You know how most normal kids wish for super powers? It's a good thing they don't get that wish. Or at least most of them don't. I was one of those rare few who did, and believe me, it is not fun.
When I was about 6, I discovered I was a mutant. I watched the news with my mom and knew about the prejudice against mutants. Being a smarter than average child, I kept my mouth shut about my powers. But, like most people, I couldn't keep the secret forever. My twelveth birthday was much like every other birthday I had. Just me and my mom. She was single, and, as far as I knew, I had no family but her. We finished eating the small 2 person cake and the ice cream and I opened my few presents. When we were done, we sat on the sofa in front of the TV, like we did every night. I glanced nervously around the apartment. My mom noticed it at once.
"Ginny, what's wrong?" she asked me. I didn't answer. I was thinking again about telling her about me being a mutant. "Ginevra Marie Black, what's bothering you?" she asked me again. I winced slightly at the use of my full name. She only used it when she was absolutly serious, knowing I didn't much like the name Ginevra. My mom, Arianna Lynn Black, was a kind but strict woman. She knew what was best for me at all times, or so it seemed. She knew when something was bothering me, just as something was now.
I hesitated before speaking. "Nothing," I lied, knowing it was useless. I was racking my brain for an excuse.
"Ginny, don't lie," my mom said dangerously.
"Well..." I said. I had no ideas. I would have to spill. "It's just... I've been wanting to tell you but... but..."
"Ginny, tell me," my mom said. I avoided her eyes.
"I'm... well, I'm a... a..." I stammered, trying to tell her. "I'm a... a... a... mutant." I finally had done it. My mom just stared at me, as if making sure I wasn't lying. As if she could read my mind to see if i was lying.
Finally she spoke. "What... can you do?" she asked.
"Lots of stuff," I said, not wanting to talk about it really.
"What can you do?" she repeated.
I looked up at my mom and stared into her eyes. Then I caved. "I can shapeshift into people and animals... and control stuff with my mind..." I said in almost a whisper.
"Is that all?" my mom asked.
"No..." I answered. "I can hear people's thoughts if I try. And heal myself. And others I think." My mother looked at me again. "It's time for bed," she said slowly. "Now."
I stood up and ran to my room. As I lay in my bed, I asked myself again and again why I had done that? Why I had told her? Now I had ruined her life. I could hear her in the next room, crying. She didn't want me to be like this as much as I didn't want to be like this. I drifted off to sleep after a couple hours, beating myself up internally, a wound which I knew mutant powers couldn't heal.
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There was a knock on the door.
"I'll get it," I called to my mother who was lying on the sofa, staring at the TV. Just like she did every day since that night 3 years ago. She barely moved from the sofa since I had told her I was a mutant. She quit her job, both for money and being a mother. I was now the head of the house at 15. I had to work for money, cook the food, shop for the food, care for my sickly mother and go to school. My birthdays were completely ignored. There were no more nights where we sat together talking. In fact, my mother rarely talked at all.
I opened the door to the apartment. There was a man in a wheel chair waiting with a woman, standing, who had reddish brown hair. She smiled at me.
"Hello," the man said in a kind voice. "I am Professor Charles Xavior. This is my friend Jean Grey. May we come in for a moment, please?"
I nodded and brought them into the family room. My mother grunted at them. "It's ok, mom, they're friends," I said. She nodded and stared at the TV again.
"Hello Ms. Black," he addressed my mother. She grunted.
The Professor looked at me now. I just stared back. Then I realized I hadn't introduced myself. "Oh, I'm sorry, sir. I'm Ginevra Marie Black, but you can call me Ginny," I said, reaching to shake his hand. I didn't want to make a bad impression; my mother must have already done that.
"It's very nice to meet you. Now, I have some business to discuss with you two," the professor said.
"Yes?" I said.
"I have a school and we would like you to attend. It's for people like you and me, mutants," the professor said to me in a serious tone. I stared at him.
"Are you serious?" I asked him
"Yes. We can help you," he said.
I looked at him for a moment, just like my mom used to do when she wasn't sure if I was telling the truth. I focused and tried to read his mind. I was met by a mental block. A little annoyed now, I opened my eyes. "Why should I believe you?" I snapped.
I tried again. This time, I easily could read what he was thinking. He was telling the truth. I tried reading the Jean's mind. She was thinking about the school where I would attend if I agreed as well. When I opened my eyes again, I smiled.
"Well, I guess I will..." I said.
"Good. Now, you may go and get all the things you wish to take. I would advise clothing and precious items only. Now hurry up," the professor said. I walked to my room. I began pulling my clothes out of the drawers and stacking them on my too-small bed. After pulling out everything I was willing to take with me, I ran to the closet and grabbed a suitcase. I stuffed everything inside before zipping it closed and running back to the family room.
The professor was explaining to my mother where I was going and that she was going to have to take care of herself. She merely nodded. Then she stood up and waddled to the computer and began looking for a job. I stared at the professor in amazement.
"How did you get her to get up?" I asked him.
"Merely asked," he answered. "Are you ready?"
I nodded. Jean and him left the apartment and headed to the elevator. It opened and I, after locking the door, followed them inside. The elevator doors shut and then reopened on the main floor. Jean and Professor Xavier walked (and rolled) out and I followed, dragging my heavy bag behind me. When we got outside, there was a small car with 4 seats. It looked very new and expensive. As I stood, staring at the car, as Jean took my bags and put it in the car. Professor Xavier was already in the front passenger seat and Jean climbing into the driver's seat when I snapped out of it and ran to get in.
The drive was a few hours long, and quite boring. I stared out the window for most of the trip, waiting to arrive and start school. I had no idea what to expect except more mutants like myself. Towards the end of the trip, we began driving in a very desolate place. There was almost no buildings, each one was spaced a 5 minute drive apart at the very least. It was farm land, it looked like, due to the long, stretching fields and animals. Pastures with horses and cows by traditional farm houses were common. I sighed and looked at them, remembering one of my dreams as a younger child to live on a farm and have a horse or pony of my own.
We pulled into a large garage by a huge house- no mansion - surrounded by kids of all ages, playing on basketball courts, running in soccer fields, skating on ponds, and - wait, skating?! It was the middle of summer! I gasped when I realized that one kid, an older one, probably 17, was shooting the ice from his bare hand while he skated with a girl with brown hair with a white streak. They both seemed very nice, or at least looked it.
"Are you coming?" asked Jean, poking her head back in the car. The professor was already out, my bag floating behind him.
"Yeah," I said, jumping out. "Sorry..." I muttered, a little embarrassed.
"It's fine. I understand completely, it's not a normal site, this place. But it's a great place," Jean said with a smile. I reached for my floating suitcase, but Jean stopped me. "We'll get that."
They led me through halls past rooms with students in classes and we eventually ended up in a nice office-like room. It was empty until we arrived. A few moments after I sat down, there were quite a few other people in the room.
"Ginny, these are a few of our staff members, students and friends of mine," the professor said calmly. "You've already met Jean Grey and myself." Jean smiled warmly at me.
"This is Scott Summers, also known as Cyclops," he continued, pointing at the man with the visor over his eyes next to Jean. He looked very nice as well.
"Hello," he greeted me.
"This is Hank McCoy, also known as Beast." Hank was a tall, strong man with blue skin, big feet and hands, and very smart looking. He gave me a look, which I suppose was a smile, but it looked more like a grimace.
"Piotr is also known as Colossus." He was an even more muscled man than Hank, which was hard to beat. He was large, mainly from muscle, and rather friendly looking.
"How do you do?" he said in a thick Russian accent. I smiled at him.
"Ororo Monroe called Storm." She was a tall, dark skinned woman with hair white as snow. She looked kind, but strict.
"Hello," she said.
"Bobby and Marie, Iceman and Rouge," Xavier introduced the formerly skating pair. The girl, I noticed, was wearing gloves and few areas but her face were exposed. Bobby looked like a perfectly normal teen boy.
"Hello!" Rouge said. "Nice to meet you."
"Hi," Bobby said.
"Warren Warrington, known as Angel," the professor motioned to the young, blond man with wings. He nodded at me, noticing I was there.
"This is Logan, called Wolverine." Logan was a tall, dark looking man. He didn't seem very nice, but looks didn't always represent your personality. He just looked at me suspiciously, as if trying to figure me out. I gave him a small smile.
"And lastly, Allison Blaire and Kitty Pryde, known as Dazzler and Shadowcat." They were the youngest, looking just slightly older than me. They seemed the most friendly of the bunch.
"Hi," I said, feeling suddenly much less confident and a little less excited. "I'm Ginevra Marie Black, but you can call me Ginny."
Logan gave me a strange look. He looked as if he had just realized something very important. Then he walked out of the room quickly. I tried to ignore him.
"Hi, Ginny! I'm Kitty," said Kitty. She knew I already knew that of course, but hearing it from her was much more encouraging.
"Hi," I smiled at her. I liked her best already.
"I'm 16," she said. "How old are you?"
"15, but close to 16," I answered with a smile. She was the nicest and she was about my age!
"Cool! Well, Allison is 17, but just barely. Rogue and Bobby are 18 almost 19. Everyone else is... well, older than that," Kitty said with a smile.
I laughed. "I'm sure they all are," I said, looking around at them. None of them looked especially young.
"I think Scott's the youngest, and he's about 29," Kitty whispered in my ear. "Jean's 30 I think, and everyone else is much older."
I laughed out loud.
"Now girls, be nice to the others," professor Xavier scolded, but playfully with a smile.
"Ok," Kitty said, smiling at me. "Do you want me to show you around the mansion and to the rooms? I'll bring you to your room, too. It's next to mine."
"Yes, you two go do that. We'll bring your stuff to your room, ok?" the professor said.
"Ok!" I said. "Let's go!"
"Ok then! Follow me!" Kitty said, running through the door into the hallway. I stopped, shocked for a moment.
"Kitty can go through solid objects, we call it phasing," the professor explained. I nodded and opened the door. Kitty was waiting.
"Sorry, I'm used to doing that and not waiting for people. And people not going into shock. Sorry again," Kitty apologized.
"It's fine, I've just never been around other mutants," I said.
"Ok, ready to go?" she asked.
"Yup," I answered.
The tour took us about a half-hour, jogging most of the time. We finally reached the rooms. She showed me hers and Allison's, then my own. It was pretty fairly sized, and my stuff was already inside on the bed.
"Well, I'll see you in the morning," I said to Kitty.
"Ok, see you then!" Kitty said, leaving me to my room.
I sighed, shut the door and began unpacking my clothes and other items. I'd only brought a few books and pictures, plus my laptop. My laptop had my most important work on it- work on trying to find my dad. It was the most important to me, though my mother said it was a stupid idea, and that he was a horrid man and I should never look for him.
I sighed again. I put my laptop in a drawer by my bed. Then I looked at the wall clock. It was 8. I decided that I would go to bed early and changed into my pajamas and fell asleep.