Chapter 3

When Jean's alarm went off Friday morning, she groaned and reached out with her telekinesis to hit the snooze button.

Thank God it's Friday, she thought as she rolled onto her back and stretched. Her eyes shot open. Oh my God, it's Friday. Tonight's my date with Scott. She scrunched her eyes shut as her stomach lurched with what she could only assume was nerves. How am I gonna get through school today? At this rate I won't be able to focus on anything.

By the time she made it downstairs, the rest of the students were heading out the door.

"Like, hurry up, Jean," Kitty called as Jean raced past her and into the kitchen to grab breakfast to go. "Scott's waiting for us!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Jean muttered. "Go on out. Tell him I'll be right there."

Jean scoured the kitchen in search of a quick breakfast, resigning herself to raiding Kurt's supply of sugar.

"Cold chocolate Pop Tarts it is," she announced to herself as she hurried back through the mansion, stopping only to shrug on her jacket, and rushed out the front door.

Scott was watching for her as she burst through the door and down the steps. His one eyebrow arched in amusement at her frazzled state.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry," Jean told Scott before he could say anything. He just smirked and shook his head as she buckled herself into the passenger seat.

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, amused at his response. "Just shut up and drive, all ready." And he did. But he was still smiling.


The day passed in a blur. Every time Jean glanced at the clock, it told her that she was that much closer to Date Time. By the time 3:30 rolled around, she was a nervous wreck. She could hardly even look at Scott on the drive back to the Institute. Luckily, Kitty and Kurt kept the conversation lively.

"So, Jean. Like, any cool plans for the weekend?" Kitty asked.

Jean's eyes widened and she stared straight ahead, sinking a little lower in her seat. She didn't have a clue how to answer.

"Ja, any big dates or anything?" Kurt joined in.

Then Kitty giggled.

"You told them?" Jean turned on Scott with a yelp, shocked that he had shared that information about their personal lives.

He glanced at her and shrugged, as if to say, "So?"

Jean closed her eyes and let her head fall backwards against the head rest. She sighed, resigning herself to her fate. "Fine. Yes, Scott and I are going on a date tonight. Is that what you wanted to hear me say?"

More giggles from the back seat.

"Ja, that pretty much covers it."

"Like, don't worry. We think it's totally cool that you're going out together."

"I'm so glad you approve," Jean grumbled. Scott chuckled. "Mr. Summers, would you like to share with the rest of the class what it is that you find so amusing?"

"No, that's ok. Thanks, though," he replied smugly, a grin firmly set on his face.

"You're far too pleased with yourself right now," Jean told him sourly.

He just grinned wider.


*****


"What am I going to wear?" Jean asked aloud, staring at her closet. When the perfect outfit failed to reveal itself, she let herself collapse backwards onto her bed.

This is one of the reasons I hate dating, she said to herself. There are too many stupid things to worry about.

Contrary to popular belief, both at school and around the Institute, Jean didn't have a lot of dating experience. For some reason, people had the impression that Jean had dated lots of guys, when in reality she'd only gone out on a handful of dates before settling into a pseudo-relationship with Duncan. She found it a lot easier to stay with one guy she sort of liked than to "play the field", as so many of the girls at school preferred to do. In fact, she'd only even kissed two boys, Duncan being one of them.

The first had been a horrible experience that she'd prefer to forget. She'd been a sophomore, and had befriended a boy in her math class – a cute junior named Chris. When he asked her to a school dance some months after they'd met, she said yes. It was her first date.

The night didn't go nearly as well as she'd hoped. She was inexperienced and shy, and he had certain expectations going into the date that had never even occurred to her. They spent very little time at the dance itself – instead they spent the evening in a quiet park close to the school. As nice and as cute as Chris was, though, she could tell early on that there wasn't a spark between them. But curiosity got the better of her, so she let the date continue. When he put his arm around her, she didn't protest. When he leaned in to kiss her, she let him; it wasn't anything like she thought it would be. She thought maybe she just wasn't doing it right, so she let him kiss her some more, and it didn't get any better. He suckled on her neck, and she found it annoying. When his tongue entered her mouth, she thought she was going to gag. He grabbed her breast, and she bit his tongue – hard. He thought it was a rough form of foreplay, and got even more excited. When he reached up under her skirt, she kneed him in the groin.

Jean had left Chris in the park, doubled over in pain and cursing her. She walked back to the school and called Scott to come pick her up. On the way home she'd told him what happened, and she'd started crying – partly from shame and partly from shock. Scott pulled the car over and spent the better part of an hour comforting her.

By the next Monday the whole school had heard Chris's version of the story – that he'd "de-virginized" Jean in the park the night of the dance, and that she'd been such a lousy lay that he'd dumped her. Scott beat the crap out of him and got suspended for a week.

It was because of that bad experience that Scott was so worried when Jean started seeing Duncan. He was watching out for her because he didn't want Jean to get hurt. So he'd scowled at Duncan and grumbled about him, telling Jean that she could do a lot better. He was overprotective and overbearing, but Jean didn't mind all that much – that's just what best friends do for each other. Until his admission the other day she hadn't known it was because Scott had been jealous. She'd been the same way when Scott started seeing Taryn. At the time Taryn was a good friend of Jean's, but that didn't mean Jean thought she was good enough for Scott.

Maybe it just makes sense that Scott and I would end up together, Jean thought. They always say that the best relationships develop from friendships.

She sighed. She supposed she'd know after tonight.

~~

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