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Twisted Chapter 3

         I think the sun is starting to come up.  Yep its daybreak.  God I'm tired.  Shit how long have been walking?  I look at my watch.  6:03.  Okay a little less than 10 hours since I left home.  I looked at my watch 10 minutes ago but what else do I have to do?  I'm spent.  Wonder what Mom and Dad are doing now.  Did they sleep at all last night?  Did they think about trying to find me and Bobby in order to "cure us"?  Shit.  Did they stay up half the night and plot to kill Xavier.  I know I did. 

        It's his fault.  He took Bobby from us and now I have no choice but to join him in order to be with my brother.  Fuck him. 

        I look at the nearest sign.  "WESTCHESTER CITY LIMITS".  Thank God I'm finally here.  Am I anywhere near Graymalkin Lane?  I better be.  I'm exhausted. 

     

        I see a large building up ahead.  Wait, no, it's a mansion.  Mansion? This is Graymalkin Lane isn't it? Finally I'm here.  The walk up to the front door seems longer than the actual … how long has it been now?  I look at my watch.  Holy shit it's 7:15.  11 hours since I left home.  The walk up to the front door feels longer than 11 hours.  I'm finally here.  Bobby I'm here.

        I'm at the door.  Bobby I'm here.  Shit what do I say to him?  Hi Bobby, glad to see me?  Hey, Bobby, sorry I tried to kill you and your friends the other day hope you don't take it personally.  Bobby before you kill me for what I did please hear me out, I'm a mutant like you, isn't that cool or what?  Shit I think the lack of sleep is getting to me.

        After standing staring at the door for what I think is an entire minute before I finally knock on the door.  Like knocking's a good idea.  This fucking place is so big as if someone's actually going to hear it.  Good there's a doorbell.  I press it and wait a couple more seconds before it finally opens.  Oh my God.  It's Bobby.

       The look on his face says it all.  He's shocked, surprised, angry, and oh yeah, hurt.  Shit, don't look at me if that's the look you're going to give me.  I feel bad enough.  "Hi," I finally say. 

       "Hi," he answers me.  Neither of us say anything for a few seconds.  "What are you doing here?" he finally asks.

       Gee how do I answer that one.  "I'm sorry," I hear myself say.

       "Is that why you're here?"  He sounds angry and hurt.  Not that I blame him.

      "Look can I come in or not?" I snap.  Shit I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to yell.  Does it show on my face?

      Bobby opens the door wide and motions for me to come in.  I walk into the mansion and can't bring myself to look up at him.  Not even when he asks me again what I'm doing here.

       I mumble "I'm a mutant."

      "What did you say?"  From not looking up at his face I can't tell if he's shocked or if he really didn't hear what I said.

      I finally look up at him.  "I'm a mutant," I say again, loud and clear. 

      His eyes just get wide.  "I'm sorry.  Did you just say that you're a mutant?"

      I roll my eyes.  "What do you need me to show you?"  I hold out my hand and will a ball of ice to form.  It does.  Bobby doesn't stop staring.  His eyes are still wide.  "That's not all."  And then just by thinking about it the ice melts into water and it looks like my hand is on fire.  I lower my hand.  "That proof enough?"

      "I'm…I'm sorry.  I just…I'm just surprised."  Well no shit who wouldn't be?  "Do Mom and Dad know?"  I look away.  Really is my brother this stupid?  I think by my reaction he already knows the answer because then he asks "How'd they take it?"  I look back up at him.  From the look on his face he probably already knows the answer to that question.  I just shake my head.  I'm too tired to do anything else.

      He wraps his arm around my shoulder and says   "C'mon."  We just walk down the hall and I think the lack of sleep is getting to me cause I'm about ready to pass out.  God this place is huge.  Where are we going anyway?

      I get my answer a few seconds later.  Tell me this isn't his office.  Oh god it's him.  He turns his chair around.  "Yes Bobby?" Professor Xavier asks.  God I hate that man.  I want to scream at him for what he did to Bobby and me.  I want to rip into him for destroying my family.  He looks at me.  "Is this your brother?"  What gave me away?

      "Yes Professor.  He…"  Bobby looks at me and gives me a strange concerned look.  "Ronny, how did you get here?"

       "I walked," I grunt.

       He almost yells "From Boston?"

       "Yeah, since 8 o clock last night."  Bobby's eyes get wide again.  The Professor looks concerned too.  I ain't buying it.

      "Do you want something to eat?  Breakfast will be served in a short while," The Professor says.

      "No thanks I had some potato chips 3 hours ago at a gas station."  Shit anyone knows I'm starving.  "Look, I'll eat later.  Can I just lie down and go to sleep for a few hours?"

       The Professor nods and says to Bobby  "Take Ronny up to your room.  And Bobby you are excused from classes today." 

       Bobby wraps his arm around my shoulder again and leads me out of the room.  "Do you need his permission to pee?" I blurt out, I wonder if its clear I hate the Professor.

       He looks at me.  "You don't like Professor Xavier?"  He looks surprised and a little offended. 

      We start walking up the stairs.  "Damn right I do he stole you away from us." 

      He starts getting all defensive.   "No he didn't.  What are you talking about?"

      I nearly explode.  "I'm talking about when he came to our house like 4 years ago and told us about how you were gifted and how his fucking school is ideal for you and now our family's destroyed because of it…" he cuts me off.

      "For your information it was my idea to hide being a mutant."  What?  Since when did we start keeping secrets from each other Bobby? "And second of all this place is not just a school, it's a home.  I didn't realize that till you called the cops on me." 

      I look over at him.  He stares straight ahead.  He looks sorry he said it.  I don't say anything.  No no it's not my fault.  It's Xavier's fault.  It is, it has to be. 

     We reach his room.  I plop down on the bed closest to the door.  Without another word to my brother I fall asleep.

     

     I groan as I wake up.  I'm tired but I can't sleep anymore and I'm just about starved.  Bobby's sitting up on the other bed.  "What time is it?" I mumble.

      "A little after 12:30"  12:30.  Just great.  Less than 5 hours of sleep.  "Just in time for lunch to be served.  Time to meet the other students."  I groan and just about roll off the bed.  Great.  Meet the rest of the mutants.  Meet the rest of Xavier's crew.  Bobby pats me on the back and we both walk downstairs to the dining room. 

      I stare at my half-eaten plate of spaghetti and am about ready to puke.  Take it from me, it is not a good idea to wolf down spaghetti on an empty stomach on a lack of sleep.  Shit I don't feel good.  I don't even remember everyone's name.  The girl with the red hair over there – what's her name, Tracy?  Theresa?  I don't know.  And who's that?  Evan, or is the other guy Evan.  God I don't know.  I hate this place.

      Lunchtime is over and everyone gradually gets up and goes to their rooms before classes start again.  In a few minutes Bobby, Xavier, and I are the only ones left.  None of us say anything for probably a minute. 

      Xavier finally breaks the silence.  "Ronny, I know.  I'm psychic.  I know you don't like me.  I know you blame me for what happened with your family."

       I shake my head.  "Even before you, it wasn't fun.  Bobby was always the favorite son.  I was just an accident.  I was always second best." 

      Bobby sounds surprised as he says "Wait.  Ronny, you didn't feel loved?  They loved us both." 

     Loved.  Emphasis on the past tense.  "They loved you more.  You went off to your school for the gifted and I'm still your average kid in public school." None of us say anything for another while.  Then I think of something that I have to say even though I know its gonna hurt Bobby but I have to say it.  "But for almost 2 days, I was the golden child.  I was loved as much as you were."

     Bobby just says "I never realized you felt that way."

     I shrugged.  "What was the point in talking about it.  You couldn't change how they felt about me."  Once again none of us say anything for another little while.  Then I say "Although I was closer to you than I was to them."  Bobby gives a quick smile to me but it soon fades.  I smile back too and look away.

      After another few minutes of silence I finally admit the cold hard truth.  "Alright.  Alright I admit it.  I called the cops on you Bobby and your friends and didn't give Mom and Dad enough time to understand and that's what destroyed our family.  I did it.  I destroyed our family."  I don't look at either of them when I say it.

     Xavier of all people actually comes to my defense.  "You're not entirely wrong about me, Ronny.  I did reach out to Bobby and invited him to attend my school."

      I shake my head.  "At least you didn't call the cops on him." 

      "Do you both want to call your parents?" Xavier asks all of sudden.

     I look over at Bobby and we both shake our heads.  "Nah.  They know the number.  If they really wanted to talk to us they'd call."  

      Shit now I know my mind's messed up.  I love my brother, then I call the cops on him, then I want to be where he is but then again I really don't now I'm glad I'm here.  I hate Xavier, now I don't (after only how many minutes?).  I wish my parents would love me like they did Bobby now I'm almost glad I don't have to be living under pressure from them.  God I'm messed up.

     Bobby gets up and pats me on the shoulder.  "C'mon, let's go back to my room."  I get up and follow him back upstairs.  I'm with my brother now.  Everything is going to be okay.  It has to be.  I'm not scared anymore.  And to be honest I think I'm really happy.