Chapter 3: Apologies

"Hydra, Dust, flames!" Sofia warned us as we dodged the attack of one sentinel. Another one, this one smaller, came at us throwing globules of flame everywhere, nearly hitting our protectorates.

"Oh no, ya don't," I mumbled as I threw my liquid hands at the robot, effectively shorting out its control systems. Sooraya wasted no time getting inside its now down force field and destroying its internal wiring.

"Simulation terminated. Simulation terminated. Simulation..." the Danger Room computer repeated over and over again as the enemies around us disappeared.

"Good job blue team," Emma's accented voice rang over the speakers once the simulation disappeared and was replaced by the metal walls of the Danger Room. "You all receive high marks for today's session except Shifter, who let one of his and Talons innocents get hurt. Please send in the green team on your way out."

We all headed to the doors, grumbling about Sam as usual. When we reached the hall outside, Sofia found David and told his team to head on in.

"Ya better watch out," I whispered to Summer as we passed each other. "This one's a doozy."

"Okay," the African girl replied as she pulled her gloves tighter. "Thanks."

Our team made its way to the separate locker rooms. When I entered the girls' one, I made my way to Laura's locker, hoping I could catch her and apologize. As I turned down the aisle to her locker, she slammed her door and left the locker room, completely changed and silent.

"Dammit!" I yelled as I hit the nearest locker, which just happened to be Cessily's.

"What is your problem, Carter?" Cessily said as she came out of the dressing stall. "You practically broke the hinges again," she stated, pointing at the oddly bent metal joints.

"Don't call me that," I growled at her as I walked away.

I left the aisle and found my locker. After changing into my jeans and tank top, I left the room, hoping I wouldn't run into Sam.

No such luck. Before I had gone two steps, Sam was calling my name, trying to get me to talk to him. I sped up, praying that the elevator wouldn't close before I got there. This time I got my wish but Sam still made it into the elevator with me along with Julian and Sofia.

"Oh, come on. You guys couldn't wait for the next one?" Julian asked incredulously as he moved back from Sofia, who was trying to fix her lip gloss.

"No, Julian, we couldn't. In fact, Ah was hopin' he wouldn't make it," I retorted while pointing over my shoulder at Sam.

Before anyone could reply to my rudeness, the elevator dinged and I was out the doors before Sam could catch me. I fled to my sanctuary that always calmed me down: the library.

When I entered, the room was empty except for Ororo, who was normally in there grading papers, reading, or kissing Logan. Usually it was a combination of one of the first two and the third one. Thankfully, today Logan was on a wilderness fieldtrip with some of the younger students and Bobby, who had somehow talked him into it in the first place.

"Hey Ororo," I said slipping into first names like I usually did outside of class. She nodded back as she continued to grade our final reports.

I left her in peace as I wondered deeper into the immense library. In the four years I had been at the school, the library had doubled in size so that it could accommodate all the textbooks the school needed and all the 'interesting' books that the younger students liked.

I finally stopped in the sci-fi section, the one section that people actually wanted to read but didn't have the time to. I plopped myself down on the window seat below the window at the end of the aisle.

I must have dozed off because the next thing I knew, I was being gently shaken awake by Laura. She put her fingers to my lips to stop me from speaking.

"I already talked to Calvin," she started, "And he says he started it. Is that true?" I nodded. "Okay. Why didn't you tell me?" she went on as she removed her fingers from my lips.

I looked out the window before I answered. "'Cause Ah know how close ya'll are and Ah didn't wanna ruin that," I whispered as I looked at Kevin and Cessily playing tag with the few younger students that didn't go with Logan and Bobby. "Ah've seen how relationships ruin that," I continued whispering, knowing Laura could hear me. "Ah'm sorray Ah didn't tell ya," I finished in a stronger voice.

Laura put her hand on my shoulder. "Alright, but no more secrets, right?"

I looked at her smiling as I replied, "Definitely."

Suddenly, there was a loud crash from the door of the library followed by Ororo telling off Sam.

"Honest, I'm just looking for Ashida. I didn't mean to hit the table," he defended himself as Laura and I made our way to the sitting area. "Ashida!" he exclaimed as Laura and I rolled our eyes at the mess he had made of Ororo's papers.

I held up my hand to Sam to silence him before he could try to say anything else. "First, we're gonna help Ororo gather the papers. Then, we'll talk," I ordered Sam as Laura and I began picking up papers. Sam joined us and we soon had all of them back on the table in about the right piles.

"Thank you," Ororo said as we all headed to the door.

"Do you think we'll get extra credit for picking up the papers?" Sam asked in a low voice as we walked up the stairs.

"Laura and I, maybe. Ya, no. Ya're the one that knocked 'em down in the first place," I chuckled as Sam's face fell.

"I'm going to find Sooraya," Laura said when we reached the second floor.

"Alright," Sam and I replied as she walked away. I then turned to Sam to see why he had been trying to find me.

"Whadda ya want, Sam?" I asked without preamble.

Sam looked down and started twisting his hands and playing with the hem of his shirt. "Well, I, uh, just wanted to, uh, um, apologize for telling Laura about you and, um, Cal the other day," he finally manage to say.

I just shook my head. "Sam, it's alright. Laura and Ah already talked and it's all okay now." I decided it was time to tell him the team's thoughts.

"Sam, some of us are thinkin' ya need ta be on a different team." Before he could interrupt, I put my fingers on his lips, just as Laura had put hers on mine. "Sam, ya're always late ta practice and debriefin' and we're all gettin' really annoyed with it," I finished, removing my fingers. "Just try ta do better 'fore Sofia can hand in the forms for it." I patted his shoulder as I walked away to find Calvin, not even realizing there was a young blonde girl watching us like a hawk.

I just reread this chapter and I realized that you guess could take Sam's demeaner as him having a crush on Ashida. *faceslap* He definately does not. That would be really wierd considering he's my brother's OC and Ashida is mine.