Chapter 2
X-Men belong to Fox, yadda-yadda. Please email me with your comments and suggestions at rina560@hotmail.com
"Anybody know why we're here?" Todd Tolensky demanded from his perch on the principal's oak desk.
"Nope," replied Lance, leaning against the windowsill, "though I hope we can get outta here soon."
"Me too," Pietro, a lean boy with silvery-white hair, chipped in. "Ms. Darkholme didn't even say why we were coming."
As if on cue, the door opened, and the principal walked in, leading a scrawling girl with wild black hair. Lance raised one eyebrow and glanced over at Pietro, who smirked. Frowning, Ms. Darkholme motioned for Todd to move off of her expensive desk. With a sheepish look, he did so, settling on a cushioned chair.
"Boys, I'd like to meet our new student, Aileen Mason," she cheerfully announced, pushing the frightened girl forward. "I'd appreciate if you'd be nice to her."
"Yeah, whatever. Can we go?" Lance asked, not even bothering to make eye contact with Eileen. Ms. Darkholme seemed annoyed by this lack of interest, but the dark-haired woman said nothing. Both Lance and Pietro hurried out the door, leaving the new girl behind. She seemed, however, content to wander alone, looking down at the ground. Todd hopped after her. It was warm outside, the bright spring sunlight washing over the thick lawn and the stately trees. A white butterfly flittered by and Tolensky's long tongue flicked out, snapping up the small insect.
"Hey, Ellen, or whatever your name is," he called, chewing, and she glanced at him, "what's your powers?"
"Why?" Her dark eyes, merciless, sliced through his soul.
"Just askin'."
"I-I can scare people, I guess."
Tolensky cocked his head and laughed.
"That's it? So can I!" he chuckled. Aileen started to move away, and he persistently followed, his dark yellow teeth flashing as he grinned.
Again, she spun around, and this time Toad's clay-colored face went white. A horrible chill went through his body, and he looked down at his hands, heart pounding. The skin seemed to writhe and wiggle, moving on its own volition. His greenish-yellow eyes bulged and he screamed, fleeing.
Aileen smiled coldly.
* *
"Hey, who's the new girl?" Scott asked, putting down his peanut butter sandwich. Everyone turned their heads to watch the lanky girl as she strode away from Tolensky. That weasel looked like he had seen a ghost by the way he was running away.
Then again, the willowy girl was creepy, to say the least. Her angular face was unnaturally pale, framed by thick hair the color of coal. The teen's huge black eyes, like empty pools, were set deep into her eye sockets. Spidery hands held a handful of books close to her chest, and she wore a plain purple dress that hung around her emaciated frame like a sheet.
"Vhoa, she's strange," Kurt commented.
"You can say that again," Scott agreed.
"Vhoa, she's strange."
He glared at him.
"Does Professor X know about her?" Kitty wondered aloud.
"Most likely," Scott answered, "he did mention something about a new mutant."
"Maybe ve should talk to her," Kurt suggested, "after all, looks aren't everything." Kitty and Scott had to agree; beneath the hologram of a normal boy, Kurt had dark blue fur and a long tail.
They stood, and started after her, only to be interrupted by the bell.
"Darn," Kurt said, "vell, maybe ve can catch her later."
"I gotta get to gym," Kitty said, waving to the two boys and dashing for the girls' locker room. Inside, several other people were slipping on their gym uniforms, the new girl being one of them. She was by herself in the corner, slipping on a T-shirt, and Kitty couldn't help but see the dark bruises on her ashen back. She looked up and saw Kitty watching her, then hurriedly pulled on her uniform and left without saying a single word.