Chapter Five: The Dating Experiment
A girl and a guy, A woman and a man, Forever entwined by a trust, A love so intriguing and bound. But how do they meet? Is there some connection from the start? Do the right people always like you back? It worked for my friend, How about you?
Days after, I found myself back to school. Amara and I had missed the dance but it was okay. We were good friends now. I really felt sorry for Colossus, though. Syren thought he wasn't paying her enough attention. After that statement, he found her sitting on a guy named Jonathon's lap. She kissed the guy, which made it harder on Colossus. He cried and I had never known him to be the kind who would. I found myself comforting him even though it was hard, as it was something I hadn't done before. His other friends, Rogue and Bobby, helped though! Brad seemed to fit in okay. He even made friends with Bobby, but the relationship was rather a funny one. Well, one day, after school, he called me up to go to the science lab in the "X-Men Base"- I still called it that cheesy name. I went there and he was there with Bobby. "Hey!" He said. "Thirsty?" I nodded. "Kind of," I responded, ignoring that that was an odd way to begin a conversation. He picked up an empty glass cup and put his finger just inside the rim. The glass filled halfway with water. He offered it to me. "Here," he said. When I looked at him funny, he added, "It's purified, don't worry! Ah, Bobby, maybe she would like some ice!" Bobby froze some water that was in an ice tray. Brad cracked the ice out and put two cubes into the glass. I took it but did not put it to my lips. He took a step closer. "The other power is gone as is the substance!" he exclaimed, pointing to his rich, blond hair. "Go ahead and try!" He pointed to the glass and I guess what he meant. I tried to do the same thing he had done but nothing happened. "Somehow," he said, "when the substance wore off, we went back to having just our original powers but stayed visible!" "That is from the substance," a voice said. "It has caused your genes to mutate." We turned around and saw professor Xavior being wheeled in by Rogue. "What is even more amazing is that no mutant has the same abilities as another, yet at a point in time, you two shared them and had a link that comes in identical twins. Even in identical twins though, it is extremely rare to even have a mental connection." He continued. "Like with Tabatha and Remy, they have powers that are similar. They each create explosions but in different ways. Rogue and you, Marianne, are similar! You both can drain something from a person. What you drain is different but the way you do it is almost exactly the same!" Brad nodded at this. "Professor," he said, "I took a blood sample from myself and studied it. Please come take a look!" Rogue wheeled him over. My brother had been a brainiac even when we were very young. He used what information that he made up and thought was scientific to explain things. The Professor leaned over and put an eye to the ocular lense. "I have a wet slide of the cell magnified so you are looking at the DNA," my brother continued. "Without looking carefully, it looks the same, but the bases within each codon are paired differently. There is no adenine. Instead, there is an unique base I have never seen or heard about before!" The next worlds made him swell up with pride. "I have made an excellent discovery for mutant science that may change the world!" Brad exclaimed. The professor sat back. He thought for a moment and then looked up at Brad. "Wonderful, Brad. I am glad that you could do this!" he said. Brad grinned. "I am not done yet!" he proclaimed. Brad ran over to the laptop that was on a desk on another side of the room. He started it up and opened Microsoft PowerPoint. He opened a presentation slide. "Okay, everyone, watch this! Bobby, would get the lights!" he said. They exchanged glances that disturb me a bit and Bobby sheepishly did what he had been asked. Like a movie, the presentation began. It showed in steps Transcription and Translation of the DNA, which is a snooze-fest. Then, he showed us what the protein did. It traveled through the cell and amazingly, provided water somehow. "Thanks to my mutant power, I also stay naturally hydrated!" he proclaimed. I shook my head and rolled my eyes. "Future Einstein in the making!" I exclaimed. "But how does that benefit us?" He looked at me blankly and began to shut down the laptop. "I have figured that out yet," he said. "Well, nice work anyway, Brad," the professor said. Rogue wheeled him away. I turned to follow them. "Marianne, do you think I can do it?" Brad asked. I looked over my shoulder. Bobby had his arm on Brad's shoulder. I nodded. "You will figure something out," I said. The next day at school, I walked in with Kitty and Amara. Piotr wasn't coming until later because he couldn't find his track clothes. It was rather funny because I had washed them and put them in his room the evening before. Most of the people were still near their lockers with friends, chit- chatting. Kitty elbowed me hard in the side. "Look over there!" she exclaimed quietly, pointing with her eyes. It is rather hard to follow unless, like this incident, there is no one else in that general direction. Evan stood next to the lockers at the far end of the hall getting his books. He looked our way as if he felt the stare but continued. "Like, he stared at me like all last week!" Kitty exclaimed. "I think he, like, likes me. Could you like ask him if he will go out with me, like, please?" I looked at her funny. "Come on, Kitty!" I replied. "If he likes you, he will ask you out!" "Like, what if he doesn't?" She cried. "Well, what about Lance?" I asked. "He is old now!" she exclaimed which made me laugh. Amara rolled her eyes. "Fine!" she cried. "I'll go do it!" She marched over to him. I think if it had been someone as sensitive as Bobby was, they would have been scared to see her approach like that but Evan was intrigued. I didn't hear the conversation, but Brad overheard and told me. Amara later confirmed his information. "Hey, Evan, will you go out with one of my friends?" she asked him. He looked past her at me and wrinkled his nose. "I won't go out with one of them but there is someone else," he said slowly. Amara raised a disinterested eyebrow. "Who?" she asked unenthusiastically. "Well," Evan said looking just above her head, "She is brunette, pretty, outgoing, stubborn, and, most importantly, she is standing right in front of me!" Amara looked at him with her head to the side and raised her eyebrows. Not wishing to play any kind of game, she asked, "And who would that be?" He wasn't daunted by her roughness. "Well, come on! I am sure you are smart! If I was a nerd, I would be expecting you to say 'Who is Amara?' as your answer, but I am not. All I am looking for is a 'yes,'" he said. Amara took a deep breath and looked back at Kitty and me. She turned back to him. "Fine," she said, trying to hide excitement that was undeniable in her voice. I am sure she was a bit upset, as she told me later, that he had said no to Kitty. I am still happy for her and Evan though! Amara turned back to us, her hair sailing over her shoulder. She looked at us blankly. Kitty jumped up and down in anticipation. Amara bit her bottom lip and Kitty stopped and frowned. Amara cleared her throat. She couldn't manage anything so she shook her head no. Kitty's eyes got wide and she was about to bawl, when Lance strode down the hall. "Kitty?" he asked not finishing his sentence. He obviously wanted to ask her why she looked about to flood the school but he didn't have a chance. Kitty rushed him. She ran into his arms, her hands over her eyes. Her elbows dug into his chest. He grimaced but beared it, only pushing away when Freddy and Tabby came around the corner. Tabby walked right by me but as she did, she said, "Amazing, Amara has a date!" It was kind of harsh but it was Tabby's friendly way of letting me know what just happened. Amara stared at her like, "How could you," but Tabby avoided her eyes. I pulled Amara aside. "What just happened with Evan?" I asked her. She huffed and rolled her eyes. "I asked him to go out with her, okay!" Amara exclaimed. "He asked me out, instead!" I said nothing. "What?" she cried. "What did you want me to tell Kitty? 'Hey, I'm sorry but Evan likes me more!' No, I don't think so! She doesn't have to be my friend for me to not want to hurt her!" "I don't want you to!" I retorted. "Okay!" she exclaimed and stalked off. Evan watched her go and followed about three feet behind her around the corner. I had just found myself in one big mess! Kitty would "kill" Amara, Lance would hurt her for wanting to be with someone else, and I would be without friends. I would be all alone. It is rather selfish, I know, but I cannot help it! I folded my arms and sighed, looking at the ground. I mumbled a good-bye to Kitty and walked off. Head down, I went in Amara's direction to get to class more than anything else did. Don't you like how much of a baby I am? I get upset over little things. I adjusted my backpack without looking up. A few steps later, I passed by my classroom on accident and collided with another. This is the romantic part of the day when you run into the man who loves to comfort you! The other wrapped their arms around me. "You okay?" the masculine voice asked. I looked up. As I already hinted, it was Piotr. His brown eyes were full of concern. "Of course I am not okay!" I wanted to say. "Yeah," I ended up saying. He chuckled. "Well, if you are, why did you walk past your classroom?" he asked. I gave him a small smile. "I was thinking," I told him. "What about?" he asked. "Stuff," I said shortly. He nodded like "okay... sure..." He let me go and I entered my English class. My Scottish friend, Brenda, took a seat next to me. "Ye ken what, ye look verra worried!" she told me. I shook my head. "I am fine," I said. "Whate'er," she murmured. Class began and I looked out the window. The birds on a tree right next to the window sang to each other but a larger bird swooped down and attacked one of them. I looked away. It didn't help. "Marianne, what is the gerund in that sentence?" the teacher asked. "Huh?" I said. "Snooping!" Brenda hissed. "Snooping!" I exclaimed. The teacher nodded. "Pay better attention next time!" she said. "Yes, it is snooping!" She continued to talk to the rest of the class. "Thanks," I whispered, leaning towards Brenda. "No problem," she responded. I picked up my pencil and absent-mindedly worked on the worksheet the teacher handed out. "Marianne, 'tis all wrong!" Brenda said. She looked like she would have hit me to knock some sense into me if the teacher hadn't of been there. I held up my head with my hand and erased my answers. Starting over again, I tried to pay it better attention. I did much better this time. The bell rang and I picked up my books and walked out. I traveled down the hall and around the corner. A hand stopped me. "What is wrong?" Amara asked, standing in front of me. "Is me being with Evan upsetting you? Brenda told me how you were in English!" I looked at her with a hurt look. "Hey, Brenda isn't blind! She knows something is going on!" Amara exclaimed. I laughed. "You make it sound like Brenda and I are going out! I am straight, you know!" I said. Amara smiled. "Sometimes I wonder!" she said sarcastically. I made an offended sound and tried to shove her. She laughed and stepped aside. "Amara!" I cried. "What?" she retorted. Evan came and put his hand on her shoulder. "You cheating on me?" he asked. For some reason, Amara didn't get that he was joking too. "No!" she cried defensively. Amara glanced over her shoulder, shoved him into an empty classroom, and shut the door. Kitty strolled down the hallway and spotted me. She rushed up to me. "Have you seen Evan?" she asked. I shook my head. "No," I lied. "Why?" "Oh," she said, "I just wanted to ask him myself!" I laughed and sent a nervous glance to the classroom. "So that hour ago when Lance and you were an item again is over?" I asked. "We never were," she told me. I rolled my eyes. "Well, like I said, I haven't seen him!" I exclaimed. "But, Lance and you are perfect for each other!" Kitty gave me a skeptical look and gave me a wave good-bye as she continued down the hall. Amara and Evan came out of the classroom. Now, it was my turn to give someone a skeptical look. Evan's shirt was a bit ruffled and Amara's hair was out of place. Amara saw my face, laughed, and shook her head. Evan took her hand and they walked off. "Oh shit!" I heard him exclaim and he rushed back around the corner. His cheeks flushed as he rushed back to Amara who had her head peaked out from around the corner. He had forgotten his skateboard in the empty classroom. Later that day at the "base," I had some popcorn because I hadn't had much for lunch while I watched a chick-flick with Kitty, Jubilee, and Rahne. Rogue was going to be mad for she had asked for us to wait for her but we were rather impatient. It was a bootlegged movie that one of Kitty's friend's friends had gotten. It was "Jersey Girl." Piotr came up behind the couch and put his hands on my shoulders. Rogue was expected back any moment so we were a bit jumpy. Given that information, I bet you can guess I jumped. The girls laughed at me but I blushed. "Hey, can I talk to you?" he asked. I glanced at the movie as Ben Afflek said, "Come back, come back with a ring!" "Sure," I said, although I would have rather watched the movie. He took my hand and we walked outside. The trees moved softly in the wind. A flower sailed down in the wind and landed on my foot. "You know Syren?" he asked. I nodded. I was thinking how he was going to go on about her and how much he likes her. They are rather mean thoughts but I couldn't help them. It was my way of being upset from being away from the movie. "Well, you know... we're over," he said, looking straight ahead, giving me only a slight glance. "Yeah," I said. "Well..." he said trailing off. "Well?" He looked at me with a loss for words. Instead of answering my question or continuing, he pointed to a tree. "Remember?" he said simply. I laughed. "Yeah," I replied. "We had a nice time," he said. I laughed and shook my head. "We didn't do anything!" I told him. "I know..." I sighed. "Piotr, are you trying to tell me something?" I asked. He averted my eyes. "What?" I asked. He still didn't make eye contact or say anything. "Piotr, I am not a patient person," I told him. "From what I know, you are!" He exclaimed. I laughed. "Then you don't really know me!" I replied. He moved a bit closer and squeezed my hand. "I would like to," he said. We stopped walking and he stood in front of me. He took a step closer and I didn't back off. He leaned closer. I turned my head and looked parallel to his left shoulder. "Would you now?" I asked. He rolled his eyes. Piotr cupped his hand underneath my chin and turned my head towards him. He searched my eyes. "You know I do," he said. I looked up at him. Well, he isn't that much taller than I am but yeah. I was at a loss for words and bit my bottom lip. I smiled and looked at the sky above him. My heart did loops. His hand moved to my cheek and he kissed me. It was my journey to blissful happiness. A warm sensation spread through my body. The world was black on the underside of my eyelids but I did not need to open them to see his face. My feet felt stuck to the ground. I found myself standing there, looking at him with half-closed eyes as I recovered the movement of my legs. He looked at me and smiled. I couldn't help it but I started laughing. He looked a bit hurt so I held out my hand to show him it wasn't him. He took it and we walked back inside. As he "escorted" me back to the living room, it wasn't hard to tell Rogue was there. In the living room, I noticed Rogue had taken my popcorn, which I didn't mind too much. The video was back to where it had been right before I left. Jubilee gave me a look of anguish. All over her face, "I can't believe she is doing this to me" was written. I laughed. "See you tomorrow!" Piotr whispered in my ear. I giggled. "You assume too much," I told him. "At least I am not wrong," he responded and kissed me. He blushed and stopped it quite short when Kitty made a kissing noise. I didn't see the look on his face, but as he went away, the back of his neck was flushed red. "Aw!" Rahne exclaimed. I blushed. "Shut up!" Rogue cried and rewound the tap to the part before we had started talking. "Oh! I am sorry Rogue! You're quite touchy today! Something happen with Remy?" I said feeling spiteful for some reason. "No," she retorted, not looking from the screen. "Does his being gay offend you?" I taunted. Before she could respond, Bobby and Brad walked in. "Does my nationality offend you?" Bobby asked. "Bobby, like, it isn't a race!" Kitty exclaimed. "Is it?" I shook my head. "Oh," he said.
A girl and a guy, A woman and a man, Forever entwined by a trust, A love so intriguing and bound. But how do they meet? Is there some connection from the start? Do the right people always like you back? It worked for my friend, How about you?
Days after, I found myself back to school. Amara and I had missed the dance but it was okay. We were good friends now. I really felt sorry for Colossus, though. Syren thought he wasn't paying her enough attention. After that statement, he found her sitting on a guy named Jonathon's lap. She kissed the guy, which made it harder on Colossus. He cried and I had never known him to be the kind who would. I found myself comforting him even though it was hard, as it was something I hadn't done before. His other friends, Rogue and Bobby, helped though! Brad seemed to fit in okay. He even made friends with Bobby, but the relationship was rather a funny one. Well, one day, after school, he called me up to go to the science lab in the "X-Men Base"- I still called it that cheesy name. I went there and he was there with Bobby. "Hey!" He said. "Thirsty?" I nodded. "Kind of," I responded, ignoring that that was an odd way to begin a conversation. He picked up an empty glass cup and put his finger just inside the rim. The glass filled halfway with water. He offered it to me. "Here," he said. When I looked at him funny, he added, "It's purified, don't worry! Ah, Bobby, maybe she would like some ice!" Bobby froze some water that was in an ice tray. Brad cracked the ice out and put two cubes into the glass. I took it but did not put it to my lips. He took a step closer. "The other power is gone as is the substance!" he exclaimed, pointing to his rich, blond hair. "Go ahead and try!" He pointed to the glass and I guess what he meant. I tried to do the same thing he had done but nothing happened. "Somehow," he said, "when the substance wore off, we went back to having just our original powers but stayed visible!" "That is from the substance," a voice said. "It has caused your genes to mutate." We turned around and saw professor Xavior being wheeled in by Rogue. "What is even more amazing is that no mutant has the same abilities as another, yet at a point in time, you two shared them and had a link that comes in identical twins. Even in identical twins though, it is extremely rare to even have a mental connection." He continued. "Like with Tabatha and Remy, they have powers that are similar. They each create explosions but in different ways. Rogue and you, Marianne, are similar! You both can drain something from a person. What you drain is different but the way you do it is almost exactly the same!" Brad nodded at this. "Professor," he said, "I took a blood sample from myself and studied it. Please come take a look!" Rogue wheeled him over. My brother had been a brainiac even when we were very young. He used what information that he made up and thought was scientific to explain things. The Professor leaned over and put an eye to the ocular lense. "I have a wet slide of the cell magnified so you are looking at the DNA," my brother continued. "Without looking carefully, it looks the same, but the bases within each codon are paired differently. There is no adenine. Instead, there is an unique base I have never seen or heard about before!" The next worlds made him swell up with pride. "I have made an excellent discovery for mutant science that may change the world!" Brad exclaimed. The professor sat back. He thought for a moment and then looked up at Brad. "Wonderful, Brad. I am glad that you could do this!" he said. Brad grinned. "I am not done yet!" he proclaimed. Brad ran over to the laptop that was on a desk on another side of the room. He started it up and opened Microsoft PowerPoint. He opened a presentation slide. "Okay, everyone, watch this! Bobby, would get the lights!" he said. They exchanged glances that disturb me a bit and Bobby sheepishly did what he had been asked. Like a movie, the presentation began. It showed in steps Transcription and Translation of the DNA, which is a snooze-fest. Then, he showed us what the protein did. It traveled through the cell and amazingly, provided water somehow. "Thanks to my mutant power, I also stay naturally hydrated!" he proclaimed. I shook my head and rolled my eyes. "Future Einstein in the making!" I exclaimed. "But how does that benefit us?" He looked at me blankly and began to shut down the laptop. "I have figured that out yet," he said. "Well, nice work anyway, Brad," the professor said. Rogue wheeled him away. I turned to follow them. "Marianne, do you think I can do it?" Brad asked. I looked over my shoulder. Bobby had his arm on Brad's shoulder. I nodded. "You will figure something out," I said. The next day at school, I walked in with Kitty and Amara. Piotr wasn't coming until later because he couldn't find his track clothes. It was rather funny because I had washed them and put them in his room the evening before. Most of the people were still near their lockers with friends, chit- chatting. Kitty elbowed me hard in the side. "Look over there!" she exclaimed quietly, pointing with her eyes. It is rather hard to follow unless, like this incident, there is no one else in that general direction. Evan stood next to the lockers at the far end of the hall getting his books. He looked our way as if he felt the stare but continued. "Like, he stared at me like all last week!" Kitty exclaimed. "I think he, like, likes me. Could you like ask him if he will go out with me, like, please?" I looked at her funny. "Come on, Kitty!" I replied. "If he likes you, he will ask you out!" "Like, what if he doesn't?" She cried. "Well, what about Lance?" I asked. "He is old now!" she exclaimed which made me laugh. Amara rolled her eyes. "Fine!" she cried. "I'll go do it!" She marched over to him. I think if it had been someone as sensitive as Bobby was, they would have been scared to see her approach like that but Evan was intrigued. I didn't hear the conversation, but Brad overheard and told me. Amara later confirmed his information. "Hey, Evan, will you go out with one of my friends?" she asked him. He looked past her at me and wrinkled his nose. "I won't go out with one of them but there is someone else," he said slowly. Amara raised a disinterested eyebrow. "Who?" she asked unenthusiastically. "Well," Evan said looking just above her head, "She is brunette, pretty, outgoing, stubborn, and, most importantly, she is standing right in front of me!" Amara looked at him with her head to the side and raised her eyebrows. Not wishing to play any kind of game, she asked, "And who would that be?" He wasn't daunted by her roughness. "Well, come on! I am sure you are smart! If I was a nerd, I would be expecting you to say 'Who is Amara?' as your answer, but I am not. All I am looking for is a 'yes,'" he said. Amara took a deep breath and looked back at Kitty and me. She turned back to him. "Fine," she said, trying to hide excitement that was undeniable in her voice. I am sure she was a bit upset, as she told me later, that he had said no to Kitty. I am still happy for her and Evan though! Amara turned back to us, her hair sailing over her shoulder. She looked at us blankly. Kitty jumped up and down in anticipation. Amara bit her bottom lip and Kitty stopped and frowned. Amara cleared her throat. She couldn't manage anything so she shook her head no. Kitty's eyes got wide and she was about to bawl, when Lance strode down the hall. "Kitty?" he asked not finishing his sentence. He obviously wanted to ask her why she looked about to flood the school but he didn't have a chance. Kitty rushed him. She ran into his arms, her hands over her eyes. Her elbows dug into his chest. He grimaced but beared it, only pushing away when Freddy and Tabby came around the corner. Tabby walked right by me but as she did, she said, "Amazing, Amara has a date!" It was kind of harsh but it was Tabby's friendly way of letting me know what just happened. Amara stared at her like, "How could you," but Tabby avoided her eyes. I pulled Amara aside. "What just happened with Evan?" I asked her. She huffed and rolled her eyes. "I asked him to go out with her, okay!" Amara exclaimed. "He asked me out, instead!" I said nothing. "What?" she cried. "What did you want me to tell Kitty? 'Hey, I'm sorry but Evan likes me more!' No, I don't think so! She doesn't have to be my friend for me to not want to hurt her!" "I don't want you to!" I retorted. "Okay!" she exclaimed and stalked off. Evan watched her go and followed about three feet behind her around the corner. I had just found myself in one big mess! Kitty would "kill" Amara, Lance would hurt her for wanting to be with someone else, and I would be without friends. I would be all alone. It is rather selfish, I know, but I cannot help it! I folded my arms and sighed, looking at the ground. I mumbled a good-bye to Kitty and walked off. Head down, I went in Amara's direction to get to class more than anything else did. Don't you like how much of a baby I am? I get upset over little things. I adjusted my backpack without looking up. A few steps later, I passed by my classroom on accident and collided with another. This is the romantic part of the day when you run into the man who loves to comfort you! The other wrapped their arms around me. "You okay?" the masculine voice asked. I looked up. As I already hinted, it was Piotr. His brown eyes were full of concern. "Of course I am not okay!" I wanted to say. "Yeah," I ended up saying. He chuckled. "Well, if you are, why did you walk past your classroom?" he asked. I gave him a small smile. "I was thinking," I told him. "What about?" he asked. "Stuff," I said shortly. He nodded like "okay... sure..." He let me go and I entered my English class. My Scottish friend, Brenda, took a seat next to me. "Ye ken what, ye look verra worried!" she told me. I shook my head. "I am fine," I said. "Whate'er," she murmured. Class began and I looked out the window. The birds on a tree right next to the window sang to each other but a larger bird swooped down and attacked one of them. I looked away. It didn't help. "Marianne, what is the gerund in that sentence?" the teacher asked. "Huh?" I said. "Snooping!" Brenda hissed. "Snooping!" I exclaimed. The teacher nodded. "Pay better attention next time!" she said. "Yes, it is snooping!" She continued to talk to the rest of the class. "Thanks," I whispered, leaning towards Brenda. "No problem," she responded. I picked up my pencil and absent-mindedly worked on the worksheet the teacher handed out. "Marianne, 'tis all wrong!" Brenda said. She looked like she would have hit me to knock some sense into me if the teacher hadn't of been there. I held up my head with my hand and erased my answers. Starting over again, I tried to pay it better attention. I did much better this time. The bell rang and I picked up my books and walked out. I traveled down the hall and around the corner. A hand stopped me. "What is wrong?" Amara asked, standing in front of me. "Is me being with Evan upsetting you? Brenda told me how you were in English!" I looked at her with a hurt look. "Hey, Brenda isn't blind! She knows something is going on!" Amara exclaimed. I laughed. "You make it sound like Brenda and I are going out! I am straight, you know!" I said. Amara smiled. "Sometimes I wonder!" she said sarcastically. I made an offended sound and tried to shove her. She laughed and stepped aside. "Amara!" I cried. "What?" she retorted. Evan came and put his hand on her shoulder. "You cheating on me?" he asked. For some reason, Amara didn't get that he was joking too. "No!" she cried defensively. Amara glanced over her shoulder, shoved him into an empty classroom, and shut the door. Kitty strolled down the hallway and spotted me. She rushed up to me. "Have you seen Evan?" she asked. I shook my head. "No," I lied. "Why?" "Oh," she said, "I just wanted to ask him myself!" I laughed and sent a nervous glance to the classroom. "So that hour ago when Lance and you were an item again is over?" I asked. "We never were," she told me. I rolled my eyes. "Well, like I said, I haven't seen him!" I exclaimed. "But, Lance and you are perfect for each other!" Kitty gave me a skeptical look and gave me a wave good-bye as she continued down the hall. Amara and Evan came out of the classroom. Now, it was my turn to give someone a skeptical look. Evan's shirt was a bit ruffled and Amara's hair was out of place. Amara saw my face, laughed, and shook her head. Evan took her hand and they walked off. "Oh shit!" I heard him exclaim and he rushed back around the corner. His cheeks flushed as he rushed back to Amara who had her head peaked out from around the corner. He had forgotten his skateboard in the empty classroom. Later that day at the "base," I had some popcorn because I hadn't had much for lunch while I watched a chick-flick with Kitty, Jubilee, and Rahne. Rogue was going to be mad for she had asked for us to wait for her but we were rather impatient. It was a bootlegged movie that one of Kitty's friend's friends had gotten. It was "Jersey Girl." Piotr came up behind the couch and put his hands on my shoulders. Rogue was expected back any moment so we were a bit jumpy. Given that information, I bet you can guess I jumped. The girls laughed at me but I blushed. "Hey, can I talk to you?" he asked. I glanced at the movie as Ben Afflek said, "Come back, come back with a ring!" "Sure," I said, although I would have rather watched the movie. He took my hand and we walked outside. The trees moved softly in the wind. A flower sailed down in the wind and landed on my foot. "You know Syren?" he asked. I nodded. I was thinking how he was going to go on about her and how much he likes her. They are rather mean thoughts but I couldn't help them. It was my way of being upset from being away from the movie. "Well, you know... we're over," he said, looking straight ahead, giving me only a slight glance. "Yeah," I said. "Well..." he said trailing off. "Well?" He looked at me with a loss for words. Instead of answering my question or continuing, he pointed to a tree. "Remember?" he said simply. I laughed. "Yeah," I replied. "We had a nice time," he said. I laughed and shook my head. "We didn't do anything!" I told him. "I know..." I sighed. "Piotr, are you trying to tell me something?" I asked. He averted my eyes. "What?" I asked. He still didn't make eye contact or say anything. "Piotr, I am not a patient person," I told him. "From what I know, you are!" He exclaimed. I laughed. "Then you don't really know me!" I replied. He moved a bit closer and squeezed my hand. "I would like to," he said. We stopped walking and he stood in front of me. He took a step closer and I didn't back off. He leaned closer. I turned my head and looked parallel to his left shoulder. "Would you now?" I asked. He rolled his eyes. Piotr cupped his hand underneath my chin and turned my head towards him. He searched my eyes. "You know I do," he said. I looked up at him. Well, he isn't that much taller than I am but yeah. I was at a loss for words and bit my bottom lip. I smiled and looked at the sky above him. My heart did loops. His hand moved to my cheek and he kissed me. It was my journey to blissful happiness. A warm sensation spread through my body. The world was black on the underside of my eyelids but I did not need to open them to see his face. My feet felt stuck to the ground. I found myself standing there, looking at him with half-closed eyes as I recovered the movement of my legs. He looked at me and smiled. I couldn't help it but I started laughing. He looked a bit hurt so I held out my hand to show him it wasn't him. He took it and we walked back inside. As he "escorted" me back to the living room, it wasn't hard to tell Rogue was there. In the living room, I noticed Rogue had taken my popcorn, which I didn't mind too much. The video was back to where it had been right before I left. Jubilee gave me a look of anguish. All over her face, "I can't believe she is doing this to me" was written. I laughed. "See you tomorrow!" Piotr whispered in my ear. I giggled. "You assume too much," I told him. "At least I am not wrong," he responded and kissed me. He blushed and stopped it quite short when Kitty made a kissing noise. I didn't see the look on his face, but as he went away, the back of his neck was flushed red. "Aw!" Rahne exclaimed. I blushed. "Shut up!" Rogue cried and rewound the tap to the part before we had started talking. "Oh! I am sorry Rogue! You're quite touchy today! Something happen with Remy?" I said feeling spiteful for some reason. "No," she retorted, not looking from the screen. "Does his being gay offend you?" I taunted. Before she could respond, Bobby and Brad walked in. "Does my nationality offend you?" Bobby asked. "Bobby, like, it isn't a race!" Kitty exclaimed. "Is it?" I shook my head. "Oh," he said.
