Treble Clef

By Silver Falcon

Author's Note: Special thanks to Kitty for giving me my first review. ^.^ Thanks, Kitty!

Chapter Two

She had made it through half the day by herself. Since the beginning of school, she had received three books, each one about the size of Canada and weighing in at a bloodcurdling ton each. She ate the sandwich that Marcie had packed for her slowly, reading each line of her Biology book with content. Sure, it wasn't the best thing to read, and she had read better, but right now, she wasn't to be picky. She would have to check out the library after school. It had been kind of Marcie to offer to drive her home, but she replied that she would walk home instead of getting a lift. Marcie seemed very surprised, but even Pix knew that most teenagers hated to walk anywhere except the movies or the mall.

Pix drank the soda that she had gotten from the vending machine and continued to read about the Plant Cells and Photosynthesis. She wondered if anyone had ever sat and watched a flower grow. It was a beautiful experience, and since she would never starve or need much water, she had sat there and watched it bloom. She didn't get any sleep for about two weeks, but she had witnessed something that humans could only do by taping it and watching it by speeding it up.

She grabbed the piece of paper that she had kept in her pocket since her first class. She had homework in Biology and her Literature class, but she had already read her Literature book. She didn't have any in her Social Studies class, but, then again, she knew everything about the world that the world had to offer.

Pix turned the page and finished off the soda completely, letting the last drop drain into her mouth. With one swift motion, she slammed the can against her forehead, flattening it out. Without looking up, she tossed the slab into the air and felt fulfilled when she heard it smash into the bottom of the nearest garbage can. She felt the table quiver a little as the boy sat down in front of her.

"That was cool! Where'd ya' learn to do that?" he asked, pointing to the garbage can.

She glanced up at him and found herself staring into gray green eyes and a grinning face. He had a strange color of hair that consisted of a mixture of green and brown. She stared at him for a few minutes then lowered her gaze to her book.

"Hometown kids did that a lot," she answered, her voice low and bored.

"Where you from?" he asked, moving his head lower so he could look into her eyes.

"Dunno," she answered slowly.

"What grade you in?"

"Tenth," she replied. "You?"

"Well, I'm a freshman, but it's cool yo," he said, before he noticed that he had lost her interest. He scratched the back of his neck with a puzzled expression on his face, then offered his hand to her. "My name's Todd, but if ya' want, you can call me Toad!"

Pixie chuckled and looked up at him, taking his hand in hers and shaking it lightly. "Name's Pixus, but you can call me Pix."

"Pixus? Wow. Isn't that a bug?" he asked, licking his lips.

"Well, sorta. Mythological pixies were the mischievous counterparts of fairies," she laughed awkwardly.

Pix closed her Biology book and put it in her pack. She crumpled her napkin up and put it in the right pocked of her coat.

"You have any friends yet?" Toad asked, getting out of his current chair and moving to the one next to her.

"Well, you're the only one that's talked to me today besides the teachers," Pix said sadly.

"Ah. Well, don't blame them. It's not everyday that you see a gorgeous girl with pink hair and blue eyes," he said, smiling sweetly.

She laughed. "I guess not, but I don't bite. Just because I have pink hair gives them no reason to be afraid."

"Well, from what I've heard, the girls think you have horrible fashion sense, and the boys think you're hot. My girl would like your clothes, but she doesn't like pink."

"Yeah, well, I can't really help it. I get sick of looking at pink, but I don't want to dye my hair."

"Isn't that dye?" he asked, scratching his head.

"No, I was born with white hair, and when I was five, it turned pink," she said, grabbing a few strands of hair and holding them in front of her face.

"Wow. That's cool yo!"

"So, you have any friends?" she asked, not wanting to seem mean in any way.

"Oh yeah! Some of them are really weird though."

Pix laughed. "Hey, nothing's wrong with being weird!"

Toad seemed to consider this for a minute, and then he nodded vigorously and laughed. "Yeah, the weirder the better!"

They laughed.

"So, do you have any hobbies?" she asked, calming herself down to breathe.

"Ya'. I collect bugs yo. Every boy's dream! You have hobby?"

"Music," she replied simply. "I play music for a night club."

"Wow! That must be a blast."

"I gotta play tonight. I think boss said it'll be my last behind curtain play, but I don't know how good I'll be in front of a crowd."

"Stage fright?"

"Well, it's not that. I've played in front of crowds before, but you just have the fear that you'll mess up, ya' know?" she said resting her face in her open hands.

Suddenly, the lunch bell rang. Toad jumped out of his seat and waited for her to climb out of hers.

"So, what's your next class? I'll make sure you won't get lost," he said, stretching his arms toward the ceiling.

"Uh, Trigonometry," she groaned. "Math..."

Toad made a gagging sound. "Ek. Math. Well. I'll take you like I said yo, but I don't likes anything with numbers."

Pix laughed and nodded. "Lead on, frog man!"

Toad seemed agitated. He stood up as tall as he could and pointed his finger at her face. "Hey, chick! It's Toad, not frog!" He smiled and patted her on her shoulder. "So keep it in mind, or I'll call you bug from now on."

She laughed and nodded. "Understood."

"Now, come on, or you're going to be late!" Toad yelled.

"Won't you be too?" she asked as he hurried her down the hall.

He shook his head. "I'm always late yo. Fashionably late!"

Her trig class wasn't as far away from the cafeteria as she thought it would be. Toad led her to the door and stopped before doing a somersault and dashing off in another direction.

From behind the lockers, Toad watched as she disappeared into the classroom. Pietro appeared behind him and knocked him to the floor.

"So, given up on my sister, worm?" he sneered. "Blob said you were following a babe today."

Toad stood up and shook his head with a love-struck look in his eyes. "How could I ever forsake my beautiful scarlet baby? I was just trying to get this girl on our side so she wouldn't join the X-Geeks."

"She's a mutant?" Pietro asked with wide eyes.

"She's got pink hair, and she said she was born with it yo. If that ain't a mutant, I don't know what is. Plus," Toad began before grinning impishly and holding the information for a terribly long time. "She smells like a dragonfly, very strong, very spicy, and very fast." Toad stood up and pointed to the door that she had gone in. "If you wanna meet her, she's in there. She's the only girl at school with pink hair."

"Pink hair? Toad, what have you been smokin'?"

"Ain't been smoking nothing," he assured. "Wait until she gets out and you'll see for yourself, speedy."

Toad, occasionally bouncing, ran down the hallway and disappeared around the corner. Pietro shrugged the information off and walked to class as well, wondering what kind of power this "dragonfly", as Toad had put it, had.

The Trigonometry class had been surprisingly easy for her first session. Even though they were in the middle of their class, she knew exactly what they were talking about and exactly how to do it. Funny, math had never really been her thing in school. Band had been, but, even if this school had a band, it was too late in the year to join it. She would have to wait until next year if she was here that long.

Maybe she would stay. Marcie treated her like a sister, and Jack was a nice man to have around. She hadn't met the "boys" yet. Not really anyway. They were longhaired garage band members that decided to work for the couple a while back. They simply thought she was there for an autograph and signed her song sheet, not knowing that she had been their backup for the entire play. That's what a backstage act was. She would play the exact same song they were playing, but in a different instrument than they were. They must have not noticed the music behind them.

Oh well, they would soon enough. This was the last time she would be in the backstage act. After the one tonight, she was on stage, playing the electric keyboard. She was excited, but she was nervous. What if people saw her secret? What would happen if her trench coat flew up unexpectedly and she was exposed to strangers? Not to mention the "boys", Marcie, and Jack.

Oh the humility! They would make her leave for sure.

But, she had made progress school-wise. She had met Todd the Toad. He didn't smell like the most cleanest of animals, but she had been worse at one point in her life, so she wasn't about to complain. It was hard being human, especially with the secret that she had and the curse of wearing her annoying coat everywhere she went.

When the bell rang, she poked her Trigonometry book in her bag with the rest of her school books. She poked her pencil in the smallest pocket on her book bag and slung it over her shoulder, before standing up and waiting until most of the crowded room had been vacated.

"You're the new kid, right? I totally dig your hair!" she heard a squeaky voice say.

She turned around and saw a pretty brunette with her hair pulled back in a ponytail. "My name's Kitty!"

"Pixie," she said, returning the smile that Kitty was giving her.

"Like, I have to go, but I'll see you tomorrow!" she said, leaning forward and patting Pixie on her shoulder.

Kitty ran beside her and left the room, leaving Pixie confused as ever in the once again, almost empty room. A flirting couple in the corner was the only people left aside from the teacher. The girl glanced at her every few seconds, and finally Pix made it out the door. She stood in the crowded hallway and looked around.

She had glanced at her map a few minutes earlier and knew that her next class was all the way across the building, right next to the gym. The art class would, hopefully, be more fun than her other classes, but she knew she probably would only stay in that class until they gave her a permanent schedule to go by.

She ran down the hallway, taking great care not to bump into anyone. Pix went down a hallway and realized that the red-head that she saw in the trig classroom was following her.

"You have art, too?" she asked when she saw that Pix had turned to look at her.

"Yes, is that where you're going?"

The pretty girl nodded. "Yes, come with me." Pix waited until she caught up with her and followed her down the hallway. "I saw you met Kitty already. My name is Jean, Pixie."

"Nice to meet you, Jean."

"What grade are you in?"

"Tenth," Pix replied, pulling her map out and staring at it.

"You seem older than tenth grade."

Pixie nodded. "I'm seventeen, and they placed me in tenth grade because I've never been to ninth. I've been on my own since the end of middle school."

"Hmm. Well, Bayville's a nice school. I like it."

"I'm beginning to like it, although it was a shock to see that girl come up to me. Kitty, right?"

Jean laughed. "Oh, Kitty. Yes, but she's very friendly."

"She seems to be."

"She is. Well, we're here. I won't be able to talk to you after class, because I have to go to gym, but I hope I see you later," she said, smiling.

Pixie followed her in and took the first empty seat that she came to, having a weird feeling that she was being watched.

Watched, indeed she was.

Pietro stood just outside the door, surprised that Jean hadn't sensed him. The little worm was right. The new mutant had pink hair, but what was with the coat? She looked like Gambit's long lost little sister. She was pretty, though. She had a very outgoing hair color. She had clothing that made a statement. She had the most beautiful eyes he'd ever seen on a girl. Too bad they weren't prettier than his. He'd be proposing before the day was out if they were.

So, she was new in town. He'd have Toad do a little spy mission for him tomorrow to see what he could dig up on her. He would impress her with his charm, and, by the end of the week, she would be his for the taking.

It seemed like forever while she waited for the bell to ring. Finally, her wish was granted, and it rang, letting school out for the day.

She had a lot of homework to do, and she knew Marcie would want her to do it when she got home. Pixie fell into a trance as she made it to the steps outside the school. With her bag slung over her shoulder, the pink-haired girl left the steps and went over to the closest tree to lean and ponder about things.

"Pix!" she heard a voice call. She turned around and saw Toad running towards her with a silver-haired boy and a fat guy following him. "Pix, wait!"

"Todd…hi!" she said, raising her arm and waving at him.

"I want you to meet some of my buds before ya' go. Dis' here's Pietro, and dis' is Freddy."

Pietro took a long sweeping bow and righted himself, while Freddy just stood there, confused.

"Well, hi, guys. Nice to meet you," she said, sliding her hand through her hair.

Blob stood there dumbfounded and looked at Toad who was winking and pointing to Pietro. The proud leader stood with unmoving eyes, and Pix and he seemed to be engaged in a staring contest. She, all of a sudden, drew her hand up and covered his eyes, laughing.

"Ha ha, you lose!" she chirped.

Pietro made a quick grab for her hand, but he released it quickly when Toad nudged him in the side. Normally, he would have snarled back at the freshman, but he was in the presence of a lady that he wanted to impress, so he thought otherwise about it.

Pixie could smell the lust that perspired off of him. She had to admit, he was adorably handsome, but the last time she had a boyfriend, it ended tragically. She had left the matter alone since then.

"I am truly sorry to cut this time short, but I have to be going. Good evening, Freddy, Todd, Pietro," she said, nodding to each boy as she said his name.

She walked past them and began to trot down the sidewalk. It was weird the way some boys would fall in love at first sight, but it was a beautiful thing. She had seen it happen so many times to other girls. It was a very beautiful thing.

Pixie sighed. Love wasn't for her. It never was, and it never will be. There was the first time that she had made that folly, and it ended up in taking his life, while she was left unscratched by the claws of time.

As her memory drifted back, she felt tears fall down her cheeks. She quickly mopped them up with her sleep, sobbing quietly.

"No, don't remember," she told herself sternly. "You mustn't remember."

She dried her eyes some more when she sensed someone coming. She turned around to see Pietro running up to her.

"Wait, Pixie!" he called. She stopped and waited on him patiently. "May I escort you home?"

Pixie smiled and nodded. "Of course, but how will you get home?"

"I have my ways," he said with a grin.

"What ways would that be?"

He quickly ran a circle around her, leaving her wide-eyed and breathless.

"Super speed," he answered, righting her again with a kind hand on her shoulder.

"Oh," she answered, still dazed. "That's…interesting."

He smiled. "Are you okay?"

"Just…dizzy. I'll be fine."

He smiled and lifted her bag off of her shoulder. "I'll get that for ya'."

"Th…thanks." She stood still for a moment and rubbed her eyes. "So, you're a mutant?"

"Yes. So is Toad and Fred."

"Really?" she asked as they began walking again. "I knew they sensed funny."

"So where do you live?"

Pixie scratched the back of her neck. "I live in a dance club that I play for."

"Wow. You live in a dance club? Which one?"

"Night Sun," she answered.

"That's the old one, isn't it?" Pietro said with a disgusted look.

She nodded. "The outside looks old, but the inside's beautiful."

"Hm. Maybe I'll have to come see it for myself. What do you do there?"

"Play whatever music on whatever instrument they tell me to."

"Is your boss an evil monster?" Pietro said.

Pixie laughed. "No. He and his wife-to-be are sorta playing my parents right now."

"Are you an orphan or something?" Emotionlessly, she nodded, peering down at the ground. "I'm so sorry."

"I never knew my parents. It's no big deal."

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "How'd you like school?"

"It was okay. I met a girl named Jean and a girl named Kitty who kinda vanished on me. Jean's nice, though."

Pietro hid his repulsed disgust and smiled. "Seems like you've made a good start for yourself."

Pixie heard a clock chime in the distance. "Oh no! It's five! I'm going to be late!"

"Night Sun, here we come!" Pietro said, bending over and picking her off the ground.

Pixie let out a surprised squeal, but when she blinked, he had stopped, right in front of the Night Sun. "Whoa. That was…fun."

He put her down and bowed. "I must be off as well. See you tomorrow." He slid her back off his shoulder and handed it to her.

"Bye…," she said slowly.

He winked at her and disappeared in a cloud of dust and leaves.

Pixie stood there, confused and dazed. She ran her hand through her hair and turned around, running into the Night Sun.

***

Hope you liked! ^.^ Once again, thanks Kitty! :)