Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is awesome by creating these characters and this world, the real credit goes to her

He looked at me with a big smile and introduced himself as well. "Hi, I'm Mike." He still was looking at me with an inquisitive smile on his face as he tried to put together the right question to frame his thoughts. "Don't I know you, didn't you used to hang out at First Beach with that Sam kid, I want to say it was when I first moved to Forks five-six years ago?"

Wow he knew me, and a pretty good memory too. "Yeah, Sam and I were dating all through out high school but he broke up with me soon after."

"I knew you looked familiar!" he sounded very enthusiastic about connecting the dots. "Why would he want to break up with someone as beautiful as you? If I was him, I would have slipped a ring on your finger and made you mine the first chance I thought you would say yes."

I blushed, just slightly. He thought I was beautiful, he thought I was a catch. Maybe there was hope my freakish self after all to have a happily ever after with the one I imprinted on. I tried to frame an answer best not to scare him off if he was just being nice, but one that would have him wanting more if he was truly curious. "I think he just realized him and I were not meant to be, he ended up marrying last summer." It occurred to me, although he seemed to remember me, I was having a hard time remembering him. There were a lot of Forks kids that hung out at the beach during the warmer sunnier days reprieve from rain, and I was too in love with Sam then to care about the younger crowd from the neighboring town. "I am sorry, Mike, but I can't place you. When did you graduate from high school, was it in Forks?"

"Last year from Forks, I took a year off to backpack and hike around the country. It was awesome. I suppose I was probably 2-3 years behind you. Of course the beautiful women would catch the younger guys attention, but not the other way around." He added with a sigh and a slight chuckle.

It was then realized he was in Bella's class. Of course I stayed away from him as his group recently. The sickening sweet smell that took over most of Forks High School thanks to the Cullens was enough to keep me away. But realizing I would have found the cure to all my heartbreak earlier added a tinge of regret.

"I had been a little preoccupied, sorry." It was all I could think to say. The sorry was more to myself though than to him, sorry that I didn't find away to meet him earlier.

"Don't worry about it," he said with and a smile. "I was too. But we can make up for it now. Lunch?" He asked the question, but without waiting for an answer, he picked up my book bag to help me. He seemed like a lost puppy dog trying to find someone to take him home now that he was in the big city by himself. He definitely was more mature than most his age, but he still was a teenager who had barely seen the world. Seth had more experience with the pains of life than he did. I could also tell that he had usually gotten his way with the ladies, one that usually was always the popular one where ever he went. I worried that I was just another girl to him, but with the impossibility of letting reason take over, I answered the only way I could.

"Sure," adding a welcoming smile.

"When is your next class, so we can better figure out where to go?"

"Two, Intro to Psych with Albert." I was glad I had taken the time to go over my schedule earlier in the day to not need to fumble in my bag that Mike was holding for me.

His face lit up like a Christmas tree at this revelation. "Really, me too!" When he got excited, it seemed like he really got excited. "It looks like fate brought us together, and maybe with your help I won't get lost trying to find class this time."

"Yes, fate indeed," I said, barely containing a chuckle. I am glad that he was the one that said it, not me. I guess I could have answered saying how it was something stronger than fate, but to someone outside the supernatural world, the word fate would have to do.

As we walked to a local pizzeria the two of us joked like we were old friends, mainly talking about the trivial pursuits that made up our lives. No serious topics, just small talk the way that long time friends would have talked after meeting up with each other after only a weeks absence. I felt the barrier of hostility towards others slowly being bombarded by a wrecking ball. It felt nice to have the sun on my heart again. Mike got us a table at the pizzeria in the back where we could talk, but nothing incredibly private, but it was I felt comfortable defending as well. Again, it was like we were old friends that were just grabbing lunch together. Nothing seemed forced or pushed like we had only really had known each other for a matter of an hour instead of years.

After the waiter took our order, I decided it was best to actually get to know Mike more than the few facts I knew about him. He went to Forks High with Bella and backpacked for a year instead of college immediately out of high school. Besides that, I knew nothing really about him, everything else were really uneducated guesses. I at least wanted to know something about him that was tangible to take with me later.

"So you spent an entire year backpacking and hiking around the country since you graduated high school?" I decided it was best to start with something he already talked about. I wanted to know more about him, but I didn't want to sound over eager.

"Not quite," he began. He seemed to be searching for the best way to talk about it. I guess I hit accidently on a sore subject, or maybe it was just too much to talk about. But there was a slight pain in his eyes as he was trying to explain it; maybe I wasn't the only one with heartbreak in my past. "I spent all summer after grad with my on again/off again high school girl friend. Without distractions, the first months were wonderful. We were both actually thinking about getting serious, and I was falling completely in love." He took a breath and a moment to re-center him self, he really did have heartbreak in his eyes. Why was he opening up me so quickly, I pondered? Maybe the imprint wasn't one sided, maybe it was just the wolves that knew enough to decode the mystery of it.

When he had regained his internal composure he went on with his story, "I got to a point where I knew logically that she was not what I wanted or needed, but my heart was telling me otherwise. My family owns a sporting good store in Forks, so I was brought up to love spending time hiking and fishing and camping. It was something that was important to me so I tried to get Jessica to come out with me a few times. We went hiking and she wore mock designer heels, then she complained when they got muddy. We tried fishing once, but she saw the worm she made the most disgusted face and pouted until we went home. Anything that was important to me she scoffed at, but nevertheless she wanted to be with me all around town. I began to feel like the illusion of a real relationship was all that was important to her, but I really wanted more. I felt more, and because of that I unfortunately didn't care how she was treating me. The only other person I ever had feelings for, despite her not letting me have a chance to prove my love to her, had gotten married. I was not going to let Jessica get away when I loved her, even if she didn't seem to love the actual me."

"I determined that it was okay that she didn't want to do the outdoors stuff with me, if I could find some private time with her and get to know her interests more. Maybe we would find something to do together from her hobby list, but gossip seemed to be her biggest thrill by far. When it was innocent 'so and so are dating' it was kind of cool and nice to be in the know, but after our friends Angela and Ben got engaged in late August, it all went down hill. She started talking about all our friends getting married too young and ruining their lives, which concerned me alone since the proposal got me thinking more about marriage, not immediately, but maybe proposing the next summer?"

"But it got worse when she started talking about all the ways that Angela and Ben would ruin their lives. Then it turned to Bella and Edward." So he did know them. Of course he would, Forks High is not the biggest school in world, all the students in the same class would know each other. Not to mention the fact that it is hard to miss the presence of bloodsuckers, even if you don't know what you are looking at, I corrected myself and refocused my entire being on his story. "She complained about him leaving, then coming back like nothing had happened, which I would admit bothered me too. Then she used that as a springboard to say how it wouldn't work now. When she got the latest juicy rumor that Bella got sick on their honeymoon, she said it was probably Edward realizing that Bella was beneath him and she was too embarrassed to leave the house. When she heard the rumor about them adopting a child, she said it was because Edward would rather adopt than to have offspring with her genes."

"We had started our first semester together in college, I was trying my best to find pieces of humanity in my Jessica, but everyday her thoughts were more and more vile against Bella. She was becoming a monster. Eventually she started saying how it would be over in a year and Edward would realize the mistake and come sweep her off her feet. He would realize how he chose wrong when he finally decided to date in high school." He explained all this with a seriously pained expression on his face.

"It was when her gossip and conjectures about the Cullens turned into her fantasies with Edward and ridding him of Bella that I knew I needed to end it. I still cared for Bella, despite whatever she saw Cullen. She wasn't even realizing the hurt she was causing me, and I don't think she cared. Worse, I don't think she cared about the hurt it would cause to anyone. It was about her getting Edward, the ultimate prize. I was just second best, and was beginning to appear to me that it is all I would ever be, the second place trophy. I was something to show off, but also to constantly figure out how you could have earned the first place instead of second. I knew I couldn't be around her either while I still loved her, so I withdrew from the university for the semester, saying I would be back in the fall needing to take care of a personal issue, and then proceeded to break up with Jessica. I did it alone in her dorm where no one could start rumors about the situation and she couldn't throw a scene. I didn't care what explanation Jessica told everyone I broke up with her for, I just didn't want to deal with a public scene for a break-up."

"I bought a bike with some cash I had in savings, threw some clothes in a backpack and hit the road the next morning. I went south first, then all around the country. I hit all 48 states in the continuous U.S." He said all of this with the first smile since he started answering what I thought was a relatively simple question. "I hit every major campground and trail, and I found myself again. I actually just got back only last week, though I considered staying on the open road longer. It was only my mom that convinced me to come back to school, and I am glad I listened." He smiled again at me then went back on to his tale. "I learned a lot, and I learned what is important to me. I learned that Jessica would have never been right for me, no matter what I did to try to convince myself. I just don't belong in her world, nor does she belong in mine. "

"Wow," it was all I could imagine to say out loud. I imprinted on someone who loves the outdoors, hates gossip, and has experienced a similar heartbreak from an indirect result of the Cullens. It was interesting how my hate for them had disappeared though since meeting Mike, it was like they were also indirectly involved in me finding love. I would never admit that to them, but it was ironic to think about.

"What about you?" he asked, "Why the time off before college?"

In a way it was the type of question I just asked him. A basic question, one not expected to bring out heartache in the answer, especially within hours of first getting to know one another. However, I felt compelled to tell him my story. I left out all the mythical parts, but I explained my story of heartache and pain. It was just when I finished that our pizza arrived.

I wolfed down half the pizza, and when Mike hadn't touched the last slice I went for that too. He just stared at me in awed shock as I devoured the food. When I was finally finished he was able to put his thoughts that up until then was just an expression on his face that said it all, into words. "Didn't eat yet today?"

"I was hungry. I work out a lot," I said with a reassuring smile, trying not to scare him off.

"I am a lucky guy, I meet a girl who is breathtakingly gorgeous, that I share so much in common with, and actually eats. Not many guys can say that about their first day of college."

I found myself slightly blushing; I am not sure Mike saw though. We got up and paid the bill, Mike first tried to pay for both but I insisted on paying my share. It was great that he did the gentlemen thing to do, but I eat way too much to let him shoulder that cost. He did let me spilt it, but he asked for in return was an actual proper date Friday evening.

We both had class again together after lunch, it turned out to be our only other class together though after we discussed our schedules on the way to class. Again we talked about the small things that made time with him so natural and not forced as we made our way across campus.

Class was just like the English earlier in format and with me insisting on certain seats. Mike did think that was a little weird, but he smiled and went along with it. During Professor Albert's recitation of the syllabus, Mike took his hand from his desk and grabbed mine. He looked at me with a strange glance after grabbing my hand, but his hand remained interlocked with mine until the end of the period.

When we were dismissed, Mike looked like he had a few burning questions to ask me before we needed to disperse for our next classes on opposite ends of the campus.

"Leah?" He was unsure how to proceed.

"Yeah?"

"Are you feeling alright, I noticed your hand was very warm?"

"Oh, yeah, I am fine." I needed to figure out what to tell him that wasn't a lie but he wasn't quite ready for the full truth. I figured telling him parts of the truth was best, since it is never good to start or base a relationship on any lie, even well intentioned ones. "There is a weird genetic trait in my family, some of us have just naturally higher body temperatures. Scares doctors every time were go to a hospital or clinic off the rez."

"I guess that makes you better suited for cold day hikes then." He said with a wink. He started to pack up his things and leave for class, when he turned around realizing he forgot something. "Leah, I never got your phone number. Let me program it into my phone so I can call you later tonight?"

I just shook my head with a smile. I am not sure I smiled this much, even with Sam, in my life. I grabbed my cell before he could find his in his book bag, so I decided getting his number would be better first.

"What's your number?"

He rambled off the number mechanically while I entered it into my phone book, but when it asked for his name I realized I never got his last name. I went to ask him, but Mike was still occupied trying to find his lost cell phone in his bag.

"Why don't you try calling it, that way I can save the number that way and find my phone?" he said with a half-smile. Not finding his phone was obviously bothering him.

"Sure thing," I dialed the number and Mike was taken by surprise as the ring came from his back pocket. As he pulled it out, I asked him last name.

"Newton, and yours?"

"Clearwater"

Again, he had this look on his face, like the one when we first met in English a mere four hours ago. He was trying to place something, figure out something, like a lost piece to a puzzle. "Clearwater? Do you know Seth?"

"That's my baby brother? How do you know him?"

"I hung out with him at the Cullen's wedding. He is a cool kid, why weren't you there if he and your mom were?"

"I wasn't on friendly terms with them, I had the invite but I didn't want to show."

"Too bad," he said with sincerity, "then we could have met then and saved ourselves the heart ache we both had to face this last year."

"Too bad," I said back with a half-smile. I knew I would have imprinted on him back then too, but was unsure if I this wasn't the way it was meant to be all along. I was happy with everything as it was now, it made sense can I fit in somewhere.

"I will call you later, maybe hang out tonight?" And with that he walked out of the classroom. Although I knew he was sincere with his words and it would be only hours until we saw each other again, I felt like being separated was not an option I would ever chose. I walked slowly to my next class, trying to minimize the distance between Mike and I as long as possible. I went on with the rest of the day enjoying my new life but I also knew that my day would be so much brighter when Mike called that evening. I have imprinted, I have found my match.

A/N: I have a side story I wrote while developing this plot from Alice POV that sets up this story, if people want it, I will work on it a bit more and publish it too. Also, I know lots of people hate Mike, but I think he has always got a bump deal in a lot of fanfics I have read. He just fell for the wrong girl, the one meant for Edward. I think he deserves love too, and not with Jessica.