Author's Note: Well, I finally got a review! Hopefully some more people who tolerate OC fics will review.
Reviews:
Crimson Lipstick: Thanks you for the advice. I did change my summary, and hopefully that will draw more people in. Also, I will try my best not to make Carmen a Mary Sue (believe me, I've made one before and the reviews were not pretty), and to put more movie characters in. And not to make my story so predictable.
Disclaimer: I only own the plot and my original characters.
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"Wake up, Tonya!" Carmen urged, shaking her roommate. "I'm already dressed for school and you're still in bed!"
"Lemm mmmehhh ahhhlone wolhyah," Tonya mumbled, pulling her blanket over her head.
"Come again?"
"Leave me alone, will ya?" she said sleepily.
"Hmm…no," Carmen replied, turning into a wolf and yanking Tonya's pajama pant leg.
"Shit!" she yelled as Carmen literally pulled her out of bed.
Carmen, still a brown wolf, rolled over in silent laughter as she watched her friend try to untangle herself from the sheets wrapped around her legs.
"You're worse then Luke!" Tonya exclaimed, while phasing through the sheets. Carmen just gave Tonya a wolfish grin and pranced out the door, dodging a thrown shoe as she went.
Carmen had been at the Institute for about a month now. She made a lot of friends, but the three that she really hung out with was Luke, Tonya, and Jubilee. Well, Rayne too, but she was a year younger, and most of the time Carmen only saw her during training.
However, even around them, she couldn't really talk to them about things deeper then music, school, or what they want their professions to be after high school.
Carmen was okay with that, though. That emptiness hadn't gotten any different for a few years now. She was used to it. She brought it onto herself.
She hardened herself so she wouldn't be ridiculed, like when her old "friends" would make fun of her, or misunderstand her for talking about things like supernatural powers, psychic phenomenon, and tarot cards.
Her new friends were more open then she was, so she was kind of glad that they'd rather talk about themselves then wanting to know about her past. That's how Carmen saw how absolutely gaga Luke was over Jubilee. It was quite funny, though, and Jubilee seemed to tolerate it well. However, sometimes he would go too far, and would end up with a sore arm.
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"Hey Larka. Where's Spectre?" Luke asked the wolf-Carmen as she walked by his room. Carmen paused for a minute, her brown eyes blank with concentration. She turned back into a human.
"Hey, getting better at your werewolf stuff."
"Thanks," Carmen said. "And Tonya is still in her room. I had to drag her out of bed. Literally. God, she's worse then my sister!"
"Figures. Hey, are you going down to breakfast?" Luke asked. "I'll go with you if you are. Jubilee already left."
"Okay," Carmen said, shrugging. As they walked down the hallway to the kitchen, chatting, Carmen couldn't help but think of how cute Luke was, like she usually did when she was alone with Luke. She mentally shook her head.
It's just another fling, Carmen told herself. You've been through this before. You'll get over it.
She could hear Luke asking something as she wrestled with this annoying feeling.
"Huh? Oh, sorry. I was spacing out," she said, her voice growing deeper, as it always did when she talked to a guy she liked. Damn, I need to stop doing that…
"I asked if you heard about the new kid that's going to be here today," Luke said.
"Uh, yeah, I think so. Dan or Dave or something like that," she said as they entered the kitchen.
"I heard he's from Hong Kong," Luke said, putting emphasis on the city that was half a world away.
"Really? Wow, now that's a plane ride…"
"Hey Jay…hey Larka," Jubilee said, walking over to the two of them. She was holding a bowl of cereal. Luke's eyes were instantly glued onto her as she smiled. Carmen, who was standing a little behind him, jabbed a thumb toward him and mouthed How do you put up with him? at Jubilee. Grinning, she flicked her nose knowingly at Carmen. Seeing Jubilee's odd reply, Luke glanced at Carmen.
"Am I missing something?" he demanded.
"No," Jubilee and Carmen said at the same time. Then they burst out laughing. They laughed even harder at seeing Luke's bewildered face.
"You guys were making fun of me, weren't you?" he accused, glaring at the two girls who were overcome with giggles.
"Yes Jay. We were making fun of you," Jubilee said seriously, trying to keep a straight face. Just then, Tonya walked in with Rogue and Bobby.
"Hey, did I hear that we're making fun of Jay again?" Tonya asked. "Awesome! Count me in!" Luke pretended to look hurt.
"Why does everyone have to pick on me?" he whined.
"Probably 'cause you are the best person to pick on," Rogue suggested, shrugging.
"Oh, thanks," Luke said sarcastically. "All I need now is an award…"
"How about a celebration?" Jubilee asked, grinning mischievously. She raised her hand, sending sparks into the air and letting it rain down on a very disgruntled-looking Luke.
"Whoopee," Luke said in a monotone as everyone else laughed.
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"Everyone, please welcome our new student, Daniel Conner. He has just moved to Bayville from Hong Kong, China," Storm told the class, introducing a serious-looking teen with light brown hair.
A couple of the kids waved, but most nodded their heads in acknowledgement.
"Daniel, you can sit in the empty seat by Josh," Storm said nodding toward a black-haired boy in the back row. The newcomer silently walked toward his seat and sat down.
"Alright, I need a volunteer to show Mr. Conner around," Storm said. Jubilee's hand shot up.
"I will, Mrs. Monroe," she said. Carmen saw Tonya roll her eyes. She smiled. Jubilee was so friendly with absolutely everyone.
"Thank you Jubilee," Storm told her, smiling.
"You are very welcome," Jubilee said in a sickly sweet voice. Carmen, Luke and Tonya each had to choke down a laugh. Storm caught the mockery in Jubilee's voice and raised an eyebrow warningly.
After classes, instead of walking with Carmen, Luke, and Tonya, she walked with Dan and chatted with him most of the day. Carmen could see a sliver of jealousy in Luke's eyes, but she knew that Jubilee would 'come back' to him.
For some reason, though, Carmen felt a little happy that Jubilee was more preoccupied with this Dan guy then Luke. She felt a little guilty too, however, because she knew that Luke like Jubilee, not her. Well, he did like her, but just as a friend.
At dinner, when the four of them biked over to a nearby McDonalds, Jubilee looked really thoughtful, and was unusually quiet.
"Hey, Jubi, what's up?" Luke asked.
"Nothin'," she replied, almost hesitantly. "Just thinking about our science test tomorrow."
"Yeah, I'm not so crazy about it either," Luke said. "I mean, do any of you know what the heck a 'halogen' is...?"
She laughed, but Carmen noticed a sliver of doubt as Jubilee watched Luke go on and on about the science test.
"So, are you all going to the Halloween dance at the Community Center next Saturday?" Carmen asked.
"Yeah," they all chorused.
"Luke is probably going to be something stupid…again," Jubilee said, grinning.
"I was never anything stupid!" Luke argued.
"Oh yeah, that cross-dresser costume was really attractive," Jubilee said sarcastically. Carmen snorted in laughter.
"Okay, that was one year…"
"Oh, did I forget to mention the gorilla, 'really buff' Superman, Giant Baby, -oh yeah!- and The Three Stooges with Iceman and Pyro last year."
Luke glared at her as Carmen and Tonya giggled uncontrollably.
"You guys are evil," he muttered, slumping in his seat.
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Author's Note: Okay, this chapter was mostly torturing Luke, but it's fun torturing characters!
Crystal: That's not nice!
Me: Crystal?!?! What are you doing here??? I didn't invite you!
Crystal: I don't care that you didn't invite me. I can come into any of you stories, 'cause I'm your muse.
Me: Harrumph. Fine.
Crystal: I'm glad you approve…(to readers) Hi peoples. I'm Crystal from one of Pisces411's other stories, a story in which she's supposed to be making a sequel…(glares at author)
Me: (sticks out tongue)
Crystal: (rolls eyes) You are so immature.