~"Well, you are terrifying."~
CHAPTER V - A THREAT?
May 2007
JARED CAMERON WAS BACK STARTING the first week of May. The entire school was in an uproar over his sudden—and pleasing to the eye—change.
Clara merely patted Kim on the back as girls across the school fawned over the boy entering the building. The two girls were talking, but Izzy couldn't hear them as she inhaled again.
That strange scent that was subtly on Sam Uley was now rolling off the newly appeared Jared Cameron. It wasn't pleasant, but it was not unpleasant either.
What was unpleasant however, was the feeling washing over Izzy.
The strange scent did not smell like a normal human. It was mixed with something that held a tinge of danger with an underlying hint of animal.
It was really the only confirmation Izzy needed.
Sam Uley and Jared Cameron must have awoken their dormant genes. She just hoped it wasn't her fault.
Though she was a bit worried over how the boy would react to her, the fact he didn't change into a beast and lunge yet was a good sign he couldn't tell her apart from the other mortals she stood with.
And truthfully, if anyone was at fault for their sudden changes it had to be the Cullens. After all, there were seven of them!
A twitch of her nose and flick of the eyes showed Paul coming up to her with his mouth parted in shock, "Is that what you meant?"
Clara and Kim eyed the boy cautiously, but watched the fascinating pair before them.
Izzy nodded, "Yeah. Strange right."
"Jared is kind of friends with Sam…" Paul mumbled, still eyeing the door the other boy went through.
Clara nodded, "And I heard Sam looks like he spent those two weeks training in the forest like he was Tarzan. The guy came back jacked as hell."
"Are you sure it's not a gang?" Paul asked, suspicion heavy in his tone.
Izzy snorted, "I'm certain."
"I don't know, Red. What if they're like dosing?" He glanced down at her with a frown.
Her eyebrows shot up, but before she could say anything Clara hissed, "Dosing? Like drugs?"
Izzy smacked Paul's arm lightly, "Look what you did! You'll start rumors like this."
At least he had the decency to look ashamed at her words.
"Jared would never do drugs." Kim defended as her face clouded over in horror from the mere thought.
"Look, it might not be drugs, but I'd keep your distance for a while." Paul suggested before telling Izzy he'll see her later and nodding to the other two.
Clara sighed, "Kim's problem is that there's already too much distance…"
"Shut up, Clara!" Kim snapped playfully, no real anger behind her words.
Clara chuckled, but jerked her chin toward the school, "Let's go before we get stuck behind a group of girls ogling Jared."
Kim sighed longingly as she agreed and the three took off to their classes.
It seemed nobody in the school was focused on classes between Jared's intense make over and the nearing end of the school year. Not that Izzy cared, she could finish all of her classes with her eyes closed at this point.
Kim seemed stuck between wanting to stare in awe at Jared or keep her gaze averted lest she send herself into cardiac arrest—Izzy knew because the girl's heart was fluttering like a bird's wings.
Clara could do nothing but stare blankly at the gaggle of girls who were blocking the hallways just to get a chance to see the junior that had the whole school in a tizzy.
Izzy didn't really care, other than worry if he'd jump at her any minute.
The rest of the week went on in a very similar fashion. And it was on Friday that she encountered the one thing she didn't want—Jared Cameron to be staring at her as she waited outside the school building, ready to walk home.
She knew she should have just left Paul behind!
Jared's dark eyes were piercing her as if she were a new sea creature pulled from their salty shore. And perhaps to the boy's sense of smell, she was something similar to that.
Izzy watched as he tried to discreetly inhale again, though the fact he wasn't dragging her off to the woods to dispose of her was a good sign, it still made her tense slightly.
"Can I help you?" She asked with a fake smile plastered on her face.
His scent was even more strange this close.
That's when she realized the smell of this mortal was not appetizing. The blood rushing through his veins didn't call to her the same way Kim or even Maia's did. No, something instinctively told her that it would be unpleasant to sink her teeth into this boy.
Jared continued to stare before moving a little closer as he cleared his throat, "Your Izzy Littlesea, right? We haven't met before. I'm Jared Cameron."
She gave a tight smile, "Nice to meet you. But did you need something?"
"Have you been to Forks recently?" He blurted out, looking like he was internally chastising himself for it.
She hummed, "No. I won't go to Forks if I can help it."
He nodded, "It's best to stay away from there…" he leaned in a bit more to sniff her again only for her to sense a hand coming to grab her waist from behind.
A delicate sniff from herself showed it to be Paul and she let herself be whisked away from Jared.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Paul snarled at the boy who looked like he was making a move on Izzy. He put all his anger and thoughts toward Jared and not the fact his hand was on Izzy's waist.
She shuffled out of his hold with ease, "It's fine, Paul. He was just asking if I've been to Forks recently."
"Why? Maia works there. If he has questions maybe he can ask her." Paul snapped, eyes still narrowed on the boy who looked more like a grown man with his bulging muscles and sudden height increase.
Jared perked up and looked distraught all at once from those words, "Ah, I forgot Maia worked there. Tell her to be careful."
"Is that a threat?!" Paul grunted, his eyes wild.
Jared stepped back, his eyes serious, "No, just-just don't go off the rez if you don't have to, okay?"
He cast another curious glance at Izzy before he jogged away, past his old group of friends he'd been pushing away all week and off into the trees—no doubt looking like some weirdo to the mortals.
"That was weird, right?" Paul groaned, hand coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose.
Izzy nodded, "Very."
Her eyes were trained on where he disappeared, feeling as though she won the battle for the day.
Paul and her sat on the log in their usual spot as he ranted about Jared.
"You're sure he didn't do anything to you?" Paul asked for what felt like the fiftieth time.
Izzy sighed, "Yes. He was just being a little strange."
"A little? Izzy he was hovering over you! How'd he get so freakishly tall anyway?" Paul continued on, spiraling further into his own mind.
She patted his arm gently, like soothing a crying toddler, "It's okay, Paul. You're tall yourself. And you're still growing."
He snapped his head to her, eyes narrowed, "I'm perfectly happy with my height. Thank you."
She hummed in response before they talked about the upcoming graduation.
"Did you want to come?" He asked as casually as he could, avoiding looking at her while doing so.
Izzy didn't have anything else to do seeing as Maia was splitting most of her time between Matthew and work.
"Sure." She agreed before suggesting, "Maybe we can go out to Seattle for dinner after."
Paul grinned so brightly she nearly shielded her eyes, "Perfect!"
She smirked wickedly at him, "I'll drive. I can get us a reservation so don't worry. Do you want to ask your father to join or maybe your friends?"
"No." He said quickly before clearing his throat, "My old man and I aren't really getting along. I don't want you meeting him like that. And my friends already have plans."
Paul lied boldly, though Izzy was unaware. His friends did not have plans, but he'd be damned if he let them ruin a whole evening alone with her. Or worse, scare her off and never have her speak to him again.
But it was true his old man was still being pissy. He barely was even home anymore and Paul thought it was because now that he was considered a legal adult his old man felt no responsibility.
He glanced at her with suspicion, "I didn't know you could drive…"
Paul was simultaneously excited and afraid by the sparkle in her eyes.
"Matthew and I decided to take a vacation next month." Maia's face was full of childish glee.
Izzy smiled back, "That'll be fun! Where are you guys going?"
"Mm. We're still deciding. Domestic? International? Any ideas?" Maia glanced at her as she folded her laundry.
Izzy grinned ferally, "Vegas. Maybe you guys can get hitched while you're there."
Her hand flashed out so fast to catch the pillow Maia threw at her that the mortal didn't even see the action.
Izzy smirked when Maia groaned, "No fair! Let it hit you at least once."
"Not a chance." Izzy chuckled as she set the pillow back on the bed.
Maia huffed, "Vegas could be fun though. Not to get hitched. I'd never do that without you there."
Izzy flipped her hair over her shoulder, "Damn right! I'll hunt you down if you even think about it."
Maia and her continued to make a list of places she could present to Matthew and hopefully he was fun enough to accept one of them. Though, Izzy thought he would be considering he too was out parading around on Valentine's Day incognito.
When Maia asked if she had plans she responded that she was doing something with Kim and Clara, though the girls hadn't decided yet.
"To be young again…" Maia sighed wistfully.
Izzy snorted, "Yeah. It's the best." The sarcasm was heavy in her tone as she rolled her eyes.
"Give me your youth then." Maia laughed as she winked.
Both women knew Maia would never want to live forever. Maia had even made Isolde promise that if anything ever happened to her that she would let her pass the way she was meant to.
Isolde always kept her promises. Still following one of the first promises she ever made with her father. 'Promise to survive no matter what, my little treasure'.
"I'm also going to Seattle with Paul after his graduation." She said casually, not thinking much of the plans until Maia gasped.
The older woman was looking at her with playful shock, "He graduates and you sink your claws right into him? You're quick."
Izzy narrowed her eyes, "Not like that!"
She clicked her tongue, "As friends. I thought it would be nice to treat him to somewhere nice. It's a miracle he's even graduating, you know."
Maia hummed like she didn't believe a word said before teasingly grinning, "Never thought I'd see the day you put your hands on someone so young."
"My hands aren't touching anything. Don't worry." Izzy rolled her eyes.
Maia eyed her with suspicion, "Isn't he that boy who follows you around? The one who looks like a guard dog? He's cute. Has that whole bad boy vibe to him."
"He is a child." Izzy drawled, sprawling out on Maia's bed now that most of the laundry was out of the way.
Maia snorted, "We're all children to you, Iz."
Izzy couldn't deny that. Sometimes she forgot how old she truly was, having spent so much time living in the moment and not the past.
Living in the past was so doom and gloom, just look at those two. Izzy feared they'd never move on.
Although vampires were essentially stunted mentally when changed, so perhaps she couldn't fully blame them for being unable to adapt. Instead, maybe it was just her mother's half of her that allowed her to enjoy the present and heal.
If that were the case, she was quite thankful and lucky.
Clara, Kim, and Izzy were on the floor of Kim's room as they looked over the plans they came up with for the summer.
"Hiking, camping, cliff diving, sun bathing, beach volleyball, and a bonfire." Clara read off her list first before tossing the notebook onto the floor with a huff.
Kim eyed her before reading her own list, "Sleepover, movie marathon, beach picnic, hiking, and baking cookies."
Izzy looked at her own list feeling as if there were some differences. She cleared her throat softly as they looked at her next, "Cliff diving, hang at the beach, and decide on a college."
Clara groaned so loud Izzy swore the walls nearly shook.
"I thought your list would be wa~y more fun." Clara poured as Kim nodded along.
Izzy snorted, "Sorry, Maia wants me to take it easy before senior year."
"That's when we should be doing crazy stuff though! Like-like sneaking out of the house!" Clara slammed her hands down onto the floor as Kim jumped.
Clara ignored their stares as her eyes were manically popped open, "Or meeting up with a boyfriend! Or sneaking some alcohol! Or-or going to a party!"
"Do people even throw parties here?" Izzy questioned, wondering if anything wild like that ever happened.
Kim hummed, "Yeah, but we're not usually invited."
"Who is?"
Clara and Kim both eyed her before Kim mumbled cautiously, "People like you, usually."
"Or Paul! I'm sure he knows someone throwing a crazy party for graduation. Between here and Forks there's bound to be one." Clara shoved herself onto her knees in excitement, wiggling her way to Izzy and grabbing her hands as her eyes pleaded.
"Can you ask him for us?"
Kim rolled over and hugged Izzy's legs, "Please, Izzy!"
"Why do you guys want to go so bad?" She giggled, having fun watching the girls acting like they were children begging for a new toy.
Clara smirked deviously, "Well, Jared has been seen at some of these parties in the past."
"That's not the only reason I want to go!" Kim argued, sitting up properly.
"Ri~ght" Clara sang teasingly as she let go of Izzy's hands.
She looked at Izzy, "I mean it would be nice to go to one of them and actually be invited. We've crashed one before but we didn't know anybody. We ended up leaving early."
"We just want to experience it. Call it part of our bucket list of youth." Kim explained and Izzy knew she'd ask Paul either way.
Clara nodded, "I'm sure you've been to a ton of parties in the city so they might fall short here but..."
Izzy sighed in mock exasperation, "Fine, fine. I'll ask Paul."
Both girls launched themselves at her and she let herself fall to the floor with them, careful not to hurt them.
"Ask him now!" Clara cheered with stars in her eyes as the two untangled their bodies from Izzy.
Izzy (20:47) : Any parties happening soon around here?
Paul (20:48) : Y?
Izzy (20:48) : Yes or no
Paul (20:48) : Yes. 1 right after grad
Izzy (20:49) : Think u can get an invite 4 Clara n Kim?
Paul (20:49) : Not u?
Izzy (20:50) : We have plans don't we?
Paul (20:52) : I got u
Izzy (20:52) : Thanks Paul :)
Izzy told the girls the good news and they literally started jumping around and pulling clothes from Kim's closet.
"What are you going to wear, Izzy?" Kim asked as she held a shirt up against her in the mirror.
Clara eyed the shirt and shook her head before glancing at Izzy, "I'm sure Izzy's closet is way cooler than ours. She already stands out in her casual clothes."
It wasn't wrong, although Izzy tried to blend in, all of her clothes were expensive and from shops and boutiques in large cities.
"I'm not going, but I can bring some stuff over that you guys might like." Izzy saw their faces fall in unison.
Clara nearly launched herself over the bed as she cried, "What do you mean you're not going?!"
"I have plans already. But Paul said he can get you two invites."
The girls spent the rest of the night trying to convince her to cancel her prior plans to no avail. She didn't mention her plans were with Paul since she didn't think they'd react that well—and she was already dealing with Maia's teasing.
Paul appeared next to the three of them, slinging an arm around Izzy's shoulders as he cockily announced to Clara and Kim, "You guys are in."
Their eyes that fell to his arm with his original appearance soon darted to his face as their own lit up with excitement.
"You're not so bad after all, Lahote." Clara declared as she grinned widely.
Kim shyly smiled and mumbled out a thank you, but Paul merely nodded in response to them. He explained he'd send the details later and get their numbers from Izzy.
While the girls chattered about the party, Paul grinned down at Izzy who was shrugging his arm off with ease as she tapped his chest with her fist, "Thanks again, Paul."
"It was nothing."
And it really wasn't. Paul's friends, despite their rougher behavior and tendencies for violence over words, were still popular in their own way. The bad boy image they projected had girls flocking to any party they showed up at.
"Well, it still made their year." Izzy smiled softly as she glanced at the girls.
Paul raised an eyebrow at her, "Why didn't you get an invite yourself for them?"
"I don't really talk to anyone else too much. Or more like I think they're afraid to talk to me." Izzy chuckled as she thought of people who seemed to want to approach her, but didn't.
Paul playfully feigned a disturbed expression, "Well, you are terrifying."
"Or more like it's you they're afraid of." She snorted, thinking of hearing the words 'guard dog' more often than not.
He threw a hand onto his chest, "Is that mouth of yours only used to wound?"
"Amongst other things~" Izzy sang before she smirked coquettishly, internally laughing at how on the nose he was with the comment.
Paul tripped at her retort, stunned into silence over the words that repeated in his mind. Izzy was never so playful (flirty? hey a guy could be hopeful) with him.
Maybe it was a sign she was opening up. Maybe his change in behavior was letting them grow closer. Paul knew they would only ever be friends, but he wanted to at least be her best friend.
And she was choosing him over Kim and Clara to hang out with after the graduation. So he felt rather smug about the whole thing. No matter how petty it may have seemed.