frustrations were gone. The only thing that mattered was making him happy, being whatever he needed in life. It was the most overwhelming experience imaginable. I had imprinted.
He began to walk towards the only open seat in the classroom, the one next to me. He smiled and gave me a wink as he took the chair next to me. I needed to find a way to talk to him. Figure out the best way to introduce myself to my mate, my imprint. The legends say the imprintee can do little to resist the charms of their wolf, but the legends also say that all the wolves were male. How did this apply to me and the mysterious young blonde man with blue eyes sitting next to me? I could introduce myself saying "Hi, I am Leah, I am your soul mate, are you ready to get married?" but sadly I think that would scare him off. A simple "hi" wouldn't do, I needed to find out more about him and how to take care of him. I needed with every inch of my body and soul for him and I to be separated. I knew from Jacob how he felt about being separated from Nessie, but even the experience from the pack mind of the separation between wolf and mate was miniscule compared to the actual feeling that even the thought brought when it was about my imprintee. I knew that my pain I felt when Sam left would be infinitesimally smaller than anything I would feel losing him. This thrilled me in knowing I had moved on, but terrified me about the wreck I would be if somehow this didn't work out.
Instinctively, I scanned the room, changing any defensive strategy I had previously made to now include him. If I needed to fight, I would protect him first before worrying about myself. That window still looked to be the best escape route, but he is just a fragile human. I would need to figure out how to get him out safely if needed.
Rob was continuing down the syllabus, but I could see in the corner of my eye that my mate was not paying attention fully to the explanation of the syllabus. He was scanning me, trying to place me somewhere. It seemed like he had some interest in me, but was it the type I needed? We were silently trying to figure out each other when Professor Rob got to the mid-term and final. Both of us paid attention to this point more, but still keeping an awareness of each other. I needed to know why he was focused on me, but more importantly I needed him.
It was explained that we would be put in pairs to work on one particular myth together. The mid-term was a paper explaining the myth and the origins. A simple, straightforward essay. The final was a creative writing assignment based on the myth assigned. All the writing was to be done individually, the partner was assigned for two reasons: research buddy and to put together a presentation of the myth during the scheduled final class. Myths and partners were going to be assigned, taking into account any local myths from where we were from that he knew about. I prayed that he was ill-informed about the Quileute myths, and I didn't want to scare off my imprintee with the stories of my ancestors that many thought was just silly superstitions. I also didn't want to bring any danger to my pack and family by saying something that was not already common knowledge.
It was then that Rob pulled out a sheet of paper and asked people where they were from so he could figure out the best arrangement for myths and partners for the next meeting. His class list had everyone's orientation picture on it, so he did not need to ask for names. He just wanted locations where we had some roots at or spent a significant period of time in during the last five years. I listened to all, mostly Seattle natives and a few from cities in eastern Washington. One was from California, two were from Oregon, and one was an exchange student from Japan. Then my neighbor announced he was from Forks. I could have imprinted before if I just went to the neighboring town instead of moping around La Push and the forest, I berated myself. I started to wonder if I had met him before, he was younger than me but not by much. Maybe before I became a wolf? I started to rack my brain to find a connection but was coming up short. I must have not been paying attention that it was my turn, because I was called by name by Rob twice to answer. I could see the two of us were not going to get along, I was already pushing his buttons and I frankly didn't care.
"La Push," I managed to get out, still trying to understand how I had been so close to my imprint but never finding him until now.
"Very interesting" he said with the first smile he directed towards me since class began. This was a bad sign, it seemed he knew of our legends. On the bright side, the boy-man I longed to be with was from Forks. La Push legends would be the local ones there too; I guess that meant we would be partners. That at least gave me hope for the future that I would be able to spend time with him. But a sense of dread with him learning the legends too early, before I could explain what I am and him running away overcame me as well. I needed to find a way to control the situation where he would not get scared but would accept the life I would be asking him to be involved in. I would need to figure out a plan later tonight, but today I needed to at least get to know him and spend sometime with him.
I listened half heartedly to Rob finish his intro to English 101 speech, waiting for him to dismiss the class so I could have a chance to get to know the man I was fated to spend my rest of my life with. Little did Professor Rob know when developing his mythological approach to English that a process of myth and legend would happen right before his very eyes in his own classroom. When he finally gave the dismissal, I turned around to introduce myself to my fated mate. I had tried to come up with something clever and witty since he came in the door, but all that came out was, "Hi, I am Leah."