----Poe Note----
Hehe... 35 reviews. That's more than I've had for al my other stories combined (they've been deleted, they stunk). I just want to let you all know that the at least one chapter a week thing still stands- except from halfway through July until the end of August. (Art sleep away camp.) :-) Just a forewarning, for those who actually wait for my next chapter.
On with the story!

The next few weeks went by faster than I had ever planned. Since Mr. Xavier's car had no extra room, and my mom was afraid to ship something that could easily be damaged, I was going to bring the PS2 with me. And since it was already the middle of May, I was not going to the Institute until I had finished the school year, ticking off many of the students when they found out they would have to wait a month until I would come (with the PS2).

I also started making weekly calls to the school, talking with several of the students. Kurt, Kitty, Jubilee, and I would often stay on several hours every Thursday night, seriously tying up one of the school's three phone lines. And, now, Thursday, June 12, at eight PM, that is exactly what I was doing.

So, like, six more days to go! Kitty said, a little too enthusiastically.

Yeah, next time we talk, it'll be in person, Jubilee added in. But why did you have to send Storm that spicy pasta sauce recipe? My tongue was on fire for at least three days after!

Sheish, she e- mailed me asking for recipes. But maybe she made my All' Arrabbiata Furious Man sauce a little too furious, I replied.

You should have put a varning label on your recipes, then- ve don't all have tongues of steel! And Scott's mouth vas burning so badly, I svear, his face turned bluer than mine! Vhat the heck is in there, anyvays? Kurt asked, trying to stifle laughter- the four of us always ended up having stupid conversations like this.

Well, there's olive oil, garlic, plum tomatoes, salt, oregano, basil, Pecorino Romano cheese... and dried, crushed hot pepper.

No wonder, Jubilee said. Are you Italian? The recipe definitely sounds it.

Not even close, Ju. I'm a German Jew.

Vhere in Germany? Kurt asked, considerably interested.

Dunno. But, I, ah, have to go. I had to make this call from Jen's house on my cell. Seems like my family was so desperate to push me out of the house for some reason... and suddenly they called Jen telling her and me to come home

My bet's, like, on a surprise party, Kitty said. Well, we'll see you on Wednesday! Can't wait- and it seems as if some people at the school --cough cough-- JamieandLogan --cough cough-- already bought games for the system.

I laughed privately. See you next week, then! Later! I hung up, and Jen Maklo and I walked back to my own house, a couple blocks away.

Were those some people from the boarding school you're going to? Jen inquired as we walked in the light of the setting sun.

On the phone? Yeah. Kitty Pride, Jubilee I- can't- remember- her- last- name, and Kurt Wagner, I replied, pronouncing Kurt's last name as he does, like Vognur.

Sounds German.

Is. Here, I have a photo. Both of us stopped as I pulled out a photo of some of the Institute's residents. That's Scott Summers from Alaska, I said, pointing out the people in the photo. Kurt's the one in the cargo shorts to the left. N' Rouge's on the right. Professor Xavier is the one in the middle.

Why is she completely covered up? Jen inquired, pointing to Rouge. Jen was, and is, my closest friend, but she was often a little too blunt. The guys are wearing shorts! And why is Scott wearing sunglasses inside the house? And your future headmaster in a wheelchair? Sara, is there something you want to tell me about this school you're going to? Is it for the handicapped?

Ooh, bad photo to show your bud,' I thought. Well, i guess I ought to tell her. Wouldn't want to lie to a friend.'

And right then and there, I told her the truth.

By Xavier's School for the Gifted, it is referring to genetically gifted, Jen.

But why? You do just fine in school! You don't need care like these kids would! Don't kid yourself- you're a great cook and awesome in foreign language. You make better sushi than the Japanese restaurant in town! And you actually can describe the process in what, ten different languages! So what if you're not good at sports- you don't need to be at a private school like this over a stupid eye problem!

When I meant genetically gifted I didn't mean disabled, Jen, I meant mutant. Kurt's a teleporter, Scott can shoot laser beams from his eyes when he isn't wearing those funky sunglasses to block them, the professor is a telepath, and Rouge can suck the life out of someone when in skin- to- skin contact with them- that's why she's all covered up. I'm... an illusionist.

No... no way! Jen nearly screamed.

Sssh, not so loud. I'll show you what I mean. Before her eyes I made a simple Ille- just an image of myself.

There's a surprise party for you back at the house, c'mon, we're late already, Jen quickly added, attempting to change the subject.

I'll go under one condition- you tell no one.



And Jen and I ran the final block back to my house. Before I opened the door, Jen added one more thing.

I'm glad you told me. Cause if it was a school for the handicapped, I wouldn't have let you go.

I replied, Jen, if it was, I wouldn't have gone. I don't need something like that.

We opened the door to a dark foyer. Instinctively, I walked to the largest room in the house, the den, as it was where my family always held parties. I opened the door, flicked on the light, and...



---Public Service Announcement to the Extremely Curious--
For those of you who have attempted to look up the Chankey family in Bay Head, New Jersey I warn you, this is not a Mary- Sue story. (Mary- Sues are when the writer directly sticks him or herself into an already created story, such as the X- Men.) My name is NOT Sara Britney Chankey, I do NOT live in Bay Head (though it is a real place, one exit off of Point Pleasant, for those of you who were wondering why Logan mentioned that several chapters back), and if there really is a Chankey family in Bay Head, don't antagonize them. Thank you.

- Raven :-)