Clara kicked her locker, frustrated. Just what she needed- to be late on her first day.
The stuck door refused to budge, and Clara slammed her fist against it. Just at that moment, a gloved hand pounded next to hers, right above the lock. Clara heard a click, and the door eased open.
Looking up, Clara saw a girl with white streaks in her hair smiling at her surprised expression.
"I figured you could use some help," the girl explained with a light Southern drawl. "My friend had this locker a few weeks ago, before he got it changed. See, you have to hit it in two places. Here to shift the door's position," she pointed to a dent where Clara's hand had been, "and here, to drop the lock into place." She indicated where her hand had been.
"Thanks," Clara said quietly.
The girl extended her hand in greeting, and said, "Friends call me Rogue. And you?" Clara firmly shook the gloved hand, and said, "Clara."
Rogue continued talking as Clara deposited those books she didn't need for morning classes.
"So, you have the room next to mine, huh? I saw you coming in last night."
Clara straightened up and asked, "How'd you know? I thought every one was asleep by then."
Rogue grinned. "Let's just say I have a few friends who need to be stopped by more than doors and walls."
Clara closed the locker door (which was more easily done than opening it), and remarked, "That sounds interesting. Can they, like, walk through walls or see through wood or something?"
"You could say that. So, uh..." Rogue hesitated, lowering her voice to a murmur "you are different too, right? I mean, I would assume, considering the state you were in last night."
"Different...yeah, you could say that," Clara replied. Her eyes glanced around the hallway, trying to figure out which way would lead her to her first class quickest.
"Well, then we will say that," Rogue confirmed.
The first bell rang, and Clara jumped. She still had two and a half minutes to get to class, but she had no clue where it was. Seeing Clara's anxiety, Rogue offered her help.
"You look more nervous than a jackrabbit. Where you headed?"
Clara checked her schedule and said, "Sociology."
Rogue nodded, and scanned the crowd of students. Picking out who she was looking for, she hailed over a boy passing by, and introduced Clara.
"Hey Kurt," she said as the boy approached, "this here is my friend Clara, she's got Sociology with you now. Be a doll and show her the way?"
"Sure," he said, with an accent Clara couldn't place. He glanced from Rogue to Clara and back, then said, hesitantly, "Is she...er...you know...?"
Rogue nodded, and Kurt grinned. Rogue was a fairly good judge of character, and if she would refer to her as a friend, well, she must be okay.
"Just one question, Clara, before you go," Rogue asked, "what, uh, what exactly is your power?"
"Excuse me?" Clara blinked.
"You know, your...your mutant power," Kurt clarified. The two gazed intently at her, and she floundered.
"I...I don't really like to talk about it. And, um, I'd like to get to class at least on time, what with it being my first day and all, so, uh, can we...?"
"Sure, sure. When you're ready," Kurt said. Both turned to go, but Kurt lingered with Rogue for a moment. They exchanged a grin, and Rogue whispered, "Denial."
"Yeah, but she's cool. See you around," he said, then turned to help Clara find her first class.
Rogue smiled. She knew what it was like to be a runaway, what it was like to need friends. Maybe she could help.