Three months had passed and it was now august 7th, and two days after the social worker had visited them. To his surprise he found her quite changed, she was at least 20lbs lighter and her hair was now shoulder length. She seemed happier now, not the depressed, little girl she once was.
------o((x))o------
Lizette sat at the small kitchen counter watching Ororo pour tea into those dainty little cups of hers.
"You know 'Ro, I never really liked tea before."
"That is what coffee drinkers always say."
"My mother used to make all different types. She was a curandera."
"Your mother was a healer?"
"Yeah… People always picture a crazy, old lady with bushes and eggs living in the middle of the mountains somewhere when I tell them what my mom was. But she wasn't really like that. She looked much younger than her age… Really pretty too. And she loved technology. Her idea of camping out involved mosquito spray and a RV."
A long silence fell on them as she stared into no where.
Ororo cleared her throat.
"You don't have to pity me 'Ro."
"I was not…"
"You forget I'm an empath." She stared at her with those heavily outlined eyes. It always startled Ororo how the black marks seemed to creep up when she was feeling intense emotions. The first time it happened it was at the mall when Ororo had convinced Logan to take them shopping. He hate the mall. Too many scents of people, and month old frying grease.
It had been a long trip and they seemed to have nothing to show. Nothing ever seemed to fit the poor girl. One reason what that she had large breasts and the other more prominent one was that she was a chubby girl. Store after store her mood seemed to drop and her eyes seemed to get darker. Everything collapsed when a woman and her daughter made a rude comment about her. Curly black lines spilled out from her eyes just before tears spilled out as well. She ran and ducked into a dressing room sobbing silently.
"Boy, I missed how dramatic teenage girls could be." Logan said trying to cover up his true feelings.
"I will handle it."
"'Ro…"
"Yes Logan?"
"Third door from the right."
"Thank you."
Ororo entered the dressing room and was startled to find that the mirrors seemed to be clouded with black smoke. However, she didn't let that distract her.
"What is wrong child?"
"Nothing." She said wiping her face on her sleeve.
"Do not let ignorant people get to you."
"But it wasn't just that… You should have seen how they looked at me. The disgust they felt toward us." She realized that the attention wasn't the only thing she had picked up on.
"Is that all?" She smiled, "I know you must be confused, and even a bit scared. But it is completely normal for you. It is your mutation."
"My mutation?"
"Yes child. You are an empath. You can feel what others are feeling, and apparently markings show up on your face as well."
"My face?" She turned to the now clear mirror and watched as the markings slowly melted away. "I hate myself." she whispered. " I'm so fat…And ugly."
Ororo looked at her with a stern face. "No you are not. Do not ever say that…We should be heading home soon."
"Okay 'Ro."
They walked out of the dressing rooms and didn't make it more than five feet when Logan pulled Lizette aside.
"You want to change?" His gruff voice scared her.
"Yes." Her reply was almost inaudible.
"It won't be easy. Are ya sure?"
"Yes."
"We start tomorrow at 5am."
Ever since that day Logan made her suffer by giving her two hour training sessions twice a day.
------o((x))o------
The whistling of the tea kettle cleared Ororo's mind. She poured herself and Lizette a cup.
"I almost forgot."
"What?"
"You are seventeen today?"
"Oh. That. Yeah… But to me it's just another Tuesday."
"I have a surprise for you in the bread box."
She turned to the box to find that it was filled with a plate of walnut, fudge brownies.
"You deserve to be spoiled every now and then."
"Thank you 'Ro. I don't know what to say."
She just smiled in response when Lizette took a big bite out of one of the brownies.
------o((x))o------
Logan walked into the kitchen and up to Lizette. Once there he gave her a sniff.
"How many?"
"Uh…One?"
"How many?" His voice was deeper now.
She sighed and finally gave in. "Three."
"You know what this means, right kid?"
"That you'll take pity on me and won't give me extra hours?" She said a smile.
"Guess again, Liz."
"Don't call me that!"
"Fine, Zette." He smiled at how cute she looked when she got mad. She reminded him of Rogue. Only this girl was not as dominant as the other one. "oh and I have some news." Ororo turned this time paying more attention. "We're movin' to New York."
"Huh?" Zette was a little confused.
"Yeah…There's this boarding school over there. You'll like it. There's a whole bunch a kids your age."
"Sounds cool, Logan."
"Wait…What?"
"Sounds good?"
"I didn't expect you to be taking it this well."
"Why not? I really don't have much of a life here anyway." She flinched a bit when Ororo put her hands on her shoulders.
"I believe a change shall be good for all of us."