(Blue and Yellow by The Used plays on the radio)
"And it's all in how you mix the two
And it starts just where the light exists
It's a feeling that you cannot miss
And it burns a hole
Through everyone that feels it"
Lorna sat curled up on her bed. A stack of compiled notebooks and make up work was shoved to corner. She stared at her cell phone on the night stand, plugged in the charger. The phone. The simple phone, and a simple phone call, and she could back. Back before being hated, before being violent, before being a home wrecker, before being a troublemaker with the likes of Tabs, go back before she really felt like a mutant.
On the other hand the return home wouldn't be easy. The registration riots were erupting all over. It wouldn't be the same. She couldn't blend in with the chosen freaks with dyed hair and body piercings anymore , she would be seen as mutant. And a failure. Prep school drop-out. Her Aunt and Uncle would die of a disappointment, and most of all wouldn't understand her having any conflict with people. How did their 'sweet Lorna' get to be so tattered and tainted?
'Home is none existent. I'm supposed to fit in here.' She felt the first craving for acceptance she had in the past month. Totally screwing over your roommate, slashing miss popular, and hanging out with the school hemorrhoid (Tabs), fitting in was not an option. With that in mind, she grabbed the phone. She dialed. And halted right before pressing send.
Her eyes gripped the screen with the 10 digit number. The blue light faded.
The door to the room opened, Rogue came in, Lorna pretended to not to notice, pretended to focus on her phone. She pressed clear and dialed the number again, more slowly. She listened to Rogue's movements and absorbed what she saw out of the corner of her eye. Rogue fumbling through a purse or bag. Nothing was being said and Lorna expected her to leave soon, in fact she awaited it anxiously. She licked her lips, and didn't hear any more movement from Rogue. She flashed her eyes in her direction. 'Oh shit. She's staring right at meeee' Lorna's insides contracted and heart was beating so fast she could feel it in her throat. 'Go away, please go' she felt a spasm coming on.
Lorna looked over once again. This time with eye contact. She gave her a questioning look. Rogue immediately snapped in speech, which made Lorna's heart jump.
"Wow. You don't even have the decency to give me a proper apology." Her southern accent was so vivid that Lorna would giggle under any other circumstances.
Lorna did feel like apologizing. But thrown into this she felt threatened and defensive. "Apologize for what?" she was half stunned she had the nerve to say that.
Rogue's eye's bulged out of their sockets. Her mouth hung open.
"You're a SLUT!"
That being the first time anyone's ever directed that insult at her, she snapped right back. "You want ME to apologize?! Apologize for what? Because your boyfriend wanted me, oh I'm sorry, but it's not like he can touch you." Lorna raised her voice and spoke with bitter sarcasm. She became so engrossed in energy that sub-consciously her spheres (that'd she practice levitating daily) in the corner of the room rose up and orbited one another. "How's that for an apology." Her eyes glowed mildly.
Rogue caught sight of that, and immediately her tone changed. It was more serious than offensive now. "I'm sorry." She nodded, like she had to shake that out of her.
"me too." Lorna's voice was weak. The spheres fell back to the ground. It was silent and Lorna looked away.
With that persistence of silence Lorna rose up and headed for the door. Prior to exiting she turned back, and magnetized her cell phone into her hand. And closed the door behind her.
So they weren't exactly shoving her out the door just yet. She felt relieved that and least the administration wasn't cracking down on her, or told her aunt and uncle the trouble she got into. She was wandering again, stopping in the lounge, regardless of their being a few people in there, she didn't take notice who it was. She sat down in rocking chair and began to text her cousin, Dana.
Another weekend was coming up, and she didn't want to be around, rumors circulated of yesterday, and naturally they weren't in her favor. But, assault on another mutant on Rogue's part didn't make her look so innocent either. In fact Lorna was seen more as an accessory.
None the less, she sent a text to Dana. 'Friday. 6:30. Dont B L8'
Lorna got up and exited the lounge, she'd get better service elsewhere anyway. She glanced that phone from time to time, hoping for a reply. Making her way to the elevator now. She looked up from her phone, pressed the elevator button, and pocketed it while entering. She had pressed 'M' inside the elevator, to take her to the medical lab.
She inhaled, and said out loud. "I hate Tuesdays". Diner would be served in the hall in 30 min. She kept thinking of all the places she had to go through this week. 'Breakfast, Lunch, Diner, History, Chemistry. Chem with Bobby. But he wouldn't be in their for another few days. English, Latin, History, Auto-mechanics, and Photography.
It's my last quarter of the school year. Woo haa. I didn't even think about until now.
I wonder if Bobby's even awake yet. Oh god, if something went wrong, it'd all be because of me. Shit. NO. Stop blaming yourself. Fuck, it's habit rooted to deep'. Her face pouted, and the elevator stopped. She walked out timidly, most people don't belong down her unless they were getting medical treatment or some other worthy purpose. She just had to see Bobby. She hadn't since he collapsed.
She wandered down the chrome and white, and very cleanly looking hallway, peering in the spotless glass walls that weren't blocked off by curtains, and in the open doors, it had cross between, computer lab and hospital feel in this wing.
She nosily peered in another door. It was him. He didn't look too good. But when she took and step in, his eyes opened and he slowly sat up to look at her.
"Its about time I got some company." He smiled like nothing at all. With that she couldn't resist to smile back.
She was hesitant in getting to close, so she stood beside his bed. An arms' length away.
"You mean, no one's come down here yet?" she questioned. He had too many friends.
"Well, no one that really mattered." He grinned at her. She blushed. She hadn't planned to stay long, but apparently that's what he had hoped for. "So how's the Productive Punishment going?" he always asked her that since the incident with Jubilee. Productive Punishment was like community service. You help clean up things around the institute, or serve food in the hall. Which she had to do today. She liked it better actual laboring work, and she could sit in the kitchen, a closed area and eat alone, without looking alone. That privacy was a plus.
"Washing Dishes today I believe." She nodded with her thumb and index finer around her chin. She looked of in the distance regally. " I like to give back to people."
They laughed together and it got quiet. He grabbed her wrist, and stared intently into her eyes. With his other hand, he gently ran the back of his fingers along her cheek. They leaned into kiss, and as their lips touched and pressed, Dr. McCoy came in.
"Ahem." He didn't hesitate. They both pulled away instantly. Feeling embarrassed, Lorna excused herself to Dining Hall Duty.
Her hand submerged in a sink full of water and soap suds, she thought about how strange she felt towards Bobby. Now that it was more apparent he wanted to be with her, and it was more realistic for them to be together. It's what she wanted, but couldn't understand why she felt so weird, like half of her just wanted it to be left alone. As in he was still with Rogue or never had dated her to begin with. This was a whole new thing to get used to. But in her heart she questioned every feeling, would this awkwardness that was under her skin go away, or is it a genuine feeling? That they weren't meant to be.
She day dreamed of hand holding, a simple walks outside on a nice day, of big smiles and blowing kisses whenever there was distance between them. Of lounging in the lounge. On their backs; Resting in his arms; Him laying on her as she ran her fingers through his frosted hair. Seeing a tiny portrait of her self in his baby blues. All those sweet things, and un-monumental moments they could share.
"Where's the food?" Tabs barged in the kitchen, Lorna halted in her washing of Teflon pots and pans. Shook of her hand and dried them with a towel. She was so done with Tabs, and was more than ready to tell her off.
"Its past the dinner hour. Too late, you don't eat." She said smugly.
"What? Why not?"
"Uh..I just told you." Lorna said with irritation. She was leaning against the counter, seemed as if she was waiting on Tabs.
"Yeah. So. C'mon hook me up." Tabs flailed her arms, getting agitated. "What? Are you standing on ceremony, c'mon get me food."
"No, I'm not getting you anything."
"And why the hell is that?!" Tabs snapped. Seriously she had half forgotten she led Rogue to catch Lorna and Bobby, but wasn't aware that Lorna had a hunch it was her.
"I'm not your friend. You were right; you proved it to me. Friendship does count for shit." She referred to the conversation they had in the bushes a while ago.
Tabs was stunned. It wasn't supposed to work out like this. Her insides trembled, and her face pouted. Lorna was supposed to be hated by Rogue and Bobby in addition to everyone else, and come to her, be each others' only friend. Cause no else can be trusted. Lorna was a pure soul, one tabs wanted to rely on by her side. Tabs just goes about everything the wrong and selfish way. Tisk Tisk.
"Whatever." Tabs said nonchalantly. Turned around and flicked and pyro-cluster in Lorna direction. Lorna's eye's widen and she dodged out of it way, it exploded and sent various kitchen debris (cleaning solution bottles, pots and pans and utensils) flying. A mess for Lorna to clean up. But she was rather fed up.
"Hey, Tabitha!" she barked after the departing Tabs, and through her apron down defiantly for Tabs to see. Tabs face was blank, Lorna's eye's had subtly glowed a little greener. With her hand behind her back, A cluster grew in Tabs right hand. Lorna could see the faint glow. It was on.