Disclaimer: Hello. I feel it would be rude to jump into a disclaimer
without proper greeting. I do not own x-men evolution or any of the
charecters in this story except Simone Samson. Neither do I own "haleys
song", by Eminem. The only thing I own is this fanfictions plot. Sorry if
Simone is a rip off of spider-man. I did not mean it to be that way so none
of her powers are shared with that of Spiderman except wall climbing, and
Simone does that in a different manner than spider-man. Spiderman has
little hairs that stick to stuff, but Simone had A gooey palm secretion
that sticks to stuff, but its not webbing in any way. Oops, I am gibber
jabbering. Sorry. ^^;;;
Authors note: This is a story about Todd because I like Todd. The prologue may be hard to understand, but it will all come together later on in the story. Like an issue of dragon knights, its complicated, but all the loose strings are tied eventually. I know because I already wrote the epilogue. I really hope you enjoy this fic. Any opinions or flames are welcome. Just do not flame because you dislike Todd, because God help you if you dislike Todd and are reading this story. Sorry people, I am going to leave this one clean. The worst it will get is some minor cussing, some kissing, and some strange non-sense expressions from Simone. Forgive me please, if Simone is a Mary Jane. I guess in a way she is, but the first step in getting help in admitting that. If you have any questions or opinions or even flames (free speech rocks), e-mail me at BeshimiBoo@aol.com. Thank you and enjoy. Get a sandwich, it's a long one.
Prologue:
You never expect the day that your life changes forever. Every day begins with plans or expectations, but how can we plan for what hasn't happened yet? We can't. We can only make preparations to guide what our minds tell us are the probabilities of what will happen. However, sometimes things happen that are unexpected. Todd never expected the things soon to come. But Simone always did. Simone always saw it coming
All her life, Simone always knew that she'd someday fight a battle she couldn't win. And she had come here to fight it now. But the battle was not yet ready to be fought, and Simone was fine with that. She didn't want to be around during the battle. That's why she would fight her part now. She couldn't change the outcome of the battle, or the fact that it even had to be fought. But she could change the location of the battlefield.
Todd's mind. It would be easier on Simone. She would leave her memory in his mind to fight this battle. It was over him after all. His mind would be the true battlefield anyway. But it might rip him apart. She didn't yet know how to deal with that part. She wouldn't worry about it now. That part wasn't happening now. She knew that this battle might kill her just as well. She had a feeling it would be her last battle. But that was fine with Simone.
She knew very well her purpose here now. It was to get him through, to keep him alive. She didn't even know him, but she was the kind of person to love strangers, to help strangers. She was a missionary, an eternal walker whose purpose was for nothing more than to be a light. Now she was his light. She was there to get him through, and even if this mission killed her, that's what she planned to do.
Chapter one:Woe
It was last period world history. Not much exciting happening today. Little was ever exciting during school. Everyone thought he was stupid when he wasn't, so the classes he had challenged his mind very little. He got bored. Most of the time he just doodled in his notebook, or tried to write something, like a story. But the words never left the pencil the right way or in the right order. I don't read enough, he thought.
**Maybe if I read more I'd be a better writer, but who has time for reading when your busy being a punching bag. Other than that, I got no social life. It's a surprise I don't have more time on my hands for that kind of stuff. But it's always so loud at home...home, puh. It's always so loud there. Always yelling or fighting or somethin'. You can never concentrate there. Either that or its quiet, deaf quiet . Scary quiet, too quiet to do anything that involves making more quietness, like reading. Maybe the sound of ruffling pages would make it bearable.**
Home was, at times, worse than school. Although school was boring, it was bearable. He didn't get beat up on as much at school. Most days he couldn't wait to get out of school, but he wasn't all too excited about getting back there either.
The teacher introduced a new girl briefly and began the lesson. World War 1. Todd didn't give the new girl a second glance, he barely gave her a first glance. He was afraid to look at her. If she was average and nothing special then it would mean that today was another boring day, just like every other day. He was sometimes afraid that he was stuck in a rift where everything repeated and nothing new ever came. It scared him to death to think that nothing might ever happen to break the cycle. It made him antsy on the outside, but it drove him crazy under the surface.
But if she was beautiful, he would again have to feel the pang of knowing that she had to have a boyfriend, and even if she didn't, no one wants to get with Toad. He'd felt that pang a million times before. **You'd think I'd be used to it by now. I must be weak if I don't even callous.** He would rather just not have to look at her at all. He wondered if she knew how much anxiety she was causing him, just by being there. **It's not her fault. She doesn't owe me anything. I hate people who think the world owes them even when they don't pay their debts to the world. I'm becoming that kind of person. Yo I gotta stop that before it consumes my mind.**
He thought the teacher had said that her name was Simone Samson or something like that, weird. **First and last name begin with an s and m is the third letter in each. Yo, I must be going crazy. No normal person analyzes stuff like that, or would even notice that.**
He decided to look at her. What harm could it do, it wasn't like he wasn't fricked up inside already. He glanced back at her, she was sitting in the corner seat in the back, two rows behind and two to the left of Todd. She was beautiful, dammit. She had a classic beauty, a natural beauty. Her copper brown hair was long and clearly natural. The strands that fell over her eyes were kinda sexy. She didn't wear any makeup or anything. She just had natural dark lips, pouty too, like a model. He turned back toward the front of the class before she could catch him looking at her. He hadn't seen her eyes. She was looking down at her notebook, writing something. The teacher wasn't giving notes. Maybe she was a poet, a writer, or an artist.
From what he saw of her eyes, she had long dark lashes. He glanced back one more time, then turned forward again. Snap, she was pale! Like paper. And she was wearing all black. A tee shirt with some smart-ass comment on it and overly baggy black pants. They had chains on them. Aside from her hair and lips she looked like a black-and-white photo, oh, and a black leather choker with a purple cross dangling from it. **What a weird girl. She looked like she'd be the perfect girl for me, but I'm sure she's already some other guy's perfect girl. Not like I deserve her anyway, or anyone for that matter. I'm just a bad guy, just a villain, just Toad, but I bet I could make her happy...if I tried real hard.. **
He had trouble concentrating for the rest of class. Not that that was unusual, but it was for a different reason than usual. He had sort of given up on girlfriends, not that he'd ever had any. He tried not to think about love, romance, or any of that crap, because it wasn't for everybody. Something that's discriminate to people like him was something that he didn't want to be involved in. Maybe she had the same problem. She seemed to carry a deep aura of sadness around her. **I wonder what her story is.** He was probably just thinking too much, making things that weren't there. She was too beautiful to have had any heartbreak in her life, but in a way, she looked too beautiful to have not had any. He wondered how she was a freshmen, she looked older, like a sophomore or a junior. She looked too smart to have failed. **First impressions are usually wrong. I bet she's mean, stupid, and obnoxious and....and...**He sort of faded out of that thought when he realized that class was almost over.
When the bell rang, he slowly gathered up his books and started making his way for the door. He noticed that she had gone up to the teacher's desk and was talking to him. He couldn't hear what she was saying. She spoke so quietly.
"Todd". It was the teacher. Todd stopped at the doorway and looked back towards the teacher's desk. That Simone girl had turned toward Todd a little, looking at him silently. Her eyes were gray, they looked like the ocean.
"Yeah Mr.Haley?"
"Come here a minute".
He walked over towards the teachers desk and stood next to Simone, but not too close. A safe distance of a few feet away. **As if rejection can't reach this far.** She was looking at a wooden apple on the teacher's desk. She seemed to be putting up an effort when it came to looking the teacher in the eye. She glanced at Todd a little through the strands of hair that fell on her face. They were bangs that were being grown out. They went past her ears in length. **She's either shy or scared out her mind.**
"Todd", the teacher began, "I'm assuming you'll be at school tomorrow, right".
"Um, yeah...why wouldn't I be".
"Just asking", he paused and cleared his throat. "Todd, this is Simone Samson. Simone, Todd Toanski".
"Yo", Todd said.
"Hi", her voice was very, very small and meek. She smiled at him. Not just a smile of obligated greeting, but she genuinely smiled, at Todd. It was a warm smile, a kind smile, as if she found favor in him. It wasn't the kind of smile he received every day.
"Ms.Samson was just showing me her schedule. It seems that you two have all the same classes together. Tomorrow is Simones first full day here. Today would've been, but she came in late. Worried sick about her first day", Mr.Haley laughed.
Todd noticed the tiniest little tinge of pink come to her cheeks. **I guess that'd be a blush.**
"Todd, I think it would be a good experience for you both if you would be so kind as to show her around her first day here. It is a big school and we wouldn't want Ms.Samson getting lost."
"Mr.Haley", the girl spoke up. Her voice was so small and timid, like a whisper, but not so deep. "If it's a problem, I'm sure I'll be able to find my way around myself. I wouldn't want to be of any trouble, really".
"Oh, nonsense!" said the teacher cheerfully, "I'm sure it'll be no trouble at all! Will it Todd?"
**Of course it won't. She's beautiful. The hard part will be trying to make conversation, trying to impress her. I'm not really up to it. That and hearing about her boyfriend, and watching her leave with her boyfriend, and knowing that there's not much hope of her getting with me even if she is single.**
"No, Mr.Haley. It won't be a problem." He noticed the girl smile a little. It was strange though. There was something about her face. Expressions didn't play themselves out well on her face. Before and after that little smile, her face returned to an expressionless state. Although her face was beautiful, it seemed as if she was comfortable looking neutral.
"Good", Mr.Haley smiled. "You two will meet fifteen minutes before the first bell rings on the steps by the main entrance. You're free to go, goodnight".
Both of them turned and began walking towards the door at the same time. She walked faster and exited first. Todd began making his way down the halls to his locker, which was near his homeroom class. After leaving Mr.Haleys classroom, the strange girl walked slower. Now she was following far behind Todd. She followed him down the hall, and up the stairs and down another hall. The halls had cleared out now and there was the occasional dawdler here and there. It was barren for the most part.
**I wonder why she's followin' me. Wait, we have all the same classes. That means we probably have the same homeroom too. If we have the same homeroom, our lockers are probably close together. Maybe I should say sum'n' to her. Sum'n nice. Naw, not yet. Tomorrow. We'll talk tomorrow.**
His locker was the third one to the left of his homeroom door. Hers was the seventh. That locker used to be Jimmy Darlon's. Then Jimmy transferred towards the beginning of the second quarter when his dad's business went under. They had to move to a poorer neighborhood. That locker had been vacant ever since.
Todd put away the books he didn't need for homework that night, including some that he did need but just didn't feel like using. No wonder his grades weren't above average. Simone pulled something out of her locker. It was a backpack. It was a bright purple, vinyl backpack. She slid her history book into it and all the notebooks she had been carrying. She zipped it up and shut the locker door, giving the combination lock an extra spin for security. Todd did the same and started walking down the hall in the direction of the staircase. **Lance, Pietro, and Freddie are waiting for me. I bet they left without me. I'll probably have to walk home. They never wait for me. I hate it when they strand me here. **
Suddenly he felt a tiny poke on his left shoulder. It was so gentle that he wouldn't barely noticed it at first. He looked to his left. It was Simone. She had poked him with her index finger.
"Um, do you know what the history assignment was for tonight?" she asked quietly.
"Uh, yeah. Page 224, I think. Questions one through five".
"Thank you". Her walking then slowed so she was soon far behind him again. He could tell that she was shy. It was when she had asked him the assignment that he noticed something. It wasn't neutrality in her eyes and expression. It was sadness. She seemed to have a sad way about her. But it was as if it had been there awhile, and she was used to it. That's why it was so easy to mistake it. ** I wonder why she seems so sad. I wonder if she's sad for anyone in particular. I bet she's really pretty when she's happy and laughin'.**
When he got outside, he looked around for the jeep. It wasn't there. He wasn't surprised. He started walking. **Good thing I got these legs, or else I'd get tired walking home. I'd get there faster if I jumped, but I'd get in big trouble too. People don't like mutants.**
He lost sight of Simone. She went down a different street than he did. When he left the school, he went straight. When she left, she went right. She walked too. **I wonder if her parents are workin'.**
It was a long walk home, about a mile. That's why he hated it when they left without him. The walking didn't tire him. It was the occasional bully he met up with along the way, or the shouts that classmates gave him from their car windows. If it was a bully, he was usually able to hold his own. He was a mutant after all, and not too weak. What really bothered him, were the shouts of his classmates. Most were from girls, pretty, popular, cheerleader girls. They could be meaner than the boys. He didn't care to recall the things they often said. They only made him angry inside, but he always acted as if it didn't bother him. He pretended not to care. But he did care. It hurt sometimes. He always remembered a song that reminded him of it, and he played it, over, and over in his head.
People make jokes,
Cuz' they don't understand me.
They just don't see my real side.
I act like shit don't faze me.
Inside it drives me crazy.
My insecurities could eat me alive.
He wondered if Simone ever got shouts from car windows. She was beautiful, but strange. She dressed strange. She dressed really gothic with long, thick, pointy spikes on her bracelets. He wore the occasional stud too, but they paled in comparison to hers. Hers were heavy duty. **Maybe she'll look different tomorrow. Not that she looks bad like that anyway.**
It took him about fifteen minutes to get home. When he walked in the door, Lance was sitting at the kitchen table, eating. As was Freddie. **Big surprise.** Pietro was sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table, doing homework. Todd went into his room and closed the door. He threw his backpack on the ground and sat down on his bed.
"I can't believe this", he said aloud. "They don't even wait for me, then when I finally get home, they don't even care where I been. They just don't care. Not so much as a 'hi Todd, where were ya'. Even a 'Todd! What are you doin' back late!' would be fine. That's it". He got up and walked out into the living room.
"Why don't you guys ever wait for me after school?" he inquired of Pietro angrily. Pietro just gave him an irritated glance, then went back to his homework.
"If you don't want to walk home", Pietro said, "then get to the car on time".
"I can't believe you guys", Todd retaliated. "I coulda been attacked my those frickin' X-men and killed! You wouldn't have even known, and I bet you wouldn't have cared either!" Pietro glared at him.
"Toad, I'm really not in the mood".
"Yeah? Well, maybe I wasn't in the mood to walk home today. Did you ever think of that?" Lance and Freddie were staring at him from the kitchen with big eyes. Pietro stood up and calmly walked over to Todd. He stopped a few inches away. His face was expressionless. Abruptly, he raised his right hand. In one quick and perfectly aimed strike, he slapped Todd across the face. Todd's left hand went to his cheek. It stung like a whiplash. He turned around quietly and walked back to his room, slamming the door behind him.
"Pietro, man", he barely overheard Lance say, "you didn't have to hit him like that".
" He needs to know his place", was Pietro's answer.
**I need to know my place. Like hell I need to know my place**. He sat down on his bed, his hand still over his throbbing cheek. **Shit, he hits hard. And what is my "place" anyway? Is it just to be their henchmen? Is it just to be their little bitch that they can slap around whenever they feel like it? I'm seriously getting sick of this, Yo. But I ain't got no place else to go. Professor Baldy won't take me. Not after I been in the brotherhood this long. I ain't got no other home. I'm stuck here. I guess I ain't goin' no where.**
The pain in his cheek from being slapped slowly began to fade. But the pain in his mind didn't go away all night. He finished his homework. It was the only thing he could do to stop thinking about it. At around seven, he heard a knock on his door.
"Who is it?" He didn't want to talk to Pietro right now. If that's who it was, he wasn't letting him in. The door opened a little, and Lance peeked in.
"Its me, can I come in?"
"Yeah, I guess".
Lance walked in and closed the door behind him. He sat down on the bed, next to Todd.
"So, how come you got out of the school so late?" Lance asked. He sort of knew why Todd had gotten so miffed earlier, and he was trying to make up for it. Todd could tell. But he knew they didn't really care. He knew that they just didn't want him leaving the group. Not that they cared about loosing their friend. They just didn't want to loose a fighter. That was all.
"It's like this Yo," He began to explain. "There's this new girl at school and." He was interrupted when Lance smiled and spoke.
"Oh, I see, you got a girlfriend! Good goin' Toad! "
"Uh, no that ain't it. It's like this. Today after last period, the teacher calls us both up to his desk and says that we both have the exact same schedule. So, he wants me to show her around tomorrow, cuz' she only showed up for last period today. I got out late cuz' of that. And I have to be at the school fifteen minutes before the bell rings tomorrow to meet her".
"Oh", Lance simply said. "Is she hot?"
"Hot? She ain't just hot. She's beautiful", **shit, I shouldn't have said that. He'll tell Freddie and Pietro, and if they meet Simone, they'll tell her I said that. Snap!**
"What's her name?"
"Simone Samson".
"Huh, kinda funny name".
There was silence for a few moments. Todd said nothing and Lance said nothing. Lance sighed.
"Hey Toad, me and the guys have been kinda worried lately".
"About what?" **Oh no. I hope he's not talking about me. Yeah, I'll admit I been actin' funny lately. I been feeling funny lately too. Actually, I wouldn't call it funny, cuz I'm not laughing. **
"About you. You've been acting..different. You've been talking less and acting out more like earlier when you got back. You haven't been acting like yourself. Are you." He was interrupted by Todd yelling.
"Hey, what happened earlier wasn't my fault Yo! You guys are the ones always leaving me at the school if I'm not out right on time! Do you have any idea what.." He sighed and his voice returned to normal. "Nevermind, it don't matter. Its not like you guys care anyway".
Lance stood up and looked down at Todd with furious eyes.
"That's why Pietro slapped you! Because of stupid talk like that! It really pisses me off that you seem to think we're not better friends than that! That's an insult. I'm getting sick of it". He started walking towards the door.
"Well", Todd said so quietly it was nearly a whisper. "You don't act like better friends than that".
Lance just kept walking. He huffed then exited the room, slamming the door behind him. Then Todd was alone. He just sat there for awhile, thinking.
**Maybe it was wrong for me to act like that. He was only trying to help. But I'm sure he didn't really want to. He probably just drew the short straw. After all, they can't let a team mate go. They lose enough fights with the x-men anyway. That's the only reason they care. I don't know why. I'm not even that great a fighter anyway. **
A short while later, he took a shower and brushed his teeth. He knew that it was improbable that he'd get in good with Simone, no matter what he did. However, it's a natural human instinct to try, and he was human, for the most part. After his shower, he wore his usual sleepwear, a pair of boxers. They were dark green and had a print of frogs sitting on lily pads on them. He had always had found them ironic. That's probably why he bought them in the first place. They had come in a pack with three other pairs. The others all had the same print, but the background colors varied. One pair was white; one was blue, and the other black.
He got into bed, relatively early. Usually he stayed up late, even on school nights. But he wanted to forget most of the events of today. He wanted to be in a state where he was unthinking, unfeeling. He didn't want to feel screwed up anymore today. He pulled his flimsy blanket up over his head. The bed creaked at the movement.
**Today wasn't all bad. I got to meet that Simone chick. But I guess even that was bad, cuz I know she'll probably hate me when she gets to know me. But I can't forget that look in her eyes. That funny way she smiled at me.like she approved of me or somethin'. Weird. But if we ever got close, which won't happen, she'd eventually have to find out. If she hung around me enough, it'd be obvious. She's figure it out herself, that I'm a mutant. Huh, talk about not being like other guys. **
His still slightly wet hair made his pillow moist. He hated that feeling. The minute he noticed it, he heard the sound of raindrops hitting his half busted window.
**Oh great. Now its gonna freeze in here, if it didn't already. And all I got is this crummy sheet from Mystique. I swear, she treats us like animals. The roof leaks, the stove doesn't work half the time. And she gets the biggest room. Were the ones doin' all the work. This is some shit. Heh, imagine introducing Simone to Mystique. That'd be hanous.**
Soon rational thoughts began to fade. He found himself envisioning strange images that didn't make sense, like picture riddles. Sleep soon followed. He dreamt about Simone. In the dream, she was at the brotherhood house. She was sitting on the couch talking to Pietro and Lance while Freddie was making something in the kitchen. She was talking about how wonderful their house was. Todd wondered why. Then the x-men showed up. For some reason, they were being incredibly friendly. He had had dreams like that many times. It only felt like he had been in the dream for a few moments, when he heard a knock on his door and realized by the pale light entering his room from his window, that it was morning.
"Hey! Get up or your gonna be late for school! Didn't you say something about being there early!?" It was Lance.
Todd jumped out of bed and quickly got ready for school, probably for the first time in his life.
End of chapter one. Authors note: Dear readers,
I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. I really hope you enjoyed the deep details about Todd's boxers. ^^ I told you it was long. I hope you grabbed that sandwich. What kind of sandwich was it? Was it good? I hope so. Did you make it yourself, or did you get help from a parent? Remember, never use a knife without parental supervision. You might chop your arm off. Even if you have no opinion about the story, review anyway to answer my questions about your sandwich. I hope you liked my story as much as you liked your sandwich. That's why I'm hoping you really liked your sandwich. Actually, it makes little difference to me whether you liked my story or not, because I liked writing it and that's all that matters. No offense to you. Hope you like chapter two. It should be up in a few days. These things are long, so they take awhile to write. Sorry, I'm going on too much. You've probably stopped reading this by now. Oh well. Your all made of sand anyway.
Authors note: This is a story about Todd because I like Todd. The prologue may be hard to understand, but it will all come together later on in the story. Like an issue of dragon knights, its complicated, but all the loose strings are tied eventually. I know because I already wrote the epilogue. I really hope you enjoy this fic. Any opinions or flames are welcome. Just do not flame because you dislike Todd, because God help you if you dislike Todd and are reading this story. Sorry people, I am going to leave this one clean. The worst it will get is some minor cussing, some kissing, and some strange non-sense expressions from Simone. Forgive me please, if Simone is a Mary Jane. I guess in a way she is, but the first step in getting help in admitting that. If you have any questions or opinions or even flames (free speech rocks), e-mail me at BeshimiBoo@aol.com. Thank you and enjoy. Get a sandwich, it's a long one.
Prologue:
You never expect the day that your life changes forever. Every day begins with plans or expectations, but how can we plan for what hasn't happened yet? We can't. We can only make preparations to guide what our minds tell us are the probabilities of what will happen. However, sometimes things happen that are unexpected. Todd never expected the things soon to come. But Simone always did. Simone always saw it coming
All her life, Simone always knew that she'd someday fight a battle she couldn't win. And she had come here to fight it now. But the battle was not yet ready to be fought, and Simone was fine with that. She didn't want to be around during the battle. That's why she would fight her part now. She couldn't change the outcome of the battle, or the fact that it even had to be fought. But she could change the location of the battlefield.
Todd's mind. It would be easier on Simone. She would leave her memory in his mind to fight this battle. It was over him after all. His mind would be the true battlefield anyway. But it might rip him apart. She didn't yet know how to deal with that part. She wouldn't worry about it now. That part wasn't happening now. She knew that this battle might kill her just as well. She had a feeling it would be her last battle. But that was fine with Simone.
She knew very well her purpose here now. It was to get him through, to keep him alive. She didn't even know him, but she was the kind of person to love strangers, to help strangers. She was a missionary, an eternal walker whose purpose was for nothing more than to be a light. Now she was his light. She was there to get him through, and even if this mission killed her, that's what she planned to do.
Chapter one:Woe
It was last period world history. Not much exciting happening today. Little was ever exciting during school. Everyone thought he was stupid when he wasn't, so the classes he had challenged his mind very little. He got bored. Most of the time he just doodled in his notebook, or tried to write something, like a story. But the words never left the pencil the right way or in the right order. I don't read enough, he thought.
**Maybe if I read more I'd be a better writer, but who has time for reading when your busy being a punching bag. Other than that, I got no social life. It's a surprise I don't have more time on my hands for that kind of stuff. But it's always so loud at home...home, puh. It's always so loud there. Always yelling or fighting or somethin'. You can never concentrate there. Either that or its quiet, deaf quiet . Scary quiet, too quiet to do anything that involves making more quietness, like reading. Maybe the sound of ruffling pages would make it bearable.**
Home was, at times, worse than school. Although school was boring, it was bearable. He didn't get beat up on as much at school. Most days he couldn't wait to get out of school, but he wasn't all too excited about getting back there either.
The teacher introduced a new girl briefly and began the lesson. World War 1. Todd didn't give the new girl a second glance, he barely gave her a first glance. He was afraid to look at her. If she was average and nothing special then it would mean that today was another boring day, just like every other day. He was sometimes afraid that he was stuck in a rift where everything repeated and nothing new ever came. It scared him to death to think that nothing might ever happen to break the cycle. It made him antsy on the outside, but it drove him crazy under the surface.
But if she was beautiful, he would again have to feel the pang of knowing that she had to have a boyfriend, and even if she didn't, no one wants to get with Toad. He'd felt that pang a million times before. **You'd think I'd be used to it by now. I must be weak if I don't even callous.** He would rather just not have to look at her at all. He wondered if she knew how much anxiety she was causing him, just by being there. **It's not her fault. She doesn't owe me anything. I hate people who think the world owes them even when they don't pay their debts to the world. I'm becoming that kind of person. Yo I gotta stop that before it consumes my mind.**
He thought the teacher had said that her name was Simone Samson or something like that, weird. **First and last name begin with an s and m is the third letter in each. Yo, I must be going crazy. No normal person analyzes stuff like that, or would even notice that.**
He decided to look at her. What harm could it do, it wasn't like he wasn't fricked up inside already. He glanced back at her, she was sitting in the corner seat in the back, two rows behind and two to the left of Todd. She was beautiful, dammit. She had a classic beauty, a natural beauty. Her copper brown hair was long and clearly natural. The strands that fell over her eyes were kinda sexy. She didn't wear any makeup or anything. She just had natural dark lips, pouty too, like a model. He turned back toward the front of the class before she could catch him looking at her. He hadn't seen her eyes. She was looking down at her notebook, writing something. The teacher wasn't giving notes. Maybe she was a poet, a writer, or an artist.
From what he saw of her eyes, she had long dark lashes. He glanced back one more time, then turned forward again. Snap, she was pale! Like paper. And she was wearing all black. A tee shirt with some smart-ass comment on it and overly baggy black pants. They had chains on them. Aside from her hair and lips she looked like a black-and-white photo, oh, and a black leather choker with a purple cross dangling from it. **What a weird girl. She looked like she'd be the perfect girl for me, but I'm sure she's already some other guy's perfect girl. Not like I deserve her anyway, or anyone for that matter. I'm just a bad guy, just a villain, just Toad, but I bet I could make her happy...if I tried real hard.. **
He had trouble concentrating for the rest of class. Not that that was unusual, but it was for a different reason than usual. He had sort of given up on girlfriends, not that he'd ever had any. He tried not to think about love, romance, or any of that crap, because it wasn't for everybody. Something that's discriminate to people like him was something that he didn't want to be involved in. Maybe she had the same problem. She seemed to carry a deep aura of sadness around her. **I wonder what her story is.** He was probably just thinking too much, making things that weren't there. She was too beautiful to have had any heartbreak in her life, but in a way, she looked too beautiful to have not had any. He wondered how she was a freshmen, she looked older, like a sophomore or a junior. She looked too smart to have failed. **First impressions are usually wrong. I bet she's mean, stupid, and obnoxious and....and...**He sort of faded out of that thought when he realized that class was almost over.
When the bell rang, he slowly gathered up his books and started making his way for the door. He noticed that she had gone up to the teacher's desk and was talking to him. He couldn't hear what she was saying. She spoke so quietly.
"Todd". It was the teacher. Todd stopped at the doorway and looked back towards the teacher's desk. That Simone girl had turned toward Todd a little, looking at him silently. Her eyes were gray, they looked like the ocean.
"Yeah Mr.Haley?"
"Come here a minute".
He walked over towards the teachers desk and stood next to Simone, but not too close. A safe distance of a few feet away. **As if rejection can't reach this far.** She was looking at a wooden apple on the teacher's desk. She seemed to be putting up an effort when it came to looking the teacher in the eye. She glanced at Todd a little through the strands of hair that fell on her face. They were bangs that were being grown out. They went past her ears in length. **She's either shy or scared out her mind.**
"Todd", the teacher began, "I'm assuming you'll be at school tomorrow, right".
"Um, yeah...why wouldn't I be".
"Just asking", he paused and cleared his throat. "Todd, this is Simone Samson. Simone, Todd Toanski".
"Yo", Todd said.
"Hi", her voice was very, very small and meek. She smiled at him. Not just a smile of obligated greeting, but she genuinely smiled, at Todd. It was a warm smile, a kind smile, as if she found favor in him. It wasn't the kind of smile he received every day.
"Ms.Samson was just showing me her schedule. It seems that you two have all the same classes together. Tomorrow is Simones first full day here. Today would've been, but she came in late. Worried sick about her first day", Mr.Haley laughed.
Todd noticed the tiniest little tinge of pink come to her cheeks. **I guess that'd be a blush.**
"Todd, I think it would be a good experience for you both if you would be so kind as to show her around her first day here. It is a big school and we wouldn't want Ms.Samson getting lost."
"Mr.Haley", the girl spoke up. Her voice was so small and timid, like a whisper, but not so deep. "If it's a problem, I'm sure I'll be able to find my way around myself. I wouldn't want to be of any trouble, really".
"Oh, nonsense!" said the teacher cheerfully, "I'm sure it'll be no trouble at all! Will it Todd?"
**Of course it won't. She's beautiful. The hard part will be trying to make conversation, trying to impress her. I'm not really up to it. That and hearing about her boyfriend, and watching her leave with her boyfriend, and knowing that there's not much hope of her getting with me even if she is single.**
"No, Mr.Haley. It won't be a problem." He noticed the girl smile a little. It was strange though. There was something about her face. Expressions didn't play themselves out well on her face. Before and after that little smile, her face returned to an expressionless state. Although her face was beautiful, it seemed as if she was comfortable looking neutral.
"Good", Mr.Haley smiled. "You two will meet fifteen minutes before the first bell rings on the steps by the main entrance. You're free to go, goodnight".
Both of them turned and began walking towards the door at the same time. She walked faster and exited first. Todd began making his way down the halls to his locker, which was near his homeroom class. After leaving Mr.Haleys classroom, the strange girl walked slower. Now she was following far behind Todd. She followed him down the hall, and up the stairs and down another hall. The halls had cleared out now and there was the occasional dawdler here and there. It was barren for the most part.
**I wonder why she's followin' me. Wait, we have all the same classes. That means we probably have the same homeroom too. If we have the same homeroom, our lockers are probably close together. Maybe I should say sum'n' to her. Sum'n nice. Naw, not yet. Tomorrow. We'll talk tomorrow.**
His locker was the third one to the left of his homeroom door. Hers was the seventh. That locker used to be Jimmy Darlon's. Then Jimmy transferred towards the beginning of the second quarter when his dad's business went under. They had to move to a poorer neighborhood. That locker had been vacant ever since.
Todd put away the books he didn't need for homework that night, including some that he did need but just didn't feel like using. No wonder his grades weren't above average. Simone pulled something out of her locker. It was a backpack. It was a bright purple, vinyl backpack. She slid her history book into it and all the notebooks she had been carrying. She zipped it up and shut the locker door, giving the combination lock an extra spin for security. Todd did the same and started walking down the hall in the direction of the staircase. **Lance, Pietro, and Freddie are waiting for me. I bet they left without me. I'll probably have to walk home. They never wait for me. I hate it when they strand me here. **
Suddenly he felt a tiny poke on his left shoulder. It was so gentle that he wouldn't barely noticed it at first. He looked to his left. It was Simone. She had poked him with her index finger.
"Um, do you know what the history assignment was for tonight?" she asked quietly.
"Uh, yeah. Page 224, I think. Questions one through five".
"Thank you". Her walking then slowed so she was soon far behind him again. He could tell that she was shy. It was when she had asked him the assignment that he noticed something. It wasn't neutrality in her eyes and expression. It was sadness. She seemed to have a sad way about her. But it was as if it had been there awhile, and she was used to it. That's why it was so easy to mistake it. ** I wonder why she seems so sad. I wonder if she's sad for anyone in particular. I bet she's really pretty when she's happy and laughin'.**
When he got outside, he looked around for the jeep. It wasn't there. He wasn't surprised. He started walking. **Good thing I got these legs, or else I'd get tired walking home. I'd get there faster if I jumped, but I'd get in big trouble too. People don't like mutants.**
He lost sight of Simone. She went down a different street than he did. When he left the school, he went straight. When she left, she went right. She walked too. **I wonder if her parents are workin'.**
It was a long walk home, about a mile. That's why he hated it when they left without him. The walking didn't tire him. It was the occasional bully he met up with along the way, or the shouts that classmates gave him from their car windows. If it was a bully, he was usually able to hold his own. He was a mutant after all, and not too weak. What really bothered him, were the shouts of his classmates. Most were from girls, pretty, popular, cheerleader girls. They could be meaner than the boys. He didn't care to recall the things they often said. They only made him angry inside, but he always acted as if it didn't bother him. He pretended not to care. But he did care. It hurt sometimes. He always remembered a song that reminded him of it, and he played it, over, and over in his head.
People make jokes,
Cuz' they don't understand me.
They just don't see my real side.
I act like shit don't faze me.
Inside it drives me crazy.
My insecurities could eat me alive.
He wondered if Simone ever got shouts from car windows. She was beautiful, but strange. She dressed strange. She dressed really gothic with long, thick, pointy spikes on her bracelets. He wore the occasional stud too, but they paled in comparison to hers. Hers were heavy duty. **Maybe she'll look different tomorrow. Not that she looks bad like that anyway.**
It took him about fifteen minutes to get home. When he walked in the door, Lance was sitting at the kitchen table, eating. As was Freddie. **Big surprise.** Pietro was sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table, doing homework. Todd went into his room and closed the door. He threw his backpack on the ground and sat down on his bed.
"I can't believe this", he said aloud. "They don't even wait for me, then when I finally get home, they don't even care where I been. They just don't care. Not so much as a 'hi Todd, where were ya'. Even a 'Todd! What are you doin' back late!' would be fine. That's it". He got up and walked out into the living room.
"Why don't you guys ever wait for me after school?" he inquired of Pietro angrily. Pietro just gave him an irritated glance, then went back to his homework.
"If you don't want to walk home", Pietro said, "then get to the car on time".
"I can't believe you guys", Todd retaliated. "I coulda been attacked my those frickin' X-men and killed! You wouldn't have even known, and I bet you wouldn't have cared either!" Pietro glared at him.
"Toad, I'm really not in the mood".
"Yeah? Well, maybe I wasn't in the mood to walk home today. Did you ever think of that?" Lance and Freddie were staring at him from the kitchen with big eyes. Pietro stood up and calmly walked over to Todd. He stopped a few inches away. His face was expressionless. Abruptly, he raised his right hand. In one quick and perfectly aimed strike, he slapped Todd across the face. Todd's left hand went to his cheek. It stung like a whiplash. He turned around quietly and walked back to his room, slamming the door behind him.
"Pietro, man", he barely overheard Lance say, "you didn't have to hit him like that".
" He needs to know his place", was Pietro's answer.
**I need to know my place. Like hell I need to know my place**. He sat down on his bed, his hand still over his throbbing cheek. **Shit, he hits hard. And what is my "place" anyway? Is it just to be their henchmen? Is it just to be their little bitch that they can slap around whenever they feel like it? I'm seriously getting sick of this, Yo. But I ain't got no place else to go. Professor Baldy won't take me. Not after I been in the brotherhood this long. I ain't got no other home. I'm stuck here. I guess I ain't goin' no where.**
The pain in his cheek from being slapped slowly began to fade. But the pain in his mind didn't go away all night. He finished his homework. It was the only thing he could do to stop thinking about it. At around seven, he heard a knock on his door.
"Who is it?" He didn't want to talk to Pietro right now. If that's who it was, he wasn't letting him in. The door opened a little, and Lance peeked in.
"Its me, can I come in?"
"Yeah, I guess".
Lance walked in and closed the door behind him. He sat down on the bed, next to Todd.
"So, how come you got out of the school so late?" Lance asked. He sort of knew why Todd had gotten so miffed earlier, and he was trying to make up for it. Todd could tell. But he knew they didn't really care. He knew that they just didn't want him leaving the group. Not that they cared about loosing their friend. They just didn't want to loose a fighter. That was all.
"It's like this Yo," He began to explain. "There's this new girl at school and." He was interrupted when Lance smiled and spoke.
"Oh, I see, you got a girlfriend! Good goin' Toad! "
"Uh, no that ain't it. It's like this. Today after last period, the teacher calls us both up to his desk and says that we both have the exact same schedule. So, he wants me to show her around tomorrow, cuz' she only showed up for last period today. I got out late cuz' of that. And I have to be at the school fifteen minutes before the bell rings tomorrow to meet her".
"Oh", Lance simply said. "Is she hot?"
"Hot? She ain't just hot. She's beautiful", **shit, I shouldn't have said that. He'll tell Freddie and Pietro, and if they meet Simone, they'll tell her I said that. Snap!**
"What's her name?"
"Simone Samson".
"Huh, kinda funny name".
There was silence for a few moments. Todd said nothing and Lance said nothing. Lance sighed.
"Hey Toad, me and the guys have been kinda worried lately".
"About what?" **Oh no. I hope he's not talking about me. Yeah, I'll admit I been actin' funny lately. I been feeling funny lately too. Actually, I wouldn't call it funny, cuz I'm not laughing. **
"About you. You've been acting..different. You've been talking less and acting out more like earlier when you got back. You haven't been acting like yourself. Are you." He was interrupted by Todd yelling.
"Hey, what happened earlier wasn't my fault Yo! You guys are the ones always leaving me at the school if I'm not out right on time! Do you have any idea what.." He sighed and his voice returned to normal. "Nevermind, it don't matter. Its not like you guys care anyway".
Lance stood up and looked down at Todd with furious eyes.
"That's why Pietro slapped you! Because of stupid talk like that! It really pisses me off that you seem to think we're not better friends than that! That's an insult. I'm getting sick of it". He started walking towards the door.
"Well", Todd said so quietly it was nearly a whisper. "You don't act like better friends than that".
Lance just kept walking. He huffed then exited the room, slamming the door behind him. Then Todd was alone. He just sat there for awhile, thinking.
**Maybe it was wrong for me to act like that. He was only trying to help. But I'm sure he didn't really want to. He probably just drew the short straw. After all, they can't let a team mate go. They lose enough fights with the x-men anyway. That's the only reason they care. I don't know why. I'm not even that great a fighter anyway. **
A short while later, he took a shower and brushed his teeth. He knew that it was improbable that he'd get in good with Simone, no matter what he did. However, it's a natural human instinct to try, and he was human, for the most part. After his shower, he wore his usual sleepwear, a pair of boxers. They were dark green and had a print of frogs sitting on lily pads on them. He had always had found them ironic. That's probably why he bought them in the first place. They had come in a pack with three other pairs. The others all had the same print, but the background colors varied. One pair was white; one was blue, and the other black.
He got into bed, relatively early. Usually he stayed up late, even on school nights. But he wanted to forget most of the events of today. He wanted to be in a state where he was unthinking, unfeeling. He didn't want to feel screwed up anymore today. He pulled his flimsy blanket up over his head. The bed creaked at the movement.
**Today wasn't all bad. I got to meet that Simone chick. But I guess even that was bad, cuz I know she'll probably hate me when she gets to know me. But I can't forget that look in her eyes. That funny way she smiled at me.like she approved of me or somethin'. Weird. But if we ever got close, which won't happen, she'd eventually have to find out. If she hung around me enough, it'd be obvious. She's figure it out herself, that I'm a mutant. Huh, talk about not being like other guys. **
His still slightly wet hair made his pillow moist. He hated that feeling. The minute he noticed it, he heard the sound of raindrops hitting his half busted window.
**Oh great. Now its gonna freeze in here, if it didn't already. And all I got is this crummy sheet from Mystique. I swear, she treats us like animals. The roof leaks, the stove doesn't work half the time. And she gets the biggest room. Were the ones doin' all the work. This is some shit. Heh, imagine introducing Simone to Mystique. That'd be hanous.**
Soon rational thoughts began to fade. He found himself envisioning strange images that didn't make sense, like picture riddles. Sleep soon followed. He dreamt about Simone. In the dream, she was at the brotherhood house. She was sitting on the couch talking to Pietro and Lance while Freddie was making something in the kitchen. She was talking about how wonderful their house was. Todd wondered why. Then the x-men showed up. For some reason, they were being incredibly friendly. He had had dreams like that many times. It only felt like he had been in the dream for a few moments, when he heard a knock on his door and realized by the pale light entering his room from his window, that it was morning.
"Hey! Get up or your gonna be late for school! Didn't you say something about being there early!?" It was Lance.
Todd jumped out of bed and quickly got ready for school, probably for the first time in his life.
End of chapter one. Authors note: Dear readers,
I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. I really hope you enjoyed the deep details about Todd's boxers. ^^ I told you it was long. I hope you grabbed that sandwich. What kind of sandwich was it? Was it good? I hope so. Did you make it yourself, or did you get help from a parent? Remember, never use a knife without parental supervision. You might chop your arm off. Even if you have no opinion about the story, review anyway to answer my questions about your sandwich. I hope you liked my story as much as you liked your sandwich. That's why I'm hoping you really liked your sandwich. Actually, it makes little difference to me whether you liked my story or not, because I liked writing it and that's all that matters. No offense to you. Hope you like chapter two. It should be up in a few days. These things are long, so they take awhile to write. Sorry, I'm going on too much. You've probably stopped reading this by now. Oh well. Your all made of sand anyway.