A few days later, Franky was walking around the institute as though he had always been there.

He fitted in perfectly, friendly, good-looking, and a great sense of humour sent most of the girls crazy in love, but he only seemed to have eyes for his baby sister and Jade. He got on well with the other boys, and made a secure little niche for himself in the team very quickly.

The first day back to school was coming up fast and the students moral was pretty low, but every time he came into a room it seemed to lift a bit.

'So…' he started at the dinner table, the night before the first day. 'Does anyone know what class I'll be in?' He looked up and down the table at the others expectantly. 'Or is that a surprise for everyone?'

'Oh Franky!' cried out Kitty, giggling hysterically. 'You're like, so FUNNY!' Xavier raised an eyebrow towards her curiously.

'I'm afraid you probably won't be in Vixen's class.' replied the middle aged man, looking back down at his meal. 'Since you're nearly a year older.'

'That's cool.' he answered, flicking his fringe out of his eyes and making most of the girls (and some of the boys, don't ask me which ones) swoon. 'I guessed as much.'

'You'll probably be in Kurt's year.' continued the bald man, cutting his pork and slowly raising to his lips. 'You and Kurt get on, don't you?'

'Yeah, we're buddies.' replied Franky smiling at Kurt who grinned back and gave him a thumbs up. 'He'll be able to hold my hand on my first day.'

'Woah!' reciprocated the blue teenager. 'I didn't think we were that close yet!' everyone laughed at him as he beamed cheekily at the dark haired boy.

'Have you chosen your subjects yet, Franky?' asked Jean gazing adoringly at him, while beside her, Scott glared at his broccoli.

'Yeah, I chose them the other day.' he replied, his mouth full of mashed potato. 'Umm… art… I think… maths, French, English… erm… what else?'

' Like, Physics?' asked Kitty hopefully, leaning in from the other side of the table to gaze at him romantically, if a little obsessively.

'Sorry Kitty.' replied the young man shrugging apologetically. 'I've never been any good at that sort of stuff.'

'Hey wait…' cut in Nightcrawler suddenly, with a reflective look on his face. 'You're taking art… and you're in my year… I've got art with Vixen!'

'Awesome!' cried Vixen from the other end of the table. 'We've got art together!'

'Wicked!' replied Franky an ecstatic grin on his attractive face which made the girls swoon again. 'How come you've got art with us?'

'Not just me,' answered the girl, scratching her head uninterestedly. 'Lance is in our class with us too.' She saw his blank face and explained. 'You know, Avalanche from the Brotherhood.'

'Oh. You haven't introduced me to them yet.' said Franky nibbling a piece of bread. 'Are you embarrassed of me or something?'

'You'll see them tomorrow, anyway.' said Jade tucking into a forkful of mash. 'I guess we won't get classes together then. Shame.' Franky smiled tenderly at her.

'Because not enough people take art.' said Amara suddenly, looking up from her plate and at the others who stared blankly at her.

'I'm sorry?' asked Kurt, with an emphasized look of confusion on his humorous face. 'But I don't think anyone can follow your train of thought. In fact I'm very surprised you can.' everyone giggled and the young girl blushed and looked back down at her empty plate.

'No… I mean…' she started, looking back up and glancing at Franky who was laughing along with the others. 'The reason all the people in art are from different years is because not enough kids take that subject to have a class per year… So… they shove you all in together.'

'Kinky.' came Vixen, Jade and Franky's voices all at the same time, before they all started laughing again (Except Wolverine, because he never laughs).