Snow in April: A Wedding Story
By: Ariesque
Genre: Humor/Drama
Ratings: PG- PG-13 Depending if there be language
Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men characters and Bayville places Evo focuses on in its show. Everything else belongs to me.
Author's Note: Being this as the last chapter, I'm afraid it doesn't contain answers to really anything, except pour more confusion into the story line. Therefore, I'll write a epilogue to counter the two diaries.
Chapter Twenty: The Wedding Day
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
April 16, 2003 6:13 a.m., in my shared room
The first thing I noticed when I woke up this morning was that there was light pouring into my room. For nearly five months now, there has been nothing but snow and dense cold. Now, there was light.
And as I continued my digression, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. Sitting gallantly bold in the reflection of Kitty's vanity mirror, was a box. The ring. The Wedding Ring box.
Quickly, I rolled out of bed, effortlessly throwing the covers off of me so that they dragged after my feet while hurriedly taking up the box into my hands. The container slid carefully between my fingers; I snapped open the case. There was the ring, shining something horrendously cheerful.
But what was the reason for it being here? Possibly misplaced? Carelessly, I shook it from the box and placed it on my own bare finger. Appeased by its luster, I admired it in the light. Then the thought hit me like a ton of bricks crashing into me with the speed of light: Remy would want this back. For Jean. To marry her.
Good God, my mind rasped, making my fingers toy with the rock on my finger. There would be the effort of taking it off now, or taking it off later. I smiled. I'd keep it on. Jean wouldn't miss it. Maybe Remy would, but whatever. Heck to him if he ever found out he misplaced the only worthy possession of giving Jean.
I glared at the ice. "What would he care?" I asked it, aloud. "He hates me anyway. Let him hate me more." The rock seemed to smile back. That was all the answer I needed to keep it on.
8:42 a.m.
There was a knock on the door as I finished putting on the glove on my good hand. At first I thought it was Kitty, but she hardly ever knocks before entering a room, so I was skeptical. Then I opened it wider, and saw that it was Piotr, wearing his usual stony look. Seeing me still in my sleepwear, he coughed and looked away.
"Elo, Rogue," he sparked, his eyes on the floor, "are you well?"
"Sadly," I grimaced, but patted the cast on my arm. "What can I do you for? Looking for Kitty?" He coughed again, as though that wasn't what he was looking for. "What's wrong?"
"May I come in?" Then blushing: "I promise I will not look at you..."
"What's there to look at?" I asked, opening the door wider. He stepped inside, and waved the door shut.
"I came..." he gulped. "I came to...warn you." His eyes never left the ground. I furrowed my brow.
"Warn me? Does this have to do with Magneto?" Piotr blew out his breath.
"No." He gulped; turned his eyes to my face, then quickly diverted them back to the ground. "From John."
"John?" I crossed my arms in front of my chest. "What's to warn? Are you speaking for Remy because that's not going to work..."
"He is not what he seems," he blurted. I glared at him, offended.
"Piotr..." I started. Footsteps pounded against the ground. We both looked up together as a knock was sounded against the door.
"Just listen to me Rogue. He is not what he seems," he repeated, hurriedly walking to open the door. There stood John, a plastic bag drawn over his shoulder. His eyes hardened strangely as if he wasn't happy seeing Piotr and me alone in the room.
"G'day, mates," he greeted, sliding the bag from his shoulders. Piotr glanced warningly at me before exiting the room. John maneuvered his way to me, closing the door behind him. "What was that all about?"
I shook my head. "Nothing." He smiled happily and hung the dress at the hook on the door. "I see you've brought something to me." He grinned, sliding his arms around me.
"Thought I'd save you a trip to Danlie's and picked up all the girls' dresses." He pushed my hair back and grinned. I grinned back.
"Thanks." I couldn't help myself. What was Piotr talking about? John seemed pretty nice to me. He removed his arms around me and reached for my hands. Remembering the ring still on my finger, I instantly moved them behind my back.
"What?" he asked, disappointment in his voice. I smiled innocently while trying to remove the ring from my hand.
"You know what?" I asked him, putting on a droopy face, "I think I could use some coffee. You mind getting me some?" John stared at me, questioningly.
"Sure..." he slurred, unsure what I had up my sleeve. When he had left, I tried taking the ring off my finger in vain. I knew I had to get it off before John came back. So I went into the bathroom and started to soap the ring, since I heard that made it come off easier. And I think it would've if Kitty hadn't entered the room shortly after.
She hadn't knocked, so I was surprised to find her head poking out, her body on the outside. Seeing her, I found myself screaming.
"Knock! Dammit KNOCK!" She didn't leave though. Something about wanting her dress. Then she saw the ring and almost fell in.
"Isn't that the wedding, like, ring?" she asked. I quickly shushed her.
"Shut up! Nobody's supposed to know!" she glared at me.
"You better take it off."
"I think I already know that, thank you." Suddenly, there were footsteps coming down the hallway. Afraid of giving myself away, I pulled Kitty by the ear inside so that she was completely in the bathroom, all the while whining and crying about the pain from my pulling. Placing a hand over her mouth, I waited until the footsteps died down before I removed my hand.
"Why are you so frantic? It's only, like, John."
"That's just my problem." I explained that we were together and that he couldn't see with the ring or he'll explode. So Kitty phased me down to the kitchen, where Ororo was sitting and Logan was trying to coax her that there were only bitter mangoes, since they weren't in season yet.
"But I want ripe mangoes. The BABY wants ripe mangoes. You don't want the baby kicking me for ripe mangoes, do you?" He shook his head, tiredly.
"Well what do you want me to do? Place them under a heat lamp until they get ripe?"
"I thought you'd never suggest." When they saw us, they smiled and continued their small argument. When we safe in the downstairs bathroom, I tried again to take it off. It wouldn't budge.
"Serves you right, having, like, fat fingers," she mumbled, pulling at my finger. I held back a yelp, reminding her that was my broken hand. There were shouts and I heard John's voice ask Ororo where I was, so Kitty decided that I should stay and she'll keep him away with finding her dress. Grinning, I mouthed her thanks as she propped the thumbs up and walked through the bathroom door. After they left, I slunk back upstairs and changed my clothes.
The ring remains planted on my finger, though.
10:21 a.m.
Less than seven hours away and I'm still not able to take off this darn ring!!!
I have been kept busy, so I hadn't had time to try and take it off. Instead, I put the other glove over the ring to cover it.
When I went back into the kitchen, Ororo and Logan were replaced with Hank and Xavier, discussing ethics in child decorum.
"The fact is," Hank said, between bites, "children should be trained with patience."
"Discipline, more like," the professor said, raising his bagel and pointing it at the Blue Furry man with it. "You never can know." Rushing past them, I placed two slices of bread into the toaster. When I turned back to them, they both wore a dubious look on their faces. It was the same look they used when one of us uses our powers in public, or when someone has flooded the toilet again.
So when I asked them what they meant by those faces, Hank shook his head. "I don't know," he said, eyeing the toaster. "Shouldn't you be fasting before the wedding?" I glared at him.
"I need to eat, Mr. McCoy."
"Yes, I know. But..." he stopped. Xavier said it for him.
"Jean will know."
"I know," I said, as the two slices popped out. Grabbing one, I gobbled it down hurriedly.
"Oh, and before I forget," Xavier continued, "Jean asked me yesterday to remind you today about seeing if the cake's ready and the flowers are in the church by four."
"They'll shrivel and die in an hour," I muttered, downing a glass of orange juice. Mr. McCoy shrugged.
"The cake doesn't have to be there until seven."
"I was talking about the flowers." Then I briskly walked out because discussion with both Hank and Xavier is pointless and makes you fall asleep after their hour lectures.
11:45 a.m.
When I went to confirm the times on the schedule with Jean, I found her room empty, the wedding dress still at the corner across her vanity. Staring at it, I grazed my good gloved hand over the intricate beading and iridescent floral patterns fawning the skirt. Almost at once, I felt emotions stab at me; jealousy beat on my back while annoyance drummed in my head. I couldn't understand Remy wanting her, or my wanting Remy. This wedding was pointless; there wasn't anything to be gotten out of it. You don't just get married out of spite--I thought it was love that made people marry.
I left, disgusted with the fact that I let me get so far ahead of myself.
12:12 p.m.
I have rightfully stolen the X-Jeep for my own benefit. Since nobody wanted to drive me to Bonnie's Bakery, and knowing the nearest bus stop was about a quarter mile away, I grabbed the keys from the hooks by the back door, and opened the garage where the vehicles were kept. And there sat the X-Jeep, crooning "Rogue, Rogue" in its position.
I say rightfully because nobody was using it. And it was calling me. But Xavier doesn't know because my license isn't due until August.
So I better not do anything stupid.
1:34 p.m.
I cannot believe this. The fact that I did NOTHING stupid and instead something did something stupid FOR me, kind of irritates me. I was a pretty good driver, come to think of it: waited for pedestrians to cross the frickin' road while the person behind me kept honking, ran no red light, didn't over speed. But as I said before, something just HAD to ruin it all by suddenly running into the middle of the road and I in turn get hit by it.
That something happened to be a bear.
Think about it: it's not everyday you get hit by a bear. And this wasn't the most thrilling experience that I had to put myself through. The amazing part was, the X-Jeep just stopped when the bear plowed against the driver's side. And funny thing was, everything started spinning soon afterwards. There were shouts and cries while I just sat there, dazed and surprised, the diamond ring still shining on my finger. When I looked into my rear view mirror, I saw something massive and black stagger away, as if it too were dazed and surprised.
Later I learned that it was a bear that had escaped from the Bayville Zoo nearly two hours ago and they've been trying to catch it. When the zookeepers continued their chase after the bear, I immediately continued on my way. And when I looked at the damage the bear did, I found a huge DENT.
Xavier's gonna kill me when he finds out.
3:54 p.m.
Everything is set: the cake is made, Paul will be at the Chancellor's Hotel at five-thirty, the flowers are delivered, I am puckered and ready and dressed. Even my hair is done. Sam helped me take off the ring by slipping it off slowly while wearing gloves. The ring lies next to you as I write this.
But I haven't seen Remy nor Jean at all today. They weren't even at the Greys' brunch which the parents invited all the guests to their hotel again, but I doubt they even cared to notice; they were too busy finding bus boys to clean up after Kurt fell on the fruit table from being knocked over by Ray for replacing his shaving cream with Cool Whip in a can.
Oh, I just heard a knock. That must mean the limos are here to take us to the chapel.
4:15 p.m.
While the bridesmaid filed into lines and the florists were still arranging the pink, yellow, and peach flowers, I heard someone call my name from behind me. Whirling around, I found myself being dragged into a limo, it taking off and driving away from the church. Sitting next to me was Jean, still wearing her normal clothes. Hair messed, make-up far from perfect, she glared at me with eyes that told nothing.
"Jean!" was the name that rolled from my tongue. "What--Why aren't you ready?" Her glare intensified as I handed her the wedding ring's box with the ring inside.
"I need to talk to you." The tone in her voice was cold and compelled. I found my heart whirling in my chest, and the first thought that came to mind was the ring. Had she known I wore it? Had she known I had it?
Her words explained my questions.
"You won't care what I'm about to say, or you can't understand what I'm about to say, but I'll say it." She breathed in, deep and stern, and exhaled with an eye glaring at me.
"I called off the wedding." The words rushed at me and splattered against the inside of my head. Something in me lifted, I admit, but I could see Jean's face that it wasn't deliberate. She had been thinking. Which explained a lot of things. "If you'd had seen his face, you'd know how hard it was to call it off." She stopped, sniveling. "I met him in the morning in his room and told him my reasons, told him why I didn't love him anymore...or at all..." She stopped again, sighing. "When he first proposed the marriage, I thought it'd work out, you know? He knew me well and I knew him fine, and we both thought we could hit it off. But then as they say a cookie crumbles, so did our relationship." Her eyes focused on me as if I were a stranger. I gulped; wondering if she knew about my infatuation with Remy. "I tried changing him, placing him as a perfect image in my untainted mind that would do both of us some good. But then as he changed, I really thought about what I was changing him from. What could keep him from returning that way? How would my reputation discard? How would my parents efforts to raise me effect my marrying this man? I guess I loved him when I did, but right now," she shook her head, "I don't. And I can't. And I hope you understand me." I glared at her, her words, her true self. "I didn't want to tell anyone, and I guess Remy didn't either. But I guess it needs to come out sooner or later. We aren't getting married."
"Why are you telling this to me?" I asked, letting the words sink in. She shrugged.
"You're my maid of honor." She patted the cast on my arm and grinned sadly. "You offered me ice cream. You fell off that damn horse and broke your arm. You did everything and I didn't realize how shallow I was until now. But you put up with me. You and Remy. Funny how you two are alike like that. Too much patience." I glanced out the window then, and wondered where Remy could be. The driver didn't seem to care where he was taking us, but it didn't really matter then. Why she waited until now to break up the wedding baffled me. But it didn't really matter then when it should've, because what Jean did next was break the Berlin Wall --the State Border--the Emity between us. She put her head on my shoulder and cried. And I didn't push her away, feeling her accumulated pain. I did not question her further, I deciding it was best not to let her know of my discomfort with the lack of answers.
Because somehow, I could tell she needed to cry as bad as she did.
9:17 p.m.
I made the chauffeur drive the limo back to the manor where I walked Jean back to her room. After calling the others and notifying the wedding's cancellation to Ororo, I could almost hear the relief fuming from her rasping breath as she hung up. That was when I decided to look for Remy.
Taking the newly dented X-Jeep around the darkening streets of Bayville, I searched Clairemont's first, knowing it as his setting for the proposal. When I didn't find him, I drove around Vianne Seaux, then to Bonnie's, to the back streets behind Piccolo's, and rounded Vale Barrens twice, but to no avail.
Then I got the idea to search the warehouses near the docks. It was the place where we first met, the place where we sang our silent serenade, the place where I knew I would soon fall for the Cajun and never have the heart to pick myself up. It was there I quickly got out of the Jeep, heels clanking against the wooden docks. The fog was just setting in and I found myself shivering from lack of covering. Then as I rounded another disappointing corner, I saw his shadow lay lazily on the ground. For a moment, I admired it, awkward as the situation was. That was when I continued to walk up to him, ever so slowly.
I noticed his angered expression and found myself grinning like a damned fool.
"Gambit," I teased him, noticing he was playing with his cards. He looked up, one bold scarlet eye flickered over his cards. Slowly, if not remotely, the smile on his face stretched sloppily across his face as if worn out. My body tensed; he pocketed his prized possessions.
"I take it y' been lookin' f' me," he said, wearily. I nodded, surpassing my own fading dignity.
"For the time being." I passed it off casually. Seeing him cringe, I wondered why he did so.
"You make me laugh out loud sometimes, chere," he crooned, like an unsatisfied pup. A step toward me and I had to look away. He came closer with every word he said. Then he stood, all 6'2 of him, and with a single whip of his hand to his pocket, there laid a card too familiar to forget.
"F' y', chere." His breath was husky as I took it. The uncharged card read King of Hearts. My heart fluttered in its place, and I had to compose myself again, hoping it wouldn't fly away. Staring up at the red of his eye, I smiled, shyly.
"Thank you." I heard the swift pause before Remy stuck out his gloved hand. In it I could see a delicate flap of torn paper.
A note.
"G' bye, Rogue." I glanced at him, hurriedly.
"You're going?" I regretted my voice sounding with disbelief. He looked away and I figured well he was blushing.
"Sure, mon ami. It ain't nothin' new."
"New?" His words caused me to feel dizzy. When I began to teeter on my feet, he took hold of my arms, but they were far from where he could pull me to him.
"Louisiana. T' be exact." When he felt I could stand on my own, he dropped his arms to his sides, as if numb.
"Are you coming back?" I sounded hopeful. I wanted him to stay, knowing he really wasn't hurt by Jean's decision to not marry him.
His answer was vague but sincere.
"I'm lookin' f' time. Xavier says it's okay; so I'll be okay." Then, he slid his hand into mine and tightened his grip around my palm. "Take care now. Be good t' John."
His words dragged me back into reality. I was with John. It wasn't fair, I tell you now. It wasn't fair how Remy could just play with my feelings and make me propose unrequited love. But when I retreated to John as a last resort, Remy became available and I was once again with feelings that felt like oil and water-- too different to mix. When I turned around, I came face to face with John who had been there the whole time. He was wearing a content face too flagrant to be hidden behind his many facades. Taking my arm, I could tell he was ebullient of having Remy gone.
"You and Remy, I assume left on good terms, love?" he said, smiling. I looked at him with a smile so weak. After hitting a bear, letting Jean cry, and having to see Remy leave without anything more than a note, I was more than pooped and disappointed. I hurt.
John brushed it off and offered me a ride home, but I didn't have the heart. Not when Remy had taken it with him. But I need to remind myself constantly that I'm with John. That I have had the strength to move on, body and soul.
Only, I lack giving John my heart, because Remy has it.
11:25 p.m., in my shared room
When I was driving back, I stopped by the Bayville Zoo to visit the bear. The dress hunched against my skin as I walked to the cage, ignoring the security warden glancing at me. The bear was outside, sitting on his hind legs, staring at me with those small, beady black eyes of his.
"You hit my jeep," I started. He continued to watch me. "Xavier's gonna have my neck. But nobody's gonna get you, because you're a bear. What could've stopped you from deciding to run away? What could you have been thinking about when you stepped out of your pen and roamed the streets of Bayville? But no. When you hit someone, nobody can blame you because you're stupid and since you hit me, people think I hit you. Therefore, I get the blame. I get..." He interrupted me though, bellowing angrily at me. His mouth was black, humongous, enormous. I shut up then, and he continued to watch me.
That was when I remembered the note.
Turning to my gloves, I pulled it out and unfolded it. The paper was flimsy; loose leaf paper is my first guess. As the words came together, I glared at it, then at the bear, and back again.
I'll be back, it read. I'll write everyday. I'll never forget you; I'll always miss you.
"Will you?" I asked aloud. " Or are you just lying to me again, playing with my feelings as you always do?" When I looked up again, the bear was sitting on his behind, still staring at me.
It isn't rational, I'm telling you. Confusing me, making me expect something I'll never get, making me want something too far away to reach. It isn't fair, to find myself staring at a bear, expecting answers I'd never get.
I never thought it'd end like this, talking to a bear about a broken heart. The cold stare he gave me told too much truth. I had accused him of being stupid, but he in turn told me he wasn't the only one.
~~NOT THE END~~
______________________________________________________________________________________________
To all reviewers: Look for the next book in the Rogue's Diaries Series: Rumor has It. I'm thinking that it won't revolve around Rogue's diary alone so that any and all questions may be answered. Hope you all liked Snow in April and I thank all my faithful reviewers for giving me a chance to express Rogue as what I thought she needed to be perceived.
Special Thanks to: LadyGambit 20, Queondapio, AlabasterDuchess, faeryeyes for adding me to your favorites' lists!
Feedback: how'd the ending go? Thoughts on Piotr's warning, Rogue about John. Remy's departure and promise, Jean's breakdown, and anything else. I'd like to know, to tell the truth.
By: Ariesque
Genre: Humor/Drama
Ratings: PG- PG-13 Depending if there be language
Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men characters and Bayville places Evo focuses on in its show. Everything else belongs to me.
Author's Note: Being this as the last chapter, I'm afraid it doesn't contain answers to really anything, except pour more confusion into the story line. Therefore, I'll write a epilogue to counter the two diaries.
Chapter Twenty: The Wedding Day
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
April 16, 2003 6:13 a.m., in my shared room
The first thing I noticed when I woke up this morning was that there was light pouring into my room. For nearly five months now, there has been nothing but snow and dense cold. Now, there was light.
And as I continued my digression, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. Sitting gallantly bold in the reflection of Kitty's vanity mirror, was a box. The ring. The Wedding Ring box.
Quickly, I rolled out of bed, effortlessly throwing the covers off of me so that they dragged after my feet while hurriedly taking up the box into my hands. The container slid carefully between my fingers; I snapped open the case. There was the ring, shining something horrendously cheerful.
But what was the reason for it being here? Possibly misplaced? Carelessly, I shook it from the box and placed it on my own bare finger. Appeased by its luster, I admired it in the light. Then the thought hit me like a ton of bricks crashing into me with the speed of light: Remy would want this back. For Jean. To marry her.
Good God, my mind rasped, making my fingers toy with the rock on my finger. There would be the effort of taking it off now, or taking it off later. I smiled. I'd keep it on. Jean wouldn't miss it. Maybe Remy would, but whatever. Heck to him if he ever found out he misplaced the only worthy possession of giving Jean.
I glared at the ice. "What would he care?" I asked it, aloud. "He hates me anyway. Let him hate me more." The rock seemed to smile back. That was all the answer I needed to keep it on.
8:42 a.m.
There was a knock on the door as I finished putting on the glove on my good hand. At first I thought it was Kitty, but she hardly ever knocks before entering a room, so I was skeptical. Then I opened it wider, and saw that it was Piotr, wearing his usual stony look. Seeing me still in my sleepwear, he coughed and looked away.
"Elo, Rogue," he sparked, his eyes on the floor, "are you well?"
"Sadly," I grimaced, but patted the cast on my arm. "What can I do you for? Looking for Kitty?" He coughed again, as though that wasn't what he was looking for. "What's wrong?"
"May I come in?" Then blushing: "I promise I will not look at you..."
"What's there to look at?" I asked, opening the door wider. He stepped inside, and waved the door shut.
"I came..." he gulped. "I came to...warn you." His eyes never left the ground. I furrowed my brow.
"Warn me? Does this have to do with Magneto?" Piotr blew out his breath.
"No." He gulped; turned his eyes to my face, then quickly diverted them back to the ground. "From John."
"John?" I crossed my arms in front of my chest. "What's to warn? Are you speaking for Remy because that's not going to work..."
"He is not what he seems," he blurted. I glared at him, offended.
"Piotr..." I started. Footsteps pounded against the ground. We both looked up together as a knock was sounded against the door.
"Just listen to me Rogue. He is not what he seems," he repeated, hurriedly walking to open the door. There stood John, a plastic bag drawn over his shoulder. His eyes hardened strangely as if he wasn't happy seeing Piotr and me alone in the room.
"G'day, mates," he greeted, sliding the bag from his shoulders. Piotr glanced warningly at me before exiting the room. John maneuvered his way to me, closing the door behind him. "What was that all about?"
I shook my head. "Nothing." He smiled happily and hung the dress at the hook on the door. "I see you've brought something to me." He grinned, sliding his arms around me.
"Thought I'd save you a trip to Danlie's and picked up all the girls' dresses." He pushed my hair back and grinned. I grinned back.
"Thanks." I couldn't help myself. What was Piotr talking about? John seemed pretty nice to me. He removed his arms around me and reached for my hands. Remembering the ring still on my finger, I instantly moved them behind my back.
"What?" he asked, disappointment in his voice. I smiled innocently while trying to remove the ring from my hand.
"You know what?" I asked him, putting on a droopy face, "I think I could use some coffee. You mind getting me some?" John stared at me, questioningly.
"Sure..." he slurred, unsure what I had up my sleeve. When he had left, I tried taking the ring off my finger in vain. I knew I had to get it off before John came back. So I went into the bathroom and started to soap the ring, since I heard that made it come off easier. And I think it would've if Kitty hadn't entered the room shortly after.
She hadn't knocked, so I was surprised to find her head poking out, her body on the outside. Seeing her, I found myself screaming.
"Knock! Dammit KNOCK!" She didn't leave though. Something about wanting her dress. Then she saw the ring and almost fell in.
"Isn't that the wedding, like, ring?" she asked. I quickly shushed her.
"Shut up! Nobody's supposed to know!" she glared at me.
"You better take it off."
"I think I already know that, thank you." Suddenly, there were footsteps coming down the hallway. Afraid of giving myself away, I pulled Kitty by the ear inside so that she was completely in the bathroom, all the while whining and crying about the pain from my pulling. Placing a hand over her mouth, I waited until the footsteps died down before I removed my hand.
"Why are you so frantic? It's only, like, John."
"That's just my problem." I explained that we were together and that he couldn't see with the ring or he'll explode. So Kitty phased me down to the kitchen, where Ororo was sitting and Logan was trying to coax her that there were only bitter mangoes, since they weren't in season yet.
"But I want ripe mangoes. The BABY wants ripe mangoes. You don't want the baby kicking me for ripe mangoes, do you?" He shook his head, tiredly.
"Well what do you want me to do? Place them under a heat lamp until they get ripe?"
"I thought you'd never suggest." When they saw us, they smiled and continued their small argument. When we safe in the downstairs bathroom, I tried again to take it off. It wouldn't budge.
"Serves you right, having, like, fat fingers," she mumbled, pulling at my finger. I held back a yelp, reminding her that was my broken hand. There were shouts and I heard John's voice ask Ororo where I was, so Kitty decided that I should stay and she'll keep him away with finding her dress. Grinning, I mouthed her thanks as she propped the thumbs up and walked through the bathroom door. After they left, I slunk back upstairs and changed my clothes.
The ring remains planted on my finger, though.
10:21 a.m.
Less than seven hours away and I'm still not able to take off this darn ring!!!
I have been kept busy, so I hadn't had time to try and take it off. Instead, I put the other glove over the ring to cover it.
When I went back into the kitchen, Ororo and Logan were replaced with Hank and Xavier, discussing ethics in child decorum.
"The fact is," Hank said, between bites, "children should be trained with patience."
"Discipline, more like," the professor said, raising his bagel and pointing it at the Blue Furry man with it. "You never can know." Rushing past them, I placed two slices of bread into the toaster. When I turned back to them, they both wore a dubious look on their faces. It was the same look they used when one of us uses our powers in public, or when someone has flooded the toilet again.
So when I asked them what they meant by those faces, Hank shook his head. "I don't know," he said, eyeing the toaster. "Shouldn't you be fasting before the wedding?" I glared at him.
"I need to eat, Mr. McCoy."
"Yes, I know. But..." he stopped. Xavier said it for him.
"Jean will know."
"I know," I said, as the two slices popped out. Grabbing one, I gobbled it down hurriedly.
"Oh, and before I forget," Xavier continued, "Jean asked me yesterday to remind you today about seeing if the cake's ready and the flowers are in the church by four."
"They'll shrivel and die in an hour," I muttered, downing a glass of orange juice. Mr. McCoy shrugged.
"The cake doesn't have to be there until seven."
"I was talking about the flowers." Then I briskly walked out because discussion with both Hank and Xavier is pointless and makes you fall asleep after their hour lectures.
11:45 a.m.
When I went to confirm the times on the schedule with Jean, I found her room empty, the wedding dress still at the corner across her vanity. Staring at it, I grazed my good gloved hand over the intricate beading and iridescent floral patterns fawning the skirt. Almost at once, I felt emotions stab at me; jealousy beat on my back while annoyance drummed in my head. I couldn't understand Remy wanting her, or my wanting Remy. This wedding was pointless; there wasn't anything to be gotten out of it. You don't just get married out of spite--I thought it was love that made people marry.
I left, disgusted with the fact that I let me get so far ahead of myself.
12:12 p.m.
I have rightfully stolen the X-Jeep for my own benefit. Since nobody wanted to drive me to Bonnie's Bakery, and knowing the nearest bus stop was about a quarter mile away, I grabbed the keys from the hooks by the back door, and opened the garage where the vehicles were kept. And there sat the X-Jeep, crooning "Rogue, Rogue" in its position.
I say rightfully because nobody was using it. And it was calling me. But Xavier doesn't know because my license isn't due until August.
So I better not do anything stupid.
1:34 p.m.
I cannot believe this. The fact that I did NOTHING stupid and instead something did something stupid FOR me, kind of irritates me. I was a pretty good driver, come to think of it: waited for pedestrians to cross the frickin' road while the person behind me kept honking, ran no red light, didn't over speed. But as I said before, something just HAD to ruin it all by suddenly running into the middle of the road and I in turn get hit by it.
That something happened to be a bear.
Think about it: it's not everyday you get hit by a bear. And this wasn't the most thrilling experience that I had to put myself through. The amazing part was, the X-Jeep just stopped when the bear plowed against the driver's side. And funny thing was, everything started spinning soon afterwards. There were shouts and cries while I just sat there, dazed and surprised, the diamond ring still shining on my finger. When I looked into my rear view mirror, I saw something massive and black stagger away, as if it too were dazed and surprised.
Later I learned that it was a bear that had escaped from the Bayville Zoo nearly two hours ago and they've been trying to catch it. When the zookeepers continued their chase after the bear, I immediately continued on my way. And when I looked at the damage the bear did, I found a huge DENT.
Xavier's gonna kill me when he finds out.
3:54 p.m.
Everything is set: the cake is made, Paul will be at the Chancellor's Hotel at five-thirty, the flowers are delivered, I am puckered and ready and dressed. Even my hair is done. Sam helped me take off the ring by slipping it off slowly while wearing gloves. The ring lies next to you as I write this.
But I haven't seen Remy nor Jean at all today. They weren't even at the Greys' brunch which the parents invited all the guests to their hotel again, but I doubt they even cared to notice; they were too busy finding bus boys to clean up after Kurt fell on the fruit table from being knocked over by Ray for replacing his shaving cream with Cool Whip in a can.
Oh, I just heard a knock. That must mean the limos are here to take us to the chapel.
4:15 p.m.
While the bridesmaid filed into lines and the florists were still arranging the pink, yellow, and peach flowers, I heard someone call my name from behind me. Whirling around, I found myself being dragged into a limo, it taking off and driving away from the church. Sitting next to me was Jean, still wearing her normal clothes. Hair messed, make-up far from perfect, she glared at me with eyes that told nothing.
"Jean!" was the name that rolled from my tongue. "What--Why aren't you ready?" Her glare intensified as I handed her the wedding ring's box with the ring inside.
"I need to talk to you." The tone in her voice was cold and compelled. I found my heart whirling in my chest, and the first thought that came to mind was the ring. Had she known I wore it? Had she known I had it?
Her words explained my questions.
"You won't care what I'm about to say, or you can't understand what I'm about to say, but I'll say it." She breathed in, deep and stern, and exhaled with an eye glaring at me.
"I called off the wedding." The words rushed at me and splattered against the inside of my head. Something in me lifted, I admit, but I could see Jean's face that it wasn't deliberate. She had been thinking. Which explained a lot of things. "If you'd had seen his face, you'd know how hard it was to call it off." She stopped, sniveling. "I met him in the morning in his room and told him my reasons, told him why I didn't love him anymore...or at all..." She stopped again, sighing. "When he first proposed the marriage, I thought it'd work out, you know? He knew me well and I knew him fine, and we both thought we could hit it off. But then as they say a cookie crumbles, so did our relationship." Her eyes focused on me as if I were a stranger. I gulped; wondering if she knew about my infatuation with Remy. "I tried changing him, placing him as a perfect image in my untainted mind that would do both of us some good. But then as he changed, I really thought about what I was changing him from. What could keep him from returning that way? How would my reputation discard? How would my parents efforts to raise me effect my marrying this man? I guess I loved him when I did, but right now," she shook her head, "I don't. And I can't. And I hope you understand me." I glared at her, her words, her true self. "I didn't want to tell anyone, and I guess Remy didn't either. But I guess it needs to come out sooner or later. We aren't getting married."
"Why are you telling this to me?" I asked, letting the words sink in. She shrugged.
"You're my maid of honor." She patted the cast on my arm and grinned sadly. "You offered me ice cream. You fell off that damn horse and broke your arm. You did everything and I didn't realize how shallow I was until now. But you put up with me. You and Remy. Funny how you two are alike like that. Too much patience." I glanced out the window then, and wondered where Remy could be. The driver didn't seem to care where he was taking us, but it didn't really matter then. Why she waited until now to break up the wedding baffled me. But it didn't really matter then when it should've, because what Jean did next was break the Berlin Wall --the State Border--the Emity between us. She put her head on my shoulder and cried. And I didn't push her away, feeling her accumulated pain. I did not question her further, I deciding it was best not to let her know of my discomfort with the lack of answers.
Because somehow, I could tell she needed to cry as bad as she did.
9:17 p.m.
I made the chauffeur drive the limo back to the manor where I walked Jean back to her room. After calling the others and notifying the wedding's cancellation to Ororo, I could almost hear the relief fuming from her rasping breath as she hung up. That was when I decided to look for Remy.
Taking the newly dented X-Jeep around the darkening streets of Bayville, I searched Clairemont's first, knowing it as his setting for the proposal. When I didn't find him, I drove around Vianne Seaux, then to Bonnie's, to the back streets behind Piccolo's, and rounded Vale Barrens twice, but to no avail.
Then I got the idea to search the warehouses near the docks. It was the place where we first met, the place where we sang our silent serenade, the place where I knew I would soon fall for the Cajun and never have the heart to pick myself up. It was there I quickly got out of the Jeep, heels clanking against the wooden docks. The fog was just setting in and I found myself shivering from lack of covering. Then as I rounded another disappointing corner, I saw his shadow lay lazily on the ground. For a moment, I admired it, awkward as the situation was. That was when I continued to walk up to him, ever so slowly.
I noticed his angered expression and found myself grinning like a damned fool.
"Gambit," I teased him, noticing he was playing with his cards. He looked up, one bold scarlet eye flickered over his cards. Slowly, if not remotely, the smile on his face stretched sloppily across his face as if worn out. My body tensed; he pocketed his prized possessions.
"I take it y' been lookin' f' me," he said, wearily. I nodded, surpassing my own fading dignity.
"For the time being." I passed it off casually. Seeing him cringe, I wondered why he did so.
"You make me laugh out loud sometimes, chere," he crooned, like an unsatisfied pup. A step toward me and I had to look away. He came closer with every word he said. Then he stood, all 6'2 of him, and with a single whip of his hand to his pocket, there laid a card too familiar to forget.
"F' y', chere." His breath was husky as I took it. The uncharged card read King of Hearts. My heart fluttered in its place, and I had to compose myself again, hoping it wouldn't fly away. Staring up at the red of his eye, I smiled, shyly.
"Thank you." I heard the swift pause before Remy stuck out his gloved hand. In it I could see a delicate flap of torn paper.
A note.
"G' bye, Rogue." I glanced at him, hurriedly.
"You're going?" I regretted my voice sounding with disbelief. He looked away and I figured well he was blushing.
"Sure, mon ami. It ain't nothin' new."
"New?" His words caused me to feel dizzy. When I began to teeter on my feet, he took hold of my arms, but they were far from where he could pull me to him.
"Louisiana. T' be exact." When he felt I could stand on my own, he dropped his arms to his sides, as if numb.
"Are you coming back?" I sounded hopeful. I wanted him to stay, knowing he really wasn't hurt by Jean's decision to not marry him.
His answer was vague but sincere.
"I'm lookin' f' time. Xavier says it's okay; so I'll be okay." Then, he slid his hand into mine and tightened his grip around my palm. "Take care now. Be good t' John."
His words dragged me back into reality. I was with John. It wasn't fair, I tell you now. It wasn't fair how Remy could just play with my feelings and make me propose unrequited love. But when I retreated to John as a last resort, Remy became available and I was once again with feelings that felt like oil and water-- too different to mix. When I turned around, I came face to face with John who had been there the whole time. He was wearing a content face too flagrant to be hidden behind his many facades. Taking my arm, I could tell he was ebullient of having Remy gone.
"You and Remy, I assume left on good terms, love?" he said, smiling. I looked at him with a smile so weak. After hitting a bear, letting Jean cry, and having to see Remy leave without anything more than a note, I was more than pooped and disappointed. I hurt.
John brushed it off and offered me a ride home, but I didn't have the heart. Not when Remy had taken it with him. But I need to remind myself constantly that I'm with John. That I have had the strength to move on, body and soul.
Only, I lack giving John my heart, because Remy has it.
11:25 p.m., in my shared room
When I was driving back, I stopped by the Bayville Zoo to visit the bear. The dress hunched against my skin as I walked to the cage, ignoring the security warden glancing at me. The bear was outside, sitting on his hind legs, staring at me with those small, beady black eyes of his.
"You hit my jeep," I started. He continued to watch me. "Xavier's gonna have my neck. But nobody's gonna get you, because you're a bear. What could've stopped you from deciding to run away? What could you have been thinking about when you stepped out of your pen and roamed the streets of Bayville? But no. When you hit someone, nobody can blame you because you're stupid and since you hit me, people think I hit you. Therefore, I get the blame. I get..." He interrupted me though, bellowing angrily at me. His mouth was black, humongous, enormous. I shut up then, and he continued to watch me.
That was when I remembered the note.
Turning to my gloves, I pulled it out and unfolded it. The paper was flimsy; loose leaf paper is my first guess. As the words came together, I glared at it, then at the bear, and back again.
I'll be back, it read. I'll write everyday. I'll never forget you; I'll always miss you.
"Will you?" I asked aloud. " Or are you just lying to me again, playing with my feelings as you always do?" When I looked up again, the bear was sitting on his behind, still staring at me.
It isn't rational, I'm telling you. Confusing me, making me expect something I'll never get, making me want something too far away to reach. It isn't fair, to find myself staring at a bear, expecting answers I'd never get.
I never thought it'd end like this, talking to a bear about a broken heart. The cold stare he gave me told too much truth. I had accused him of being stupid, but he in turn told me he wasn't the only one.
~~NOT THE END~~
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To all reviewers: Look for the next book in the Rogue's Diaries Series: Rumor has It. I'm thinking that it won't revolve around Rogue's diary alone so that any and all questions may be answered. Hope you all liked Snow in April and I thank all my faithful reviewers for giving me a chance to express Rogue as what I thought she needed to be perceived.
Special Thanks to: LadyGambit 20, Queondapio, AlabasterDuchess, faeryeyes for adding me to your favorites' lists!
Feedback: how'd the ending go? Thoughts on Piotr's warning, Rogue about John. Remy's departure and promise, Jean's breakdown, and anything else. I'd like to know, to tell the truth.