First Impressions (OPEN)

[Alan McKee]

So, this was his new school? They had to be takin' the piss. It was somewhat similar to his old school, in the sense that a lot of the paint on doors were so old and unmaintained that it was actually starting to curl outwards and away from the rotting wood. Cobwebs, covered with dead bugs and some of the biggest spiders he'd ever seen netted the dark and grimy corners of, well, a lot of places. Oh, and one of the most noticeable similarities would be that everywhere you looked was packed with people, yet the entire school seemed as if it was completely void of intelligent life.

In other words: idiots, thousands of them! And these were to be his new schoolmates, who would help and guide him into shaping his future. Or so he read in one of those cheesy pamphlets you find hanging on racks in the nurses office.

'Cherish your school friends' It had read 'succeed as one, you succeed as many.' Or something like that.

Somehow, Alan didn't hold much confidence in that. He assumed it worked both ways, you know, fail as one, you fail as many. He had hoped that leaving home and moving to a new country and time zone would get him away from idiots, what a twat he had been! But, maybe there wouldn't be that many of them? Any hopes like these were shot down when he encountered his first group of white guys with there trousers around their knees, fingers wrapped around each other and weighed down with more fake gold than Jimmy Saville.

That's right, FIRST group!! There would be more, and more, and more still. They just kept coming, when will it end dammit!?!

After recovering from his mild breakdown, Alan finally managed to wade threw the sea of human, type, things, and reach what he assumed were the main doors. Once inside, he managed to breath a sigh of relief, the hallway he was now in was relativity empty, just a few kids here and there. When none of them lunged at him with a bat or knife, he breathed another sigh of relief, he had been listening to too many of his aunt's horror stories. He stood there in his long black leather trench coat, with a short-sleeve black button up shirt underneath, left completely open, and with a plain white T-shirt under that. He had a black leather belt printed with white skulls an crossbones holding up his baggy black jeans, the belt itself was hidden beneath the hem of his T-shirt. And of course, his feet were dressed in his steel-toed boots, and his hands in his old ragged work out gloves.

He ran a gloved hand through his long hair. His face was blank and completely unreadable, an unbreakable mask of apathy that had taken years to develop, but inside he couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

First things first, he had to find the main office and pick up his class timetable. His blue eyes scanned the halls occupants, he didn't hold too much faith in their intelligence, but one of them should be able to at least show him to the office. Putting on his best fake smile, he walked ten paces down the hall and tapped the shoulder of the first person he encountered. Still forcing that oh-so charming smile of his he asked:

“'Scuse me, d'you know where the main office is?”

[Alyssa]

Monday morning. Ah yes, a breath of fresh air. The start to a brand new week of reputation gaining mischief and socialising. Alas, today wasn't quite the usual picture of Cat Steven's 'morning has broken' for Alyssa Pearce. She'd stayed up all sunday night finishing off the history essay she'd completely forgotten about, thanks to a stupid maths paper and by god she hated maths! But the blackbird has spoken, in the form of the annoying alarm, so praise for the singing of the students, raving on about their weekend. Praise for the morning and the springing flesh. Yes, flesh, new flesh.

She stood by her locker, trying to evade the crowds who often liked to smash you against the cold steel. Stupid kids with no prospects in life other than to join the most hyped street gang or get pregnant before eighteen. Usually she made an effort to look decent for school, but today was an exception. ALL mondays were. In the early morning rush before breafast, she'd shoved on a pair of black drainpipe jeans from the pile on the floor, and a light grey 'God save the Queen' sex pistols band t-shirt. It was a retro from camden town market in good ol' London, once upon a time one lazy summer ago. Her hair quite literally a mess that Amy Winehouse would be more than proud of; she hadn't had time to wash it so the hairspray from yesterday still stuck despite a brush being put through it. Pointed black and white sneakers and minimal make-up assuredly prepared her for school.

Today was different though. Whilst rummaging around her in locker, she heard a voice ring out amongst the others to one side of her. The only thing that caught her attention though, was the accent. Scottish. Music to her ears! The locker was casually shut, despite her inner excitement to just slam it. After hearing so many American voices, you have no idea how wonderful it was to hear a voice that reminded her of home...kinda. It wasn't just that though. It was the question he'd asked after tapping the shoulder of the boy next to her. Immediately, from that question, she knew that this kid was new here. Fresh meat. The boy he'd singled out first, was arrogant enough to just ignore the question, and after launching a loogie at his feet, slammed his locker and walked off into the crowds. Alyssa had fallen into the same trap on her first day. She'd said a simple 'hi' to her locker buddy, only for the greeting to fall on deaf ears...and the turn of his back to her. See, he considered himself a tough guy, despite his puny form, and tough guys didn't have to talk to anyone. That left her chocolate-brown eyes staring at the new kid, and a warm, welcoming smile on her 'English-rose' features.

"I doubt he's ever set foot in the main office," her eyes gestured to her 'locker-buddy,' who had by now disappeared out of earshot into the main crowds of students. When she spoke again in her 'posh-snob' British accent, her attention was back on the new kid. "But I have. Actually, I'm kinda new here myself." She turned to dial the combination that locked her locker, and with two biology books clasped against her chest with one arm, she secured her bag on her shoulder with the spare hand. "It's this way."

Leading the way, getting through the main crowds was the hard part, but once she'd turned the corridor away from the main foyer, the side corridor leading to the school admin offices was pretty empty. Her pace purposely casual so she could delight in smalltalk on the way. "I'm assuming you are new here. Right?"

[Alan McKee]

Well, wasn’t he a charmer? The boy had completely blanked him, causing the smile to drop right off Alan’s face and to be replaced with a scowl. His blue eyes narrowed slightly, and his gloved hands balled into fists at his sides. Just in case. But fortunately, the boy didn’t try to start anything; he just spat at his feet and walked away. What a Ponce, trying to act the hard man, Alan would bet anything that he wouldn’t last five seconds down the bottom end. As he watched the boy walk away, he ran a hand through his long hair and adopted his previous look of apathy. Looks like smiles and manners wouldn’t get him very far in this place.

”Fine, bugger you then.” He would drone once the kid was out of hearing range, at the back of his mind, a small part of him prayed that he would bump into him again one day. As he was about to walk away, he was halted by the sudden voice of the person next to him.

"I doubt he's ever set foot in the main office," He turned to the girl and saw her gesture at the twat. He just watched her for a few seconds, taking in her details. "But I have. Actually, I'm kinda new here myself." The first thing he noticed: her accent. English, either that or she was faking and trying to take the piss.

The second thing: she was gorgeous! Lovin’ the shirt. She looked a little haggard, but everyone was allowed an off day.

He didn’t say anything, he just watched her do her business in her in her locker. So, assuming she was being legit and was in fact British, or to be more specific, English. Alan really wasn’t too fond of southerners to be honest; there was no reason behind his dislike, no justification. It was just that being Scottish automatically meant that you hated the English, at least according to his dad. He didn’t really get it himself, but after years of having the concept drilled into his head, well, it was kinda second nature now. But, he could play nice if it meant staying out of trouble and/or getting help.

"It's this way." The girls voice snapped him out of his thoughts, before he could even respond she was already walking.

”Um… right.” He said, moving to catch up with her. They walked for a while, and much to Alan’s relief it got considerably less crowded as they moved. Alan was perfectly happy to stay silent, in fact he found the quiet quite relaxing, but his guide it seamed had other ideas.

"I'm assuming you are new here. Right?"

“Uh, that’s right, first day.” He said, giving a small polite smile. “I didn’t expect ‘em to roll out the red carpet or nothin’, but they ain’t exactly welcomin’ ‘round here, are they?” He gestured behind them with his head, referring to the twat from earlier.

”Oh, th’names Alan by the way.” He introduced himself, he raised his right hand slightly at his side, just in case she expect a hand shake or something.

[Alyssa]

Chocolate brown eyes behind a fan of long lashes caked in dried mascara, side-glanced at the new kid, watching and waiting to judge his responses. She, like he, held a light, polite smile, and her assumptions were indeed correct. He was new alright, and possessed an amusing sense of humour. Her fake, polite smile, grew as he tickled at her funny bone with dry comments. Ah yes, he was learning as quickly as she had. You could run through the school, sreaming your lungs out with your clothes on fire, and probably only gain 5% attention. People were self-obsessed, arrogant gits. It irritated her that she should be forced to compete with such...things.

"Welcome to the jungle," she added dryly, following his gestures with her eyes to the crowd lingering in the main corridor behind them. Then her eyes returned to the new boy, brows lowered slightly as she speculated over him with general judgements. The accent was too strong to belong to someone who'd lived in the states for too long, unless he was the overly patriotic sort.

"Alyssa," she simply replied to his introduction, squinting slightly as she made complete eye contact. Holding a strong gaze had become more than just a habit; it was more of a way of being, like one might might talk and breathe. Alyssa had mastered the art, and often didn't realise she was staring or making people feel unconfortable. Other times, she would glare purposefully. Right now, her attention was merely caught by the strikingly blue eyes of this Scottish lad. Alan; the Scot with the blue eyes. That was easy enough to remember. Finally, she tore her eyes away, to look ahead as she walked.

"Might as well plug in some earphones, unless you already had the meeting with the head counsillor? They're all so full of shit. I mean, you'll be forced to settle in far quicker than you expect I imagine. The animals here are quick to determine their prey. I've found that getting to the real roots of the packs however, is a little more challenging."

She casually stopped by a high desk that resembled those reception counters in hospitals. A chubby woman in her mid-40s or so, thinning red curls pinned back, sat with her back to them, phone to her ear. Some kind of conversation, apparently non-work related, as she addressed the caller as 'Shelley-dear.' Probably her daughter, but Alyssa was more interested in the new kid, as she leaned against the reception counter with her back. Did he understand what she was rambling on about? Eyes fixed themselves on his again, as she tilted her head to one side slightly.

"What are you anyway. Sophomore? Freshman?" It was always hard to tell. He looked very young, but his voice had obviously broken, so he wasn't some twelve year old boy. Besides that, he could've been a senior with an under-matured face. Gargoyle-faces, as her mother so nicely called them. She laughed outright, and rolled her eyes. "Silly American terminology."

[Alan McKee]

He placed his hands in his pockets and continued walking along side his guide, he let his eyes wander and take in the details of the hallway he was in. At least back home, the interior was well maintained, sweeped and mopped and wiped down every night. A new lick of paint would be added twice a year, the colours were hideous ones like yellows and oranges, but they were still looked after. Here on the other hands, it was quite different. Dust bunnies in every corner, the paint was chipped and peeling away, and… was that blood? Yep, this place was going to hell, wonder if the faculty was doing anything about this place instead of standing around with their fingers in their arses!?

"Alyssa,"

Her name, it was a new one to him. He then found himself being stared at, it was a little unnerving but he made sure that none of his discomfort was shown. Instead, he held her stare with his blue eyes into her brown ones, keeping that small polite smile firmly on his face. He kept her stare until she looked away, he had no idea what she was thinking, but he’d best keep his guard up.

"Might as well plug in some earphones, unless you already had the meeting with the head counsillor? They're all so full of shit. I mean, you'll be forced to settle in far quicker than you expect I imagine. The animals here are quick to determine their prey. I've found that getting to the real roots of the packs however, is a little more challenging."

Alan gave a light laugh before responding, “Hmm, I haven’t spoken to anyone personally, my relatives were th’ones to take care eh everythin’. Settling shouldn’t be a problem, and as for the ‘animals’ around here: I’ve spent most of my life surrounded by NEDs, after that I think I can take whatever this place throws at me.” He gave a chuckle before facing forwards again.

Ah, they were there. Alan walked up to the desk and smiled at the woman behind, he cleared his throat and gave a quiet “Exuse me.” Only to reciecve a cold shoulder in response, she was on the phone so, he would give her a few seconds to hang up and then try again.

"What are you anyway. Sophomore? Freshman?" Alan turned his attention back to the girl, and gave the short answer of “Freshman.” And then as an after thought asked, “How ’bout you?”

He turned back to the woman, and spoke again. “Excuse me!” He said a little more forcefully, but still maintained his polite smile and tone. He already didn’t like the woman, and her response would determine whether or not things remained civil.