Lucky Me

Chapter 009


There was something to be said about doctor's orders...like they should be followed.

Because I failed to realize this, I ended up in the med lab for an extra day, they (the PHD people) were afraid I tore my staples out, which I hadn't. But I had noticed that the day they let me out of the sick bay, something was missing.

Like my ability to balance and thus walk.

It was after about the third time that I fell that someone came to assist me. I refused as much as I could, but it didn't do any good. Dr. Hank had to help me to the kitchen. There was no getting me any further, partly because I was exhausted, the other part was because I was in the land of food again. This time I could raid the place without Summers on my tail (which I did not have, thank you very much). Of course any raiding would have been done on my hands and knees and the only things at that level was the kitchenware which was shiny and all, but not very good with ketchup.

"It would seem as if your equilibrium has yet to catch up with your mutation." Dr. Hank pointed out as I sat hunched over the table, panting like a dog. "I suppose I'll have to call in the experts."

That was his idea of a joke.

I think.

I hope.


"Rise and shine!" I groaned. Not again, this is like a bad deja-vu or something. Every morning after the first week here someone paraded into my room telling me to rise and shine. I'm not a stinkin' toaster. I don't 'rise' easily, nor did I ever shine.

"Come on, petite, Gambit got to get you ready." Hearing that Miss Rogue (who usually wakes me up because she's just next door and a morning person) was not alone, my eyes popped open and I shoved the Oreo bed sheet from my eye sight. We were on the girls' wing and although Mr. You-too-sexy-for-a-sweet Summers acted as my psycho alarm clock for a while, some yelling from Miss Rogue while she was only in a towel got him to stop.

Yay, for Rogue in a bath towel!

"I'm dead." I loved this reply. I used it as frequently as I could, though it tends to have one down fall-it never worked. The comforter was ripped from my body and I was left there with the things exposed and me only in my little sleep shorts and tank top.

"You're breathing, and if you're breathing, you're alive." Miss Rogue pointed out and then hauled me up and out of bed. She mustn't have gotten the news flash that I couldn't walk a straight line for nothing, heck, I can't even walk; because as soon as she put me on my feet, I fell forward very ungracefully.

"Whoa, there little one," Came the voice that was attached to the pair of arms that caught me before I fell onto my face and added to my list of embarrassing moments.

He smelt good.

"Can't even stand?" Miss Rogue asked, taking me away from Mr. Smell Good. I whimpered when she touched my sore back and then as she sighed, she hefted me up and carried me down. Of course I couldn't stand! What kind of girl did she think I was falling into the arms of some strong guy that smelt incredibly good? Well, gee, that didn't help my case any!

Good thing I was sleeping in a sports bra, because, hey, at least I'd like to pretend to be modest! After a quick and early breakfast, Gamble(?) said his thanks to Miss Rogue and helped me toddle down the hallway to the workout area. Boy, these people had no compassion for the sick or healing. As soon as you could crawl they'd throw you back into weightlifting and everything.

"Now," Mr. Smell Good started with a totally knee-melting smile, "We see what de problem is wit' your walkin'."

Gee, this was simple. "I can't walk."

"Right and wrong, you can't even stand. Dat's why I'm here to help you get your balance back."

Like someone stole it and he was just going to break in and get it? Right. I doubt he ever stole anything, probably only had to ask. But anyway, Smell Good propped me against a balance beam and then walked two strides away, turned and told me to walk to him.

I sighed and honestly tried to do as he told me, but ended up on my hindquarters. At least it wasn't another belly flop. From my position on the pads, I glanced up at him, he looked back at me and that's the first time I noticed his eyes weren't normal. More like red circles in the middle of a black piece of paper. It was creepy (this coming from the girl who just became the mother of a set of 'wings' that had yet to produce any feathers).

"You goin' to sit dere all day?" Smell Good asked, leaning on the balance beam.

"I might," I muttered, but began to clamor to my feet. Once I was sort of standing upright—okay, so I was bent over-I tried once again to take a step toward his really good smelling self, but instead of going down, I tripped. Yes, klutz forgot how to maneuver her feet and pitched forward. I 'eeped' and was caught.

Man, he smelled good! He held me up by my underarm, while my face was plastered against his chest. Oy vey. I'm not Jewish, but oy vey. My face began to burn with embarrassment, I was pretty sure black skin didn't blush, but the patches I had left of my normal skin probably looked sunburned I was so red.

RIPP.

"Ugh," I heard him curse as I pulled away, leaving a good portion of my face on his shirt. I looked up at him, Smell Good seemed more than disturbed about this turn of events and let me go. I fell back this time. I couldn't do anything but sit on my tush, looking at him as he looked at his now flesh speckled shirt.

"I-I'm sorry," I whispered, tears coming from my eyes. My face began to bleed where the skin had come off. Tearing my eyes away from him as he began to leave, I shivered as I felt patches suddenly flake off. I was able to wipe some of the dead skin away from my ebony colored skin like makeup on a baby doll. I must have sat there for a good five years, replaying the sound of my face sticking to his shirt, the face Smell Good made when he saw what had happened-shoot me.

"Here." I had a wash cloth dropped in my lap, and through tear stained eyes, I saw those freaky red/black eyes looking me over. "You seem fine; get up when you're ready." With that he climbed gracefully to his feet and jumped on the balance beam, looking out the window at the sunrise.

He wasn't afraid of me? He wasn't disgusted with me? I'm disgusted with me, how on earth was he taking this all in stride? And how could he stand there with that nasty dead part of me hanging off his shirt? After another quick glance at my 'teacher' I noticed he wasn't wearing a shirt anymore. Oh, punish me.

"Aren't you," I whispered, Gamble (?) gave me his full attention; I found the floor interesting at this moment, "disgusted?"

"Yes."

Ouch.

"But it don't mean dat I need to be runnin' away from you wit' my tail tucked between my legs." Gamble then gave me a funny look complete with a smile. Man, that look probably got him into so much trouble. "After all, ain't we all mutants?"

"You're the only one in this room who thinks that way," I pointed out. It was the truth. I had been here for almost four weeks and I still didn't get anyone's names right (except a few). Not to mention I spent most of my time looking at the decorations in my room, and typing e-mails and such to my mom and little sister who never answered them, but I liked to pretend they at least read them.

Another funny look and a slight frown, "How so?"

Shoot, I hate questions that require me to think about the answer. Even on tests I didn't like that type of question. So I did think about it. I thought about how I was introduced to this band of "heroes", how my mother rejected me, how I wasn't liked by many people here (or at least I think) or how the people I do know I'm not really close to. More like an apartment building with only one kitchen and gym that forces a person to recognize they are not alone with the wood and marble of the mansion.

"Dunno." That is the kind of answer I give when I think. Pretty funny. Ha-ha.

"Can you make dat a bit clearer, I'm not big on dose technical terms."

I had to explain myself? I thought you only had to do that type of thing with the cops. But before my mouth could check with my brain, it just went off. This was going to require some major rewording later knowing how my luck has been.

"Well, uh, I -uh," Good thing I didn't come to this school because I'm a genius (which I'm not) because they wouldn't believe it now. And besides, there was no way I was going to bare my soul to a man whose name I couldn't even get right.

"You t'ink you're the weirdest creature to ever come t'rough dese doors?" His voice sounded as if it was about to turn into laughter. I didn't particularly like being called 'creature' but whatever. "You'd be wrong."

I quirked an eyebrow, grabbed the washcloth, and began the disgusting task of wiping off the old flesh to reveal the new grayish-blackish skin. The blood was already beginning to get dry up, gross-I'd hate to be the person who has to clean up my mess later.

"We've had people wit' bones stickin' out all over dem, and you've seen Hank, dere is another one whose comin' to help you wit' your balancin' dat looks more like a demon den a priest. And den dere's Warren-blue guy wit' wings?" I nodded, and he went on to list about people from different dimensions (no names this time, only descriptions). I'm sure he meant it to be relaxing, but instead my attention span was quickly breached and I was just happy that he didn't make me get up and walk again.

About five minutes later, I think he realized I wasn't paying attention to him anymore because Gamble clamed up and told me to walk to him. Drats. I was hoping he would forget!

After an uneventful hour in the gym (meaning, I didn't walk, only fell a lot) I was allowed to make my way back to the kitchen. Of course, Mr. Remy forgot for about five minutes I couldn't go anywhere and came back to help me to the dining room where I sat through everyone else's meal. Mr. Remy-Smell-Good said it was under orders to make sure I got everyone's names right.

Right.

"Pass the syrup!" Bobby-meanie shouted across the table to Mrs. Jean, who was happy to oblige-with, her mind. Dr. Hank came bouncing in and took a seat next to Bobby-meanie, then Daisy-Mae with her happy self bopped into the room singing some pop song.

"This is the first time you're down here to have breakfast with us isn't it?" D-M pointed out as she sat down next to me. Maybe there was a reason! Scott was there with Mrs. Jean, hairy man (I think his name is Wolfie?), Dr. Hank, Dr. Reyes (who was complaining about Dr. Hank using his feet to eat with), Sam, Angel, Professor, D-M, me (duh), Miss Rogue, Mr. Remy, Miss Munroe, and one other person I didn't know. Okay so there was like three people I didn't know.

"Who's the new kid?" This girl asked in between popping her pink gum and shoving pancakes in her mouth. She had short black hair like me, except mine is shaggy looking and shoulder length.

"Kerry," Some one answered, I didn't know who it was 'cause everyone's mouth was open, chewing or inserting food. I sat crossed armed, leaned against the table. Thankfully I was allowed to have my image inducer on, wouldn't want anyone losing their breakfast because of my face.

"Oh'm Jewbiwee," The girl said with a mouth full of what I pretended wasn't chocolate chip pancakes. I gave a small smile and 'hi' just for manners sake, and she nodded and went back to popping gum and eating. How she didn't get any of the pancake in her gum must be her mutant ability.

There was another girl who was correcting 'Jewbiwee' on her eating manners when she looked over at me with a bored expression, "Kerry, is it? I'm Monet."

"Hi," I repeated, but when I gave my small smile she stuck her nose up in the air and continued to eat. I hoped someone spit in her food. She must have been the living embodiment of the word snob; of course as I thought this she rewarded me with this 'lowly peasant' look. Don't tell me, she read minds as well.

The last one kind of looked less normal than the normal people, but more normal than the strange (like me). He had his arms crossed, and his shades over his eyes. I guess he wasn't that hungry. I wouldn't want to eat with this crowd -at least Jewbiwee, who was presently sticking her tongue out at Monet. Did I mention she had all of her chewed up food on her tongue at this time?

Ick!

"Aren't they funny?" D-M gushed; laughing at the way the other two girls carried on.

"Completely."

Monet didn't seem to like my one worded comment; she turned, nose still sniffing clouds, and said: "Aren't you the one that flipped the bed in sick bay?"

I choked. How did that get out? How quickly did information wiggle through the grapevine around here? Maybe I should remember that (which, later, I wish I would've)! As I was already trying to sink under the table, hoping there was a black hole or something that would suck me out of this reality, when everyone began to nod and look over in my general direction.

"We keep findin' you under beds, petite, and you goin' to get a bad reputation." Mr. Remy, who had been on my good list until now, remarked, getting a few to laugh and poke fun at him instead of me.

"Also the one that keeps passing out?" I wish she would stop. "And the one with the shedding skin? Also the one whose mother-"

"Can I ask you something?" Came D-M to the rescue (sort of). Monet smirked at me and nodded her consent in D-M's direction. "I ask this to every well-to-do girl, are those real?"

She was pointing the end of her butter knife at the snobbish girl's chest. Monet seemed taken aback by this, sticking out the uhm 'things' in questions as she puffed out her chest.

"Of course they are!" Monet exclaimed, then calmed down again, and decided it best to ignore us. But did D-M let it drop there? Noooooo.

"Oh, I didn't mean to offend you," Liar. "It's just that I found out that a lot of girls with money have it done so they don't feel inferior to those that have a big bust naturally."

"Daisy, can we please get to a different topic?"

She smiled at the person, "It was just a question."

Monet completely ignored us at this point, well fine with me! Maybe she wasn't so bad, but I didn't want to talk to her anymore knowing she knew all that stuff about me. All my weaknesses. At least she didn't know who I li-wait a sec!

It just registered what Daisy-Mae Bumpkin did for me! She stood up for me! Maybe she does have a human side after all! I was half way on the floor by this point when I looked up to my country-fried friend, who completely shocked me by winking and giving me a smirk.

Dang, she was good if she was just putting on an act all the time!

Man, she was scary if she was putting on an act all the time.