Roberto groaned with utter annoyance, as the sunlight streamed through his window, to shine directly on him.
Cursing in a mixture of Portuguese and Spanish, Roberto sat up in his cozy enough bed, rubbing his dark eyes, and pulled the curtains across the window, with more force than was really necessary.
"I'm taking no more risks!" he said aloud, recalling how his freaky side had suddenly popped up after sunbathing.
Keeping alert every moment, to ensure the sun rays didn't touch him for even one moment, Roberto changed out of his pyjamas, and dragged himself downstairs, pleased that his aunt would be away for the whole weekend. At least she would have no chance to find out about his freakiness, well, not for the moment.
Munching silently and sullenly on some toast, Roberto tried to do some figuring out in his head. As long as his freakiness lasted, there was no way in the world he could still go on to school and act normal. He would, quite simply, probably be thrown out of the school.
Ding-dong.
With a sigh, Roberto half-tossed his plate into the sink, wiping his hands on his pants, and stalked over to the door, pulling it open with some violence. Three people stood there; two of them were rather familiar, Roberto recalling having seen them before in his school, but the third person, a tall, stern-faced man, was unfamiliar to Roberto. One of them, a boy of about 18, was tall and handsome, with short brown hair and a pair of red glasses covering his eyes. Next to him stood a girl of perhaps the same age, tall and beautiful, with unusual green eyes and long, reddish hair. Both were clad in some garments that appeared very strange to Roberto. The boy wore tight-fitting garments of dark blue, with a broad yellow X on the front. The girl next to him wore similar coloured garments with a broad green stripe down the front. The third person, a stern-faced man with dark eyes and hair, however, had his own outfit, dark blue trousers, and a short-sleeved dark blue shirt fashioned in a very unusual way Roberto could not quite describe.
"Hello!" The girl, wearing a bright smile, extended a hand to Roberto. "I'm Jean Grey, this is Scott, and this is Logan. Are you Roberto de Costa?"
Roberto shook her hand politely, but decided not to answer her question directly.
"How did you know my name?" he demanded suspiciously.
"Well," replied the youth whom Jean had introduced as Scott, "we do attend the same school."
"That doesn't mean I'm acquainted with you," Roberto muttered.
"Don't worry," Jean said replied calmly. "We have not come here to terrorize you. All we want is to help you."
"Help me?" Roberto raised his eyes.
"Have…funny things been happening to you lately?" Scott enquired.
"What?" Roberto exclaimed, backing away, his hands flying out in front of himself instinctively. "What do you know of that? That's entirely my own business!"
"Will you at least care to watch something?" Jean asked.
"Depends on what it is."
Turning her gaze to the table where a small plastic cup sat, Jean extended a hand towards it, her green eyes reflecting her fierce concentration. As Roberto turned to watch, the cup actually lifted itself up from the table, floating lightly towards the startled Brazilian.
"What…" he gasped, stunned.
"Telekinesis," Jean explained, levitating the cup to her hand. "An ability to move objects without actually touching them."
"How did you do that?" Roberto asked, getting excited in spite of himself.
"Mutant ability." For the first time, Logan spoke, in a deep, grim voice.
"Mutant? Impressive," Roberto remarked sarcastically.
"That's what you are, Roberto," Jean explained, choosing her words with care. "No, no, it's nothing scary or dreadful. Trust me, I hated my mutancy too at first. But I just got used to it. If you just learn to understand and control your powers, you'll find it nothing dreadful at all, really. If I recall correctly…"
"I'm a mutant?" Roberto half-shouted, horrified. "What can you mean? That I'm some sort of freak with freaky powers?"
"It's nothing freaky, or anything to be ashamed of," Scott said patiently. "You see, Roberto, we mutants, we were once normal humans, with normal human genes. That is, until something in our X genes mutated slightly, giving rise to a whole range of wondrous powers." He nodded to Jean, and the red-haired girl, without a word, levitated the cup calmly back to the table.
"So, what do you want of me now?" Roberto enquired coldly.
"To help you," replied Jean. "You see, the three of us, me, Scott, Logan, we all belong to a certain institute, where there are many others like us. A professor trains us daily to control our powers, and use them for good reasons, to help others without hurting people. So, we were just wondering if…"
"You would like to come along and join the Institute," finished Scott. "You'll be treated well there, and get to mix with peers just like you. Will you come?"
"How do I know I can trust you?" Roberto asked. "How do I know you're not just some…kidnappers trying to take advantage of my powers? Besides, how did you know about my freakiness?"
"We'd never take advantage of you," Jean said quietly. "It's beneath us to even think of such a thought. As to your other question, well, the Professor who trains us, he has this special machine called Cerebro. It enables him to locate and identify mutants from all over. Of course, if you want to join us, we'll have to consult your parents first and…"
"Hah!" Roberto exclaimed, with pure disgust. "I've no real parents! My mother died after I was born, and my dad…never cared about me. I'm living with my aunt for the moment!"
"Oh. I'm sorry about your mum. Will you at least let us talk with your aunt, then?" Scott asked.
"Fine," Roberto shrugged. Then, in an undertone, to himself, "Not that she'll actually bother about me, anyhow. No one does!"
"The professor does," Logan unexpectedly put in. "He's sacrificed much time and money to help the unaccepted feel accepted. Don't think no one bothers about you!"
Roberto stared at Logan.
"Enhanced senses," Jean quickly put in, seeing Roberto's expression.
Roberto was saved from answering by the phone, which rang loud and clear, startling them considerably. Hurriedly excusing himself, Roberto ran to pick up the receiver. However, his mind was hardly focusing on the person's voice. All he could think about were the mutants outside the door. Help. Was it possible for someone to actually help him? Maybe even care about him? It was just like a dream come true.
"Well, your wish has come true," he reported to the others, as the speaker finally hung up. "My aunt just rang to say that she'll be returning soon. Much earlier than I expected. Guess you can talk to her then." For the first time, Roberto did not use his typical tone of voice: cold, unwelcoming, unfriendly.
Help. Care. Those words meant ever so much to Roberto at that moment.
"Great!" smiled Scott. "Maybe we should hang around a bit till she arrives?"
"If you wish. And, oh! Pardon my rudeness. I've kept you all out here for nearly ten minutes, I think! Will you come in?"
Relieved that Roberto was perhaps not as difficult as he seemed, the three mutants gratefully entered his house, patiently waiting.
Sure enough, Roberto's aunt returned in half an hour. What passed between her and the three mutants, however, Roberto never really found out, for his aunt sent him out, deciding to keep the conversation private. Whatever it was, the end result was that Roberto was ordered by his aunt to pack up, for she had agreed more than willingly to allow him to stay with the other mutants. Relieved though he was, an old tinge of hurt and sorrow lingered on in him, for his aunt had only talked for about ten minutes, before making her decision. Indicating she must have scarcely put much thought into the decision. And when Roberto descended the stairs at her call he noticed instantly a look of pure discomfort on her face, as though his mutancy was already beginning to freak her out.
Roberto had never been a materialistic boy. Thus, it took him barely half an hour to pack up all his belongings, ready to depart.
"Well, goodbye, Roberto," his aunt said stiffly and formally, forcing a smile for she noticed the others watching. "I hope you…have a good time there."
"Thank you, aunty," Roberto responded, just as stiffly. "Thank you for letting me stay here with you, and for letting me go. Goodbye."
His aunt merely nodded as she held the door open for the mutants.
Never looking back once, Roberto picked up his bags and followed the mutants to Scott's car, a beautiful, shiny red vehicle.
"Are there any other Bayville High students there in the institute?" Roberto enquired, once they were on their way.
"Oh, plenty!" Jean smiled. "In fact, they all are students at our school!"
"Oh, good." Roberto managed a little smile.
On and on drove Scott, for another twenty minutes or so, and then Scott stopped the car at an enormous mansion, so huge that Roberto couldn't help gasping at the sight of it.
"I'd get lost in there in a flash," he remarked.
"Don't you worry," Logan grunted. "The professor will soon buddy you up with someone to take care of you."
Suddenly feeling slightly nervous, Roberto clutched onto his bags tightly, following the others to the front door. Clearly, his arrival was already expected, for someone opened the white door, to admit a man in a wheelchair. A completely bald, middle-aged man, with dark eyes and a stern, yet warm face at the same time. Seeing Roberto, his face broke into a smile, and he instantly extended a hand to Roberto.
"Welcome, Roberto."
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