The Prophesied Mutant
Chapter 1
The Truth Behind French Fries
Note: Ok, the title's strange, but it involves a bit of Hex's back-story, and should provide a bit more personality for the character. The brother that was mentioned in the previous chapter is also explored here as well, though not too deeply. Saving that for a later chapter. And yes, I am most definitely setting up for a Hex/Rogue romance, because I have plans that require Hex to be with Rogue. I suppose I should've put in a character death warning when I posted the prologue, but I forgot, sorry. So yes, there will be character death, but it will be handled well. Also, I just want to warn you, I'm not the best at writing accents, so I may be a little inconsistent.
"Hey, you know what I could go for right now," Bobby Drake, better known as Iceman, sighed. "Some cheese fries." Hex Mason, newest student at Xavier's School For the Gifted, nodded his head in agreement.
"With bacon," he added. Bobby clapped him on the back in a jovial agreement.
"Ah dunno HOW you boys can EAT that stuff. It ain't healthy fer ya, that's fo' sure."
"Well, my body burns off excess calories almost before they touch my tongue, so I don't really have anything to worry about. Now, I don't know how Frosty the Snowman over here handles his, but he pigs out all the time and he only does what the Professor has us do for exercise. Doesn't seem to be hurting him any."
"Well, I've just got high metabolism!"
"Sure you do, Glacier Guy."
". . .That was wrong."
"Only from where you're sitting, Icecube."
". . .Don't you think you've had your fill for today?"
"Bobby, it's only 8:30 in the morning."
". . .I hate you."
"Yeah yeah, sure you do Dry Ice." Rogue shook her head.
"This is gonna be a looooong day," she sighed. ....................................
And lo and behold, it was. The good-natured insulting continued all day, with Bobby getting in his shots as well, only pausing in the Danger Room at Hex's request. Something about wanting to get real training in, not goofing off. Which, truth be told, none of the others were against, and apparently Hex had earned a bit of respect from Logan for that comment. "Kid's got a good head on his shoulders," he was heard to say to Scott upon leaving the Danger Room. The professor decided to give the students an extra day off Monday because of the Sentinel attack (and the rumors of other attacks on the way) and sent Logan, Scott, and Storm to investigate. And then he called Hex into his office, and that's where he sat now, a bit nervous and uncertain as to what was going on. The professor hadn't said anything since he'd walked in, and it was beginning to worry him. Finally, after a few more moments, the professor sighed and spoke.
"Mr. Mason, I believe you're a telepath." Hex couldn't help but chuckle at that.
"If I was, I would've gotten straight A's in all of my classes back in public school." He composed himself quickly, since the tension in the room didn't seem to like jokes, and said, "Seriously though, wouldn't someone KNOW that they have telepathic ability?"
"I have a confession to make, Mr. Mason." Hex nodded but didn't say anything. "In truth, though I can speak to your mind. . .I can't read it. I can barely speak to you in your mind, as a matter of fact. Jean cannot do either." Hex's jaw was attempting to drop, but he made sure to keep it in check.
"How. . .? Is that possible?"
"Yes, yes it is. That is why I believe you are a telepath. It would take quite a bit of power to set up the blocks necessary to keep ME out, but it could be done."
"But I'm not a telepath," Hex replied.
"What other explanation is there, do you think?" Hex shrugged helplessly.
"I don't know, professor. But I know I'm NOT a telepath." The professor seemed to be considering something, and then spoke.
"Mr. Mason, I would like to try something, if you'd be willing?"
"I'm all ears, professor." The professor handed him a letter opener. "What do you want me to do with this?"
"Place your hand on the table and stab yourself through the hand with it." This time, Hex's jaw DID drop. When he regained the ability to form words, he found himself sputtering a question.
"Y-you want me to WHAT?!"
"Trust me, Mr. Mason."
"Professor, I don't have a healing factor like Logan's-"
"TRUST me, Mr. Mason." Hex hesitated a moment longer and then slowly placed his hand on the professor's desk, palm pressed against the desk. He reversed the blade of the letter opener and looked up at the professor for a final confirmation. He nodded, and Hex gritted his teeth and stabbed downward with the letter opener, prepared to howl in pain.
Instead, there was a flash of metal, and the letter opener glanced off his suddenly steel hand and thunked into the desk. Again, Hex's jaw dropped. "How. . .how the hell did I do that?" His head snapped up to meet the professor's gaze. "Sorry about that, professor." Charles laughed, actually laughed!
"That's ok Mr. Mason, given the circumstances a bit of foul language is understandable."
"Well. . .how, professor?"
"Since I cannot read your mind I can't tell for certain, but I do believe you have yet ANOTHER power, though this one isn't necessarily a controlled one. I believe that your body reacts to certain situations. For instance, a letter opener is about to pierce your hand, so your body makes itself into metal to protect itself." An idea suddenly popped into Hex's head and he bolted up. "Professor, do you think we could continue this later? I just remembered something important I needed to take care of." The professor nodded, smiling, and Hex spun and headed swiftly for the door.
"And Hex?" Hex craned his head around to look at the professor. "Be sure to have her back my eleven." Hex's face broke out in a smile and he sped out, with the professor laughing and shaking his head.
"Youth. Sometimes, you don't even NEED to read their minds." ....................................
"Ah don't know what this is all about," Rogue was saying, sitting in a little diner near the school and munching idly on a cheese fry, having picked the bacon off, "but ya sure are excited about SOMETHIN'." Hex nodded and smiled.
"We'll get to that in a second. Right now, I just want to enjoy the company." Rogue blushed and tried to cover it up by stretching.
"So why d'ya like cheese fries so much?" Hex shrugged.
"I've always had them whenever things weren't going good. Y'know, like a comfort food. Guess that's how I got hooked."
"Rough past?"
"Yeah, you could say that."
"Somethin' ta do with yoah brother?" Hex was silent for a moment, and then nodded.
"He was never the most. . .friendly sort. And not like Logan's version of unfriendly, either. Like. . .mean, unfriendly. Mean and. . .evil." He sighed. "He really hated me. Oh, sure, he hated everybody, but me especially."
"Ya sure he hated ya, that it wasn't just some rivalry?" Hex shook his head and sighed.
"Nah. Normal sibling rivalry was one thing, but normal sibling rivalry doesn't involve one brother trying to murder the other." Rogue choked on the fry she was munching on.
"He tried ta KILL ya?!" Hex nodded and leaned back in his seat across from her.
"Yeah. More than once. I'd always win, but since I never told anybody about what was going on, sooner or later, he'd always be back for more. Eventually he ran away, and I have no idea where he is now. Hopefully, far, far away." .................................... (Note: Switching from 3rd person to 1st person for this.)
I can't help but laugh at the stupidity of my dear, naïve twin. He truly believes that I left and never intended to return. Little did he realize what my true intentions were when I chose to run away.
My goals could be better accomplished when I played by no rules except my own, and I could only do that if I lived on the streets, moving from place to place near the house you and I used to share. I suppose you're wondering why I never tried a surprise attack. Well, perhaps it was because I DID. Numerous times. Of course, when one can absorb flames and turn one's body into steel to prevent the damage of a small throwing knife, a surprise attack is quite useless.
A PHYSICAL surprise attack, anyway. But now, now I know a way to reach you, a way you'll never even see coming. And then, dear brother, you will bleed. You will bleed. But you are right about one thing, my oh-so-noble twin.
These ARE good cheese fries. .................................... (Note: Switching back now.)
"So, I bet you're wondering why I just HAD to have cheese fries and why you just HAD to come with me, right?"
"Well, Ah WAS beginnin' ta wonder." Before Rogue could stop him, Hex had managed to slide the leather sleeve off of her right arm, and before she could pull away, he'd taken her right hand in his. She tried to yank her hand out of his, but he only tightened his grip and held on. "What're ya DOING?! Ah'm gonna hurt ya now, Ah'm gonna. . .wait. . .nothin's happenin'." Hex let out a triumphant whoop and placed her hand on his face. "How. . .?"
"My body reacts to the situation," Hex replied excitedly. "Thus it nullifies your ability!" She couldn't help but let out a girlish giggle of delight. She could touch someone! She could touch someone and not hurt them!
And it helped that it was a guy she was really beginning to like. .................................... (Switching to 1st person again.)
Ahhh, that explains it. So your body reacts to the situation, does it brother dear? Well, there goes pretty much all of my backup plans, in case Plan A doesn't work.
Yet, I've still got Plan A.
Should I say 'hello' while I'm here, I wonder? Perhaps take a look at the girl you've attached yourself to? Does she know, I wonder, your feelings for her?
More than likely you'd deny those feelings if I mentioned them to you. If I recall, that was one of our few common grounds, our little chats about the opposite sex. Oh, sure, there was the one time I attempted to stab you in the back after a poignant talk about relationships, but you CAN'T hold that against me. Truthfully, I was just trying to butter my toast, and the opportunity presented itself. Would you have missed the opportunity?
If you were me, I mean.
.No, no, I suppose I should stay in the shadows for a bit longer. After all, if I revealed myself now, you'd be on your guard, and I can't have that, now can I?
Well then, back to my cheese fries. ....................................
I watch them both, especially the one in the booth alone, and can't help but wonder: What could make one brother turn out so evil while one turned out undeniably good? Was it a simple matter of random chance, or could it have been something more?
I also wonder what it would take to bring the two men together, what it would take to rip them even farther apart. I wonder what it would take to make the one with the girl kill and make the lone one save lives.
I wonder. . . . ....................................
Geez. I knew she was gonna be happy, but this I didn't expect. It's like she's on three caffeine highs at ONCE! Definitely hard to keep up with.
And yet, I couldn't have wiped the warm, affectionate smile off my face if I'd wanted to. Instead, I just stare at her.
I stare at the glee in her beautiful, deep brown eyes. I stare at the locke of white hair at the front of a mass of auburn. I stare at the slight dimples she gets when she smiles, I stare at her beautiful skin, delicate nose, and soft chin. I stare at her lips, upturned in the rare kind of happiness that only comes along once in a while, that true, genuine, untainted bliss. I can't help but imagine how soft those full, slightly pouty lips must be.
Yeah, I guess I AM happy because she is, aren't I? All those worries I saw in her eyes when we first met, they're gone now, completely gone. She's just smiling and running her hand up and down my arm-which, by the way, I'm enjoying a great deal-and squeezing my other hand and it looks like she wants to crawl over the table and kiss me. And you know what the oddest thing of all is? I've only just met this girl, and, well. . . .
I wouldn't be opposed to that course of action at all. ....................................
Ah can't believe it! Ah can touch somebody again! Yeah, Ah know it's only one person, but it gives me hope, know what I mean? Ah know Ah still prob'ly won't be able ta touch anybody else. An' yeah, that might get me down sometimes, but now Ah'll have someone ta go to ta talk about it with! Ah'll have someone who can hug me an' snuggle with me an' make me feel better!
Did Ah just say snuggle?
Yeah, guess Ah did. Makes me really stop an' look at him for a minute.
He prob'ly doesn't realize it, but he looks pretty heroic sittin' there. Or sittin' anywhere, really. Doesn't really look heroic in the typical, tights an' cape sense, but in a "Ah'm gonna do what Ah know is right, an' Ah don't care what anybody else WANTS me ta do" type'a way. Biker jacket, anarchy t-shirt, leather pants, combat boots. Certainly isn't normally mah type. But he's also got that slightly tan skin, th' blonde-ish orange hair, th' smooth skin (no stubble, Ah like that) an' despite th' fact that he's got those white eyes of his, they still manage ta somehow be deep and full of emotion.
Ah know he's enjoyin' me runnin' mah hand up an' down his arm, an' that's why Ah'm still doin' it. We're both enjoyin' holdin' hands with the other hand, so Ah'm gonna keep that where it is, too. Ah notice him starin' at me and smile. Ah kinda like the attention.
He looks like he's pretty deep in thought. Maybe Ah should just lean over an' snap him out of it. But Ah've only ever kissed someone once, an' that one didn't even get finished. Then again, he just gave me back somethin' Ah thought Ah'd lost forevah. Ah think maybe it's worth the risk.
Well, here Ah go. Let's pray Ah'm right. .................................... (Switching back for a moment.)
Hex was so deep in his own thoughts he didn't even notice Rogue lean forward, but he DID notice when her lips met his. He was too shocked to return the sentiment for a moment, but then closed his eyes and began to kiss her back. Neither one was sure exactly what they were doing, but they were both willing to take the risk.
Both hoped it wouldn't backfire on them. .................................... (1st person)
Well, guess I've seen all I need to see here my brother. I know for certain what I'll do, and I know for certain it'll work.
I'll just get up, pay my bill, and leave, with no worry about you seeing me as I do.
You're busy with someone else right now. ....................................
I can't help but smile to myself as the lone boy gets up to leave, content with the fact that he has a plan. He doesn't seem to realize that the plan isn't HIS at all. . . .
Note: Ok, the title's strange, but it involves a bit of Hex's back-story, and should provide a bit more personality for the character. The brother that was mentioned in the previous chapter is also explored here as well, though not too deeply. Saving that for a later chapter. And yes, I am most definitely setting up for a Hex/Rogue romance, because I have plans that require Hex to be with Rogue. I suppose I should've put in a character death warning when I posted the prologue, but I forgot, sorry. So yes, there will be character death, but it will be handled well. Also, I just want to warn you, I'm not the best at writing accents, so I may be a little inconsistent.
"Hey, you know what I could go for right now," Bobby Drake, better known as Iceman, sighed. "Some cheese fries." Hex Mason, newest student at Xavier's School For the Gifted, nodded his head in agreement.
"With bacon," he added. Bobby clapped him on the back in a jovial agreement.
"Ah dunno HOW you boys can EAT that stuff. It ain't healthy fer ya, that's fo' sure."
"Well, my body burns off excess calories almost before they touch my tongue, so I don't really have anything to worry about. Now, I don't know how Frosty the Snowman over here handles his, but he pigs out all the time and he only does what the Professor has us do for exercise. Doesn't seem to be hurting him any."
"Well, I've just got high metabolism!"
"Sure you do, Glacier Guy."
". . .That was wrong."
"Only from where you're sitting, Icecube."
". . .Don't you think you've had your fill for today?"
"Bobby, it's only 8:30 in the morning."
". . .I hate you."
"Yeah yeah, sure you do Dry Ice." Rogue shook her head.
"This is gonna be a looooong day," she sighed. ....................................
And lo and behold, it was. The good-natured insulting continued all day, with Bobby getting in his shots as well, only pausing in the Danger Room at Hex's request. Something about wanting to get real training in, not goofing off. Which, truth be told, none of the others were against, and apparently Hex had earned a bit of respect from Logan for that comment. "Kid's got a good head on his shoulders," he was heard to say to Scott upon leaving the Danger Room. The professor decided to give the students an extra day off Monday because of the Sentinel attack (and the rumors of other attacks on the way) and sent Logan, Scott, and Storm to investigate. And then he called Hex into his office, and that's where he sat now, a bit nervous and uncertain as to what was going on. The professor hadn't said anything since he'd walked in, and it was beginning to worry him. Finally, after a few more moments, the professor sighed and spoke.
"Mr. Mason, I believe you're a telepath." Hex couldn't help but chuckle at that.
"If I was, I would've gotten straight A's in all of my classes back in public school." He composed himself quickly, since the tension in the room didn't seem to like jokes, and said, "Seriously though, wouldn't someone KNOW that they have telepathic ability?"
"I have a confession to make, Mr. Mason." Hex nodded but didn't say anything. "In truth, though I can speak to your mind. . .I can't read it. I can barely speak to you in your mind, as a matter of fact. Jean cannot do either." Hex's jaw was attempting to drop, but he made sure to keep it in check.
"How. . .? Is that possible?"
"Yes, yes it is. That is why I believe you are a telepath. It would take quite a bit of power to set up the blocks necessary to keep ME out, but it could be done."
"But I'm not a telepath," Hex replied.
"What other explanation is there, do you think?" Hex shrugged helplessly.
"I don't know, professor. But I know I'm NOT a telepath." The professor seemed to be considering something, and then spoke.
"Mr. Mason, I would like to try something, if you'd be willing?"
"I'm all ears, professor." The professor handed him a letter opener. "What do you want me to do with this?"
"Place your hand on the table and stab yourself through the hand with it." This time, Hex's jaw DID drop. When he regained the ability to form words, he found himself sputtering a question.
"Y-you want me to WHAT?!"
"Trust me, Mr. Mason."
"Professor, I don't have a healing factor like Logan's-"
"TRUST me, Mr. Mason." Hex hesitated a moment longer and then slowly placed his hand on the professor's desk, palm pressed against the desk. He reversed the blade of the letter opener and looked up at the professor for a final confirmation. He nodded, and Hex gritted his teeth and stabbed downward with the letter opener, prepared to howl in pain.
Instead, there was a flash of metal, and the letter opener glanced off his suddenly steel hand and thunked into the desk. Again, Hex's jaw dropped. "How. . .how the hell did I do that?" His head snapped up to meet the professor's gaze. "Sorry about that, professor." Charles laughed, actually laughed!
"That's ok Mr. Mason, given the circumstances a bit of foul language is understandable."
"Well. . .how, professor?"
"Since I cannot read your mind I can't tell for certain, but I do believe you have yet ANOTHER power, though this one isn't necessarily a controlled one. I believe that your body reacts to certain situations. For instance, a letter opener is about to pierce your hand, so your body makes itself into metal to protect itself." An idea suddenly popped into Hex's head and he bolted up. "Professor, do you think we could continue this later? I just remembered something important I needed to take care of." The professor nodded, smiling, and Hex spun and headed swiftly for the door.
"And Hex?" Hex craned his head around to look at the professor. "Be sure to have her back my eleven." Hex's face broke out in a smile and he sped out, with the professor laughing and shaking his head.
"Youth. Sometimes, you don't even NEED to read their minds." ....................................
"Ah don't know what this is all about," Rogue was saying, sitting in a little diner near the school and munching idly on a cheese fry, having picked the bacon off, "but ya sure are excited about SOMETHIN'." Hex nodded and smiled.
"We'll get to that in a second. Right now, I just want to enjoy the company." Rogue blushed and tried to cover it up by stretching.
"So why d'ya like cheese fries so much?" Hex shrugged.
"I've always had them whenever things weren't going good. Y'know, like a comfort food. Guess that's how I got hooked."
"Rough past?"
"Yeah, you could say that."
"Somethin' ta do with yoah brother?" Hex was silent for a moment, and then nodded.
"He was never the most. . .friendly sort. And not like Logan's version of unfriendly, either. Like. . .mean, unfriendly. Mean and. . .evil." He sighed. "He really hated me. Oh, sure, he hated everybody, but me especially."
"Ya sure he hated ya, that it wasn't just some rivalry?" Hex shook his head and sighed.
"Nah. Normal sibling rivalry was one thing, but normal sibling rivalry doesn't involve one brother trying to murder the other." Rogue choked on the fry she was munching on.
"He tried ta KILL ya?!" Hex nodded and leaned back in his seat across from her.
"Yeah. More than once. I'd always win, but since I never told anybody about what was going on, sooner or later, he'd always be back for more. Eventually he ran away, and I have no idea where he is now. Hopefully, far, far away." .................................... (Note: Switching from 3rd person to 1st person for this.)
I can't help but laugh at the stupidity of my dear, naïve twin. He truly believes that I left and never intended to return. Little did he realize what my true intentions were when I chose to run away.
My goals could be better accomplished when I played by no rules except my own, and I could only do that if I lived on the streets, moving from place to place near the house you and I used to share. I suppose you're wondering why I never tried a surprise attack. Well, perhaps it was because I DID. Numerous times. Of course, when one can absorb flames and turn one's body into steel to prevent the damage of a small throwing knife, a surprise attack is quite useless.
A PHYSICAL surprise attack, anyway. But now, now I know a way to reach you, a way you'll never even see coming. And then, dear brother, you will bleed. You will bleed. But you are right about one thing, my oh-so-noble twin.
These ARE good cheese fries. .................................... (Note: Switching back now.)
"So, I bet you're wondering why I just HAD to have cheese fries and why you just HAD to come with me, right?"
"Well, Ah WAS beginnin' ta wonder." Before Rogue could stop him, Hex had managed to slide the leather sleeve off of her right arm, and before she could pull away, he'd taken her right hand in his. She tried to yank her hand out of his, but he only tightened his grip and held on. "What're ya DOING?! Ah'm gonna hurt ya now, Ah'm gonna. . .wait. . .nothin's happenin'." Hex let out a triumphant whoop and placed her hand on his face. "How. . .?"
"My body reacts to the situation," Hex replied excitedly. "Thus it nullifies your ability!" She couldn't help but let out a girlish giggle of delight. She could touch someone! She could touch someone and not hurt them!
And it helped that it was a guy she was really beginning to like. .................................... (Switching to 1st person again.)
Ahhh, that explains it. So your body reacts to the situation, does it brother dear? Well, there goes pretty much all of my backup plans, in case Plan A doesn't work.
Yet, I've still got Plan A.
Should I say 'hello' while I'm here, I wonder? Perhaps take a look at the girl you've attached yourself to? Does she know, I wonder, your feelings for her?
More than likely you'd deny those feelings if I mentioned them to you. If I recall, that was one of our few common grounds, our little chats about the opposite sex. Oh, sure, there was the one time I attempted to stab you in the back after a poignant talk about relationships, but you CAN'T hold that against me. Truthfully, I was just trying to butter my toast, and the opportunity presented itself. Would you have missed the opportunity?
If you were me, I mean.
.No, no, I suppose I should stay in the shadows for a bit longer. After all, if I revealed myself now, you'd be on your guard, and I can't have that, now can I?
Well then, back to my cheese fries. ....................................
I watch them both, especially the one in the booth alone, and can't help but wonder: What could make one brother turn out so evil while one turned out undeniably good? Was it a simple matter of random chance, or could it have been something more?
I also wonder what it would take to bring the two men together, what it would take to rip them even farther apart. I wonder what it would take to make the one with the girl kill and make the lone one save lives.
I wonder. . . . ....................................
Geez. I knew she was gonna be happy, but this I didn't expect. It's like she's on three caffeine highs at ONCE! Definitely hard to keep up with.
And yet, I couldn't have wiped the warm, affectionate smile off my face if I'd wanted to. Instead, I just stare at her.
I stare at the glee in her beautiful, deep brown eyes. I stare at the locke of white hair at the front of a mass of auburn. I stare at the slight dimples she gets when she smiles, I stare at her beautiful skin, delicate nose, and soft chin. I stare at her lips, upturned in the rare kind of happiness that only comes along once in a while, that true, genuine, untainted bliss. I can't help but imagine how soft those full, slightly pouty lips must be.
Yeah, I guess I AM happy because she is, aren't I? All those worries I saw in her eyes when we first met, they're gone now, completely gone. She's just smiling and running her hand up and down my arm-which, by the way, I'm enjoying a great deal-and squeezing my other hand and it looks like she wants to crawl over the table and kiss me. And you know what the oddest thing of all is? I've only just met this girl, and, well. . . .
I wouldn't be opposed to that course of action at all. ....................................
Ah can't believe it! Ah can touch somebody again! Yeah, Ah know it's only one person, but it gives me hope, know what I mean? Ah know Ah still prob'ly won't be able ta touch anybody else. An' yeah, that might get me down sometimes, but now Ah'll have someone ta go to ta talk about it with! Ah'll have someone who can hug me an' snuggle with me an' make me feel better!
Did Ah just say snuggle?
Yeah, guess Ah did. Makes me really stop an' look at him for a minute.
He prob'ly doesn't realize it, but he looks pretty heroic sittin' there. Or sittin' anywhere, really. Doesn't really look heroic in the typical, tights an' cape sense, but in a "Ah'm gonna do what Ah know is right, an' Ah don't care what anybody else WANTS me ta do" type'a way. Biker jacket, anarchy t-shirt, leather pants, combat boots. Certainly isn't normally mah type. But he's also got that slightly tan skin, th' blonde-ish orange hair, th' smooth skin (no stubble, Ah like that) an' despite th' fact that he's got those white eyes of his, they still manage ta somehow be deep and full of emotion.
Ah know he's enjoyin' me runnin' mah hand up an' down his arm, an' that's why Ah'm still doin' it. We're both enjoyin' holdin' hands with the other hand, so Ah'm gonna keep that where it is, too. Ah notice him starin' at me and smile. Ah kinda like the attention.
He looks like he's pretty deep in thought. Maybe Ah should just lean over an' snap him out of it. But Ah've only ever kissed someone once, an' that one didn't even get finished. Then again, he just gave me back somethin' Ah thought Ah'd lost forevah. Ah think maybe it's worth the risk.
Well, here Ah go. Let's pray Ah'm right. .................................... (Switching back for a moment.)
Hex was so deep in his own thoughts he didn't even notice Rogue lean forward, but he DID notice when her lips met his. He was too shocked to return the sentiment for a moment, but then closed his eyes and began to kiss her back. Neither one was sure exactly what they were doing, but they were both willing to take the risk.
Both hoped it wouldn't backfire on them. .................................... (1st person)
Well, guess I've seen all I need to see here my brother. I know for certain what I'll do, and I know for certain it'll work.
I'll just get up, pay my bill, and leave, with no worry about you seeing me as I do.
You're busy with someone else right now. ....................................
I can't help but smile to myself as the lone boy gets up to leave, content with the fact that he has a plan. He doesn't seem to realize that the plan isn't HIS at all. . . .