Disclaimer: Even if I try to befriend Stan Lee... heck, even try to seduce Stan Lee, marry him and get him to inherit his lives fortune to me,... he will always be the creator of X-men, which means no matter how much I try, i will never own X-men :D


Alice's Deeper Secrets


CH1 First thing first, and try to forget

"I just want you to know, I still think about you all the time. Your smile on your lips and your heartwarming laugh. I hope you think of me as well" he said, just so sweetly. I leaned in to kiss him…

"Alice, rise and shine, gal!" a voice said loudly next to me. Ugh, this time I was actually having a good dream. Again, she was waking me up. We believe that if she's the only morning person in our dorm, she could just let herself out.

"Rogue, you too" she said to the other side. Now we both groaned at her. I threw my pillow at her, she just phased through it, damn powers. "What time is it anyway?" I asked, giving in.

"Seven fifteen." She stated, darn, good thing she had woken us up. I rushed to the bathroom before Marie had time to notice the time as well. While under the shower, I had time to recollect upon my dream again, I had had that one before. However, the ending never quite came. I know that we're apart now. I'm at the boarding school, and he's in Costa Rica. And we haven't really broken up, then again I don't know if I'd our relationship a boyfriend / girlfriend thing, but I know that long distance relationships never work. Besides, two months without seeing him can't hold us down, I know him and myself even better than that.

I was out of the shower a bit later; Marie was still rubbing her eyes from sleep, but went into the bathroom quickly. I went to breakfast, seizing the moment to practice my ability; I stood next to the door. Noticing everything happening inside it, I paused everything in them. I entered, Kurt was in the middle of landing near the end of the table, and Jubilee was cleaning some dishes and eating her bagel at the same time. Logan had just sniffed my presence nearby. Kitty was too busy peeling her kiwi that she hadn't noticed the prank that John was about to do on her. It was so amusing when I was able to control a lot of things.

I entered with caution, because I knew that Dr. McCoy was about to open the door towards me. However, I managed. I grabbed an apple and a bagel, and was about to sit next to where Kurt would appear instantaneously. But I decided to help Kitty a bit, I "unfroze" her for three seconds, so she finished her kiwi and started towards the table, still humming her Lindsay Lohan song, my little rescue went by unnoticed. When she was halfway through, I released the rest.

"Jesus, Alice, warn me next time, I almost left again when I saw you suddenly." Kurt exclaimed to me. "At some points, I think that you can teleport as well." He laughed at his own joke, I smiled meekly. After spreading a bit of cream cheese on the bagel, I started upstairs again. The room was so far away that it gave me time to both eat the apple and the bagel on the way.

"You know, it is amazing how much control you have." Rogue said to me as I entered, she commonly has a lot of trouble with hers, roughly translating into can't control it. She was attempting to dry her hair rather too quickly. I still had half of the bagel on my hand and offered it to her, since she wasn't going to have time to eat much after she ended.

"Thanks" she said before gulping down all of it. I continued to the bathroom. The three brushes me reminded me of the bathroom me and my sisters shared, somehow it always got me nostalgic. I noticed that my contact lenses were starting to itch, but I figured that one more day wouldn't hurt. Marie was ending the fight with her hair. I grabbed my bag and in that moment the first bell to class rang. Storm had probably already started the lecture

"Do you feel like being late?" I asked Marie.

"Not really… Has she started?"

"Not quite, I believe. I'll make her 'wait' a bit" I added. She nodded and continued with her hair. I closed my eyes and concentrated on Storm, in her class ruffling papers and thinking about Alcatraz. I paused her actions.

After watching her fight for three minutes she finally let go and grabbed her bag, "Let's go" she said to me.

"Okay. Let's go" I focused back to the real thing.

"Good god!" Bobby yelled from the open classroom. Everybody turned around quickly. Jubilee was there staring open mouthed towards Storm, who was completely frozen in her place.

"What happened to her?" Colossus and John said in unison.

"Like, I don't know. Looks weird anyway." Kitty said.

"Oh-oh," I said to Marie.

"Too much control sometimes?" she asked. I simply nodded. I closed my eyes and concentrated on her. She noticed what had happened.

"What happened?" she said unknowingly as I unfroze her.

"We're all on time? " Marie broke the uncomfortable silence. Some people looked at their watches, nope, not on time at all.

"Yep, that about sums it up" I followed Marie's lead, Storm eyed me. Yeah, I was in trouble.

Everybody was taking their seats as Storm sorted the last of her papers. Just then I thought that I didn't feel like paying attention history, nevertheless I took my things out. I noticed my phone vibrating a moment to late.

"La noche…. Candela" the very loud ring tone of Juanes started playing on my cell phone, everybody rounded at me. It was just a bit too noisy, in their opinion. I simply loved to change the ring tones according to who called me. When I realized from who it was from I froze. The song kept going. The glances turned into stares, the stares into leers.

"Alice, would you please take it outside" Storm told me, apprehensively. Although I wasn't her favorite person at the time.

"Oh, sorry, I just didn't know if I should pick that up." I articulated a bit uncomfortably. "I'm taking it outside, Mrs. Munroe." I walked out of the class and shut the door behind me.

"Alo?" I said very loudly, I somehow was sensing the storm of emotions that this conversation could ensue. (hello?)

"Alicia?" he said.

"Quien mas? Si fuiste vos el que me llamo," I replied (who else? you were the one that called)

"Si, quería decirte algo." I listened attentively on the other end of the line. (yeah, I wanted to tell you something)

"¿Te acuerdas de Isabella? Mira, se que te fuiste hace dos semanas, pero, ella me ha estado bueno, digamos que dando mucha atención. Te molestaría que saliera con ella? Aunque después no sirviera?" Okay, that was overwhelming. (Remember Isabella? Look, I know you left barely two weeks ago, but she's, well, been insinuating on me. Would it bother you if I went out with her? Even if it didn't work out?)

"Bueno, yo misma pensé que estábamos en punto de cero desde que me fui, porque no hay mucho que hacer dado que deje mi cámara de Web. Aun así, no me molesta. Pero después cuéntame todos los detalles. Adiós, debería de estar en clases." I hung up and scrutinized the phone. Little brat, I thought out loud. I threw the phone. This turned out to be a bad idea. It went directly towards a wall from which none other than Wolverine was coming from. This was me being pretty stupid. I quickly walked over to it and picked up the phone. I smiled meekly at my superior before heading again to class. (Well, I thought that we left it off when I left, there ain't much to do since I left my webcam. But fill me in later. Bye, I actually should be in classes right now)

I entered the classroom silently, I considered pausing all of them so they wouldn't notice me enter, but I think Storm didn't appreciate such a thing right now. Marie gave me that look; she definitely wanted to know what was going on.

"I'll explain later." I said in less than a whisper. She eyed me curiously and looked toward the window, as I, not keen on actually tuning in to the lecture.

I zoned out and started thinking. I never really considered him my boyfriend, I mean, we had hung out for quite a while, but he's a free man, as am I, as far as I'm concerned. I knew that this was just usual, this was going to happen, I don't regret it nor plan to think it over too much, if anything, he just showed me how to stand up to myself, and not think too much of guys.

You probably think that I

Hold resentment for you, but no, no,

Oh, no, you're wrong

If it wasn't for all that you tried to do.

I wouldn't know just how gave up all

Our answer will prove.

So I want to say thank you.

Cause it makes me that much stronger.

-Christina Aguilera

"So, what was that all about?" Marie asked after we finished the class and had a small break before the next class, Biology with Dr. McCoy, to which we both went together. Some people took Advanced Physics with Storm, using the Proffessor's old lesson plans as he was recovering (of course,in my story Moira already contacted and he is at the institute, but taking it slow ;)

"Oh, well, Julian called; he was saying some bullshit about telling me before he dated someone else. Geez, he really believes that we had something and that I'm gullible enough for that." I always felt bad of telling her of my love life, due to her powers she couldn't touch anyone. "But, that was it. Not much problem." Deep inside, I knew that I didn't love him, maybe I had been infatuated and interested in him. And we did have make out sessions every once in a while, but nothing major ever happened.

"Oh, okay, fairly well, then let's go, we're gonna be late for Biology." She said.

"Ya vamos requete tarde" I replied forgetting she wouldn't quite get it. (We're already late)

"Something with late and going?" She gave a puzzled look.

"Yeah, that's progress, Marie." I smiled at her and lent on her shoulder in a friendly way. She shuddered a bit, but just a bit. She's always scared, even though she was wearing long sleeves and gloves that only left her wrist skin exposed. (yes, she has her powers back)

"Let's go. Vos tenés que relajarte" I told her, on purpose. (You have to relax)

"Hey! I understood that," we continued walking "and how do you expect me to be laid back with all the careless people around here, such as my dear friend?"

She gave me that look again. I apologized quickly before pushing the door to enter. I looked around, there were two seats available near the center right of the room, and I signaled Marie to join me there. The teacher arrived and greeted the whole class.

"Good morning, everybody. It is a very pleasant morning indeed, so today I was thinking of doing our session outside." As soon as he had entered he was leaving. I gathered my stuff again and followed suit.

"Can anybody refresh my memory on the five general characteristics of plants?" Two or four hands rose up in the air, mine included. At least I thought I remembered. But he chose Marie to answer the question.

He congratulated Marie, she had since she arrived been a good student. Or so she told me, I was glad, cuz I'm also sort of a bookworm and love to learn, so much of the time we share we are also studying. Anyways, I was glad she recalled.

"Alicia, what are the differences between photosynthesis and respiration?" I responded non chalantly.

"Photosynthesis happens during daylight, sun energy being its fundamental component, and produces glucose as well as energy, that gives the plant all its necessary nutrients. Respiration, on the other hand, consumes energy and occurs during the night, only for full grown plants, so seedlings don't perform respiration." I answered. He nodded fervently on my adequate response and gave me full marks.

As we walked through the backyard / small forest he either assigned or spoke out general questions about the processes of trees, it was more of a review session, really. I zoned out after answering a few, wondering why I hadn't considered taking a spot near here to be my thinking space, it's so serene and has a remote air to it.

Soon enough, the bell rang. We walked back inside, afterwards Marie and I made it out on our own. Marie kept looking at the floor.

"Is something wrong? What is it?" I didn't know why I was even asking the first question, something was definitely wrong.

"Nothing, just that for a moment I thought I had touched you" she said. I strongly believed I would've felt that.

"I didn't feel anything."

"I didn't touch you. But for a moment I thought I did, trying to get your attention when you are so lost in thought is pretty difficult at some times," she exclaimed.

"Rogue, nothing happened." She shook a bit.

"Anyway, would it be so bad for you to know what a great person I think you are?" I smiled. She smiled back confidently.

"You're right, sugah. But what Ah found out your other secret by accident?" She said it jokingly. But my mind immediately went back to that terrible night. I clenched my hand, my nails digging into my palm, for the memory to go away, but she didn't notice since I kept a straight face.

"Well, then, you'd find out there isn't any other secret." I answered trying to seem untroubled. Then again, I wouldn't like for her to have my complex thinking system into her already crowded thoughts.

The bell rang and we left our lockers in separate direction, she had physics while I had this weird class that Kurt was giving, sometimes we did spiritual stuff, other times we talked about current events. It was nice, and today was no exception. But I don't feel like going into that.

After stealing one of John's (yeah, I'm placing him back at the institute for the sake of my story) private beef jerkies (make that a few) we got together and bummed at bench in the grounds. We weren't talking, just swimming in our minds, in that comfortable silence that the two of us share. I thought back to the terrible days back at the private school in Costa Rica.

-Do you even realize how crazy you seem?- Miguel said, again, he just loved saying that to.

-I know, I'm crazy, got a problem? I can live with it, can't see why you can't- I mocked back at him. Fighting back the desire to kick his ass Deep inside, I know I am different, if they want to label it crazy so be it.

-Fuck it, you truly are mental.

-Whatever. - And the rant went on. He was sincere, I understood that. But he said that I was crazy just because he can't understand me and is in a way upset by who I am, I personally appreciate when he tells me that my hair look like a bad with a headband or when I'm in wrath asks me why and I constantly lie back. He may be honest, but only to his own benefit. Many people hated him; I personally pitied his incapacity to look beyond people's surface. The fact that I my personality didn't just click with anybody around the small place didn't appeal to my peers, all of them being either preppies or punks. I can perfectly stand beside them for a whole school day listening to their rant and still live on, it's called tolerance. Was it too much to ask that they returned the favor? So it seemed to them. Miguel was a different thing, he realizes my façade, but he still seeks to pull that beneath me and I don't want to give in, or lose out, not by fear of exposure, but exclusion. He was one of the few that looked beneath me, hoping to understand me, but I never yielded, not quite certain if I could or wanted to trust them, or if maybe I just was too confused in what it was that I was feeling that I wasn't certain telling anybody would make anything better. Daniel was another one, and Valentin… but he was a completely different story.

I remembered another person, Andres. The basic manipulator: there's one in every class. I still can't believe I made out with him, good thing it was years ago. Things had gone over the verge when he asked to striptease for a group of guys. I slapped him hard across the face and three of the other five guys sided with me, if not, luckily no one knows what could've happened. However, my innocent personality came out and I freaked. Because I do have different parts to me, some people know me for my goody two shoes innocence, others for my sexual comment openness, and some action, not all, other just know me as the straight As girl, wannabe valedictorian. Few, a very select few, used to know the real me in between, insecure and pretty lost. But we grew apart, they changed and I changed too. After I came here, I gained confidence, here we were all similar, and though we like to pretend to embrace to our differences, we each got our way when not dealing with anybody. I, for example, John didn't seem good company; I felt he saw through me and into my naughty side. It doesn't belong here; it's part of the past. I couldn't be too close to him without feeling his eyes on me, seeing what I have done.

I opened my eyes; some shadow obscured me, or someone?

"Hola" I was drowsy, so I just talked back. (Hello, only timer also)

"No estoy, quien quiera que sea déjeme seguir en lo que estaba, porfa." I spoke, for a moment feeling as if back at Costa Rica. (I'm not here, whoever it is let me continue doing nothing, please)

"Okay…" the voice answered.

"Mierda!" I jolted. (um, it's just a swearword. okay, shit)

Marie had a hearty laugh. Whoever the guy was had ran away.

"Ugh, that was unusual" I said. She kept laughing. I looked up, I questioned her: what was it, with my gaze.

"It was some weird school kid. He came on here and seemed indecisive of whether to approach you or not, and he thought it over, even murmured to himself. Pretty amusing. After you woke up I couldn't pretend not to be watching anymore. What were you thinking of?"

"Actually, I was thinking of an old friend of mine, Diego, it's been a while. I for a moment thought he was Esteban, freaky. But, oh well. Here I am in my regular clothes again. Being Alice and not Alicia. Which is actually a good thing, any idea who the kid was?"

"Dunno, one of Artie's new friends I think. he might be in middle school courses but who knows. Wanna head back?" She asked, not really wanting to. I didn't answer, I wanted to go back to that memory, it was a good memory, and once I realized it I embraced it. I still hate him, but the moment was unique. Bad thing I've never spoken to him, at least in the past two years. Good memory, it was a terrible movie, but it was an amazing, sensual, exquisite kiss. Geez, I really have to stop living in the past.

"Nah, how about you?" I said.

"Not really, I was just thinking of him again. Do you really think that he meant what he said?" I found it romantic, but she was very taken aback by it. He hadn't said I love you, he was quite a new addition to the mansion, newer than me, and was rapidly getting interested in the untouchable southern belle. (guess who!!)

"Chère, Je suis observée vous tout le temps…" I mocked his French Cajun accent, that guy seemed very like a stalker to me. (yes, this is my version of enter Gambit as well)

"You sound just like him; if I talked to you without watching you I'd fairly well confuse both of you."- She said, Marie was intensely romantic, but poor thing.

I saw a tall guy in the shadow of a nearby tree; his eyes were unmistakable, red on black eyes. I had an idea suddenly appear in my head; but, I somehow felt that he had a plan. He wanted to make a move, I often saw him around, just watching.

"Okay, close your eyes and I'll try again." I said trickily. He started to walk towards us. I walked a bit towards him, telling to Marie that I would be right back.

"Qu'est-ce que ton idée?" (What's your idea?)

"Je ne sais pas… vous aidez-moi?" (I don't know... you'd help me?)

"Comme si comme sa". (Sort of)

"Pourquoi?" (Why?)

"Elle est ma amie, vous est qui?" (She's my friend, what are you?)

"Ton ami?" (Your friend?)

"Je ne sais pas" (look above!)

"Oui." (in case you don't know, that's french for si, which is spanish for yes) (I know, a language mix-up, bear with me)

"Pour quoi?" (Why?)

"Sa amie sont ma amie," I glared for a few seconds, he cocked his head. (Her friends are my friends)

"Très bien." I said, not quite sure (Okay)

"Bien" he seemed happy with the outcome (Perfect)

"Comment vous va parlez avec Marie?" I was certainly preoccupied for her. (How are you going to talk to Marie?)

"Shh, je sais comment parler avec la belle femme." Yeah, right. (Shh, I know how to talk to the beautiful girl)

Bien" (look above, once more)

"Vous retourner, je arrivée dans cinq minute" (You go back I'll go there in five minutes)

"Okay." (um, okay?)

I headed back, knowing what we were going to do. Even though it was a brief talking, my French isn't the best in the world. Marie was thinking while watching the sky.

"That you, Alice?" She said, she always knew, she had a keen sense of hearing, possible a souvenir from when Wolverine saved her. Luckily, Gambit knew how to not be heard.

"Sip" I answered. (that's like saying yep, in Spanish)

"Okay, now what?" She asked while I slumped next to her

"Dunno. I wanna trace back to my best memory…You know, we are both hopelessly romantic." She said. I must oblige, I love to read and write romance… but I can't seem to apply it to my relationships, but that's not what defines me, most of the time. "You with all your guys: Valentin and your latest ex, and I with Remy."

"Oui, ma belle femme." I mocked again. She closed her eyes savoring the accent.

"Say it again." I saw Remy making his way toward us.

"Ton cour c'est ma vie…" I said as romantically as I could, I started standing up slowly. Remy took over from there. I smiled to him, knowing that that small phrase beside her imagination was somewhat going to keep her to herself for more than a few seconds.

I was so happy for them, no envy, not after what recently happened anyway.


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