(BOC) A Call Home
It had been a few days after Anna's arrival and the Weasley's had grown used to her presence at the Burrow. It had become second nature for them to see her as the first one up, usually sipping on a fresh cup of coffee and browsed through the paper. And she had gotten used to it being delivered by an owl. Molly had even gone so far as to suggest Anna use one of the family owls and write to her friends back at the states. The young woman just shook her head and muttered how Logan would probably slice and dice it without giving it a second thought, assuming it to be Mystique in disguise.
"Well at least call them and let them know how you're doing."
Anna tossed this idea around in her head for the better part of the day before finally deciding to do so. She rummaged through her bag, and when her search became frantic she resorted to flipping it over and dumping all the contents onto her bed. She shuffled through her clothes in attempts to find her phone, and finally huffed in exasperation. Charlie chose the moment to walk into the room. The mess on Anna's bed and the sour look on her face provoked the man into aquiring what was amiss.
"My phone! I can't find my phone!" She declared as she dropped herself atop her cluttered bed.
"FRED! GEORGE!" Charlie shouted into the hallway. The red headed twins poked their heads into the doorway, innocent grins pasted on their faces.
"You hollared?" George asked. Anna could finally identify which twin was which.
"Have you heard any ringing from in this room lately?"
"Yeah, as a matter of fact we did, didn't we, George?" Fred nodded his head to his twin who agreed with a nod of his own head and the twins entered the room.
"What did you two do with it?" Charlie inquired, arms crossed over his chest.
"What makes you think"
"we'd take something"
"that wasn't"
"ours?" The older Weasley narrowed his eyes at the twins just before Anna pounced on top of Fred.
"Listen here buddy, I want my phone and I want it back now." She growled at him and the red-headed wizard's eyes grew to the size of saucers. His other half made to reach for his pocket but Anna shook her head, "I can make your twin here an eunich long before you have a chance to say the magic words George." Fred gulped audible as she leered at him.
"Get the beeping box," he squeaked and his brother dashed out of the room in a flash, returning a moment later with his hand clasped around Anna's phone.
"We didn't know what is was, honest." George passed it to Anna as she removed herself from atop his twin.
After recomposing himself, Fred stood to his feet and motioned to the device in her grasp, "so what is it anyways?"
She glared at the twins for a moment before sighing, "it's called a cellular phone. Basically a phone you can take anywhere. You do know what a phone is, don't you?" She raised her eyebrows at them with suspicion. Charlie and the twins nodded their heads and she released the breath she had been holding. Anna wasn't exactly in the mood to explain the whole phone communication thing.
"Now if you'll excuse me," Anna stated with a huff as she marched past the twins. They peered their heads around the doorframe as she stomped her way down the stairwell. She paused in the little space between the kitchen and living room and sighed, her fingers automatically dialling the number for the Institute. She glanced around the area as she brought the phone to her ears, mentally figuring the long distance bill she'd have at the end of the month.
"Hello? Kitty?"
"No, not Kristy, Kitty."
"That's right, Shadowcat," Anna rolled her eyes, so much for keeping the code names on the down low.
"This is Anna, her friend."
"No, not does she have something to mend. This is Anna, her friend."
"Anna," her patience was growing thin at having to repeat herself so many times.
Why can't you just hand the phone to a sensible adult for me to talk to, kid?
She glanced around the room and up the stairwell to ensure herself no one could hear her. Anna put the receiver close to her mouth and spoke slowly, "Rogue paging Shadowcat." That seemed to do it as Anna could hear Jamie screaming for Kitty right before someone picked up the phone.
"Kitty?"
"No Rogue, it's Scott. How are things in London?"
Anna stared at the phone in disbelief. He's kidding right? I mean he's the one who fucking enrolled me in the freak & geek academy.
"Everything's great, I'm having a blast here Scott and it's Anna, remember?" She could practically hear him wince, oh yeah, he remembers. "Certainly can't wait to get back to the States and shower everyone with souvenirs."
"Yeah, everyone misses you Ro-Anna. But don't worry about it. Enjoy your time in London, getting to know your family. The mansion will still be here standing when you come back. Here's Kitty, nice talking to you Anna, take care."
"Hello?" Kitty's perky and bouncy voice coming through the phone caused Anna to smile.
"Hey there Kit-Kat, what's kickin'?"
"When are you coming back? We miss you so much." Anna could hear Kitty's voice crack and a pang of hurt shot through Anna's heart. Kitty was no doubt tearing up and on the verge of crying. A lump forming in Anna's throat and she swallowed hard in attempts to rid her voice of emotion.
"I'll be home before you know it, Kit-Kat. How about when I get back, the two of us have a guy-free shopping day at the mall? Would you like that Kitty?"
The younger girl sniffled, "you're gonna miss my birthday."
Anna racked her memory, January 31st. "Oh no, Kitty. I'll be back by then. Don't you worry," Anna couldn't stand lying to her friend but she didn't have the heart to break the news to her. Let Scott explain to her it's his fault I'm stuck here till June.
A floorboard creaked behind Anna and she whirled around coming face to face with Ron's shaggy haired friend who never seemed to go home.
"Tabitha I Saw Everything"
Kitty sniffled, "what?"
"Tabitha I Saw Everything," Anna repeated slower, emphasizing each word with care. She could hear Kitty gasp into the phone.
"Scott Is The Squealer?"
Anna nodded, atta girl Kit-Kat. "No Doubt."
"Okay, well Amara wants to use the phone. Call me again when you get a chance."
"Sure thing. Miss you bunches, bye," Anna hung up the phone and slipped it into her pocket, eyes flying up to Harry's own.
"It's not smart to eavesdrop on a stranger's phone call," Anna said menacingly.
Harry shrugged, "hasn't killed me yet. Besides if you didn't want someone overhearing you, you shouldn't be in the entry way to every other room."
Anna understood she had placed herself in such a vulnerable spot but glared at Harry nevertheless. "Was there something you wanted? No? Good," she spun around towards the stairs, but Harry grabbed her arm, stopping her in her tracks.
"Let go of my arm Potter or you'll be hurting here in a second," Anna growled at the boy and he sighed, dropping his arm and releasing her.
"Listen, I wanted to talk to you, okay?" Harry squirmed and Anna rolled her eyes at him.
"You don't go grabbing things if you want to talk. That's not how things are done nowadays." Harry looked down at his feet when she said that.
"I'm sorry. I'm just not trained to handle nontraditional girls." Anna raised her eyebrows at the comment but said nothing. "And well, Ron told me what he knew about your family and why you're here and well, I guess I just wanted you to know I understand what you're going through. I really do. And if you want to talk to someone and ramble off on someone, well, I'm here."
"Let me straighten one thing out for you Harry. The reason, the ONLY reason, I'm here in England is because I needed a vacation and I had no say as to where Xavier sent me. So whatever Ron thinks he knows or whoever, they're wrong. And in case you didn't notice, I was talking to someone before you decided to grace me with your presence. And even if my phone didn't work, for some god-only-knows reason, you would be the last person I would go to." With that said, Anna huffed and marched through the kitchen and out the back door, leaving the Potter boy alone to brood.
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Translations of "code"
Tabitha I Saw Everything--- There Is Someone Eavesdropping.
Scott Is The Squealer--- Should I Tell Someone?
No Doubt--- No Don't.
Sorry for the late update. Things have been crazy here. Enjoy!
