"Lately I find myself in the mood for a good story, Blake, so please. Enlighten me on the subject about you and Mystique." Professor Xavier told me this in his rustic-looking office in the school for mutant children. Or really, "gifted children," as the sign says outside. In truth it really is a much better term for these people than "mutants." I don't know, to me that just sounds derogatory. Mutant. It's surprising that in such a politically correct world we live in today that that's correct terminology. What were the taxologists thinking?

His request confused me, so I couldn't help but retort with, "How do you mean?"

"I'd like to know about your relationship with Mystique. When did it start? Where do you know her from? It's not often I find humans and mutants in these kinds of relationships. I'm simply asking you to recount your experiences with her."

There was something about the old fellow's gaze which enchanted me. Something about his demeanor suggested patience and wisdom.

"I'm sorry, but can't you read minds?" I asked him.

"Why, yes, but it would take me far too long to filter out months, probably years of your memories to find the important ones and piece together the story. Couldn't you just tell me?"

He seemed to really care for some reason about my "story." This wasn't really a problem for me seeing how I didn't have anything better to do anyway.

"Why don't you start from the beginning?"

I paused looking at him for a moment and sighed. "Well, alright. I guess I don't really have anything better to do anyway right now."

"If you tell me, we'll help you find her."

"Sure, whatever."

So, where to begin. I suppose the best place to start would be when I moved to a small East-coast town. My parents had moved me there after some crap that happened to me back in Phoenix. It's not important, though.

My parents drove me into the town with the moving van on a Sunday, and we had finished unpacking our crap onto the driveway. Mom drove me around for a bit just to gain some familiarity with everything, you know? Standard stuff. The area was sort of quiet with tall trees and lots of forestry. The buildings were a little old fashioned, and everyone seemed to love going to church. One church, I might add, along with one high school, one grocery store, and one or two of a couple of other things. Yeah, it was tiny. The residents ranged to almost two-thousand max. There were plenty of two-story houses (like our new one) with really slanted roofs. I guess that's 'cause Phoenix doesn't get any snow, so we don't really need them as much or anything. They were often white and made of wood planks on the outside. The air was always feeling fresh from rain and misty, with a slight chill. Phoenix is just gummy and hot outside. It was a cute little town that smelled a little like camping.

It was early in the school year when that thing happened, so I started out at the local high school about two months after it started, making me a new student. I have to admit, there's something neat about being the new guy. It's sort of like coming in fashionably late, you know? Except nobody actually knows me, so it's even better.

I got up on Monday in my new house which was freezing inside, and it was pitch dark outside. I lazily crawled out of bed and got dressed and ready for school, which was like five blocks away or something. Seriously, like, I could walk there and everything which was cool, but yeah...

It wasn't long before people really started talking to me. One dude came up on my way to school.

"Hey are you the new guy?" He asked.

"Yeah, sure."

"I'm Gary."

"Blake."

Where are you from?"

"Phoenix, Arizona."

"Oh, wow. No wonder you're so dark."

"You think so? Hold on. Check this out." We stopped a moment to pull back my sock and reveal a wicked tan line.

"Jesus!"

"Yeah, right?"

"Was everyone like that?"

"Ummm, quite a lot actually. What grade are you?"

"Junior."

"Hey, me too."

Gary was a pale, skinny looking dude plastered with freckles, but slightly taller than me. We talked for a bit until some of his other friends joined us and were introduced to me. By the time we got to the school, I had already met Suzanne who was Gary's sister, Brett who was like a small little kid in high school, and a few other overly-talkative ones whose names I can't remember. We chatted for a while in the hallways until the bell rang.

The classes themselves were okay, too. It's a little tricky trying to follow what's happening, though, since most teachers were in the middle of a unit. I'll tell you, though, it all started to go downhill in third period English. Don't get me wrong. Our teacher, Ms. Weathers, was cool and all. It's just that she asked me to say a few things about myself, but I couldn't really think of anything.

"Well, I don't know. Ummm, I have kidneys, and I shower naked."

It was pretty obvious that she had to stifle a laugh, but everyone else seemed confused.

"Alright then, thank you Blake. Let's continue now."

It was then that some asshole to my right nudged me.

"Everyone showers naked and has kidneys, stupid."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious."

The joke had flown right over everyone's head. What was wrong with these people? Did they not understand sarcasm or something? The guy just looked even more confused now and dismissed it.

Things didn't get much better during lunch as I sat with those people mentioned earlier. I thought they were alright until now. We ate at one of the lunch tables in the cafeteria and had extra room. This is when I first saw Raven. Obviously I didn't know her at the time, but a rather attractive girl with black hair stopped by us a second.

"Hey, can I sit here?" She asked. Holy shit! A hot girl actually wants to sit with me and a couple of other dweebs? Let alone on the first day I come to school! That's like accidentally finding a twenty on the ground, 'cause usually the hot ones already have plenty of other friends. The clear answer was "yes," but...

She seemed to be directing the question at me, but everyone else at the table just shook their heads while looking down. She saw that and sadly sulked away from us.

I turned my head towards the others and was like, "What was that? A smoking babe asks to sit with you nerds and you tell herno? What the hell's wrong with you!?"

Gary looked at me, "Umm, Blake. I think you'd better not go near her. She's, uhh—complicated."

"Complicated? How?" I was so mad at them.

"It's hard to explain. I'll just tell you later." I tried looking at the others but they seemed to agree silently. What could possibly be wrong with her? Did she have some horrible disease, or was she a cannibal? Did she kidnap everyone's cats and throw them all off a cliff? What could be so fucking wrong with her to make everyone mutually and outwardly reject her like that? Christ!

I didn't get my answer that day. Gary and the others seemed to try and avoid the topic as long as possible by refusing to answer me. The last I saw them that day was during the passing period after lunch, anyway. The deal was hard to focus on after that while trying to jump in the middle of two more class units until school was over. Today I remember that lunch to death just because of the impact it had in hindsight, but at the time I sort of forgot about it to my homework that night and whatnot.

On the way to lunch the next day the thought came back to me.

"Oh, hey dude, you still didn't tell me about that chick from yesterday."

"Who?" He was avoiding the topic again, I could tell.

"The one who came up to us at lunch that you rudely rejected, Gary."

"Right, yeah," He sighed. "Listen. Other people have tried to make friends with her back then, but she just has problems."

"Like—?" What the hell was going one? No one has any sort of definite answer. They're all dancing around it like pansies.

"Just trust me. Once you get to know her, you'll wish you didn't."

I was about done with this idiot. "You know what, fuck you. I'm going to find her anyway just because you won't tell me shit!" Then I left him.

It got kind of awkward then, 'cause she didn't seem to actually be in the lunch room that day. Quickly I left and started wandering the halls past other kids to see if I could find her somewhere. After all, it's not like she wasn't at school that day. The girl was in English with me, sitting in some discreet back corner from everyone else, but nevertheless there. That way she's a junior, too. I still couldn't find her, though, nor the next day, nor the day after that. Almost when I lost hope and had to go back to my normal table, there she was; in line for buying lunch. Yes! Finally I could get to know this babe. Lonely chicks are hot, anyway. Only five days of being in this new school and I'm already meeting girls.

This might sound kind of rapey, but I think I watched her the whole time in line, and even as she got out with her food and sat down at some table by herself. Shit yeah, now was my chance! I didn't even get lunch, but rather stepped out of line and went to go sit at her table. She looked over as I came and tried avoiding eye contact, probably thinking I was just passing by or something. Nope.

"Hey, can I sit here?"

She looked up at me and nodded slightly, chewing on a pear. I like it when they're shy.

"Sorry about the other day. I don't know what those guy's problem was, 'cause seriously, that was like the douchiest thing I've ever seen."

She smiled but didn't look up. Instead she had her eyes focused on a book.

"I'm Blake. I just moved here a few days ago—Whatcha reading?"

"Great Gatsby," She replied.

"Right, our book for English. Maybe I should get on that soon, huh?"

She continued reading for kind of an uncomfortable minute until I gave up.

"I'm probably just bothering you, aren't I?"

"No, sorry." She closed the book over a notecard. "It's just good, that's all. I'm Raven Darkholme."

Wow, what a name! Darkholme! I wasn't shy of letting her know, either, and repeated it in a gruff, old English accent for emphasis.

"Raven Darkholme of Antioch! That's a great name." She blushed and said, "thanks."

In a nasally voice I joked about my own name. "I'm Blake Caaaarlson, can I answer any questions about your Toshiba TV antenna?"

We both mildly laughed at this. It was then that I looked over and saw she was like three quarters through the book.

"Aren't we on chapter three of Gatsby?"

"Yeah, why? Am I not allowed to read ahead?"

"No, but, I don't know. Is it good?"

"I think so. I just like reading a lot."

"Hey, me too." That was so a lie. I never read anything if I didn't have to. I think she caught on that I was lying, though.

"Oh, really? Who's your favorite author?"

Quickly I racked my brain for something I may have read with a name attached to it. It then occurred to me that I distinctly remember a guy's name next to something from a magazine.

"Richard Fegley."

Her eyes lit up. Clearly she was impressed because she had never heard of this fellow before.

"Ooh, what has he written?"

This was getting really bad. Now I was lying to cover up lies. I took a deep breath.

"Well, he writes a lot of articles—for, um—Time."

"Hmm."

God came to save me then, when my stomach growled loud enough for her to hear.

"Where's your lunch?" She asked.

"Uhh, I lost my money."

"Awww, I have some extra if you want."

"No thanks. Food is overrated anyway."

We chatted for a little until something kind of odd happened.

"Hey, what was that?" I asked.

"What?"

"Your eyes just—" It seemed they had flickered another color for a second. I thought it may have been the way the light hit them from the ceiling, but right then she got up and left.

"Oh, sorry, I have to go."

"Okay, then, see you tomorrow?"

Too late, though. She was gone out the door.