Wolf: Okay. Here's chapter 2! I know it's been a very long time since I've updated, but I've got a good reason!

Scott: Another one of your computers broke down again, didn't it?

Wolf: *glares at Scott* It's not my fault I bought a piece of crap computer and the power port broke on me!

Kitty: Seriously, Wolf. You really need to take better care of your computer. Even I take extra special care of mine.

Wolf: Well, Kitty, I'm not you. I can't help that I'm rough with my things. I wasn't raised to be a girly girl like you! I was very close to my brother, and did everything he did. I played sports with the boys instead of playing with dolls like you!

Kitty: *turns and walks away* Like, whatever. Just get on with the story already we're done waiting!

Wolf: Never mind Kitty, she's still young. She hasn't learned how to respect her older peers yet.

Kitty: I heard that!

Wolf: Anyway, happy readings and remember, Smile until you stop.

Everyone: Just start the story already!

Chapter Two: Bet On It!

I don't ever want to feel,

Like I did that day!

It's not hard to believe,

I'm all alone!

I lost everything I ever had!

Everything I ever was!

I want to see the hurt in your eyes,

And make it that much worse…

… Kurt and Rogue had been sitting with Dakota while Jean and Scott sat together between Logan and Ororo which were sitting at the professor's side. Kitty had been sitting Kurt's other side, and Evan was sitting next to Rogue's opposite side.

Kitty leaned over her dinner and looked at Kurt's other side. "So, like, what school did you transfer from? What grade are you in?"

'She's being nice to me… say something!' Dakota thought to herself as she looked over at Kitty. "…Broken Hills Senior High School…" She replied in a quiet tone as her eyes darted up towards Kitty and away from her. "…I'm a junior…"

"So, you'll be with me, Evan and Kurt! This is totally awesome! I hope we have some classes together!" Kitty said in an excited tone; giving Dakota a bright smile.

Dakota laughed nervously and took a bite of her food. "I don't doubt that, Kitty." Dakota said quietly, but with everyone chatting about her, no one could possibly hear her with the exception of Kurt and Logan.

Kurt swallowed his pasta and looked over at Dakota with a curious look in his eyes. "So, vhat do you do for fun?"

Dakota looked up from her dinner and gave Kurt a faint smile. "I've been told I have some talent in drawing if that's what you mean." She said in a modest tone; taking another bite of her food.

Xavier rested his chin on his hand and gave the girl at the other end of the table a teasing look. "Now, don't be so modest, Dakota." He said in a light warning. "Why don't you tell your fellow classmates about your figure skating career? Jean and Scott are both in Bayville High's athletic department."

Scott looked down the table and gave Dakota a playful smile. "That's pretty cool, Dakota. How long have you been into figure skating?" He asked in an interesting tone.

Dakota held in her excitement and turned her faint smile towards him. "… Since I was three, I think. I was the youngest skater in my hometown before I took a nasty fall and had to quit. Now, I just draw and write stories."

After a few more questions and comments, it was time for the other students to go downstairs. Dakota was excused from the training session because this was her first day at the institute, so she had time to herself. Xavier had explained their training sessions and picked up on Dakota's excitement, but assured her that she will get time in soon.

After a while, Dakota found herself in the process of unpacking. She had finished putting her clothes away and began working on book self. She didn't bring too many books with her, or next to nothing to decorate her room, so she didn't have to worry too much about it.

She had just finished putting her last empty suitcase in her closet when she heard someone knocking on her door. She looked over at the door to see Kurt slowly opening the door.

"Uh… hello…" He said in an awkward tone; stepping into the room. "May I come in?"

Dakota gave Kurt a shy smile and made her way over to the desk. "Did you want something, Kurt?" She asked in a curious tone as she kept a close eye on the boy, as he sat down on her bed.

…Don't look up…

Kurt shrugged his shoulders and bounced a few times on her bed, and gave Dakota a cheeky grin. "Nien, we finished our session but I was bored and vanted to talk to you." He answered in a friendly tone.

Dakota looked down at her feet and noticed Shorty sitting under herbed in an attack position, and looked up at Kurt. "Um, I hope you're wearing socks, Kurt…" she said in a blunt tone; giving Kurt a cocky grin, "You're about to get attacked." She added in an evil tone.

Kurt didn't have time to react when the little kitten launched herself at Kurt's feet. He cried out and fell back on the bed with his legs in the air. Kurt still had his hologram projector on, so Dakota couldn't see that Shorty was now playing with his tail.

"Ease up on my tail, you little fur ball!" Kurt cried out as the little kitten began swatting at his tail, "Zat hurts!"

Dakota tilted her head to the side and gave Kurt a confused look. "Kurt, you don't have a tail." She said in a silly tone; watching her cat jump around near Kurt on the bed.

Kurt looked down at himself and realized his image was the same as when he first met her, and jumped off the bed. "Zat is because I have to wear an image projector… to blend in vith ze crowd." He said in an unsure tone; looking away from the girl picking up the kitten. "If you saw vhat I really look like; zen you'll either laugh, cry, or scream."

Dakota gave her kitten a blunt look before she gave Kurt her full attention. "Why would I do that? Do you look gross under there? Are you Resident Evil under there?"

Kurt gave Dakota a crazy look. "Nien, I just look like a freak!" He cried out in panic. "Fangs, pointed ears, two toes and three fingers, and to top it all off, I am covered in fur!"

Dakota placed the kitten on the floor and sat down on the bed next to Kurt. "… actually, I think that sounds pretty interesting." She said in silent tone; not looking Kurt in the eye. "… Can you show me what you like anyway?"

Kurt gave Dakota a blank stare before he looked down at his watch; debating on what to do. Dakota guessed that the watch was the source of his image projector, and reached up; grabbing the boy's wrist and causing the hologram to disappear. Dakota flinched when she saw Kurt move away from her in shame; reminding her of herself when she was younger.

…"Bang, Bang!" Go the coffin nails…

Dakota looked Kurt up and down for a moment before she gave Kurt a shy smile. "… I don't think you look like a total freak, Kurt…" She said quietly as she looked in his yellow eyes. "… I think you look much cooler this way…" She said in a hollow tone; looking down at her hands. "… My brother always told me that there was nothing wrong with being different…"

Kurt seemed to relax when he heard Dakota speak those words, but he couldn't help but pick up a hint of sadness when she mentioned her brother.

With a sigh of defeat, he sat back down at the bed and lay back on it; not caring if Dakota saw him or her cat playing with his tail. He turned his head to look at the girl beside him.

"So… you don't really care vhat I look like?" He asked in a hopeful tone; looking up at Dakota with a condemning look.

Dakota shook her head and back on the bed; no eye level with him. "…My brother may have said that there's nothing wrong with being different, but I say opinions are like butt holes: everybody has one. It's the ones who talk the most that have the biggest ones."

Kurt laughed out loud when he heard that. There was something about Dakota that made him feel better. It almost gave him the courage to take off his projector. Almost.

"I zink you are ze first von to accept me for me… vell, besides Amanda." He said in a thoughtful tone as he gave Dakota a brave smile. "Everyone here likes me enough, but you are ze first von to accept me at first glance."

Dakota smiled faintly at Kurt, and rolled over; laying flat on her stomach. "I won't say anything against the way you look if you don't." She said in a reasoning tone; extending her hand for Kurt to shake. "Do we have an accord?"

…Say it if it's worth saving me! ...

Kurt chuckled and grabbed Dakota's hand. "Deal." He said in a soft tone as he shook her hand in agreement.

After a few moments of chit-chatting, Kurt let out a loud cry. He lifted his tail up and saw that the tip of his tail had bite marks on it. Dakota giggled and grabbed a tiny first aid kit from under her bed. She then carefully took Kurt's injured tail in her hands and began to apply some ointment on it. She flinched when she heard Kurt hiss in pain.

"If it hurts, then it's working." She mumbled in a quiet tone; giving Kurt a firm look. "You don't want to get cat-scratch fever, do you?" Once she was done with the ointment, she wrapped the tip of his tail in a simple bandage. "I've had it before, and trust me, it's not fun."

"I'm beginning to zink your cat doesn't like me." He said in a dry tone as he looked down at the damage done to his tail. "Zat is ze third time today she attacked me!"

…Press down hard on the gas…

Dakota looked down beside her and found Shorty sitting there. The kitten looked like she was about to go after Kurt's tail again, but she picked her up and placed her in the closet; shutting her inside.

She turned back to Kurt with a sad smile. "…I actually think she likes you, Kurt." She said in a gentle tone.

Kurt gave Dakota a surprised look and held up his bandaged tail. "If zis is how she treats ze ones she likes, I'd hate to see her go after someone she doesn't like!" He told her in a cold tone; glaring at his reflection in the closet mirror.

Dakota sighed and made her way back over towards her bed. "She just needs to get used to you is all," she says, "It's the same way with any other animal."

Kurt sat back down on the bed and lay back. "So you zink she likes me?" He asked in a defeated tone as he gave Dakota a flat stare.

Dakota laughed and patted Kurt's knee before she lay back on the bed. She lifted up her sleeve and showed him the scars on her arms. "Trust me; she gave me cat-scratch fever six times since I got her. She's in love with you." She said in an understanding tone as she gave Kurt a lazy smile.

It wasn't long after that when Kurt let out a loud yawn. Dakota chuckled at the boy lying next to her.

"It sounds like someone needs to go to sleep." She said in a teasing tone; poking Kurt's nose.

Kurt gave Dakota a lazy grin and sat up on the bed. "I should get going. I got a busy day tomorrow, and so do you!" He said in a goofy tone; taking his turn to poke Dakota's nose.

Dakota laughed and playfully smacked Kurt's hand away. "The professor already told me I have to go to school. I'm not a complete idiot… some parts are missing."

"I neva said you vere…" Kurt said in a defensive tone before he turned to walk out of the room.

"Night, Kurt!" Dakota called out from down the hall; turning back into her room.

She got ready for bed and went over towards the closet; letting Shorty out before she made her way over towards her bed; turning out the light from the nightstand…

…Smile until you stop…

Wolf: Okay, let me apologize for being so late with updating. I've said before that my computer had broke down, but now that I've got a new one (I just need another 60 bucks and it's mine for good!) It's not too bad, it's smaller than my other one, but I still like it.

Rogue: It's about time you got your rear in gear! We've all been waiting forever!

Wolf: It's my mutant ability: repelling technology… I can literally make electronics run away… screaming.

Wolf: Getting serious now. Thanks for not giving up on me! It means worlds to me that you actually read my stories and add them to your favorites list! I feel so honored! Also, please review! It lets me know that you actually read my stories and please feel free to give me any ideas and I'll do my best to put them in my chapters! Happy readings and always remember! Smile until you stop…