World We're Given

Later on in the X-Men's lives, involving them (as I know them) and their children. It's a mash of both cartoons, some of the comics and whatever else I've bothered to look up on Wikipedia. This story centers on an eighteen year old girl and her struggle with her new identity and the challenges she and her peers face. It's a bit of romance, a bit of angst, a bit of drama, I'm hoping a bit of humour and a lot of action/adventure. This chapter is a bit of a teaser; it's short so it won't take you to long to read it. Give it a once over before you decide whether to ignore it the next time you see the title on the list page.

I don't own any X-men, concepts, situations or even notions of these characters. Please don't sue me.

-Late Night Symphony

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She watched the trees slowly roll by along the side of the road; looking like naked shadows of their former selves against the the all encompassing white that surrounded them. She was very annoyed right now. At her father for one, then her mother, and also the world. Mostly the world. She deliberately angled her face towards the right side window so she didn't have to look at her father. She didn't feel much like talking to him. Even though he had never been much for conversation on long car rides, she could feel, that to him; this silence was awkward.

With all the traffic along this stretch there was plenty enough to keep her mind occupied. She tried to guess where the passengers were going and where they came from. She made up little stories in her head: The black SUV had just come from the inlaw's house and the wife had been embarrassed at what her husband had said to her mother, that's why she was mad at the driver. The teenager in the back of the silver Toyota next to them was probably contemplating self-imposed deafness by means of bashing her head against the back of her seat as her parents and little brother happily sung along to the car radio. A beat up car full of young men and poorly packed luggage was headed back to campus after the holidays. Their driver was wolfing down what appeared to be some type of fast-food meat sandwich in a waxy paper rapper. Her stomach rumbled. It made her remember how badly she wanted a cheeseburger. You always want things more when you know you can't have them.

She sighed and slumped against the window. Her leather-interior seat groaned as she moved. That's why she had never liked leather seating; it was too noisy and was hell to sit on in the summer. But her father loved it. She blew out heavily against the cold glass and used her finger to draw an unhappy-face in the circle of mist it left behind. She watched it dissipate. This winter visit had to fall under the 'worst-ever' category. Right now it was tied with the one were she found out her mother was getting re-married. Well, technically her mother and father had never been married in the first place so, it was her mother's first marriage. Actually, that had turned out quite well. Her step-father was really nice. He made her mother happy. But she could hardly see how this would have any positive out comes at all. This year most definitely was top of the worst ever.

"It's not gunna to be that bad." Her father stated out of the blue. It startled her a bit. She looked over to him, but he hadn't moved his vision from the road. " Last time I was there, the kids were still gettin' into all sorts of trouble. You'll have a great time." His daughter didn't answer anything back, she only furrowed her brows further. He glanced at her quickly then back to his driving and smirked at her angry face. "I'm sure you of all people can tough it out." He nudged her arm with his fist. She waited a moment before saying coldly,

"I'm hungry."

"You wanna stop somewhere?" He asked.

"Where," She stressed the syllables, "would we be able to go that would serve anything I could eat?" The countless greasy burger joints and diners that she and her father used to frequent flashed in her mind. She was going to miss them. A pang of loss added to her already miserable mood and she had work to hold back a grimace. It wasn't just the fried foods; she was going to miss her old life.

Her father thought for a while. "There's an Indian place about an hour away." He remembered. "They'll have plenty for ya." His daughter just stared at the dashboard. He understood. He breathed out a slow heavy breath and placed his hand on her shoulder. He patted her comfortingly. "I know kiddo," he said. "I know."

The sound of tires against wet pavement and the hum of the heater was the only thing that filled the quiet cab of their truck for a long while. Desperate to escape the the thoughts that were chasing her, she finally turned on the stereo. She cranked the volume to some generic pop-rock song that she didn't really care for. Sighing again, she turned to watch the the frigid winter world outside her window.

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The next chapter will be longer, and it will involve names! Thanks for reading,

- Symphony