Disclaimer: Just cuz I wrote it doesn't mean I own the show, the movies, or the books.

No, I don't own any Animorphs or X-Men things.

Note: The Animorphs and Cole are 17, and still fighting the Yeerks.

Jake POV

Marco and I were walking down the street towards my house.

"Hey, did you see the new kid?" I asked him.

Marco thought for a minute, "That tall kid with black hair? Yeah, I saw him. Why?"

"I dunno. He seemed kind of…quiet, you know? Mysterious."

"You mean like us?" the other guy joked.

"Yeah… like us…" I agreed.

"What, now you're gonna start thinking that he's an Animorph, too? Come on Jake."

Even though my friend was joking, I sort of agreed with what he was saying. And it creeped me out…

Michele POV

"Hey, are we meeting at Cassie's place to do our homework?" I was talking to Chelsea over the phone. This meant that I didn't really mean what I was saying. You see, we Animorphs have to be careful when we talk on the phone. Someone could be listening to our conversation. And by someone, I mean the yeerks.

"Yeah," Chelsea replied, "We're meeting her in the barn because she has to work for her dad, and then when she's done we'll go inside to do it." Only part of that was a lie. We really wouldn't go in the house.

"Great. Want to walk together? I'll come to you're house."

"Sure. Meet in the backyard," my friend agreed. We really wouldn't walk. We would both morph into our peregrine falcon bird morph, and fly.

"Okay. I'll come over now."

"Great. See you in a few."

And then I hung up.

"Who was that?" my mom asked, walking into the kitchen where I sat.

"It was just Chelsea. We're going over Cassie's to do homework with Marco, and Jake and stuff," I answered.

"Okay. Just make sure you don't stay after dark."

"Okay, mom."

I walked into my room, and grabbed my book bag, and put on a blue fleece before running down the stairs. In one short minute, I was walking on the street towards Chelsea's house. There was an old shed down the road where I would drop my bag so I could fly the rest of the way.

Recently, the other Animorphs and I figured out how to morph outer, heavier clothing, so that wouldn't be a problem.

In five or ten more minutes, I was flying towards Chelsea's house. When I landed on a branch of the tree, I thought-spoke to Chelsea, Are you ready?

Yeah, I heard her in my head, My parents aren't home so I morphed inside.

Great. Come on out.

Chelsea and I landed in Cassie's barn, where Marco, Jake, Tobias, Rachel, and Cassie were waiting.

"Okay, everyone here?" Jake asked.

"Unless we magically gained a new member, yes," Marco told him.

"Okay, great," our leader said, ignoring Marco's comment, "Have you seen the new kid in school?"

"What the kid with black hair?" I asked.

Jake and Marco nodded.

"Yeah, I've seen him. He's cute. Cole, I think his name is."

"No, Michele. He's outright gorgeous," Chelsea corrected.

"Not as gorgeous as me though, right?" Marco asked.

I looked at Chelsea, and then back at him, "No, Marco. He's WAY more gorgeous."

"Okaaay, let's move on," Jake cut in, "He's kind of suspicious, you know?"

"No, not really," I answered.

"But he is. So we have to watch him, okay? Just in case he's a Controller."

"Hey, Michele, why don't you do it, considering you're hot for him?" Marco suggested.

"Shut up, Marco!" I yelled, "But I will do it…"

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Chelsea asked. It was the next day, and we were standing by our lockers, looking for Cole.

"Yeah, I'm sure," I answered.

"You're just using this as an excuse to get close to him, aren't you?"

"Yep."

"Michele…"

"What? He's so hot. And he doesn't have any friends here or anything. I want to be nice, and watch him."

"Okay…."

And then the bell rang

"Crap. Keep looking for him in your classes okay? Maybe you two have the same schedule."

And with that, she was off, along with most of the kids in the hallway.

I started to walk, but someone tapped me on the shoulder. When I turned around, I saw a guy. He was sort of tall for his age, with black hair. In his hands was a piece of paper. His schedule.

"Hey, sorry to bother you, but do you know where the…" the looked at the schedule, "Tech. Ed room is?"

"Yeah. I'm going there now," I said, "We can walk together."

I turned around, and started walking, with him by my side.

"So, you're Cole right?"

"Yeah. Everyone knows the new kid, huh?"

I shrugged, "I'm Michele."

"I like that name," he said, looking into my eyes.

"I like yours, too."

We never made it to Tech. Ed. Or second, third and fourth period.

So... how was it??