Unlikely

Chapter Six: Unique

The bell rang suddenly and Mia stood from her place under that tree.  Without a sound, she made her way back to the school.

"Damn." Swore Pietro from his place not five feet away from where she'd been sitting.  "So close, yet so far," he muttered but followed her retreating back closely.  He would get even with her.  No one kicked him – in that place – and got away with it.

Just four feet away, he was closing in on her.  With his super speed Pietro knew he could get her within a split-second, and without her even finding out.  So why hadn't he done so yet?  What was holding him back?  It was so tempting, watching her silver hair in that untidy ponytail sway; he could reach out right now and pull it, just to annoy her.  Or her baggy black pants held up with only a thin black belt, the leather of which looked cracked and fake.  He could steal her belt right out from under her nose.  This was her first day here.  It would humiliate her and taunt her until she transferred schools do to the shame of having been de-pants in front of practically the entire sophomore and junior classes.

Yet Pietro couldn't bring himself to do it.  She was already pitiable.  Her appearance was already heartrending, though an iron fist couldn't punch it out of him.  She was very pretty; he would give her that much credit.

Pietro scowled as he brushed past her roughly, knocking her shoulder in the process.

Mia's expression became startled.

"Look out!" Came a shout and suddenly Pietro found himself on the cement floor with something not very heavy on top of him.  Something flew overhead, and a split-second later a loud splattering sound reverberated.

Pietro grunted and turned over and was surprised to see the girl he had just been targeting to play a prank on, standing up off of him and brushing her front off with a disgusted expression.

"What was that for?"

Mia looked down at him, her disgusted expression increasing.  Her gaze shifted to something to her right and she nodded in its direction.  Pietro looked and saw a lumpy yellowish slop sliding down the side of a few lockers that looked suspiciously like the mashed potatoes and gravy the cafeteria ladies had been serving for lunch today.  It looked even worse against the dark blue color of the lockers than it did on a plate.

He looked back to the new girl and saw her already walking away.  The hallways were nearly cleared except for a few chuckling straggling students that were quickly dispersing.  In a blur he was in front of her.

"Huh.  First you kick me, and then you jump on top of me so I don't get hit by a slop ball.  What's your deal?" He asked quickly.

Mia's pale violet eyes narrowed to a glare on him.  "It was an uncontrolled reaction.  Don't go inflating your ego because of it."  She grumbled and sidestepped to brush past him.

"So what?  If you saw a bullet coming at me, you'd jump in front of that, too?" Pietro pressed, catching up alongside her, meanwhile asking him self why he was bothering when he had just been targeting this same girl for a practical joke much alike the one that had almost been played on him.

Mia stopped to glare at him meaningfully.  "Get over yourself.  I would've let it hit you had I been thinking straight.  Now will you just leave me alone?"

Pietro took a step aside and made a gallant motion with his arms to allow her passage.  With another glare at him, she walked off quickly and entered another classroom.  Pietro watched her go then grunted his displeasure under his breath.  "Some people… try to be nice to 'em…" but he knew that wasn't true.  He turned and walked away quickly to his next class.

Author's note: I dunno… Should I make this a Pietro/Mia fiction?  I mean, on the show, Pietro is kind of a butt-hole… but he has his moments.  And I can't figure out if these people are out of character or not, so will my readers lemme know if they're falling way outta whack?  Thanks so much.

Preview of Chapter Seven: Above All

She could make a run for it.  Take Maggie and go out the backdoor.

But no, she reasoned with herself.  Maggie wouldn't survive living on the streets, not half as long as she could.  And it wouldn't stop the caretaker from finding out she was a mutant.  Then what was going to happen to Maggie?  She didn't know how those people – that professor and his ward- did this sort of thing.  If she didn't come freely, would they take her by force?  And what about Maggie?  She loved her sister… she couldn't leave her behind.

                              Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men: Evolution™.  I only own my original characters.