AN: I was so honored by everyones' feedback! :')

SheJams: AWWWWW thank you so much again for another one of your splendid reviews! Thank you thank you thank you for your time and the funny and insightful feedback you always have. Wow I'm so glad you were able to go on an emotional rollercoaster! Haha yes! Heh when Jean's alive I'm always conflicted with Jott or Scemma. I mean, when she's dead it's a total no brainer! LOL. I won't give too much away right now but seriously, thanks x infinity for your coolness!

SoulMomma: Hahaha don't worry about it! It's honestly more than enough that you leave me such delightful reviews! They are fun to read ;D

Oooh XD lol you might hate me for this chapter... I like the story picture too, thanks. Scemma forever for sure! Kitty's still a little mad at Lance for attacking the X-Men and working with the Brotherhood and Hellfire Club to kidnap her. Or something like that hehe. You bring up very good points, I hope I am able to address them in the coming chapters!


Huhhhh...

"Scotty, I think I'm going to kiss you." She hasn't called me Scotty since we were 15.

Jean's still staring down at my lips, hers so close to mine. All I can do is nod in bewilderment, leaning backwards a little.

All my adolescent years I never would have thought this would possibly happen.

Her lips are soft and nice. I can't believe this is real. We both just sit stunned for a second, lips touching, and then some instinct takes over and I know I can't make rational decisions right now.

Before I know it, we're wrestling ferociously around on the school lawn.

She falls back as I fall forward on top of her, my jacket slipping off her shoulders and spreading out on the grass, cushioning her back.

We change the tempo from fast and scrambled, to slow and tender, savoring this thing we've been wanting for years. I cradle the back of her head in my hand, scooping her face up to kiss her, as she pulls me down on top of her by my necktie, against the ground.

There's an urgency between us, it's like we can't get enough fast enough, its burning, and she's melding her body to mine, as if she's trying to fuse us, holding onto me tightly.

I hear a telekinetic tug and my buttons popping as some force behind me tears my shirt off and flings it away.

Using my necktie that had not been ripped off with my shirt, and still hanging around my neck as a noose or leash, she tugs me down hard, smashing her lips against mine.

She's hiking her dress up and pushing me down on her, muttering to me, everything I would have ever wanted to hear from her lips.

I can feel her stiletto heels digging into my lower back, as she wraps her legs around my waist.

Distantly, a rumble shakes up the school grounds. I think maybe I can hear far away screaming but we are rocking around on the ground too hard to notice.

Stopping for air, I breathe heavily, pulling my face away above Jean's as she rapidly covers my throat and pecs in kisses. "Wait-wait wait Jean...Je-Oh brother...Jean...We shouldn't be...we can't. I can't do this, you mean too much to me, I don't want to ruin our fr-mmf!"

She captured my lips in hers, and dismissed, "Shut up please." What can I do when Jean continues to make out with me? My will crumbles around this girl like nothing.

Sounds of people and commotion grows louder, and there's lots of yelling and screaming. Someone gasps and I can hear Kurt teleporting in and out, doing something busily...

I tear myself up, away from Jean, and she and I look over towards the school. Everyone in the gym had evacuated to the lawn, and crowds were staring at us on the grass.

Jean's hand was still around my necktie, pulling me down, and I am awkwardly on all fours, balanced on top of her, looking stupid without my shirt on and just a necktie around my neck.

Teachers are roaming around, trying to calm students and collect everyone. Pietro is zipping around, calming many girls, and still grooving to the music pumping inside the torn up gym.

Throwing his jacket off, Duncan charges forward, "Alright, that's it, let's go Summers!" His football buddies jeer behind him. I kick myself inside when Taryn blurts out, "Jean! How could you...?!" She flees, followed by her friends.

A hush has come over the crowds as people become distracted from whatever went on inside the gym. Everyone's looking at us, and whispering to one another, and I feel like the worst person in the world.

Slowly, I get up to my feet and help Jean up, who guiltily pulls her skirt down and brushes grass out of her hair.

Rogue is in the back, looking sulky with her friend Risty. Tabby looks like she's about to burst, and she's looking around incredulously. She just keeps gasping, "Noooo! NO WAY! OH this is good."

"Look Matthews, let's keep it civil. I-I'm sorry...I don't know what else to say right now. It's my fault. I'm not going to fight you over Jean."

I put my hands up, palms open. Jean puts her hand on my bare back, I can feel her behind me.

Duncan sneers, "How do you like having my sloppy seconds Summers? Face it, you know Jeannie's just a little pissed right now because I wasn't paying attention to her, you're just her rebound guy. She's just using you to get back at me." He opened his arms and coaxed, "I'm sorry baby, come on back, I get it, you have my attention now. You know I hate this guy."

That stung, whether or not I believed it, it had to sting. I suddenly feel the gravity of how stupid I look in front of the entire school, the night air against my bare torso as a reminder.

Clearing my throat, I quietly say, "I should..go find my date...I will fix what I did." I walked away from them.

My reflexes kicked in when I sensed Duncan coming up behind me, aiming a punch at my right ear. Without turning, I grabbed his wrist and twisted him into the air, landing him on his back.

I continued to walk away, picking up my jacket to cover myself. If the teachers hadn't been there, I knew Duncan's friends would have jumped in.

Kitty rushed forward, "Scott! Where have you like been? Lance held off some of the monsters and Kurt's like talking with Forge to teleport them back but like now would be a good time to go leader mode!"

My stomach tightens, "Monsters? Forge?"

Shadowcat shouted, "There were these big red dinosaur things from like another dimension! Kurt accidentally left some port holes open when he teleported dimensions, and they got into the dance! The Brotherhood helped keep them under control and Forge showed up to send them back to their dimension. Like, where were you?"


A very grouchy Woverine stared down at Jean and I sitting before him in the Professor's office. The Professor sat behind his desk, and Logan stood. Ororo neutrally stood behind the Professor, quirking her brow at me once in a while.

Gruffly, Logan said, "I don't know what you two were thinkin'. As the two senior leaders of the X-Men, your irresponsibility surprises me."

Jean and I looked guiltily at each other quickly, before looking down at the floor, heads and shoulders bent.

Charles declared, "Student affairs are none of our concern unless it affects the team like this. I must say I am disappointed in you Scott, your carelessness could have been very costly, and I know you of all my pupils have hind sight."

Biting her lip, Jean protested, "It wasn't all his doing...Scott's not the one to blame. It was just a slip, we had no way of knowing what would happen, Professor! 'Ro, you know what I mean, tell them."

Shaking my head and crossing my arms, I grimly interrupted, "No, he's right. I shouldn't have done what I did, it was very reckless and dumb of me. I apologize, for everyone. I'm a leader, and that comes with principles. I know I have to always be alert and ready to organize the team, to defend others."

Ororo said, "Now, now, Scott...this isn't meant to be a punishment, just a lesson and overview of the events last night. You're allowed to have impulses and feelings...It's about time you two did something about it."

Jean gaped at Ororo, and Logan gave her a puzzled expression, and growled, "Are you encouraging them? You are way out of line 'Ro."

Xavier cut in with a twinkle in his eyes, smiling, "The point is, you are both adults enough to know what is right and wrong, and when the right time is and isn't. What happened last night was unexpected, but we must always be on our guard, as mutants."

I nod, "Of course."

In the hallway after we are dismissed, Jean corners me and asks, "Do you regret what we did? Would you take it back?" I paused, all I felt was guilt for not being there for the school.

For hurting Taryn's feelings, for going against my moral code and kissing another guy's girlfriend. It wasn't something I reveled in. Narrowing her eyes a little, Jean said indignantly, "Unbelievable, Scott Summers...Man up and just take what you want! Do you like me Scott?"

"It wouldn't be right, Jean..." I hopelessly reply. She cries out, "Screw right! This is about you and me, not about what's right or wrong in the Scott Summers' rule book. I broke up with Duncan, this morning, Scott, what are you going to do about that?"

Whoa. Despite last night, I would never have seen that one coming. Somehow the news doesn't bring me the joy it had when I day dreamed about it happening.

I feel responsible for this...
"I need to talk to Taryn first...It wouldn't be fair." I tried to reason with her.

Exhaling, Jean laughed a little angrily and said, "Are you choosing her over me?"

Gritting my teeth, I replied, "I didn't say that! You got to talk to Duncan, I should talk to Taryn, I did kind of fail as a date."

Sighing, Jean sank her shoulders, "I know that...I suppose. I just wish you didn't always have to do the right thing. This is hard for me too, Scott, everyone at school hates me now, they all think I'm a cheater. It's like, the biggest lunch room gossip right now."

Refraining from tucking her long hair back, I step back from her and say, "I'll talk to you later then?"

As I walk away from her, I kick myself again. Was that the best I could say?

Calling Taryn for the fiftieth time, I hung up to her voicemail, I had already left her 10 apologetic ones, I didn't want to get a restraining order put on me. I had left flowers on her front step, too afraid to ring the doorbell.

I dropped my phone to the floor and walked out to the balcony.

The sun was setting and cast a pink-orange glow all over Bayville. To be honest, I'm not sure how to feel right now, the girl of my dreams is finally giving me a chance and I'm already tripping up.

It hasn't hit me yet, last night was a dream. The irony was that I still woke up being the douchiest geek in all of Bayville.

Somewhere next to me, I hear the faintest sound of a girl crying. It's quiet and fading but I can tell by the pattern of her breathing and the sniffling.

I look at the balcony diagonally above mine, and squint.

Unmistakably in a short white bathrobe, Emma Frost is curled up in a chair, sighing and wiping stray tears with a tissue.

Just walk back inside Summers.

I didn't have to deal with this, she was a traitor and liar, not my friend. I had enough girl problems and I didn't need to add more to my plate.

Lift my right foot, left, right, left, right. I make it inside my room and flop desolately on my bed, alone in my misery.

A cluster of plastic battle ship pieces lay on the floor where I had spilled my box set. I scooped them up in my hand and stepped back outside. Aiming quickly, I threw some pieces at Emma who screamed out in shock.

Picking up the pieces, she looked at them then down at me on the balcony and parted her lips.

I asked curiously, "Were you crying?"

She put her feet back down and smoothed out her hair, "No," she said quickly.

I furrowed my brows, "Well you are a liar..."

A plastic battle ship came hurling right back at me.

Crisply, she threatened, "If you ever tell anyone I was crying, I will personally come down there myself and hurt you."

"Do I need to come up there? You're not going to jump off the balcony are you?" I asked hopefully.

Biting back, Emma retorted, "I wouldn't dare bloody my Dior on this lot."

Surprisingly, I was a little disappointed when she stood up. "Where are you going?" I asked.

She turned her head towards me and commented vaguely, "Back into my room, I don't need you to watch me in my worst."

If this is her worst, she makes the rest of us mortals look bad.

Snidely, she whimpered, "I heard that."

I scowled sternly, "You will do no such thing as going back inside. I know you're just gonna go in to cry by yourself. I hate the hell out of you but since I've already seen you crying, I won't be able to go back in without feeling terrible for not doing anything."

"If you're asking me to talk about it with you, I can't do that. How do you do it Scott? How are you such a good friend to Jean, how do you positively endure it when you like her so much? I don't have your patience, this is an awful sensation. I don't care that everyone else hates me, I'm used to that. For once though, I had someone I trusted. You and Jean are a fitting couple, I couldn't help but notice you two getting cozy at the dance. I hope she turns out to be everything you wanted. Good night Scott, I'm going in." Rolling her eyes a little, Emma added in a tongue in cheek tone, "Unless you can get up here and stop me before I reach the door somehow."

She had not meant it, but before she could take it back, I swung up and latched onto the railing of the balcony above mine.

Running over to look over her railing, Emma screamed out, "SCOTT NO!"

Securing my glasses on with a free hand, I lunged towards her balcony, and managed to land on the edge of it, my feet slipping, barely on it. I was face to face with Emma who had both her hands over her mouth and was staring at me with wide pale blue eyes.

I grinned for a split second before my footing slipped and I fell down, arms flailing up. A shout escaped my throat and I rapidly stuck my hand out and grabbed onto the railing. Emma's hands were around my arm, and she lifted me up, over the railing.

Losing my balance, my heart pounding from the near-death slip, I fell over and onto her, knocking her back on the floor.

We caught our breaths and I gulped, rolling off of her.

Emma did not budge. She panted, "That...scared me! Why did you do that?"

"You were crying", I stated, simply because that was all there was to it. Our nervousness and panic from the accident turned into hysterical bouts of laughter.


The warm smell of bacon and eggs woke me up a little as I slumped tiredly at the breakfast table.

Smiling generously and worriedly at me, Ororo glided by, scraping perfect sunny-side up eggs on my plate and strips of bacon with a spatula from her pan.

There were shadows under my eyes, Emma and I had stayed up late talking. I learned a whole lot more about her than I think she's ever shared to anyone. Definitely an eye-opener. I still can't say I forgive her or trust her right away though.

I had asked her for advice however, on whether to ambush Taryn at school today with apologies and make it up to her or leave her alone for a while.

Emma had told me I should seduce Taryn during her soccer practice in the girl's locker room.

I am never asking Emma for advice on girls again.

Instead, I found myself facing Taryn in a class we share and awkwardly apologizing, "Please know that I didn't mean to be such a jerk, I did have a really great time with you, you didn't deserve that."

I wondered if words would have any effect, when my actions were so blind.

Taryn heaved a sigh and twirled her dark hair around a finger, "I mean, I guess I should have expected it... I knew Jean was obsessed with you forever. Duncan's probably going to try to beat you up. I'd watch your back. It just sucks that you guys had to make out in front of the whole school"


Every muscle in my body is straining as I scale up a cliff wall by the bay. Logan walks under me and calls out, "Nice form, Slim!"

I muster a grunt back, climbing up using my upper body, and sticking my feet in crevices and on protruding rocks.

The waves crash beneath us at the bottom of the rock wall many feet below me.

It's just me and the cliff wall, and a rope hooked to my belt loop. I live for these kinds of thrills, I do try to be cautious but nothing can beat that feeling of adrenaline rushing through when something crazy or dangerous happens and you come out alive.

After reaching the top, I climb back down. Logan meets me half way up, using his claws to stick into the wall.

"What's goin' on with ya lately Slim? All this stuff happenin' must've rattled you somehow. Don't forget you're just a kid. Should I be worried anythin' might be botherin' you enough to put the team in jeopardy? You do have a pretty big role."

I slid down a little, before digging my toes and fingers into rock cracks.

The 'ka-chunk' sound of Logan's claws stabbing into the rock wall as he lowered himself as well followed.

"We're both not much for this kind of conversation, Logan."

He replied, "Just checkin' on your ability to lead right now."

Dropping down a few more feet, I answered, "I missed one incident! I know that's not acceptable in our case, but come on Logan, I won't do it again, and I never have until that one mistake!"

"I trust you Red Eye. Just don't let a girl get between you and your duties."

As I neared the ground, Jean's voice entered my head, 'Meet me in the library."

I climbed down as fast as I could and loped back to the mansion, a hook still clipped to my belt, before Logan could get another word in.

I try to dust my hands off on my pants, as I enter the cool and shady library.

Jean is illuminated by a lamp and her hair looks golden and rich.

She asks, "Did you talk to Taryn?"

I nod. She crosses her arms and says, "Well...?"

"It went better than I expected, still not something I would want to do again though."

A moment of silence followed and Jean pointedly looked at me. Finally, baffled, she asked, "Aren't you going to ask me out or something?"

Err... Oh boy.

I nervously said, "Isn't it a little too soon? You...just broke up with Duncan and I shouldn't rush this especially if Taryn's still upset. This is just...a lot to think about. You're my best friend."

Jean smiled, "And you, mine, Scott. You always will be, nothing can keep us apart anymore."

"I don't know, Jean...I don't know if we should date. That could change everything."

Putting her arms around my waist, Jean suggested, "It's okay, we can take it slow, we don't have to date yet, we won't tell anyone we're together if we're not. We're still just best friends."

I look down at her innocent face, her beautiful shining green eyes looking up at me. "Yeah..." I mutter, before taking her face in my hands and kissing her.


Jean and I are sitting in between some book shelves, disheveled and shell-shocked. I look at her, "That-that cannot happen again."

I readjust my glasses and Jean groaned, "Definitely not. Best friends don't do that. We should really take this slow. I've wanted you for so long, I don't want to mess this up."

Tentatively, we sneak out of the library together, then go opposite directions.


Man, once girls get in your head, it's impossible to stop thinking about them. Damn testosterone.

I catch up with Kurt as we leave school for the day. He's amiably talking about Amanda and all I can think about is Jean. Ironically, some hippies are blasting the song "Summer Lovin" on their truck stereo outside the school.

Throwing up peace signs, Kurt runs off for a date with Amanda. Since I was a little later than usual today, I ended up getting a bad parking spot in the far off end of the lot.

As I near my car, someone jumps up from the other side and then everything goes dark as a bag is pulled over my head.