Disclaimer: My love for X·men not withstanding, i don't own them, except in my imagination, and off course that doesn't count.

CH4 Frail Encounters
After school I thought the mansion was too crowded for my thoughts, so decided to walk aimlessly around town once classes were up. Today hadn't been a very good day. By fifth period I had managed to get Kitty (after being sarcastic and nonresponsive to her in lab class wasn't something she appreciated much), also John wasn't very happy with me, I tried to talk to him and either he was not interested in talking for some damn bad reason or was pissed at me for something I had no clue about. Also Wolverine still didn't seem to even acknowledge my presence, which was definitely a bad thing during mechanics class, where I always have way too many questions. I also had few classes to which I actually paid attention. I forgot to meet Marie for lunch, was actually talking on the phone with my parents. I talked to Gambit again, he kept insisted on what he told me last night and I slapped him so he would back off me, it wasn't my responsibility in the least to make her trust him. Marie was certainly going to ask about that bruise on his cheek later on. Everything was a mess. I needed something that would help me clear my mind, I needed alcohol in my system, but I had no idea where to get some, nor anyone who'd willingly tell me something. I felt I was carrying around a burden that I didn't want. I found myself pretty far from the institute and yet not so close to reaching downtown Westchester. I couldn't help wanting to be by myself right now.

"Lost something, doll?" a voice behind me tried to interrupt my thoughts. For a moment I thought I had imagined it, after all, my thoughts weren't actually taking in were I was nor anything about my surroundings, I just kept walking mechanically as a storm of thoughts raged inside me. Maybe I really should face those people who I don't want to, maybe it really would help to address them, but I just can't make myself do something like that. I hate confrontation, and even worse I hate remembering something I wish had never happened. The worse thing is that most of the really important things I had gone through with any romantic interesting I would always just don't want to talk about it, and in my mind try to make them all go away as if they had just been a bad dream, and to do so I pushed people I used to care about away. But then again, all of that, though I really don't want to face it, I most definitely should. I think that the professor is right; I don't like to deal with any kind of problems. And that's what makes me weak and vulnerable, and I don't like being weak.

"Lost something, doll?" a fierce masculine voice said behind me. Whoever it was grabbed my arm, jolting me back to reality. I saw a fairly old man with creepy glassy eyes and facial hair that was pressing my arm too hard. He was definitely drunk, not only by his look, but the stench coming from him. His grip on my arm was too tight.

"No" I spat at him acidly. He didn't let go. I felt that he whatever he wanted to do now wasn't good news. I was not in any mood to take any real action against him.

"I think you did lose something…" he answered, placing a glance of confusion that didn't fit him. Whatever he was trying to trick me into wasn't going to work. I had left my thinking paused.

"Excuse me, I don't like being harassed so would you please let go off my arm" I exclaimed, I pulled my arm away very roughly, which made him sorta lose his balance, before he grasped the other one, though managed not to fall down. But I made it sound as if I was trying my best to sound that I didn't want any trouble.

"I'd rather not, doll, you're coming with me" he shoved me towards a dark alley. I wasn't scared that he was thinking of taking advantage of me, frankly I was more scared that I'd use my powers and he'd freak out.

"Hey, watch it, jerk!" I said, taking a fast movement and releasing my arm from his grasp. He tried to grab it again but I thrust my open palm to his nose. He held his face.

"Damn" he shrieked into the hand covering his nose, the other one tried to grab me but his sight had been thrown off course by the hit. I did the only thing I could think of: I kicked him, He tended to his side, leaning against the wall. My perfect spot, against the wall. But he was still standing I didn't like that.

I got closer, he was in too much pain to try and grab and succeed at it.: "I'm gonna make you think twice about messing with me again" I said to him, not losing a beat.

"Uuh" was his only response; he was still in a lot of pain. I regained my posture. I placed a knee between his legs and shoved it as far up as it went. I leaned into him.

"Honey, I don't sell, I only play" I whispered to his ear as he slipped to the ground and crumpled there like trash. I left. Once I was out of eyesight I froze him. That would assure that he wouldn't follow me for a while.

Once I was back on the main street I started to pay attention to find my way to the mansion. I passed a record store and was tempted to go in, however I didn't, the fact that I was short on money encouraged me to spend it on a new bottle of shampoo that was a bit more important. And less expensive too.

I paid for the bottle, the receipt had the hour printed on it, I had a custom to check them all and save them. It said that it was 4:20. I decided it was time to head back to the mansion. That was before I saw John also leaving the store, I wonder if he had seen me there or just now.

"Hey, Pyro, been on any fires lately?" I saluted sarcastically.

"No, but I'm on fire, wanna put it out?" he said back cockily, once he noticed I noticed him, or simply that I was there. He actually had a fireball imprinted on the shirt he was wearing, oh, that's what he meant, I understood a completely different thing.

My mind suddenly went back to someone else I had seen with similar attire when I had made out with them. I shoved the thought to the back of my mind. I threw the bag over my shoulder and gave him a glance saying that I was amused by his line.

"Ja ja" I said coldly. Now that I remember, wasn't he mad at me?

"Oh, don't be like that, Sheila, every one should accept a joke" he said. He came close to me.

"You headed towards the mansion, too?" he questioned. If I was supposed to be scared or intimidated by his closeness, boy was he wrong.

"Dunno, do you know where I can get some alcohol?" I whispered into his ear, getting closer. The words simply slipped, accidentally, maybe.

"Huh? Alice, we're both underage, what makes you think I'd have anything?" he said puzzled.

"Aw, and here I thought you were not one to follow rules. I only thought that at least you should know where to get something, where's the local liquor store or any bar around here?" I insisted. "I've only been here for two and a half weeks."

"Fine," he said it as if I had tortured him to tell me "There's a liquor store about three blocks away. I'll take you there, but I'm not coming in!" he said, yeah, cuz he's the little boy scout. I don't know if he was trying to not seem happy about the thought of alcohol or he really wasn't into it.

"Suit yourself, lead the way, Pyro" I said.

"Hey, enough with that, you're acting like you don't know my name" he joked.

"Sorry, Jeff" I said, purposely.

"Earth to Alice, this is John"

"Right, let's go, John" We walked until we got there.

"Over here" he said when we were walking beside the empty store besides it. It was a small local. I peeked from the window. There was a man staring at a magazine, my guess Maxim, and he was pretty hot, maybe about twenty seven, not too old, and he was still yummy.

I took my schoolbag, since I usually had most everything in it and was much larger than a purse I opted to carry that thing around. Besides, it being messenger bag style made it very comfortable. I sat on a bench nearby and rummaged through it. I knew they were in there somewhere…

"Alice, Whatcha doing?" John said. "Aren't you gonna go in?" he said, cautiously, wondering if all this was just a practical joke.

"Yeah, just a few secs." After I finally found them I changed my shoes. Sometimes being short can be very bad. I stored my socks and flats and put on my heeled platform sandals. My school shoes were in too. I pulled on the waist of the pant I had been wearing downwards to my hips to make it look a bit tighter, and exposing a little too much of skin by Storm's book. I was wearing a v-neck shirt, so I just left it as it was. I stood up and glanced at John, he hadn't moved.

"Last chance, do you wanna join in?" I said for the last time.

"No, he's gonna ask me for papers anyway." He said.

"Oh, guapo, he's not gonna ask me for ID; besides, I am legal in Costa Rica. Drinking age is actually eighteen" I informed him.

"Whatever, this isn't Costa Rica." He had a point, but a bootylicious ™ babe is here and everywhere. "I won't take longer than ten minutes" I responded. When I opened the door there was no tinkling noise or whatnot, just the very unbearable squeak of a rusty door.

I poised myself and entered. I rummaged a bit, searching for the right thing, since it was a liquor store they'd have much more than beer, might as well search for my favorite drink…

Soon enough I had two medium bottles of it in my hands: Bailey's Irish Cream, yum, though before reaching the counter I was able to also find a bottle of unexpensive vodka to keep stashed to put in drinks every once in a while. I pulled my shirt a bit lower before approaching the counter. The yummy older guy was still there, I placed my two bottles on the top of his porn magazine. He looked up at me.

"How much, sexy?" I said confidently.

He took a long glance up and down my body before telling me the price. I smiled, more like bit my lower lip while playing with it. He shot a small I'm-horny-for-you glance and told me the price.

"Forty three sixty" he said looking at me. I took the emergency bills I commonly keep near my breast and handed it to him. I placed them on the counter and then reached a hand deeply into my butt pocket to grasp all my spare change. A five, two ones and a few coins materialized. That should cover it. I grabbed the ones back.

He counted the change as I placed my crossed arms upon my upper body on his counter comfortable and looked at the magazine. Yep, it was porn. He blushed a bit when he noticed that I had been seeing that. I moved more comfortably and placed one arm completely on the counter letting my hand dangle freely on the other side and posed my head upon it.

"Not getting much action, sexy?" I said. I didn't even watch him nod but I knew that was the case. I stood up, my teeth still pressing upon my bottom lip, and took his pen from a pocket and wrote my phone number on the top of two breasts on the magazine, I put in a fake name: Marissa. I didn't want him to get a connection to the institute. However, it was not the first time I did something of the sort.

I took the change into my back pocket and he placed my bottles on a brown paper bag. I smiled sweetly and turned, making sure to move my hips just a bit more than I commonly did. At the door I winked.

Knowing that John had been out there all the time, and probably spying, I went ahead into talking to him.

"So, whatcha think, John?" I said. Back to my un-sexy self. I cocked my head to the side expecting an answer, since he didn't give any I stashed the purchase in the schoolbag and crossed it over my head

"Come on, next time I come here you have to come actually go in with me. There are always tricks to getting what you want, don't you agree?" I said. He was still in shock, and I was not the one to insist on him. I pushed him a bit so he would walk, but just that. I had my own tempo to go to. By the next block I knew that he was walking so I called to him over my shoulder.

"John, please get over here, I feel like your staring at my butt" I exclaimed.

No answer. I continued my way; the mansion was pretty close now.

"Not a bad view, Alice," he said in a barely audible tone, but I heard him.

"I heard that!" I said, but I wasn't complaining, there's nothing wrong in watching.

"Alice, wait up" he came out of it all of a sudden. I thought it was about time. "So, you're the type that uses their bodies to get what she wants…" he peered towards me keenly. I glanced over to him.

"Only when it's necessary." I answered defensively.

"Right…" he wondered off. I pushed him forward to show that I was offended by his comment.

We reached the mansion and it was nearly five. We were not talking, but luckily there wasn't an uncomfortable silence, at least on my behalf.

"Alice, you okay?" he asked. I nodded.

"Alice" he touched my elbow. I glanced at him. "You're thing your creepy thinking thing again." He explained.

"Why are you so freaked by my thinking? Don't you think things every once in a while?" I retorted, a bit unamused.

"Yeah, I do think, I'm not one of those rash people that never consider before acting. Just that you do it a bit too much. And in very odd places too, might I add" he commented.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I threatened. I closed the door behind me as we entered the lobby of the mansion.

"Alice!" Wolverine turned towards me as soon as I had closed it. What did I do now? I searched for something that maybe I had to do for him. Then I remembered.

"Picha" I said to myself before addressing him, "I forgot, I am so sorry, Logan! I was trying to clear my head and I wondered off in the wrong direction and this guy came up to me and tried to harass me." I half lied, but it was partly true.

"What's makes you think I'm buying that." He scolded me. Now I was in for a lot of trouble.

"But it's true! I was on the other side of town and this guy came out of nowhere and tried to harass me." I exclaimed. Now I even believed my own story.

"And you have never faced anything of the sort? Had no idea what to do? Was so scared that you pissed in your pants? Accidentally froze him? Didn't know how to fight back? Please, you really think something bad that you couldn't cope with happened and you arrive at the mansion an hour later and pretty freshly, might I add." He lectured me. I tried to pay attention, but John's mocks behind him mad it a bit difficult. "And you, where were you too? You ought to remember that danger room practice started about ten minutes ago?" he shot back at him, I was glad he was getting in a bit of trouble as well.

"I was…" he started to think of an excuse. If he blew where I had been I'd be so grounded…

"Out, with me. I ran into him afterwards I handled my problem and we went to have a… a walk around town, he was showing me some places I didn't know. We must've lost track of time." I said. Leaning in closer to where he was.

Logan seemed a bit disgusted with my movements, so he pointed towards where he should be going and left.

"Don't even think twice about what I did, it was just because I didn't need to get in any more trouble because I had to buy this." I patted where I had placed my liquor. "Don't get your hopes up, fire boy" I stated dryly before heading upstairs, he did have danger room practice anyways to which I didn't have to go. I got in my room, my shared room, I was going to turn the lock but then I remembered Marie and Kitty would probably need to get in soon. Darn. I needed to think things over. Firstly, my actions with John. God, could I have been any more stupid? What on earth made me do that? I am slowly getting farther away from what I need and leaning willingly into so many unwanted troubles.

"Picha, tiene que haber una manera o algo de que piense mas las cosas. Últimamente no pienso las cosas importantes. Maldita mierda, maldito John, ojala nunca me hubiera perdido alla." I scorned myself. I needed some alone time, that was like ultimately impossible inside the mansion, so going to walk around the grounds with a breeze coming around sounds nice. I liked that thought; also, nature always helps me keep things straight anyhow. I went outside through the back door, only about three people were exempted from danger room practice. I crossed the soft grass leaving my high heels behind, enjoying being barefoot, it was a beautiful spring. The sun was poking towards the edge of town. I saw a heavily knotted tree and decided that it was a good option to sit and wonder besides it. My eyes wondered to its top. You can only guess who I saw there. He hadn't apparently noticed me. So I decided to take advantage of that and settle on the soft moist grass beside me. (Damn, there must be a way I consider things before doing these rash actions I've been doing recently. Lately I don't think the important things through. Damn it, John, I wish I hadn't gone for that stroll)

I took a deep breath, waited for a few seconds, then I let it out slowly. I tried to clear my mind but so many things came up. Costa Rica, Mike, Mutation, Time, Logan, School, John, and time, especially time.

I tried to not think too much but thoughts were crowding me too much, for a moment I wished that it was all a dream. That all the last year of my life hadn't actually happened. I didn't like any of my past actions. I was being too… impulsive, my strength of mind was quavering. My doubts were being unheard. I was going too fast. When did I change from a normal school outcast to this impulsive freak? I could no longer recognize myself, and I had to do something about that. The question is what.

Turn down the memories of yesteryears and broken dreams I bring

Finally free

Slowly drifting into a peaceful breeze

Slowly drifting into a peaceful breeze

Tongue tied and twisted are all my memories

Celebrating a fantasy come true

- Christina Aguilera

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