Chapter 4

Pyra asks for help!

After a while, Hank left Kaija alone and she was able to get some sleep. When she woke up in the morning, she felt fine, minus the fact that she was still tired from Hank checking up on her.

"Good morning, Kaija," Hank greeted, looking up at her with his tired eyes from his desk. He rose from his chair and starte to walk towards her when he saw that she was taking out the I.V. "You aren't supposed to take that out, I am."

Kaija thre Hank a look of warning as she plucked the needle from her arm. "I don't like needles," she said quietly as she sat up and let her feet dangle over the edge of the bed.

Hank smiled, "I noticed…I do need to still do a couple tests to make sure you are okay, now that you are at a semi normal level, once more."

"No," Kaija said. "No, needles, no tests."

The young girl hopped off the bed, her bare feet hit the cold floor, but it was only cold for a second, before her body heat took over. Hank watched her as she fought to stay standing. She had been laying down for a long time and hadn't had much to drink.

"Do you feel alright," Hank asked.

Kaija nodded. "Can I leave now?"

Hank sighed, he didn't want to push her for more tests. She didn't want to get on her bad side, he had seen the results when she didn't even try. "Yes, m'dear, you may go now," he answered. "Just be a bit more carefull."

Kaija nodded and left to find her room and take a shower, even though she had a bath the day before. It wasn't her choice though. She was scared to run into anyone she knew, and anyone that heard. She saw students in the hall, they talked, mouth to ear until she got closer, then they stopped and stared. They moved out of her way, then laughed. Immediatley, she knew they spoke of her, perhaps it was the fact that she was barefoot, but she doubted it.

She continued on through the Red Sea of students and waves of snickering. She wished they would stop, she felt like taking on the world at the moment, and didn't want to have a reoccurance of the other day.

A blond haired, blue eyed boy came out of one of the rooms and smiled at her. "How are you doing, uh…Pyra isn't it?"

Kaija looked confused.

"You probably don't know me," the boy said. "I'm Bobby Drake, sometimes they call me Iceman. I helped Logan get you to the infirmary."

"Forgive me for not being exstatic on your heroisim," Kaija said turning to her room directly across from Bobby's. "I'm not one for hospitals."

Bobby looked down at her feet. "I see, you left your socks and shoes."

Now, it was Kaija's turn to look at her feet, she knew she left them, but she looked anyways. She shrugged.

"I'll wait for you if you would like some breakfast," Bobby offered. He caught a slight shadow of a smile, or maybe it was his imagination. Either way, Kaija nodded.

"I just need a quick shower first," she answered.

Bobby smiled and nodded. "I'll be out here then."

Kaija went to her room and took a quick shower. Drying off almost immedatly after the water stopped and threw on some clean clothes. She walked out of her room to see Bobby talking to a girl with long brown hair with some white on her bangs.

Both looked up at Kaija.

"Hiya, I'm Rouge," the girl with the white in her hair said with a strong Southeren accent. She extended a gloved hand towards Kaija.

Kaija looked at the hand for a moment.

"It ain't gonna bite ya," the girl said with a smile. She seemed nice.

Kaija extended her hand and they performed the trational handshake. "You wear gloves," Kaija observed.

"I can't touch no one," Rouge said, her accent was beginning to bug Kaija. "Like you, when people touch my skin, they get hurt. I steal their powers for a short time though."

Kaija raised an eyebrow. "You're like me….but you wear gloves," she said, realizing that she didn't have her's on.

"I think their stylish," Rouge said.

Kaija looked at her but said nothing.

Bobby sighed. "Well, why don't we get to breakfast before the cafeteria closes and we have to go to class?"

Both girls nodded and they walked to the cafeteria.

"You really should wear your gloves," Rouge said, once they sat down at a small table. Kaija didn't get anything, she had chared the apple that she picked up.

"I don't like them," Kaija said.

"I didn't know what style you like," Rouge said, a little hurt.

"I mean, I don't like things on my hands," Kaija sighed.

Rouge nodded, "But they help you. You can touch things with them, eat with out over cooking your food."

Kaija got up from the table and started walking away. She was angry that she was getting lectured by someone that thought they understood her because they couldn't touch anyone, just like her.

"I'm sorry," Rouge called. "I'm only try'n ta help!"

Kaija raised a hand to her shoulder and then swated the air with it. She wandered down the hall and outside to the gym, where her first class was. She walked into the gym and took a seat on the floor.

"No troubles today," asked a man with a strong Cajun accent.

Kaija looked up and saw Gambit standing in front of her. "I'll try not to give you any trouble Mr."

"No appologies," he asked.

Kaija looked annoyed. "I'll try not to appologize either, Mr.."

Gambit laughed. "Mind if I pop a sqaut next to ya?"

Kaija shrugged and Gambit took a seat. It was silent for a minute before Kaija realized she hadn't breathed yet. She let out her breath and began to breath normally again.

Gambit looked at her, then back across the gym. "You know, everyone here has their story," he began. "I'm not saying I understand you, cause I don't even know what your story is. I was a kid that wandered the streets, I was a professinal thief before I came here."

Kaija raised an eyebrow. "At least you didn't kill someone," she muttered.

"And dere you are wrong," Gambit said, feeling gulty for his past acts. "I took part in a masacure against the Morlocks which was an underground mutant community. I've killed people."

"You don't know me," Kaija said under her breath.

"And you are right dere," he agreed. "I would like to hear your story though."

Kaija shook her head and snapped her eyes shut. "No…I can't."

Gambit shrugged, "Perhaps not now, then," he paused to look at the time. "You going to put on your uniform today?"

Kaija looked at the floor. "I can't open my locker." She felt stupid, she didn't know how to work the combination lock.

"Well," Gambit said standing up and beginning to walk away.

"Wait," Kaija called, standing up and walking up to her gym teacher when he stopped. "Could…could you."

Gambit looked at her looking confused, but on the inside he was happy. He was getting somewhere with the fire. He waited for her to finish before he dared smile.

"Could you help me with my locker," she finally spat out. Ashamed that she ever needed to ask for help.

Gambit grinned from eart to ear and lightly placed a hand on her covered shoulder. "Of course I'll he'p ya," he said. Then he followed her to her locker.

He was happy she finally broke down and asked someone for help, and she thought that it felt kinda nice to actually have some help. For a girl as independent as Pyra, it was a big step in the right direction.

....To Be continued