Insert your choice of standard disclaimer here…
Starting Over at Starting Over at…
Part 2
Kurt slumped further down in his chair trying not to draw too much attention to himself. He was so bored today, which was unusual, he usually didn't mind history at all but for some reason today he was restless. Well, at least it would be lunchtime soon, maybe then he could cheer Evan up, he'd been so grouchy this morning. Kurt just chalked everything up to it being Monday; everything was always a little off on Mondays. The small black type of his textbook was starting to blur at the edges.
"MIS-TER Wagner!"
Kurt's knees knocked against his desk as he jumped slightly. He gave a sheepish "Yes?" as a response, trying desperately to look focused.
"The answer please Mr. Wagner?"
'Oh no, vhat vas it she asked? Vhy am I alvays the vun she calls on for the hard questions – vell she only asks vhen I don't pay attention…heh nevermind'
"Uh, vhat vas the question again?"
His history teacher scowled down at him, though she did repeat the question. "Last night's reading in the text was on Charlemagne as well as what you read in The Song of Roland. So Mr. Wagner my question is who attacked Charlemagnes' army on the way home, or shall I just put another zero in my grade book?"
She was so irritating sometimes. It was like she knew when you didn't read the assignments. Well in Kurt's case it was never hard to tell – well there were more important things, like gymnastics practice, and soccer and burgers and danger room sessions. Could he help it if her 40 page readings in the text and 20-30 in her extra books got put aside? Even the AP European class got to choose whether or not to read things like that Roland book. and it wasn't that Kurt was stupid or anything, it was just by the time he sat down to do homework he just couldn't get through the whole chapter. Every time Gellrig called on him, he just got nervous – the whole class watched, waiting for him to screw up.
Kurt swallowed reflexively, scouring his memories for the answer. He had skimmed the readings this morning after snagging a burger on the way to school.
'Vell, they vere alvays fighting battles back then, how am I supposed to know who attacked him every time? Now vhat vas it Rogue said vas so funny? Vas this the guy? Oh vhy not – vhat have I got to loose?'
"Robbers?" Kurt half squeaked though it was hard to tell as the class burst into laughter – Kurt just sunk lower in his seat wishing he could just port away. He sunk down even lower as she gave him a sour look, before he realized she wasn't going to give him another zero.
'phew…'
"In a manner of speaking, Mr. Wagner is correct – there's a first time for everything. Now, as I'm sure you read last night Mr. Wagner, perhaps you can tell us…"
*knock, knock, knock*
'…saved…'
"…excuse me a moment class. What can I do for you Miss Hamill?" she asked stepping into the hallway. "I see," Kurt's teacher re - entered the room followed by a young girl. Kurt thought she looked kind of nervous, 'vell who vouldn't be vith a whole room of strangers scrutinizing you?'
"Class, this is Miss Lara Hunter, she's new here, so please make her feel welcome."
Kurt could've sworn he saw Lara roll her eyes slightly at this.
"All right Miss Hunter, you may take that empty seat over by the window, in the the back."
Lara moved to the indicated seat, which was actually the only one left in the classroom and was next to Kurt's. Twenty – nine pairs of eyes followed her movements. Just like most teachers, Kurt's insisted on seating them in alphabetical order on the first day, across the rows – which naturally left Kurt in the back of the room.
"Since I don't have a textbook for you yet, for now just look on with Mr. Wagner." The teacher said to Lara, turning her piercing gaze to Kurt next. "Although you have yet to prove you actually read the text, I will assume you at least bring it to class?"
"Yes, Ms. Gellrig," Kurt said pulling the book from his bag and moving his desk over so Lara could see the books.
"Now, where were we? Ah yes, as Mr. Wagner enlightened us with his informed answer of robbers before, he was just about to tell me who Charlemagne's army fights in The Song of Roland."
Kurt's head dropped, he had thought maybe she'd forgotten about him – as if that would ever happen. He swore she took the utmost pleasure in singling him out in class. 'Vell that's easy, same as before…vhy ask the same question…?' Just as he was about to answer robbers again someone whispered something. Kurt turned next to him where Lara was absently playing with the pages of his history text, and he heard it again, "The muslims…"
'Muslims, she's gotta be kidding, then again vhy vould the new girl play such a mean trick on just her first day?'
"Er…the Muslims…"
"Why Mr. Wagner, perhaps…"
'…oh vunderful, here it comes…'
"…there is hope for you yet. Now then Miss Leiff can you tell me…"
Kurt didn't hear whatever else she said, for once he was off the hook, Gellrig even spared him a tiny, very tiny smile. He turned to Lara who just smiled at him and shrugged slightly. The rest of the class was uneventful, which for Kurt was a blessing, Gellrig didn't call on him anymore and he was actually able to pay attention for the rest of the class…to the material as well as the new girl.
Kurt tried (without much luck) to be discreet in studying the girl seated next to him. For one thing, she looked interested in the books before her. She fidgeted, Kurt noticed she was alternating hands and constantly pulling at her fingers, before she finally stuck her hands underneath her knees. This action caused her silver bangles to jingle again. Next, Kurt moved to her outfit, she had black bootleg pants on and a dark purple shirt, underneath a knee-length jacket. Her long hair hung loose and spilled over the edge of the seat. He got a fairly good look at her dark brown eyes, before he realized he was probably making her uncomfortable.
"And for homework tonight, finish up The Song of Roland and read the next chapter in the text." Just as the bell rang and everyone moved to leave, "Oh, and keep up with the reading, there just may be a quiz Thursday or Friday."
There was a collective groan before the classes' occupants joined the milling students in the halls.
Kurt moved his desk aside and gathered up his books, 'vell, I'm going to have to read them now…' "So, vhat class do you have next Lara?"
"Hmm?!" Lara nearly dropped her book bag on the floor; she hadn't expected this kid to talk to her after class. 'What does this guy want now? Can't he just leave me alone?! Well, he wasn't rude to me or anything, but was with all the staring? Oh no! Are my contacts askew or something?!'
"Are you okay?" Kurt was a little worried now, why was she covering her eye? 'Oh no, did my holo vatch give out?' A quick glance proved it to be working.
"Um, no I'm fine." 'Well, if he hasn't said anything yet they must be okay.' Lara noticed him glancing at his watch. "I'm sorry, I don't want to make you late or anything. And my next class is art, in A-4."
"Really? My friend is taking that class, c'mon I'll show you where the room is."
Ms. Gellrig looked up at the pair as they left. "I'll have a book for you by tomorrow Ms. Hunter. And Mr. Wagner I trust you'll do well on this quiz?"
"Of course Ms. Gellrig, bye." When they got out into the hallway, Kurt made a face. "That vas the first class all year she didn't pick on me every ten minutes. Actually, I probably have you to thank for that, did you read that Roland thing at your other school?"
"Uh, yeah," Lara lied, well she just met the kid, and she wasn't about to tell him her life story. 'He's not really asking my 'life story,' just a normal question any normal teen would ask a new student – where I went to school. Maybe coming here was a mistake, why did I want to go to high school anyway? Because I don't want to spend the rest of my life working for pool halls and fast food restaurants. Besides Lex didn't take that job just so I could…what am I doing? Lara just be nice – maybe he'll be…'
She'd been so busy letting her mind panic; she didn't really hear any of Kurt's ramblings about the school. Nor did she notice they were at her classroom until she knocked right into Kurt, who immediately jumped away.
"Sorry, wasn't watching where I was headed." Lara said twisting her fingers nervously.
Kurt just smiled at her, "That's all right. C'mon I'll introduce you to that friend of mine."
Lara was about to protest, under the defense that it wasn't necessary and he'd be late to his next class, when said person grabbed the fabric of her jacket. Kurt was very careful to only touch the fabric as he pulled Lara into the room. He dragged her over to a table where only one person was sitting. From the way this kid was glaring at his art project was most likely the reason he was alone. This was who Kurt wanted her to meet? She wasn't sure she wanted to get too close to him while he was holding a putty knife.
Evan looked up as Kurt approached, giving Lara a cursory glance and immediately frowned at Kurt. "Since when are you in this class man?"
"I'm not," replied Kurt, totally unfazed by Evan's attitude. "I came to introduce you to a new student," Kurt said grinning and finally letting go of her sleeve. "Evan, this is Lara, Lara this is my very good friend Evan."
Evan spared her a smile and extended his hand, which after a little hesitation she took. "Have a seat," well there was no sense being rude to the girl. 'It's not like she made me ruin half of my pajamas, or sings in a loud german accent all morning, or uses all the hot water, or finishes all the milk before I even get down to breakfast…'
"So, welcome to Bayville Lara," before Evan got to the other parts of the routine nice to meet you speech, the bell rang.
"Don't you have somewhere to be? Or are you switching into my class?" Evan's art teacher smiled down at Kurt (who knew him from prior times he'd stopped in to see Evan) and Lara. Lara handed him her sign in sheet and Kurt waved good bye, hurrying to his next class. Evan just rolled his eyes, what was that, the fifth time this month Kurt would be late because he stopped into his art class?
"Something wrong?" Lara inquired as she slid onto the bench opposite him.
"Me? Nah, Craw – ah Kurt's just going to be late to his next class again if you get my meaning."
Actually Lara got it in the wrong way, "Oh, I see, I mean I tried to tell him I could find the class on my own but he…"
"Oh no, I didn't mean it was your fault girl, that's just how he is."
As the teacher took attendance, the new addition to the class was naturally pointed out, before the assignment was given.
"Hey, um you all right?"
Lara looked up quickly, clutching her fingertips where Evan had touched them, her long hair exploding out from where it had previously been surrounding her face. She really hated being singled out, she'd come back here to try to live normally and it wasn't easy as she'd imagined.
"Yeah, so what're you going to do for that sculpture?"
Evan grinned, then frowned, and cocked his head before finally stating, "I have no idea…"
The rest of the class went by with cyclic awkward silences and avoided or unanswered questions. Whoever said getting to know people was easy anyway?
'Especially when one of those people is quite the amateur.' Lara thought.
Lance was annoyed to say the least. It wasn't his fault Toad had gotten slime all over Mystiques' new office carpet, not to mention her desk. Hey, it was the secretary who said they could go in, he would've been just as happy talking to that new one anyway. She was quite young, not to mention nice for a secretary.
'Must be one of those student helpers or something…maybe it's a new form of detention, no one would volunteer to work for those boisterous, condescending, arrogant, why didn't Darkholme just fire them?' He clenched the key ring as he stood before the janitor's closet, now thanks to Todd he had to clean her office. Sometimes Mystique could be such a – wait she was always that way. Well if this was his job, he really didn't want to think about what she'd do to Todd and it did get him out of his classes.
"Well, well, well, cutting again are we?"
Lance turned around to see no one a few times, though he did feel the breeze as Pietro whizzed back and forth behind him. "Argh, knock it off already man…"
"Ooooohhh, or you'll do what beat me down with your mop…yea I'm petrified man…"
Lance scowled at the offending object before snapping at him. "Her royal pain in the - Darkholme wants the sludge cleaned up from her office, and I got stuck."
"Huh, bummer, and I had something to show you to. Sure you don't wanna grab some lunch?"
Lance glanced down at his watch…it was lunch already, hadn't it just been second or third period. Well didn't time just race away when you were having so much fun? He knew Mystique would be quite the raging little mutant, but the expression on Maximoff's face made him curious. Smirking he flung the mop back in the closet and slammed the door behind him.
"Lead the way…"
****I know it's boring, but I kind of wanted to start nearer the beginning rather than do everything through flashbacks…it'll get better…promise *_~ all the best to everyone…extra special wishes to reviewers (I'm evil I know…^_^)…bios will probably be included for Lara and Lex in the next part at the bottom w/ warning (some ppl prefer to not know everything about a character before it's revealed so I'll give fair warning…any input (as long as it's done in 'kinder, gentler way' is more than welcome…everything always can stand improvement.
Sweet dreams… ~*~Mirage