After they broke the news to their father (who amazingly, took it quite well), the twins began to discuss how they would deal with kids at school. They decided that the best way to deal with it would be to take each day as it came. They went to school the next day and by that time, both of their stories had spread to the entire school and the teasing and bullying began in earnest. In the course of that day, Martha got pulled into three closets and slammed against countless lockers, by random students, some that she had once considered acquaintances. Each time she either threatened them by beginning to take off her glove or by simply telling them that she would tell the principle if they didn't let her go. Most of the time that worked, because the principle was a well-known and avid supporter of the equal rights for mutants' movement. But of course, it didn't always work and Martha couldn't bring herself to actually make good on her threats, so she went home with a total of one black eye and a sore and bruised arm that had been punched countless times.
Marie, however, wasn't so lucky. She had two black eyes, a twisted arm, a bruised side and a bloody nose, when she went home. Martha saw her when they met at the corner to walk home. She ran to help her carry her books and help her get home. She cried all the way.
"It's not fair! I hurt so bad!"
"I know you do." Martha said. It was the truth. Ever since the day before when she had touched her, Martha had been able to know, strangely, exactly how Marie was feeling all the time. She could, sometimes, even know what she was thinking. It was more than just twin intuition. It was something else.
They went home and Mom tended to their wounds. When she got done with both of them, she sat them down with their father, in the living room. The twins could tell this was going to be a very serious conversation.
"Girls, we want you both to know that we love you," Mom began. Martha and Marie both looked at each other and thought, This isn't good, Mom continued, oblivious to her daughters mind connection, "And we value your opinions greatly, which is why we needed to talk to you. Your father and I have been thinking about transferring you to a private school. One where your… conditions won't be common knowledge and you can start over."
"No!" Martha exclaimed, "I love my school! All my friends go there!"
"The ones that gave you that shiner?" Dad asked pointing to her eye. Martha touched it self-consciously, but continued.
"No, the ones that stopped me from getting anything worse like a broken arm. Besides they can't hurt me too bad unless they want to end up in a coma." She immediately regretted saying that and she could feel Marie flinch beside her. The boy she had kissed was in a coma right now and the doctors didn't know how long he would take to get out of it. Marie immediately shook herself.
"I'm not leaving without Martha." She stated, "I don't want to be alone. Besides all my friends go to school there too." Their parents looked at one another. Dad shrugged as if to say that he didn't care but Mom wasn't giving up so easily. Martha knew. She could hear her mother's thoughts just as she could hear Marie's.
"Martha, I understand the need to be with your friends, but you could make new friends at this new school. And it's not far away so you could still see your old friends on the weekends."
"Mom, do you realize what you're asking me to do?" Martha asked her mom calmly, "You're asking me to run. To go somewhere else and pretend that I'm not what I know I am. Mom, I'm a mutant and I always will be no matter where I go." When she said the word that her parents had been avoiding ever since Saturday, she saw her family cringe, but she couldn't stand it anymore. Why couldn't they just accept that that was what she and Marie were? They had. Why were her parents having such a hard time with this?
"We're not asking you to run," their dad spoke this time, "we're just asking you to consider other options."
"Dad, don't you think the people at this new school would just ask why we were there?" Marie asked. Their parents looked at one another as if they hadn't even thought of that, "Maybe you're the ones that need to consider your options better." With that, Marie stood up and walked upstairs to her room. Martha heard the door slam behind her, then waited for her parents' permission to leave. They sat for a while like that, not saying a word. Her mom looked at her with sadness in her eyes.
"Please, go talk to her." Martha started. She had heard her mother's thoughts. Maybe she should tell her. No, that would just freak her out more.
"I'll go talk to her." She said instead as if it had been her own thought. She stood up and went upstairs to Marie's room and knocked on the door.
"Marie? Can I come in?"
"No." Was the simple reply. Martha was confused.
Then as if in answer to her unspoken question, "You're just coming because Mom asked you to."
"No, I really want to talk to you." Martha pleaded. "Don't shut me out." She thought. Suddenly, she heard a click and the door creaked open. Martha slipped in and saw her sister sitting her on the bed, holding a teddy bear.
"Close the door please." She said calmly. Martha did as she asked and sat down in the chair she had sat in before. They sat there like that for a bit, not saying anything, just getting their thoughts in order.
"I can hear you." Marie said out of the blue.
"I can hear you too." Martha replied. There was silence again, "I can hear Mom too." She added.
Marie started and looked at her sister in shock, "Have you told her?" She asked in a panicked voice.
"No, I haven't. Don't worry, I don't intend to." Martha said, sensing the reason behind her sister's worry. Marie relaxed and looked in the mirror.
"Do you really think they'll make us go?" Marie asked.
Martha shrugged, "I don't know. Let's cross that bridge when we come to it, ok?" Marie nodded and they both heard their mother call that it was time for dinner. They had spent more time in Marie's room then they had thought, "Come on." Martha said, taking Marie's hand, "I'm starving." Marie smiled and allowed herself be led out of her room.