Lie In Bed With Snakes
Disclaimer: I do NOT own x-men, or some of the characters in this story. lyrics are "Memories" by Within Temptation
Chapter one: Kata
All of my memories keep you near
In silent moments imagine you here
All of my memories keep you near
Your silent whispers, silent tears
The girl sweated and turned all through the night, soaking through clothes and bedsheets. The fourth night in a row. It went in cycles: for hours she would be all right, normal. Then unexpectedly she'd begin to heat up, fever rising, eyes glassy, sweating and shaking like a crack addict in need of a serious fix.
Finally, around 5 in the morning she started to return to normal. Breathing heavily, she gave up all hope for sleep since she'd have to get ready for school soon. Ridiculous. Her mother had told her to stay home until she felt better but…that would be like admitting something that neither one of them really wanted to. That there was really something wrong with her.
She got out of the bed, heavy covers all over the floor. No problem, she thought. It's already a mess. Speaking of mess…
She went to the mirror on her wall and took a look. Stringy hair soaked so dark that it would be difficult to guess its auburn colour. Eyes puffy from yet another sleepless night. Skin shiny, streaked with leftover mascara on her cheeks.
Fuck…I need a shower. She stripped off the rest of her clothes and headed for the shower. "I'm just a teenage dirtbag baby…" she sang quietly, disliking the silence. There had been too much of that for the past three years.
Too much quiet since her brother had shortcirciuted their apartment back in L.A and left. Didn't leave a note, an address or anything else to show he cared about leaving, about completely breaking their mother's heart. She'd always had bad luck with men, let her love them before they beat her and left her. Repeatedly. After an incident when she and her brother had been in elementary school she'd completely given them up and made her two children her entire life. None of that had mattered to him. Didn't even bother to say "good-bye," nevermind "sorry."
Sometimes, what really bothered her was the way she could barely remember Gabriel. They'd been five years apart in age, but they'd always been close. They used to go sit outside on the roof at night and talk for hours, name the stars. He was the guy that was confident enough to not mind bringing his little sister out for a movie, or taking her to dinner. His face, his hands, his smile; it used to be as familiar to her as her own.
Now, when she thought of him she remembered it like an old photograph. Soft and blurry, the details unable to make out. Short black hair, most of the time he had it in a buzz. Rich chocolate eyes so dark they were almost black, like her own. Lightly tanned skin, white teeth. An earring glinted in his left ear.
But she couldn't remember the best parts. The curve of his smile, the sound of his laughter. The memories were hidden somewhere in the back of her mind where she couldn't reach them and it made her unspeakably sad sometimes.
Enough about that, she thought. I can't worry about my being sad, that'll only make mom sad too. Finished with her shower she stepped out and started drying her hair. Their landlord had a bad habit of denying paid bills and regularily cut off power. Out in rural Alberta during winter she was going to freeze to death if she didn't dry off quickly.
She went to her room, already hearing her mom up. A smile came to her lips. Mom. Possibly the only parent she'd ever met that hadn't cared about her child being a mutant. She'd told Gabriel she loved him anyway and it wouldn't matter to her. And he'd left anyway. The girl knew her own powers were beginning to emerge, a fact that scared her mom because she was terrified that her other child would leave her now too.
Well, I wouldn't, she thought. Not ever.
She put on her pjamas quickly: an oversize black Led Zeppelin concert tee that barely covered satin-y black panties. She also put on her favourite stockings: thick, black and white goodness that looked straight out of an anime. Her mom had given them to her for Christmas.
In the kitchen, Maria Sanchez looked up to smile at her daughter. The girl's heart warmed. It was going to be the two of them forever, she knew it. "Kata, you're going to freeze like that locita. You want me to bring you a jacket?"
"No, I'm good," she said. She went to check in their cupboards. "Do we have any coffee?"
"I just made some," she said. She grabbed a pack of Peter Jacksons and went for the door. "Care to join me outside?"
Kata nodded and went to grab her coat before following. Her mother passed her one of her cigarettes and they both lit off her lighter. The girl loved this morning ritual. Roll out of bed, prepare the coffee and enjoy 15 minutes together in the gathering morning, smoking away worry and sleep, until they had to get ready for their own separate hells: work and school.
The air was crisp, cold. Her hand holding the cigarette shook with cold, breath frosty in the air. On her bare upper legs the tiny hairs she'd missed while waxing prickled. She breathed in deep and took in the morning: sun but no warmth, a cold-clean morning air, bird chattering on their own and the smell of coffee. As close to heaven as she was ever going to be.
"I'm finished," Maria said, knowing full well her daughter would finish her own cigarette to go back in with her. The girl smiled and butted her own out, as she knew she would. The two went inside, talking.
"All right," Maria said, taking a pair mugs from the clean dishes and pouring the brew into each. "You're staying later at school today, right? Detention or help?"
"Detention." She said. "I was working midnight at work, couldn't sleep when I got home and at school I fell asleep in the library during my spare and missed class. Sorry."
"You can skip if you want to," she said. "I can call in for you."
"No, it's ok," she said. "I don't mind. It'll give me some time to do some homework anyway. Or draw," she smiled.
"si esta bien contigo…" the woman got up and finished her coffee. "I need to get to work. You need to get ready." She gave her a quick kiss on her forehead. "I'll see you tonight."
"I'll have dinner ready," she said automatically. At her mother's retreating form she yelled "Don't let the MAN get you down!" and was rewarded with her mother's laughter.
Kata finished eating quickly and went to change. She took off her stockings, deciding tights and stockings together would be warmer and put on a pleated black minikilt. She grabbed her beat-up old combats and zipped them up.
In the bathroom she brushed teeth and hair. Some mousse went in to make it seem a little more alive, and a black choker around her neck to piss off the principal. Make-up was quick: mascara, and some rapidly applied eyeliner and cover-up. She threw on her coat and double-checked to make sure she had her pack and lighter before leaving and locking the door.
All day at school, her mind was distracted. Lack of sleep had her smoking and drinking caffine nonstop to stay awake during her spare. She was barely able to focus on the fractions in front of her. She failed the test in the next class; at least she thought she did. She gave up after the first of five pages. Lunch was spent alone in the library working and downing coffees or outside smoking. Her only friend at the school was currently visiting her aunt down in BC.
During lunch however, she met a new student. Or at least, she thoughthe was one. She'd never seen him around before and he was too good-looking for her to forget. It happened during lunch.
She was outside, smoking by 'her' tree when he came up beside her. She'd started, not having noticed him appear.
"Got a light?" he asked, flashing her a gorgeous smile.
"Yeah," she pulled it out and flicked it on, lighting it for him. Her returning smile was smaller and shyer than his was. It wasn't like she had guys hot enough to pass for models coming to talk to her all the time. Hardly any talked to her at all.
"You here by yourself?" he asked her, leaning against the tree. It was clear he was going to stay and talk to her.
"Yeah…I'm not really the popular type. You're new here right?" she grinned. "Word of advice: unless you want to be branded a social leper you should probably stop talking to me and go introduce yourself to the redhead checking you out over there."
"Social leper it is then," he said. "I'm Pietro."
"Kata," she said. "Do you live far from here?"
"Pretty far," he said with a grin. "Took me longer than usual to get here."
"You got a car?"
"No, I came on my own two feet." She looked him in the face when he said it. He seemed to be laughing at a private joke, eyes dancing with amusement but he seemed dead serious. Now that she was looking right at his face, she saw the strong jaw and slightly sloped cheekbone structure that gave him a rugged, handsome appearance. Someone who spent a lot of time outside. His lips were full and strong, his hair shockingly white (obviously dyed—right?) and wind-tousled.
Not to mention the body holding up that gorgeous head. A loose Save Fenris tee couldn't hide the sleek muscles along his chest, abs, and arms. His jeans were slightly faded and battered, slipping out of the combats. He was mind-numbingly attractive and she couldn't think of a single reason of why he was talking to her at all.
Suddenly shy, she butted out her cigarette and said "I'm heading in, I have to study."
"Thanks for the light," he said.
"Yeah, sure," she started away.
"I'll see you around sometime Kata. Sooner than you think." The amusement was back in his voice. Kata smiled and kept going. Doubtless by the end of the day he'd be buried under a pile of phone numbers all from girls prettier, richer, and more…normal…than she was. By the end of the week she'd be surprised if he remembered her at all.
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