School Trip Pt 1

"Excited?" Kitty asked, her eyes wide, and sparkling innocently as Marie watched her friend curiously.

"Yeah, I guess so…I mean, who really looks forward to a school trip about art?" Marie answered, rolling her eyes in annoyance as she could only imagine how painfully boring the whole ordeal would be.

"True…" Kitty began, her eyes looking upward as if to find something to add to her reply. "But hey, at least we get to roam around the shops for a while afterwards!" Kitty finished on a high point, her shoulders shrugging while her face brightened at the thought of shopping.

Marie eyed her friend comically, rolling her eyes slightly at Kitty's unusual girly nature.

"Too bad I hate shopping…" she muttered, earning her a strange look from Kitty.

"You're soooo not a girl!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Marie responded somewhat offensively, watching the grin form on Kitty's lips as the girl prepared to explain herself.

"Well, for starters, you hate shopping, painting your nails, doing your hair, the color pink…and some more really girly things that you detest to the max!" Kitty finished with a grin, which turned into a full out laugh when she saw the annoyed look on Marie's face.

"Gee, thanks, Kitty, it's always nice to know that you can find the time to make fun of me," Marie said with a smile of her own, as she crossed her arms over her chest while looking out the bus window.

"No problem," Kitty answered with a pleased look on her face, which was quickly disrupted by a sweet voice coming from the seat behind her.

"Awww, don't be too hard on Rogue, Kitty. It's not her fault if she doesn't recognize the importance of shopping and the color pink," Jean chided.

At the sound of Jean's voice, Marie almost jumped out of her seat, especially when she realized that her lover was sitting in the seat directly behind her, which she hadn't realized until Jean suddenly spoke up.

"I hate the color pink…" Marie commented, blushing slightly when she looked back to stare deep into Jean's green eyes. Jean bit her bottom lip lightly as she tried to control the urge to continue poking fun of her young lover.

"Yes, Rogue…we all know how much you hate the color pink. And how much you hate dresses…" Jean responded sweetly, smiling as she remembered one of Marie's typical rants about how much she loathed the color pink, especially dresses.

"Why does everyone feel the need to make fun of me all the time?" Marie asked.

"…Because you're too easy!" Kitty responded with a laugh, earning her a groan from Marie, who began to hide her face in her hands.

"Yeah, whatever…it's not like I do many embarrassing things anyway, so I guess you two can't make fun of me forever if you don't have any new material…" Marie reasoned, as she shrugged her shoulders to add to her ease.

Kitty smiled evilly as she turned to glance at Jean, who eyed her curiously at first as she wondered what that smile meant. As Jean quickly scanned the young girl's mind, she had to place her hand over her mouth in order to keep herself from laughing, and sat in her seat waiting for Kitty's next words.

"It's interesting that you would say that, Rogue," Kitty said thoughtfully, relaxing herself back into her seat, her eyes staring off into the distance as she watched a curious Marie from the corner of her eye.

"Say what?"

"That you have nothing new and embarrassing for Ms. Grey and I to use against you…"

"Oh really..?"

"Yeah," Kitty responded with an innocent smile, and watched as Marie flashed her a curious look from the corner of her eye.

"And what new and embarrassing thing have I done as of late?" Marie asked, shaking her head as she calmly returned her gaze to the window.

"Feeling horny lately, Marie..?"

"What?"

"You heard me," Kitty responded slyly, trying ever so hard to keep herself from laughing, especially when she heard Jean giggling from the seat behind her.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Kitty…"

"Well, allow me to better explain myself," Kitty began, her eyes lighting up as she grinned a grin that certainly placed worry in Marie's heart. "Marie, can I ask you a question?"

"Yeah…sure, go on…"

"Do books and libraries make you horny? Or do you just enjoy masturbating in one for the sake of getting caught—"

"OH, SHUT UP ALREADY!" Marie exclaimed so loudly that everyone in the bus stopped talking to pay attention to the scene that was unfolding between Jean, Kitty, and Marie. Kitty and Jean erupted into laughter, while Marie covered her face with her hands out of humiliation.

"Awww, it's ok, Rogue. No one else knows…" Kitty explained, feeling sympathetic for her friend.

"How did you know about that? I though Storm promised not to tell anyone…" Marie growled her face still buried in her hands, while Jean watched her with an amused grin.

"I told her," Jean confessed apologetically.

"You what..?!" Marie exclaimed angrily, turning around to look at a now alarmed Jean.

"It's ok, Marie…I won't tell anyone, and I'm not like that!" Kitty soothed, her hand going to Marie's arm to show comfort to the alarmed girl.

"Thanks, Kitty, I would really appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone…" Marie responded truthfully as she shot Jean an angry and hurt look before taking her seat.

"Marie, please don't be mad…" Jean begged, her hand reaching out to grasp Marie's shoulder through the small gap between Marie's seat and the window. But as Jean's hand touched Marie's shoulder, Marie moved away from the touch, her feelings hurt by Jean's invasion of trust. Oh no, Marie's mad at me…she's never been mad at me before, Jean thought, dread and guilt overflowing her when she realized how upset she would be if Marie had done what she had just done to Marie. I promised not to tell anyone and I told someone…what a stupid thing to do, Jean! Jean scolded herself, her mind now racing to figure out a way to make up for hurting Marie.

"We're here…" Marie commented solemnly, her arms crossed and eyes searching the view from her window.

Marie? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you Jean told Marie through their link. Her voice in Marie's mind sounded sympathetic, but Marie wasn't in the mood for hearing it. Are you listening to me? Jean asked growing impatient with Marie's increased silence. Jean sighed in frustration as well as guilt as it became obvious that Marie was upset with her, and as a result, refused to speak to her. At least for now… Ok, Iknow you're mad at me…let me make it up to you? Jean continued, not willing to give up on the angered Marie.

Marie just ignored Jean, her eyes watering with the knowledge that Kitty knew what had happened and would most likely never let her forget it. But, the thought that Jean would tell someone a personal event, which was supposed to be a secret, bothered Marie. She'd get over it, but at the moment, that didn't seem possible. And as the kids filed out of the bus and onto the street, Jean stayed in close pursuit of Marie, wanting nothing more than to comfort her girl, but knowing that she couldn't risk being overly affectionate with the girl with the risk of being discovered.

Can we speak in private?

No…Marie finally responded, eyeing Jean angrily.

Come on, Marie, tell me how you feel…let's talk this out now so it doesn't ruin our day Jean pleaded.

Marie smirked mockingly. Sure, we'll talk. Let's just hope that you won't tell anymore of my secrets to Kitty—

You know I wouldn't do that, Marie! It was stupid of me to tell Kitty about the library thing—and I'm 'so' sorry for being such a jerk!Jean replied, her eyes pleading for Marie's forgiveness. I promise not to hurt you like that again…I made a stupid mistake and I'm sorry for it—it won't happen again!Jean finished truthfully, her eyes begging Marie to forgive her.

Can we talk about this later? Marie asked, but suddenly finding it much too hard for her to keep her anger with her older lover.

"Ok, children, off this way, towards the entrance of the art museum!" Storm ordered as she guided the children towards the art museum.

Jean and Marie looked hard into each other's eyes, Jean flustered and Marie solemn, as the pair slowly followed the mass of students towards the museum entrance.

I forgive you Marie said out of nowhere, making Jean turn her head to eye Marie graciously.

"Really..?" Jean asked out loud, her voice showing her relief as Marie looked up at her happily. They were the last to enter the art museum and were a far distance away from anyone, so their next words were as good as private as they shared their tender moment.

"I can't stay mad you…" Marie confessed, blushing deeply when Jean grabbed her girl's hand without thinking.

"Thank God you can't stay mad at me. If you did, I don't know how I would survive you being mad at me…" Jean answered while still holding Marie's hand affectionately within her own.

"…Are you still going to make it up to me?" Marie asked, earning her a shocked look from Jean, who let go of Marie's hand once the pair entered the museum.

"I don't think so! You already forgave me—I can't make something up to someone who has already forgiven me—"

"Yes you can!" Marie interrupted with a smile.

Jean couldn't help but laugh at the girl's expression.

"We'll negotiate more later…" Jean said with a smile, and the pair quickly moved to catch up with the rest of the students.