Chapter Twelve- Basket Ball

It was one o'clock when Rose had had a catnap, a shower and then placed all of her belongings she had brought with her on the shelves. She put her last item of clothing on a coat hanger and placed it in the large wooden wardrobe. Once she was happy with the state of her new room she opened the door to the corridor and decided she could go explore the other floors for a few hours until the lessons finished.

Two hours later when she was absolutely sure she had the entire mansion mapped out in her mind she went down stairs and went for a walk around the grounds. She made her way to the paved area around the back and stood there sunning herself as she looked at the area around her. To her left there were the basketball courts and sports area, to her right there was a large water fountain and straight in front of her there was the hedge maze that seemed a little empty and boring. Rose ran her eyes over the scene again and noticed something in front of the maze, an area where the grass was mown close to the ground and there were two small memorial stones there. Her forehead crumpled as she wondered about who it could be and walked down the steps.

Who's that? Why would they want memorial stones in school grounds?

It only took her two minutes to walk over to the two small stones and she knelt down next to them so she could see the names.

She read the first headstone in her mind, Scott Summers…

Her attention moved to the headstone next to it and the name caused her to say it out loud, "Jean Grey."

Rose stood up quickly and felt eyes watching her, she looked up and saw Xavier sat there in his wheel chair, he was on the platform above the steps where she had been a few moments ago. She stared at him until her concentration was broken by a curtain flickering on the first floor.

Curtain twitchers…

You need to start your lessons…Xavier said to her and Rose had nearly forgotten he could do that.

You know it's rude to listen to other peoples thoughts

My point still stands, you need to start your lessons…he refused to let the point go.

What lessons? You mean you want me to integrate into the school? Or is this the other type of lessons…

She felt him smile in her mind and he told her, meet me in my office at seven and we will arrange everything…

Rose was about to say something back when she heard someone shouting.

"Rose!" she turned her head and saw Bobby waving his arms in the air trying to get her attention, "Hey Rose! We're over here!"

She waved back, "I'm coming!" she looked back at Xavier and asked him where his office is.

In the lobby, don't worry you'll find it easily…

"Who said I was worried…" she said quietly to herself as she walked briskly over to the basket ball courts.

When Rose got to the basket ball court she saw Kitty and Dew betting each other about who would get the best mark out of ten. She realised they were on about the ball and guessed they each had ten goes each and the person who got the ball in the hoop the most times won. She saw them shake on it and promise not to use any powers.

How would their powers help them in a game of basket ball anyway?

Bobby and Peter ran over to her and she saw Rogue sat down by the edge of the court wearing some elbow length gloves.

"Good for you to finally show up," Peter said to her as he bounced the ball, "We thought Bobby had been lying when he said you'd agreed to meet us"

Rose watched Bobby look at Peter and he shook his head, "don't worry about him…you wanna shoot some hoops?"

Hoops….erm…

"Err…" she looked at the two guys and realised she was never going to win against them, "I'm not that good at shooting hoops…"

"Oh come on…we wont be that harsh on you if you miss" Peter tried to convince her to play and it worked to a certain degree.

Yeah right…

"Okay…as long as you agree not to laugh and if you do…you have to…" she thought about it for a moment, "eat a black omelette"

"A black omelette?" they said in unison and looked at each other.

Peter said, "Okay then…if we laugh we have to eat a burnt omelette"

He walked off to the two girls who were waiting for the ball and Rogue watched them with a far away look on her face.

What is the matter with her?

"Don't worry…I wont laugh" Bobby smiled at her earning him a glance from the woman sat by the side.

Really…do those two go out or something?

Rose gave him a look that said, "Oh yeah?"

"What? I'm not going to!" he seemed a taken back by her look and they walked to the rest of the people who were going to start shooting hoops.

Kitty went first and missed, she cursed as she walked back to the rest of them. Dew went second and got the ball in, she passed the ball to Peter and stuck her tongue out at Kitty. Peter took a step forward and he threw the ball, it got in and bounced back to him. He threw it at Bobby who showed off and faced the opposite way of the net and threw the ball over his head. To Rose's surprise it got in.

Oh crap…I just remembered I failed basket ball…

She gulped as she realised it was her go.

Bobby handed the ball to her and saw the look on her face. He walked closer to her and whispered in her ear, "It's not that scary you know, and just remember the black omelette…"

That's meant to make me feel better?

He stepped back and Rose eyed him suspiciously. She took a step forward and threw the ball. It bounced on the ring and rolled around for a little while until it fell on the floor, by not going through the net.

To her surprise no one laughed but Bobby walked up to her smiling, "Told you no one would laugh…and it's your technique," he walked over to where the ball was lying on the floor and picked it up.

Oh god I sense a line coming up…

"My Technique?" she questioned.

"Yeah…you haven't got the right posture when you throw it…" he told her with a quick look to Rogue who had gotten up and was talking with the others. They had abandoned their game and were just chatting about school and other mundane things.

Yeah a cheap line too…

"My posture?" she asked him as he stood next to her and looked deep in to her eyes.

"Yes, your posture…look throw the ball and try to get it in the net…" he told her handing her the ball.

Rose obliged and threw the ball at the net and this time it hit the piece of metal above the net.

"See?" he retrieved the ball and showed her how she was meant to do it.

"That looks exactly the same as the way I throw!" she argued but he disagreed.

"No it's not! Wait…" he stood behind her, he pressed his body to hers so she could get the position right and put the ball in her hands that were cradled by his.

This is a cheap line…

"Right now" he moved her body and her arms so that she could throw the ball perfectly.

Rose's mouth opened in confusion, it got in, "how did you do that?"

"It's the posture…" he told her with a smirk as the ball rolled back to his foot and he picked it up handing it to her, "Now try on your own…"

Rose did as she was told using the new way and the ball landed in the net. Bobby smiled at her triumphantly at her as he got the ball and passed it back to her.

Peter shouted at them jokingly, "Hey, look Rosy got it in!"

Rosy!

Rose turned around and threw the ball at his head, it hit him but just before it did he turned silver. There was a sharp clang as the ball hit him.

He gave her a stern look as he turned back to normal, "What was that for?"

What do you think!?

"Call me Rosy again and it won't be a basket ball being thrown at you…" Rose told him coldly and this earned her applause from Dew.

"Haha! And you used your powers! You owe me a dollar!" she proclaimed as she tied her long hair back.

"Oh shut up Dew…" he said as he reached in his back pocket and produced a dollar and handed it over to the girl.

What is it with bets and these guys?

Bobby was still stood with Rose and he looked around and saw that Rogue had gone, "Hey guys where's Rogue?"

Kitty, Dew and Peter looked at each other and shrugged. Rose sensed they knew why and when she had gone but just weren't telling.

"What time is it?" Kitty asked them changing the topic.

Yeah that's a subtle topic change…

Peter looked at his watch, "seven p.m. exactly…"

You are kidding me!

"Oh crap I'm late!" Rose started running over to the mansion and shouted over her shoulder, "See you guys soon!"

Bobby watched her go and was firmly hit on the shoulder by Peter, "What was that for?"

"Look at yourself…like a love sick puppy," he didn't say it as a joke or even with a smile on his face, he was deadly serious.

Bobby looked at the others and they both nodded gravely.

He shook his head and tried to make excuses, "I go out with Rogue! Rose is just new and doesn't know anyone…I was just being friendly…"

"Keep telling yourself that…" Kitty said as they went back over to the hoop and got back to their game.

With one last look towards Rose who was just opening the door so she could get in to the mansion he went with his friends but she waved to him and he waved back unable to stop himself.