7
Mend
Monday quickly came for Jadyn. She woke early, her subconscious probably alerting her to the time. She was excited about her first day teaching. She was convinced that it was going to be very fun, if not rewarding. The night before she had gone over Hank's notes so many times that she believed that she would be able to lecture the particular chapter they were due to start on that day in her sleep. She knew that within a week she would probably be back to her old self, whining about how she needed more sleep and how she wanted to stay in, but for the moment she was a big ball of energy.
She bounded to her closet and dug through it, trying to find the perfect outfit for her first day of class. She hadn't bought that many clothes that looked particularly "teacherly" but then again she supposed what she wore didn't matter much at this school - - within reason of course. She frowned as she scanned her small assortment. She would definitely have to make another trip back to the mall after her first paycheck. A moment later she pulled out a pair of dark, faded looking jeans and the blue and red striped top she had had so much trouble getting.
It's the one Kurt liked. She thought after examining the shirt. The thought of the German made her a little sad. She had not seen him since their encounter in the kitchen a few night's before. She had been very worried about him when he seemed to disappear off the face of the earth, but then she heard from some of the students that he was teaching his classes regularly and seemed to be fine. She decided that she shouldn't search him out. She didn't know whether he was avoiding her or if there were other circumstances.
Everything had been going so well…
She slipped on her clothes and went over to the vanity where she sat down and started brushing her thick violet hair. It was hard to believe that just a week before she had been a completely normal young woman attending the university in New York City, and now she would be teaching at one of he most prestigious schools in this universe. At least in her opinion. She held great pride in the fact she was now going to be a part of this.
Still… She felt awful about what had taken place between her and Kurt. Although he reassured her that she had not hurt his feelings she was afraid that she had offended him in some way. She had not meant to, in fact she had not meant to sound the way she did. If only she could have explained further… But then what about that look in his eyes and what he had said to her?
His voice still rang clear through her head. Hope lies in the hearts of people like you. Had he meant what he said, and what exactly did he mean? Jadyn could never see herself as the kind of person that statement was implying. She wanted to be, but she had to admit honestly to herself that she would never be like that. She wasn't a strong individual and she couldn't see herself affecting anyone's life in such a way.
- X -
There was only one person still in the kitchen when Jadyn arrived. Sitting at the corner table was Piotr Rasputin, his eyes narrowed in concentration. A sketch pad lay before him. She smiled upon seeing him. "Hi, Piotr."
He looked up and returned the smile, "hello, Miss Griffin."
"Call me Jadyn." She said, moving around to the refrigerator. She pulled out the orange juice and began pouring herself a glass. "I've been meaning to ask you something since we got here, but I haven't run into you, can I go ahead?"
"Yes, sure." He said, placing his pencil down and turning to her.
"Are you still a student here?" It wasn't a very important question, but she had always been curious.
"I graduated two years ago." He said, "and then I stayed around to help tutor some of the younger students. They always need help around here. Not to mention other things."
"You mean the X-Men?"
"Yes."
"Are you one of them?" She asked.
He smiled cryptically.
"Fine," she sighed, "how old are you?"
"Twenty." He responded.
"Oh!" Jadyn couldn't contain her surprise. He was only one year younger than she was. She raised an eyebrow in thought. Hmm… He was very attractive, smart, good personality, and artistic to boot. She had no clue why Mica would not want to date him. She could maybe understand about her just getting out of a relationship, but still… guys like him didn't show up that often. Of course, things like that always hung on the other person, but she didn't see why Mica wasn't even considering it.
"Did you think I was older, or younger?" He asked, amused at her reaction.
"To tell the truth I really didn't know." She replied, sitting down opposite of him. She had made herself some S'Mores Poptarts and began to demolish them in her routine way. "Do you paint, also?" She indicate the drawing book.
"Oh, that. Yes, I do. I have not had much time lately for it, and I am running out of room for them. I have a few hung up, but most of them are covered in my closet."
"Have you thought of selling them?" She asked, pretty much knowing what the answer would be. She was right.
"No." He answered. "I think I will hold on to them for a bit longer, until I know exactly what to do with them. Lately I have been using my time to do pencil drawings of the areas around the school and some classmates." He laughed. "I have quite a few pictures of Kitty, Jubilee and Rogue. I guess they like being an artist's 'models'."
Jadyn smiled at that. "I bet." She glanced up at the clock, "Oh, snickers bars! I'm late!" She cried, jumping up and quickly depositing her trash before heading to the door. "Thanks for talkin' t'me, Piotr. I'll see ya around."
"Yes." He shook his head, laughing. He thought it very entertaining that a teacher would nearly miss her own class.
- X -
Jadyn's first class would be Biology I with some of the younger students in the school. Mica had been enrolled in the class, too, so she could receive grades for her transcript. Apparently the Professor was making her earn new grades, which Jadyn found especially humorous considering that mica had only squeaked by her senior year. Maybe this time she would try a little bit harder. From what Jadyn had heard Mica's schedule was enviable. Biology I, German I, and then Debate with none other than Logan.
Now that was something Jadyn had to see, Wolverine teaching a class. Actually Wolverine just putting up with that many teenagers without threatening murder was feat enough.
As she entered the classroom she looked around. None of the students had arrived yet so she took the chance to unload her papers from her folder and lay them on the desk beside the computer. She smiled to herself in an almost giddy manner and then went to write her name on the board. It was so strange to her that she had to step back and appraise it:
Miss Griffin
"Wow…" She grinned. With that finished she rounded the desk and sat down on top of it, crossing her legs beneath her. Now all she had to do was wait for her first victims to arrive. She felt like she should laugh maniacally or something and make it official. Jadyn, former student, finally crosses that line and becomes the enemy. Dun--Dun--Dun! A teacher! Gasp!
As the students began to file in she had to smile at the way they would turn to each other and speak quickly. Usually this would worry her extremely and she would consider that they were talking about her badly, but in this case she could see they were excited and restless, much like herself. She couldn't wait to officially introduce herself to everybody.
A moment later the bell rang, alerting everyone that they should be all be in their proper places. Jadyn jumped off the desk in one quick move, landing gracefully on the floor. There were a few oohs and aahs before she quieted them down again. "My name is Jadyn Griffin, I will be taking over for Professor McCoy for the rest of this semester, maybe longer." She smiled, "I'm gonna bypass the whole newbie speech and get down to business. I'll call roll and how about you tell me one thing about yourself, that way we'll get to know each other."
She began and things were going pretty well until she reached an all too familiar name. "Griffin, Mica?" When there was no answer she looked up and frowned. Where the hell is she? Dammit, Mica. I know you were on time for Hank… Mica had started her classes the week before. "Excuse me." She said sharply, turning to go in the office behind her.
She dialed the number to Xavier's office. She did not think he had a class this block, at least she hoped she would not be disturbing him. Of course, she could have just called out with her mind and he would have probably heard it, but this was easier. "Charles Xavier." His voice came over the line.
"Professor, I have a problem. I seem to have lost my sister."
There was a short pause before Xavier replied, "give her thirty seconds."
"Yes, sir. Thank you."
Jadyn hung up, then returned to the room and resumed her roll call. She had only gotten through one name when the door burst open and a panting Mica hurried in.
"I am so sorry, sister, but I overslept and …"
"You're late." Jadyn said flatly. "You can take a tardy if you wish."
At this Mica's mouth dropped open. "You're kidding!" Jadyn shook her head. "That's wrong!"
"You're late." Jadyn repeated simply. "Next time you will be on time for my class."
- X -
"I still can't believe you gave me a tardy." Mica whined as she and Jadyn made their way down the hallway. It was Jadyn's planning period so she decided to walk her younger sister to her next class.
"I'm sorry about that," Jadyn apologized seriously, "but I didn't want any of them to think that I was a pushover or that I was giving you special treatment. The rest of the semester will go by more smoothly if they know I mean what I say. What better way to prove that than punish my own flesh and blood."
"Ah…. Sacrifices." Mica joked, but she was smiling. She had been more than just annoyed when Jadyn had seemed so cool in handing out her judgment, but she guessed the excuse made sense. "Show no fear, right, sis?"
"Right." She grinned and they turned into the room. She jerked back as she nearly ran head long into someone. "Oh, I'm so sorry."
"It is all right."
Jadyn froze. Duh, Mica's next class was German. She wanted to go hide… She wished to speak to Kurt, but she didn't want to have to face him until later when she was prepared and she had just blown her choices. Show no fear. She thought wryly. "Um. Ku- - Mr. Wagner." She addressed in a professional manner, and he smiled. He saw right through her. Damn.
"To anyone who has not heard of our newest teacher, I would like to introduce you to Miss Griffin." He announced to the rest of the room. Class hadn't begun yet, but the students seemed to be well behaved and attentive. "Perhaps you might join us for a lesson, Fraulein."
"I- - Uh, I dunno. I don't know German very well, actually at all," she stammered nervously, "I am afraid I would not be able to follow the class."
"Do not worry." He assured, "it will not be a complete nightmare. I will go easy on them today, that way you will understand. But only if you stay."
Dozens of excited voices came at once asking her to stay. Kurt just smiled that smile of his and she shook her head, forgetting a moment her awkwardness due to their last conversation. He knew exactly how to get what he wanted. "All right. I will stay. Point me to a seat, Herr Wagner, and I will listen."
Jadyn took a seat at the back so she wouldn't be a distraction for the class. She got out a pad of paper so she could begin making plans for her own class; ideas for field trips and such. As Kurt's class progressed she found herself forgetting about her own work and concentrating on his lesson. She didn't understand much of it as she said she would happen, but that didn't stop her from hanging on every word. He had a wonderful way of keeping the kids interested by mixing his humor with his teaching. He was a natural.
The bell rang and he dismissed the class, giving a quick homework assignment. Mica raced for the door from her seat, clutching her books against her. "Hey! Where are you going?" Jadyn called after her.
Mica stopped only briefly, "I'm eating lunch with Kitty. Sorry Jadyn, gotta go." She winked at her sister and threw a quick glance back at Kurt before disappearing. Jadyn glared. Mica was purposely leaving her alone with him. She was going to kill her when she got out of there.
"It looks like it is just you and me." Kurt said with a smile. It was obvious that he didn't know just how worried she had been about what happened between them. Well, that or he was ignoring it.
"Yeah." Jadyn said. "I guess it is."
"This is about the other night." He said, his features melting into seriousness. Jadyn just nodded, not knowing what to say about it. "Let me see, you have not seen me for the last couple days so you figure you either offended me or I was too upset to talk to you again."
"No…" She stammered, "nothing like that I- -"
He gave her a look, "which one?"
"The first one." She said miserably.
"I told you that what you said did not hurt me." He insisted, and if she hadn't "known" him the way she did then she would have believed him. She knew that it probably did hurt him in one or another, whether it be directly because of her words or the fact that they had to worry about things like that in the first place. She knew he hurt, but he was the kind of person who would suffer a bleeding heart before bringing anyone else into his pain. That was one of the things she had always loved about him, and was always annoyed by. Not like she had any right to judge that; she was the same way about most things.
"I know." She replied, "I just felt really bad about it. I was concerned for you, you left in such a hurry and I didn't know if you were still feeling bad. I wanted to finish what I was saying. Make sure you completely understood what I was getting at. I don't want you to think that things like that matter to me. Because they don't." She sighed, "people are so stupid. I mean, I don't understand why some consider themselves better than others. I went through high school and was lucky to avoid both the limelight of being popular and the shadow of being an outcast. I've never really known what it's like to be … special, and frankly I'm scared."
Jadyn wrung her hands nervously, and met his eyes before continuing. "I am so scared, and it's just not for my sister. Some of 'humanity' is cruel, and when it comes to people like us, people who are not easy to understand or accept, it's even more cruel. They see things they don't want, or don't like, things that scare them, and all they want to do is destroy. I just don't understand it." She shook her head and once again she found her emotions threatening her usually calm composure.
"It is okay, Jadyn." He said, reaching to touch her shoulder, but she wasn't finished.
"No! It is not okay." She pulled away. "I have to tell you this, I don't know why, but I do. Ever since the first time I saw you, you have amazed me. You intrigue the hell outta me. All I had ever wanted to do was meet you, and when I finally get the chance, this stupendous, unbelievable, wonderful, chance I go and fuck it up by saying the wrong thing, and just when we had started to be friends. When you left me like that I felt this wrenching inside, like I had done one of the most horrible things imaginable. I can't stand the thought of hurting you, Kurt, I just can't. I've always cared for you, and I probably always will, so if I ever say anything like that again please know that I don't mean it in a way that was meant to harm you. It is just my awful tact. Do you forgive me?"
He smiled softly, "of course. I was not ever mad at you, but if you insist on hearing it," - - Jadyn nodded - - " then, I forgive you."
Jadyn was so happy to hear it that she wrapped her arms around his neck, embracing him tightly. It took him a second to get over the initial shock, but he returned the gesture. Almost immediately Jadyn began making a small whimpering noise and he drew back to look at her. "Hey, what's wrong? Are you - - you are crying! You were really upset about that, weren't you?"
She wiped away the tears from her eyes. "Yeah."
He shook his head almost in amusement. "From now on do not get too worried about things like that." He said, then slipped an arm around her narrow shoulders. "How about we go to lunch. I will even pay." He grinned.
She gave him a look. "This is a school, we don't have to pay for lunch."
"Well, then all the better," he commented, guiding her to the door, "you will not have to pay me back."
She laughed, tears forgotten. "You're a nut." He only smiled as he switched off the lights, bathing the classroom in darkness, then closing the door behind them.
Well? U like? Hope so, Angel & I sure are. Altho' for the last few days my writing companion has been MIA. Oh well. I'll have to send out my hunting dogs. (Blake Shelton's "Ole Red" starts playing in the background.) Anyway, the story rolls on.
Next Chapter: Manifestations Jadyn is suddenly struck with her active power. Some Piotr/Mica flirting. And personal questions. Yowzas. Cya in a few days.
Once again, thanks to everyone reviewing. Its nice to know people are interested in our hard work.