Behind the Mask

Author: Illusen

Chapter 3: Bitter

Annabelle sat in her room and looked trough the windows at the sun set. A soft knock interrupted her. "Who the heck could be?" she said annoyed, she wanted to be alone but answered.

"Com' in." Her sister came in and said 'Hi' to her but Anna didn't feel like answering. "What's happening with you?" Mina continued. Anna turned and looked at her.

"Why do y'pretend carin'?" she said coldly.

"Anna, I care!" Mina said looking hurt at her sister.

"Good, thanks for the concern, y'can go now."

"Where did you get so bitter?" Mina asked looking in Annabelle's eyes.

"Two years on the street doesn't make good to a child. It doesn't have good influence."

"I didn't want you to go!"

"But y'did somethin' to stop it?" Mina looked away. "Of cours' not. But don't worry, sis', I don't blame you." Mina looked at her. Annabelle turned and stared at the window again. "If that's all y'had to say, y'can go now." Mina left and shut the door loudly after her. Anna only looked trough the window. The sun was set now and the darkness surrounded the Xavier estate and the whole Bayville. After fifteen minutes another knock came at her door. She turned around annoyed and shouted "What?". Logan entered and raised an eyebrow at her.

"What's up with you?" Annabelle looked annoyed at him, why the heck didn't they leave her alone?

"Is there a purpose for your presence here, Logan?" she asked.

"You know, you're the first who tells me Logan around here besides Scott. The others just prefer to tell me Mr. Logan or Wolverine." he answered. She looked at him strangely. That's why he came to her, to talk about names? "But, anyway, since you're bitchin' around with everybody Charles decided send me to tell you to come down to dinner."

"And since when do y'make this kind of job?"
"Tell me kid, wasn't that my role to be depressed and all?"

"Well, what about y'go and enjoy your pathetic littl' life and leave me the heck alone with my problems and depressions? Was I clear?" Logan felt angry, he had to do something about her attitude.

"Downstairs, to dinner, now!" he said angry. Annabelle looked surprised at him.

"And y'think that that littl' angry tone of yours can make me come down? Logan, y'can beat me up to death, but I wouldn't go. I really don't want too see all 'friendly' faces while I'm eatin'." Logan breathed calming himself.

"Have it your way, kid. If you don't come now to dinner you'll find much more chores on your chores list for the whole month." Annabelle was about to say something but Logan continued. "Did I forgot to mention the extra Danger Room session for the next two months? Sorry, count those too!" Annabelle looked amazed at him.

"Why, why... that's blackmail!" she succeeded to say.

"Get over it." Logan said and opened the door. Anna looked at him stubbornly and left angry, with her arms folded and fuming. She entered in the dining room with Logan in her back. She didn't know why, but she had the impression that he was smiling in her back. The others looked at her surprised. "What?" she snapped and sat down. Between Logan and Ororo!!! Professor Xavier broke the silence.

"Glad that you could join us." Anna said something under her breath but nobody seemed to hear. With anger she took the spoon and dug in whatever that was in her plate.

"What is this, anyway?" she asked as the others stopped and looked at her strangely once again.

"Smashed potatoes." Rogue answered.

"Kitty's job." she thought as she put some into her mouth and quickly said that she needs some water.

Next day, Bayville High

Anna rushed to take her books because it was one more minute and the class would have started. But the damn locker didn't open. Still fighting with the locker she felt someone tipping her back. She turned around to see stupid Mathews smiling at her.

"What on Earth do y'want, Dork-an?" she asked annoyed.

"You know what I think?" he asked ignoring her comments.

"Y'actually think?" she said feigning a look of amazement. He looked at her but still ignored her and continued.

"I think that you like me." he said with a smile. Anna looked at him. How incredibly stupid could he be? And then the answer came to her, he was a jock, he could be very stupid. And for a moment she thought that he and Jean make the perfect match. But she smiled.

"Is that so?" she asked. He nodded. So Anna took the Coke that she was holding and had planned to drink it until she got to class, and spilled it right in his head. "Better use." she muttered, spun around and walked away. The students that were passing by couldn't help but laugh at the sight of Duncan with Coke dripping from his hair.

Annabelle didn't walk right home when she got away from school. She was so sick of all pretending to care for her and sick of Logan talking hours about her attitude. So she decided to go to the mall and buy something. Big surprise was when she met Dean and Mina, hand in hand, kissing each other on the stairs. But she thought that they deserve ach other. Mina was the ultimate good girl and Dean, oh, well was the ultimate good boy. So she rushed before they can see her but unfortunately, she wasn't that lucky. She turned around and waited for her sister to come. "And I thought she was upset." she thought. Mina came over, dean looking a little strange, probably because of the little fight that they had, finished with a sweet little bruise on his perfect face. Did she said perfect? No, she meant stupid.

"Hey, sis. What are you doing?" Mina asked brightly.

"It's obvious." she said arranging her white tank top. White? Why did she dress in white? And white ¾ pants? What was on her mind?

"I thought that you'd be home."

"Nah, I didn't want to see all friendly faces all over the place." she explained. "But I think I wasn't lucky enough." she added pointing out Dean, who looked at her.

"Oh, him?" Mina said smiling. Annabelle raised an eyebrow and didn't take her eyes of him. She was near to burst into laugh seeing his face. "Nah," Mina added "he had a bad day at school." Dean nodded.

"Yeah, sure..."

"Talking about you two," Mina added, both looked at her, "why did you punch him yesterday?" Annabelle turned her eyes from Mina to Dean and he did the same.

"He offended me." Annabelle lied. "He asked me why I am being a bitch with you?" she added. He looked at her. How good could she lie? Because if he wasn't the person who knew the true reasons he could have sweared that she was telling the truth. And Mina was buying it.

"Honey, thanks for the concern but you don't need to say something ugly about my sister." Mina said in a reproachful tone.

"I..." he began but Annabelle interrupted.

"Don't worry, 'honey', I forgive you."

"Good, then we are all set. Please don't throw death glares when you're around each other." Dean smiled at her then at Annabelle and extended his hand. "Friends." Anna looked at him and then at his hand but accepted it. "Friends." she repeated with a meaningful tone. Mina smiled. "Then, see you home, sis."

"Yeah, y'll see me." she said. Dean looked over his shoulder at her. What was one her mind? Annabelle caught that look and suddenly realized something. Why was she so nice? Why did she lie? Oh, no, I have to become my old bitchy self again, she said and walked away.

A.N.: Hello people, I finally update. I wasn't lazy, believe me, just that I'm publishing a site and heck, I have to check lots of things that couldn't work. HTML is not an easy language and Java Script less. But anyway, personally I like this chapter, had it in mind. It didn't has action in it but what can I say, I just wanted to make Anna more bitchy. BTW, I'm making a new history for her. Her parents sent her in New Orleans while they were in Miami so that's why I made the accent. I just love people with accent and Cajun accent is my ,Remy,cough. You understand, I'm a girl :). So, I talk a lot but only now cause usually I'm soooooooooooo quiet that my parents get scared.

Oh, anyway, let's pretend that the accent was there all the time. But she doesn't say things in french, maybe chere or something appropriate but nothing else.