(A/N: Just a couple shout outs:
Willowmaven: I was also always amazed when they let Jubilee leave the mansion on a mission. Like they would flip flop between her being 'a kid', and being part of the team, with no real justification for why they suddenly changed their minds. The only episode I liked that was about Jubilee, was that one where those kids were caught in the caves, and it was collapsing or something. So Jubilee told them a 'fairy tale' to keep them calm, and it was all about how she was like Robin Hood, and Wolverine was this ogre-monster who was like her slave. And she like saved Gambits life or something, and it was REALLY cheesy. But you had to laugh at how she was blatantly putting herself in the spotlight. Oh man, now everyone is going to think I'm crazy or something…
Wizardess Gal: You should wear that gold star with pride! Unless you go in public… Then you should just hold it in your hand… but do it with pride!
Wiccamage: Oh man, I love your reviews so much! Like everything you said about all my chapters, especially the earlier ones, was/is going through my head. You made me feel less crazy. P.S. I went back and 'altered' the whole falling to her knees thing, I completely agree with you, I was trying to show how it was getting to her, and I do think that was an exaggeration. I also went back and I think I fixed up all the diner/dinner problems. Thanks again for all your input
MeowzKatz: At least I'm not the only weirdo who sees Wayne and Garth every time I read a flashback XD
Ok, that's enough of that, on with the show…)
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Chapter 10
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Rogue leaned against her locker. She glanced down the hallway to see Jubilee at her open locker, talking to Kitty about something. She was to far away to hear what they were talking sbout, but Rogue knew it was about her. Just by the way Kitty kept nervously glancing over to where Rogue was standing, never making eye contact, but knowing she was there. Jubilee looked in the direction Kitty kept glancing, and saw Rogue. Jubilee's face became an expression that can best be described as nothing. It didn't show anger, or fear, either of which Rogue would have rather been faced with.
Rogue had had an unofficial falling out with almost everyone at the mansion. It was hard for her to explain, even to herself, but she just felt farther away from them than usual. She just kept thinking about how no one had shown any interest in her, unless it was for some gossip. She knew none of them hated her, and that she did mean something to them, but every time her mind was quiet enough for her to think about anything, it went back to the fact that no one had even asked her what her name was.
Rogue gave Jubilee a weak smile. Jubilee returned the gesture and then quickly returned her interest back to her locker. Rogue sighed, 'Its not there fault, I know they care. They were just giving me my distance, a distance they thought I wanted.' Jubilee shut her locker, revealing Bobby leaning against the lockers on the other side of her. He was wearing sunglasses, and Rogue laughed to herself, 'I didn't hit him THAT hard. He can't still have a black eye, can he?' but her smile faded as she remembered the confrontation they had had.
'He didn't deserve that… none of them deserved to be yelled at the way I yelled at them.' She frowned as she looked down at her feet as the three other mutants left walking together. 'Maybe I should apologize or something…' Rogue felt some anger build up, 'Apologize for what? For standing up for myself, they should apologize to me!' The anger subsided, 'But they did apologize. And I told them it wasn't good enough… I'll talk to them later.'
Rogue heard the warning bell ring; it was time to get to fourth period. She rolled her eyes as soon as she realized she had French next. 'Great, just who I needed to talk to…' She had said it in her head with heavy sarcasm, but in reality, she did want to talk to him.
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Rogue drummed her fingers on her desk as she nervously looked up to the clock above the door. 'He's late…' the late bell had rung almost ten minutes ago, and Gambit was nowhere to be seen. Rogue stared at the second hand on the clock. Normally, when she stared at the clock, time went slower, but at this moment, it seemed to speed past her. She frowned inwardly. She had wanted time to slow down. She had wanted more time, more time for him to come into the class. But with each tic of the second hand, she lost more and more hope of seeing him. 'Why do I even care?' Rogue scolded herself, but her eyes remained on the clock. 'I just had a question or two to ask him, I don't want to TALK to him or anything… do I?' Rogue continued to stare up at the clock. It had now been fifteen minutes sense the late bell had rung. 'Maybe, maybe he was being genuine when we talked… Maybe he had meant what he said…' The words rang fresh in her mind 'Because someone should…' Rogue felt her teeth clench together as she thought about that night on the roof. 'He's just an arrogant jerk!' her jaw loosened, 'But he asked…'
"Rogue?" a stern voice broke through Rogue's inner thoughts as she noticed the teacher, along with the class was starring at her. "Rogue will you read the next section?"
"I a…" Rogue grabbed her book from off the floor, and opened it almost randomly. She flipped from page to page. "Um… what page are we on?"
"You would know if you were paying any attention."
"I was just-"
"You didn't even have your book out."
"But I was listening-"
"Then what were we just discussing?" the teacher put her hands on her hips as the whole class seemed to turn to face Rogue. She searched her thoughts for any words or terms she might have over heard the teacher talking about.
"Well…" Rogue started to 'explain' her self, when suddenly everyone turned to the door in the front of the classroom. Gambit had entered the room, and was making his way to his desk.
"Mr. LeBeau just what do you think you are doing this late into class?" The teacher, along with the whole class, pealed their eyes off of Rogue, and plastered them onto the Cajun.
Rogue felt a sudden wave of relief. She was no longer in the spot light. She also felt a little relief from seeing him there. She felt a smile come to her lips, before quickly hid it behind her hands until it soon disappeared.
Gambit shrugged his shoulders as he continued past the teacher's desk towards the far back of the classroom.
"Excuse me, I asked you a question LeBeau! Do you have a note? Or a pass?"
Gambit exhaled while slightly rolling his eyes and then nodded.
"Well what is your excuse?" The teacher had taken her hands off her hips for only a moment using her arms in a large swooping motion to show her frustration. Soon enough, they had returned firmly to her hips as she took a few steps towards Gambit.
Gambit almost rolled his eyes again, but settled for an audible sigh. He closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again and looking strait at the teacher, "Its personal." He said it calmly, and with his eyes pleaded for her to leave it at that.
The anger in the teacher's eyes softened as she lightly nodded. "Well sit down and try to follow in the lesson. We are on page 142…" she trailed off as she turned to write something onto the board.
Gambit turned around and continued towards his desk. He smirked inwardly at how easily the teacher had dropped it. His smirk became visible on his face as he made eye contact with Rogue.
Rogue felt herself avert her eyes as Gambit passed her desk, but she could still see his smile. 'See he is just messing with your head. Don't read into things Rogue.'
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Gambit sat down in his seat. He stared at the girl in front of him. He smiled to himself. His hands found their way into his pockets, and his smile soon faded as his left hand traced over the plastic cover of his cell phone. 'What could he want with Gambit now?' he thought to himself as he recalled the conversation he had just had minutes ago. 'Another heist maybe?' he shook his head lightly. 'Well there is no point fretting over it. Be seeing him in an hour or so to find out…' Gambit looked up at the clock. 'Have to leave during lunch… probably be gone for the rest of the day…' He shrugged his shoulders.
'Should have just left, shouldn't have even bothered coming to this class at all.' But Gambit knew why he hadn't just left school all together. He knew why he had decided to go to this class before he left. And the reason was sitting two seats in front of him.
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The bell rang and Rogue turned to pick up all her books and papers. 'Finally, lunch.' She thought as she stood up. Gambit was sitting on the windowsill to her left. For some reason she wasn't too surprised by his sudden appearance. His legs swung lightly under him as he looked at her with a slight smirk.
"What do YOU want?" she said the words harshly, not expecting an answer as she started to walk past him. Gambit picked his feet up and put them on the desk in front of him, blocking her path. His smirk became larger as he saw he begin to get angry.
"Just saying hello, chere." He said as he adjusted his feet on the desk, putting one ankle over the other.
"Well there, you said it, now let me go to lunch."
"You don't really want Remy to leave you alone."
"Oh so now your back to calling yourself Remy?"
"Well we are at school chere. But you can call me Gambit, or Remy, or Cajun or any other pet name your little heart desires." He gave her a wink, and she couldn't help but laugh.
"I don't call you pet names." She thought for a second, and with out noticing herself do it, she put her books down on the desk "But I could think of a few good ones…"
"Like what?"
Rogue grinned a little. "Oh I don't know… the word 'Jerk' comes to mind."
Remy laughed. "Oh chere, that hurts…" he covered his heart with both hands. Rogue laughed at him, as she slowly leaned against the windowsill.
There was a moment of silence between the two of them. 'Just ask him now! Just say 'I think we should talk' its not that hard.' Rogue told herself, but couldn't bring herself to say it. 'You want to know what he meant, if he was being genuine. Just ask him now!' Rogue took a deep breath, and was about to say something when Remy cut her off.
"I think we need to talk…" He looked right in front of him when he said it, but saw that she nodded. "But not now."
"Why not? Its lunch, we got time."
"You might chere, but this homme has got places to go. Wait in the court yard after school ok?" he turned to face her. "I'll be back by then." Rogue nodded as he stood up. He took her hand and helped her off of her seat. Remy then picked up her books and handed them to her. "See you then chere." He gave a light mock solute as he turned to leave the room. She blinked, and then he was gone.
Rogue stood there a moment, thankful that the room had been empty. She let out a sigh, clearing her head for the task at hand. Right now, she had to go apologize to a certain black eyed mutant. She shuddered, thinking of the word, 'Not apologize, express regret, I'm going to go express regret to Bobby'
She walked out the door and to her locker. 'This is going to be hard…' she thought as she put in her combo, 'And Bobby isn't going to make it any easier…' after opening her locker, she put her books in and shut it. She started to walk towards the cafeteria.
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Rogue walked up behind Kitty at her lunch table. She was sitting with Kurt, Bobby and Jubilee. Some other kids from the institute were a little farther down the table. Rogue took a deep breath. "Hey…" she said it softly, but Kitty had heard. She turned around to see Rogue, and immediately smiled.
"Oh my god! I'm so glad we are on speaking terms again!" Kitty jumped up from the table to hug Rogue who flinched away from the girl, but soon embraced her back.
"Yeah about that…" Rogue pulled away from Kitty. Kitty's smile faded as she prepared herself to be yelled at. "I'm sorry about Saturday…"
Kitty's smile returned, "Oh its ok Rogue, we totally deserved it."
"What's that I heard?" Bobby turned in his seat to face the two girls standing up behind him. "Did the almighty Rogue just say 'I'm sorry?'" He smiled as he went to lift his sun glasses to see her expression better, but then stopped, remembering what he was hiding.
"Yeah I did, and if you want to rub it in some more I'll give you a matching pair of black eyes." She raised her hand and shook her fist at him. She started to laugh, trying to ease the obvious panic in Bobby, who wasn't sure if she was joking or not. He laughed in return, and soon Jubilee, Kurt and Kitty joined in.
Kitty sat back down, and Rogue sat down next to Kurt. "I'm so glad you guys aren't mad at me…"
"Us mad at you?" Bobby asked with obvious sarcasm, "Who could possibly be mad at you?" He smiled as he gestured to his sunglasses
"Oh shut up! I didn't hit you that hard." Kitty and Jubilee started laughing.
"Yeah," Kurt butted in, "for being a walking ice pack you sure take a long time to heal." Everyone started laughing, and slowly broke up into separate conversations.
Kurt turned to Rogue. "I missed you on the ride to school, who took you?"
Rogue looked up to Kurt. "Oh, I didn't want to really ride down with Kitty while we were still mad at each other. Storm gave me a ride, said it was on her way or something, I was just going to walk otherwise."
"Oh, ok." Kurt responded with genuine understanding. "But you'll get a ride with Scott after school today right? You can see me beat Kitty to the front seat. With out a witness to see me win, there's hardly a point."
"Yeah sure… oh wait…" Rogue looked away from Kurt. She was going to wait for Remy after school.
"What is it?" Kurt looked at her curiously.
"I ah… um…" she stalled trying to think of something. "I ah… I have to see this teacher after school. My French teacher said she wanted to see me at the end of school."
"You get detention or something?" he asked seeming disappointed.
"No."
"Well it can't take that long, I'll make Scott wait for you."
"No! ah… I have to make up a quiz, so it might be a while. Don't have Scott wait up for me."
"You sure?" His eyes seemed to beg her to say 'I'm just kidding, I'll be there.' But she didn't.
"Yeah I'm sure," She smiled reassuringly, "I'll just walk home or something. Or I'll call the institute when I'm done."
"Ok… I guess." Kurt's eyes fell to the table before jumping back to Rogue's, "But if Kitty says she got to the front seat first she will be lying, you'll just have to believe me."
Rogue laughed, "I know you'll beat her," she laughed a little harder. "But don't get to full of your self, the second you get cocky, that's when she'll beat you."
"She can't beat me-"
"Don't say that, you'll jinx it!" both of them started laughing, when the bell cut them off.
"Ok, well, I'll see you back at the mansion."
"Yeah, you'll have to tell me all about your victory."
"Ok."
"What victory?" Kitty asked as she stood up. Rogue just looked at Kurt, and they both started laughing
"Nothing Kitty, I got to go, see you guys later." Rogue waved as she left the cafeteria.
"What were you guys talking about?" Kitty looked to Kurt, who just smiled. "Oh! Well, I'm totally going to beat you today."
"We'll see Kitty, we'll see." Kurt said as he stood up and walked with her out of the cafeteria.
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Rogue leaned against the brick wall of the school in the courtyard. All day she had been planning in her head what she was going to say to him, what needed to be said. She had only been waiting for ten minutes, but it felt like she had been there all day. 'He's making a habit of being late…' she thought as she pushed off of the wall and made her way out of the courtyard. 'What are you doing, go back there, you have to wait for him.' But Rogue kept walking away. 'No I don't, this is ridiculous… I'm not going to wait for him.'
Rogue looked over the parking lot; half of her had expected Kurt to be waving from Scott's front seat. But the other half knew they wouldn't have waited. It looked vacant, with the exception of a few cars scattered in the teacher's parking lot. Rogue sighed, 'You can still go back. Its not to late.' But it was too late; her pride alone would not have let her turn around. She sighed again.
Rogue walked to the sidewalk leading away from the school. 'Just what I wanted to do, walk home again.' It would take her half an hour to get home from here. 'Might as well start.' She followed the sidewalk leading her to the institute.
Rogue had been walking a few minutes when she heard a loud noise behind her. It sounded like a motor; she turned to see a motorcycle coming over the horizon. 'No,' she thought, 'it can't be… Oh my god it is!' She recognized that figure on the bike coming towards her. The trench coat flapping gallantly behind him in the wind gave him away.
Rogue turned to face the other way. She kept walking as she heard the revving getting closer and closer. 'Don't look at him!' she told herself. Then suddenly the noise stopped. Rogue stopped walking for a second, but then continued away from him with out turning around.
"Where you going? You said you would wait for Gambit?" Rogue could see out of the corner of her eye that gambit was sitting on the bike and pushing it along side of her with his legs, like a small kid with a tricycle. She tried hard not to laugh at how goofy he seemed walking the motorcycle on the shoulder of the road.
"I did wait." Rogue continued walking, never turning to look at him.
"How long did you wait? Five minutes? That's not fair-"
"For your information I waited ten minutes for you in the courtyard-" but she was cut off.
"Oh No! Ten Minutes?!" he seemed to shout with sarcasm, "Some body call Ripley's!"
"Oh shut up!" Rogue stopped walking and turned to face him. "It doesn't matter how long! … Where were you anyway?"
"Chere, like Remy told the teacher, its personal."
Rogue paused as she studied his eyes. His image inducer was off. "What? Did Magneto pull you out of school to get him some coffee or something?"
Remy laughed, "Like I would get him coffee…" he said it under his breath. "No chere, it had nothing to do with old bucket head."
Rogue smiled uneasily. She had almost forgot that Gambit worked for Magneto. "Then why did you leave school?"
"It's a long story chere, a story we don't have time for." He slid foreword on the bike a little and patted the space behind him. "Come on, you'll get home quicker."
"I am NOT getting on that thing, at least not with you driving. And what do you mean we don't have time?"
Gambit looked up at her from where he sat on the bike. "Got to go take care of something. But trust me chere, it is very important. Remy wouldn't have made you wait if it wasn't."
Rogue saw that genuine look in his eyes again, a look that made her want to trust him. "I'm still not getting on that bike."
Remy smiled and then laughed, "Remy is a very careful driver."
"With the way you came screaming over that hill over there," she pointed behind them to where he had come over the horizon, "I highly doubt that."
Remy began to smirk, "Well if you're to scared chere…"
"I'm not scared of you!"
"No, its ok Rogue, you don't have to lie to me, Remy won't hold it against you…"
Rogue took a deep breath as if she was about to start yelling at him, but then just exhaled it. "I'm not scared of you, and I'll prove it." Rogue got on the back of the bike, keeping a distance between her and Remy. "Hey where are the seat belts on these things?"
"Right here chere." Gambit reached for her hands and pulled them around him tightly. He laughed as she immediately pulled them back.
"Don't do that!"
"Well you asked where the seat belts were…"
Rogue took another deep breath. She then scooted forward in the seat and put her arms around him loosely. "Just shut up and drive."
"You got to hold on tighter than that…"
"Just shut up and drive!" she shouted as she pulled herself a little closer and held him a little tighter.
Remy laughed over the engine revving. Soon he pulled them onto the main road. "See chere, Remy ain't so bad."
"What did I say about the shutting up?" Suddenly Remy pulled the front half of the bike into the air. Rogue muffled a scream into his back as she began to hold him very tight.
Remy Laughed, feeling her squeeze him, and let the bike down from the wheelie.
"Don't you EVER do that again!" Rogue shouted over the noise of the motor and Remy's laughing.
"You don't trust Remy?" but he didn't hear any answer. He assumed she didn't hear him over the motor. He turned his head a little and said back to her, "You don't trust Remy?"
Rogue had heard him the first time, and was fighting with herself to decide on an answer. Of course she didn't trust him. Or did she? She wouldn't have gotten on the bike if she didn't, and she definitely wouldn't have lied to Kurt about staying late to see him. But he was still Gambit; he still worked for Magneto, "Well not after that I don't"
"Ah! So you DID trust Remy!" Remy pulled the bike into another wheelie and he felt her press against his back.
"Stop that! And that's not what I meant!" she yelled up to him over the roar of the motor. She started to laugh. "I said stop that!"
He heard her laughing, "You trust me…"
"How can you be so sure?"
"You're having fun."
"Doesn't mean I trust you."
Remy set the front of the bike down again. "Yeah it does."
"No it doesn't."
"It does."
"It doesn't"
"Does"
"Doesn't" Rogue couldn't help but laugh at how childish they were both acting.
"You're laughing."
"At you."
"You're still laughing."
"Just shut up and drive." Rogue smiled, shut her eyes, and laid her head against his back.
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Rogue opened her eyes and notice they were getting close to the institute. She frowned as she picked her head up off of Remy's back.
"Were almost there." Remy called over his shoulder.
"I know." She said it with a little sadness in her voice, but Remy didn't hear her say anything.
Remy pulled the bike to a stop about fifty feet away from the front gate. "Sorry chere, ride stops here, you probably shouldn't be seen getting off my bike."
She nodded as she slowly removed her arms and stood up.
"See you tonight."
"What?"
"We still need to talk chere, Remy will see you tonight on your roof, only this time how about you don't fall off?" Remy revved the bike back on, and then pulled out as he turned around and came back past her heading in the other direction. "Oh, and don't bring that Wolverine of yours." With that he raised his hand to her jaw line. He ran his thumb over her cheek. "See you then chere." He let go and drove off.
Rogue stood their a moment longer before turning to head towards the front gates. She held a hand up to her cheek and smiled. Then she laughed as she dropped her hand, 'What makes him think I wouldn't tell the professor that he is coming, and set a trap or something?' then she smiled, 'Because he trusts me…'
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(A/N: Ok, lots of Romy in there for you. See, I wouldn't let yo down! ^_^
Oh, I bet your dieing to know where Gambit went? I mean I COULD give you another multiple choice question, but… I think if I did, it would be too obvious. So I can't. Sorry. I can only give SO much lol
Ok, I'm trying to be subtle about this, and I wonder if you guys even noticed. But incase you didn't, I'm slowly having Gambit say words like "I, Me, My, ect. ect." Because when ever I watched the old cartoon, and read the comics, He talked in the Third person in battle, and when ever he first met someone, or when ever he was showing off… ok let me phrase this differently. After a while, whenever he was with Rogue, and they were alone, he would talk with "I, Me, My ect. ect." All the other times it was in third person. And because they are getting closer, I'm having him talk less and less in the third person. I don't know, what do you guys think about that? Make sense?
Ok, on a more serious note:
I have a problem. I have the next chapter all written, but something about it is bothering me. I think I maybe rushed the plot line a little, I don't know for sure, maybe that, or maybe I just made a stupid plot ^_^
Anyway my point is, I would really appreciate it if one or two of you wanted to help me by kind of beta testing the chapter. I don't want to just put it up, because if I did screw up, I don't want EVERYONE to read it while its all bad. I like the pot I have; I just don't think I presented it to well.
Anyway, if your interested put your e-mail in a review I guess. I have a few people in particular I really hope want to help me out, like Wiccamage. Everything you said in your reviews made a lot of sense to me, and most of what you said was going through my head when I wrote the parts. But regardless, anyone can help.
Ok thanks everyone!
Willowmaven: I was also always amazed when they let Jubilee leave the mansion on a mission. Like they would flip flop between her being 'a kid', and being part of the team, with no real justification for why they suddenly changed their minds. The only episode I liked that was about Jubilee, was that one where those kids were caught in the caves, and it was collapsing or something. So Jubilee told them a 'fairy tale' to keep them calm, and it was all about how she was like Robin Hood, and Wolverine was this ogre-monster who was like her slave. And she like saved Gambits life or something, and it was REALLY cheesy. But you had to laugh at how she was blatantly putting herself in the spotlight. Oh man, now everyone is going to think I'm crazy or something…
Wizardess Gal: You should wear that gold star with pride! Unless you go in public… Then you should just hold it in your hand… but do it with pride!
Wiccamage: Oh man, I love your reviews so much! Like everything you said about all my chapters, especially the earlier ones, was/is going through my head. You made me feel less crazy. P.S. I went back and 'altered' the whole falling to her knees thing, I completely agree with you, I was trying to show how it was getting to her, and I do think that was an exaggeration. I also went back and I think I fixed up all the diner/dinner problems. Thanks again for all your input
MeowzKatz: At least I'm not the only weirdo who sees Wayne and Garth every time I read a flashback XD
Ok, that's enough of that, on with the show…)
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Chapter 10
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Rogue leaned against her locker. She glanced down the hallway to see Jubilee at her open locker, talking to Kitty about something. She was to far away to hear what they were talking sbout, but Rogue knew it was about her. Just by the way Kitty kept nervously glancing over to where Rogue was standing, never making eye contact, but knowing she was there. Jubilee looked in the direction Kitty kept glancing, and saw Rogue. Jubilee's face became an expression that can best be described as nothing. It didn't show anger, or fear, either of which Rogue would have rather been faced with.
Rogue had had an unofficial falling out with almost everyone at the mansion. It was hard for her to explain, even to herself, but she just felt farther away from them than usual. She just kept thinking about how no one had shown any interest in her, unless it was for some gossip. She knew none of them hated her, and that she did mean something to them, but every time her mind was quiet enough for her to think about anything, it went back to the fact that no one had even asked her what her name was.
Rogue gave Jubilee a weak smile. Jubilee returned the gesture and then quickly returned her interest back to her locker. Rogue sighed, 'Its not there fault, I know they care. They were just giving me my distance, a distance they thought I wanted.' Jubilee shut her locker, revealing Bobby leaning against the lockers on the other side of her. He was wearing sunglasses, and Rogue laughed to herself, 'I didn't hit him THAT hard. He can't still have a black eye, can he?' but her smile faded as she remembered the confrontation they had had.
'He didn't deserve that… none of them deserved to be yelled at the way I yelled at them.' She frowned as she looked down at her feet as the three other mutants left walking together. 'Maybe I should apologize or something…' Rogue felt some anger build up, 'Apologize for what? For standing up for myself, they should apologize to me!' The anger subsided, 'But they did apologize. And I told them it wasn't good enough… I'll talk to them later.'
Rogue heard the warning bell ring; it was time to get to fourth period. She rolled her eyes as soon as she realized she had French next. 'Great, just who I needed to talk to…' She had said it in her head with heavy sarcasm, but in reality, she did want to talk to him.
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Rogue drummed her fingers on her desk as she nervously looked up to the clock above the door. 'He's late…' the late bell had rung almost ten minutes ago, and Gambit was nowhere to be seen. Rogue stared at the second hand on the clock. Normally, when she stared at the clock, time went slower, but at this moment, it seemed to speed past her. She frowned inwardly. She had wanted time to slow down. She had wanted more time, more time for him to come into the class. But with each tic of the second hand, she lost more and more hope of seeing him. 'Why do I even care?' Rogue scolded herself, but her eyes remained on the clock. 'I just had a question or two to ask him, I don't want to TALK to him or anything… do I?' Rogue continued to stare up at the clock. It had now been fifteen minutes sense the late bell had rung. 'Maybe, maybe he was being genuine when we talked… Maybe he had meant what he said…' The words rang fresh in her mind 'Because someone should…' Rogue felt her teeth clench together as she thought about that night on the roof. 'He's just an arrogant jerk!' her jaw loosened, 'But he asked…'
"Rogue?" a stern voice broke through Rogue's inner thoughts as she noticed the teacher, along with the class was starring at her. "Rogue will you read the next section?"
"I a…" Rogue grabbed her book from off the floor, and opened it almost randomly. She flipped from page to page. "Um… what page are we on?"
"You would know if you were paying any attention."
"I was just-"
"You didn't even have your book out."
"But I was listening-"
"Then what were we just discussing?" the teacher put her hands on her hips as the whole class seemed to turn to face Rogue. She searched her thoughts for any words or terms she might have over heard the teacher talking about.
"Well…" Rogue started to 'explain' her self, when suddenly everyone turned to the door in the front of the classroom. Gambit had entered the room, and was making his way to his desk.
"Mr. LeBeau just what do you think you are doing this late into class?" The teacher, along with the whole class, pealed their eyes off of Rogue, and plastered them onto the Cajun.
Rogue felt a sudden wave of relief. She was no longer in the spot light. She also felt a little relief from seeing him there. She felt a smile come to her lips, before quickly hid it behind her hands until it soon disappeared.
Gambit shrugged his shoulders as he continued past the teacher's desk towards the far back of the classroom.
"Excuse me, I asked you a question LeBeau! Do you have a note? Or a pass?"
Gambit exhaled while slightly rolling his eyes and then nodded.
"Well what is your excuse?" The teacher had taken her hands off her hips for only a moment using her arms in a large swooping motion to show her frustration. Soon enough, they had returned firmly to her hips as she took a few steps towards Gambit.
Gambit almost rolled his eyes again, but settled for an audible sigh. He closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again and looking strait at the teacher, "Its personal." He said it calmly, and with his eyes pleaded for her to leave it at that.
The anger in the teacher's eyes softened as she lightly nodded. "Well sit down and try to follow in the lesson. We are on page 142…" she trailed off as she turned to write something onto the board.
Gambit turned around and continued towards his desk. He smirked inwardly at how easily the teacher had dropped it. His smirk became visible on his face as he made eye contact with Rogue.
Rogue felt herself avert her eyes as Gambit passed her desk, but she could still see his smile. 'See he is just messing with your head. Don't read into things Rogue.'
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Gambit sat down in his seat. He stared at the girl in front of him. He smiled to himself. His hands found their way into his pockets, and his smile soon faded as his left hand traced over the plastic cover of his cell phone. 'What could he want with Gambit now?' he thought to himself as he recalled the conversation he had just had minutes ago. 'Another heist maybe?' he shook his head lightly. 'Well there is no point fretting over it. Be seeing him in an hour or so to find out…' Gambit looked up at the clock. 'Have to leave during lunch… probably be gone for the rest of the day…' He shrugged his shoulders.
'Should have just left, shouldn't have even bothered coming to this class at all.' But Gambit knew why he hadn't just left school all together. He knew why he had decided to go to this class before he left. And the reason was sitting two seats in front of him.
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The bell rang and Rogue turned to pick up all her books and papers. 'Finally, lunch.' She thought as she stood up. Gambit was sitting on the windowsill to her left. For some reason she wasn't too surprised by his sudden appearance. His legs swung lightly under him as he looked at her with a slight smirk.
"What do YOU want?" she said the words harshly, not expecting an answer as she started to walk past him. Gambit picked his feet up and put them on the desk in front of him, blocking her path. His smirk became larger as he saw he begin to get angry.
"Just saying hello, chere." He said as he adjusted his feet on the desk, putting one ankle over the other.
"Well there, you said it, now let me go to lunch."
"You don't really want Remy to leave you alone."
"Oh so now your back to calling yourself Remy?"
"Well we are at school chere. But you can call me Gambit, or Remy, or Cajun or any other pet name your little heart desires." He gave her a wink, and she couldn't help but laugh.
"I don't call you pet names." She thought for a second, and with out noticing herself do it, she put her books down on the desk "But I could think of a few good ones…"
"Like what?"
Rogue grinned a little. "Oh I don't know… the word 'Jerk' comes to mind."
Remy laughed. "Oh chere, that hurts…" he covered his heart with both hands. Rogue laughed at him, as she slowly leaned against the windowsill.
There was a moment of silence between the two of them. 'Just ask him now! Just say 'I think we should talk' its not that hard.' Rogue told herself, but couldn't bring herself to say it. 'You want to know what he meant, if he was being genuine. Just ask him now!' Rogue took a deep breath, and was about to say something when Remy cut her off.
"I think we need to talk…" He looked right in front of him when he said it, but saw that she nodded. "But not now."
"Why not? Its lunch, we got time."
"You might chere, but this homme has got places to go. Wait in the court yard after school ok?" he turned to face her. "I'll be back by then." Rogue nodded as he stood up. He took her hand and helped her off of her seat. Remy then picked up her books and handed them to her. "See you then chere." He gave a light mock solute as he turned to leave the room. She blinked, and then he was gone.
Rogue stood there a moment, thankful that the room had been empty. She let out a sigh, clearing her head for the task at hand. Right now, she had to go apologize to a certain black eyed mutant. She shuddered, thinking of the word, 'Not apologize, express regret, I'm going to go express regret to Bobby'
She walked out the door and to her locker. 'This is going to be hard…' she thought as she put in her combo, 'And Bobby isn't going to make it any easier…' after opening her locker, she put her books in and shut it. She started to walk towards the cafeteria.
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Rogue walked up behind Kitty at her lunch table. She was sitting with Kurt, Bobby and Jubilee. Some other kids from the institute were a little farther down the table. Rogue took a deep breath. "Hey…" she said it softly, but Kitty had heard. She turned around to see Rogue, and immediately smiled.
"Oh my god! I'm so glad we are on speaking terms again!" Kitty jumped up from the table to hug Rogue who flinched away from the girl, but soon embraced her back.
"Yeah about that…" Rogue pulled away from Kitty. Kitty's smile faded as she prepared herself to be yelled at. "I'm sorry about Saturday…"
Kitty's smile returned, "Oh its ok Rogue, we totally deserved it."
"What's that I heard?" Bobby turned in his seat to face the two girls standing up behind him. "Did the almighty Rogue just say 'I'm sorry?'" He smiled as he went to lift his sun glasses to see her expression better, but then stopped, remembering what he was hiding.
"Yeah I did, and if you want to rub it in some more I'll give you a matching pair of black eyes." She raised her hand and shook her fist at him. She started to laugh, trying to ease the obvious panic in Bobby, who wasn't sure if she was joking or not. He laughed in return, and soon Jubilee, Kurt and Kitty joined in.
Kitty sat back down, and Rogue sat down next to Kurt. "I'm so glad you guys aren't mad at me…"
"Us mad at you?" Bobby asked with obvious sarcasm, "Who could possibly be mad at you?" He smiled as he gestured to his sunglasses
"Oh shut up! I didn't hit you that hard." Kitty and Jubilee started laughing.
"Yeah," Kurt butted in, "for being a walking ice pack you sure take a long time to heal." Everyone started laughing, and slowly broke up into separate conversations.
Kurt turned to Rogue. "I missed you on the ride to school, who took you?"
Rogue looked up to Kurt. "Oh, I didn't want to really ride down with Kitty while we were still mad at each other. Storm gave me a ride, said it was on her way or something, I was just going to walk otherwise."
"Oh, ok." Kurt responded with genuine understanding. "But you'll get a ride with Scott after school today right? You can see me beat Kitty to the front seat. With out a witness to see me win, there's hardly a point."
"Yeah sure… oh wait…" Rogue looked away from Kurt. She was going to wait for Remy after school.
"What is it?" Kurt looked at her curiously.
"I ah… um…" she stalled trying to think of something. "I ah… I have to see this teacher after school. My French teacher said she wanted to see me at the end of school."
"You get detention or something?" he asked seeming disappointed.
"No."
"Well it can't take that long, I'll make Scott wait for you."
"No! ah… I have to make up a quiz, so it might be a while. Don't have Scott wait up for me."
"You sure?" His eyes seemed to beg her to say 'I'm just kidding, I'll be there.' But she didn't.
"Yeah I'm sure," She smiled reassuringly, "I'll just walk home or something. Or I'll call the institute when I'm done."
"Ok… I guess." Kurt's eyes fell to the table before jumping back to Rogue's, "But if Kitty says she got to the front seat first she will be lying, you'll just have to believe me."
Rogue laughed, "I know you'll beat her," she laughed a little harder. "But don't get to full of your self, the second you get cocky, that's when she'll beat you."
"She can't beat me-"
"Don't say that, you'll jinx it!" both of them started laughing, when the bell cut them off.
"Ok, well, I'll see you back at the mansion."
"Yeah, you'll have to tell me all about your victory."
"Ok."
"What victory?" Kitty asked as she stood up. Rogue just looked at Kurt, and they both started laughing
"Nothing Kitty, I got to go, see you guys later." Rogue waved as she left the cafeteria.
"What were you guys talking about?" Kitty looked to Kurt, who just smiled. "Oh! Well, I'm totally going to beat you today."
"We'll see Kitty, we'll see." Kurt said as he stood up and walked with her out of the cafeteria.
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Rogue leaned against the brick wall of the school in the courtyard. All day she had been planning in her head what she was going to say to him, what needed to be said. She had only been waiting for ten minutes, but it felt like she had been there all day. 'He's making a habit of being late…' she thought as she pushed off of the wall and made her way out of the courtyard. 'What are you doing, go back there, you have to wait for him.' But Rogue kept walking away. 'No I don't, this is ridiculous… I'm not going to wait for him.'
Rogue looked over the parking lot; half of her had expected Kurt to be waving from Scott's front seat. But the other half knew they wouldn't have waited. It looked vacant, with the exception of a few cars scattered in the teacher's parking lot. Rogue sighed, 'You can still go back. Its not to late.' But it was too late; her pride alone would not have let her turn around. She sighed again.
Rogue walked to the sidewalk leading away from the school. 'Just what I wanted to do, walk home again.' It would take her half an hour to get home from here. 'Might as well start.' She followed the sidewalk leading her to the institute.
Rogue had been walking a few minutes when she heard a loud noise behind her. It sounded like a motor; she turned to see a motorcycle coming over the horizon. 'No,' she thought, 'it can't be… Oh my god it is!' She recognized that figure on the bike coming towards her. The trench coat flapping gallantly behind him in the wind gave him away.
Rogue turned to face the other way. She kept walking as she heard the revving getting closer and closer. 'Don't look at him!' she told herself. Then suddenly the noise stopped. Rogue stopped walking for a second, but then continued away from him with out turning around.
"Where you going? You said you would wait for Gambit?" Rogue could see out of the corner of her eye that gambit was sitting on the bike and pushing it along side of her with his legs, like a small kid with a tricycle. She tried hard not to laugh at how goofy he seemed walking the motorcycle on the shoulder of the road.
"I did wait." Rogue continued walking, never turning to look at him.
"How long did you wait? Five minutes? That's not fair-"
"For your information I waited ten minutes for you in the courtyard-" but she was cut off.
"Oh No! Ten Minutes?!" he seemed to shout with sarcasm, "Some body call Ripley's!"
"Oh shut up!" Rogue stopped walking and turned to face him. "It doesn't matter how long! … Where were you anyway?"
"Chere, like Remy told the teacher, its personal."
Rogue paused as she studied his eyes. His image inducer was off. "What? Did Magneto pull you out of school to get him some coffee or something?"
Remy laughed, "Like I would get him coffee…" he said it under his breath. "No chere, it had nothing to do with old bucket head."
Rogue smiled uneasily. She had almost forgot that Gambit worked for Magneto. "Then why did you leave school?"
"It's a long story chere, a story we don't have time for." He slid foreword on the bike a little and patted the space behind him. "Come on, you'll get home quicker."
"I am NOT getting on that thing, at least not with you driving. And what do you mean we don't have time?"
Gambit looked up at her from where he sat on the bike. "Got to go take care of something. But trust me chere, it is very important. Remy wouldn't have made you wait if it wasn't."
Rogue saw that genuine look in his eyes again, a look that made her want to trust him. "I'm still not getting on that bike."
Remy smiled and then laughed, "Remy is a very careful driver."
"With the way you came screaming over that hill over there," she pointed behind them to where he had come over the horizon, "I highly doubt that."
Remy began to smirk, "Well if you're to scared chere…"
"I'm not scared of you!"
"No, its ok Rogue, you don't have to lie to me, Remy won't hold it against you…"
Rogue took a deep breath as if she was about to start yelling at him, but then just exhaled it. "I'm not scared of you, and I'll prove it." Rogue got on the back of the bike, keeping a distance between her and Remy. "Hey where are the seat belts on these things?"
"Right here chere." Gambit reached for her hands and pulled them around him tightly. He laughed as she immediately pulled them back.
"Don't do that!"
"Well you asked where the seat belts were…"
Rogue took another deep breath. She then scooted forward in the seat and put her arms around him loosely. "Just shut up and drive."
"You got to hold on tighter than that…"
"Just shut up and drive!" she shouted as she pulled herself a little closer and held him a little tighter.
Remy laughed over the engine revving. Soon he pulled them onto the main road. "See chere, Remy ain't so bad."
"What did I say about the shutting up?" Suddenly Remy pulled the front half of the bike into the air. Rogue muffled a scream into his back as she began to hold him very tight.
Remy Laughed, feeling her squeeze him, and let the bike down from the wheelie.
"Don't you EVER do that again!" Rogue shouted over the noise of the motor and Remy's laughing.
"You don't trust Remy?" but he didn't hear any answer. He assumed she didn't hear him over the motor. He turned his head a little and said back to her, "You don't trust Remy?"
Rogue had heard him the first time, and was fighting with herself to decide on an answer. Of course she didn't trust him. Or did she? She wouldn't have gotten on the bike if she didn't, and she definitely wouldn't have lied to Kurt about staying late to see him. But he was still Gambit; he still worked for Magneto, "Well not after that I don't"
"Ah! So you DID trust Remy!" Remy pulled the bike into another wheelie and he felt her press against his back.
"Stop that! And that's not what I meant!" she yelled up to him over the roar of the motor. She started to laugh. "I said stop that!"
He heard her laughing, "You trust me…"
"How can you be so sure?"
"You're having fun."
"Doesn't mean I trust you."
Remy set the front of the bike down again. "Yeah it does."
"No it doesn't."
"It does."
"It doesn't"
"Does"
"Doesn't" Rogue couldn't help but laugh at how childish they were both acting.
"You're laughing."
"At you."
"You're still laughing."
"Just shut up and drive." Rogue smiled, shut her eyes, and laid her head against his back.
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Rogue opened her eyes and notice they were getting close to the institute. She frowned as she picked her head up off of Remy's back.
"Were almost there." Remy called over his shoulder.
"I know." She said it with a little sadness in her voice, but Remy didn't hear her say anything.
Remy pulled the bike to a stop about fifty feet away from the front gate. "Sorry chere, ride stops here, you probably shouldn't be seen getting off my bike."
She nodded as she slowly removed her arms and stood up.
"See you tonight."
"What?"
"We still need to talk chere, Remy will see you tonight on your roof, only this time how about you don't fall off?" Remy revved the bike back on, and then pulled out as he turned around and came back past her heading in the other direction. "Oh, and don't bring that Wolverine of yours." With that he raised his hand to her jaw line. He ran his thumb over her cheek. "See you then chere." He let go and drove off.
Rogue stood their a moment longer before turning to head towards the front gates. She held a hand up to her cheek and smiled. Then she laughed as she dropped her hand, 'What makes him think I wouldn't tell the professor that he is coming, and set a trap or something?' then she smiled, 'Because he trusts me…'
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(A/N: Ok, lots of Romy in there for you. See, I wouldn't let yo down! ^_^
Oh, I bet your dieing to know where Gambit went? I mean I COULD give you another multiple choice question, but… I think if I did, it would be too obvious. So I can't. Sorry. I can only give SO much lol
Ok, I'm trying to be subtle about this, and I wonder if you guys even noticed. But incase you didn't, I'm slowly having Gambit say words like "I, Me, My, ect. ect." Because when ever I watched the old cartoon, and read the comics, He talked in the Third person in battle, and when ever he first met someone, or when ever he was showing off… ok let me phrase this differently. After a while, whenever he was with Rogue, and they were alone, he would talk with "I, Me, My ect. ect." All the other times it was in third person. And because they are getting closer, I'm having him talk less and less in the third person. I don't know, what do you guys think about that? Make sense?
Ok, on a more serious note:
I have a problem. I have the next chapter all written, but something about it is bothering me. I think I maybe rushed the plot line a little, I don't know for sure, maybe that, or maybe I just made a stupid plot ^_^
Anyway my point is, I would really appreciate it if one or two of you wanted to help me by kind of beta testing the chapter. I don't want to just put it up, because if I did screw up, I don't want EVERYONE to read it while its all bad. I like the pot I have; I just don't think I presented it to well.
Anyway, if your interested put your e-mail in a review I guess. I have a few people in particular I really hope want to help me out, like Wiccamage. Everything you said in your reviews made a lot of sense to me, and most of what you said was going through my head when I wrote the parts. But regardless, anyone can help.
Ok thanks everyone!