So here it is. The first chapter of my second story involving Mattie. If you haven't read my first story please find it. It's call You Can't Run On Ice and it introduces you to Mattie. All of you who already know her then come on in. Don't forget to tell me what you think
I don't own the X-Men, just Mattie
Forgotten World
Best Laid Plans
Mattie sat in the cinema trying to care about the one dimensional characters as they made their way through the predictable plot. Bobby sat on her right, his fingers lazily tracing circles on the back on her neck. That wasn't helping her to concentrate on the film either. To her left sat Paige, arms crossed, her face set in a determined scowl. She was not going to even entertain the idea of being interested in the film. Looking down the row to her right Mattie could see Sam next to Bobby, Tabitha, Jubilee and Ray at the end. She leaned back in her seat with a sigh, Bobby gave her neck a gentle squeeze and started to massage it.
It had all started out so well. She and Paige had planned and plotted and finally come up with a scheme. They had had quite enough of Sam and Jubilee. It was obvious to anyone that the two of them had feelings for each other. But if Paige had been slow about coming forward with her feelings about Ray then she had nothing on her brother. Sam had flat refused to even own up to the idea that he liked Jubilee. So Paige and Mattie had turned on Jubilee. But she was wise to their matchmaking and had given them nothing.
So Paige, Mattie and their respective boyfriends had gone to see a film, and they'd dragged Sam and Jubes along with them. Tabby had gate-crashed.
That had been the first hiccup in the plan. Tabby had been in the Mall and had decided to join them. Mattie couldn't very well tell her that she wasn't welcome. Not without explaining, in front of Sam and Jubes, exactly why.
The second thing to go wrong was choosing the film. Paige had wanted to see the latest action film, while Ray had demanded to see the horror film that everyone was raving about.
Hands on hips Paige had shouted him down. "No one wants to see that."
"I do." He retorted.
"Yes, Ray. And there are other people here. Not just you."
"Oh and I suppose everyone wants to see your choice?"
"Horror films are so lame." Paige told him, dodging the question. "What is the point in trying to scare yourself."
"While action films are just fantastic." Ray sneered back. "Cause you can never tell the plot. I mean, the hero is never going to save the world in the nick of time, is he!"
"Oh yeah. Well at least you don't have to sit there trying to work out which character's going to die next!"
In the end they had opted for a romantic comedy, that wasn't particularly romantic or particularly funny.
Paige and Ray were mad with each other and had sat at either ends of the row, totally discharging the carefully designed seating plan that the two girls had worked out. Positioning herself at the edge of the group, Paige had grabbed hold of Mattie and used her as a buffer against Ray. Bobby had claimed the seat next to her. Sam had filed into the row, with Jubilee following him. Tabitha had clambered over the seat to steal the seat next to Sam, grabbing a handful of his popcorn and kissing him on the cheek as she did so. Jubes and Ray had sat on the end.
Mattie sighed. It should not be this hard.
X
Leaving the cinema they decided to go and have some food. The food court was buzzing with people talking about films that they had just seen, or were going to see. Bobby, Sam and Jubilee went to grab a table. Mattie joined the long queue with the silent Paige, the grumpy Ray and the suitably oblivious Tabitha.
Ray and Paige stood together staring ahead, not talking. Tabby stood with Mattie.
"This is so mature of you Paige." Ray muttered to her.
"Mattie? Did you hear anything?" Paige asked. "I thought I did, but it was probably just hot air."
"What's their problem?" Tabitha asked, throwing a careless glance at Paige and Ray. As Ray growled and turned his back on Paige. "Isn't it time that they got over it already?"
Mattie nodded. Paige and Ray's arguments never lasted longer than a couple of hours. She shrugged. "It'll blow over."
"Can't believe we sat through that film though." Tabby commented. "Was that lame or what?"
"Pretty poor."
"You guys should have chosen something else. It was a little bit obvious."
Mattie looked at her. "Obvious?"
"Oh come on." Tabitha grinned at her. "I know what the two of you were planning. You're little triple date thing."
"You knew?"
"Duh! I'm not stupid you know. Anyone could see what you're up to."
Mattie frowned. "Then why sabotage it? Why join us? Why sit next to Sam I mean, you stole Jube's seat."
"Well of course I did." Tabby laughed. "He had the popcorn. And as for joining you guys. Hell, I was bored. What else was I gonna do tonight?"
"But… All that flirting with Sam. You were practically sitting in his lap at one point."
Tabby nodded. "I know. He is so easy to embarrass. It's so cute."
"Tabby!" Mattie glared at her.
"Oh lighten up." Tabitha told her. "It's not like I was sitting on your boyfriend. Although…" She looked over to where Bobby and the others were sitting. "Icicle's looking pretty damn fine these days." She grinned at Mattie. "I'll help them hold down the table."
"Tabby." Mattie growled.
But Tabitha just flashed a grin over her shoulder and headed for the table. Mattie watched her as she sat herself down on Bobby's lap. Bobby's eyes widened it surprise and Mattie saw him point to the four other chairs that surrounded the table. Tabby said something that made Bobby laugh out loud.
Mattie ground her teeth together. Tabby was bored and she was only flirting with Bobby to wind Mattie up. But that didn't make it any easier to watch.
Tabby slipped her arm around Bobby's neck, whatever she was saying it made Bobby grin and Sam blush. Jubes looked nervously in Mattie's direction.
"I'll be right back." Mattie told the still silent Paige and Ray. Neither of them responded to her.
Making her way through the tables Mattie came to stand beside Bobby, her hands on her hips.
Bobby looked up at her pleadingly. "Hey Mats."
Mattie eyed him briefly before turning her glare on Tabby. "Tabitha Smith, if you don't remove yourself from my boyfriend, I will."
"Oh relax, Chase." Tabby got to her feet grinning. "Ice's way too into you. It's not even worth trying."
She looked over at Paige and Ray who were staring in opposite directions, still pointedly ignoring each other in the queue. "That's more like it."
Before anyone could stop her she had made her way back to the line. She leaned on Ray's shoulder and grinned up at him. She said something that made Ray grin back at her. Paige's head snapped round, as she glared at Tabby.
"What is she doing?" Mattie asked.
Bobby clamped a hand round her wrist. "Do not get involved." He cautioned her. "This is not gonna be pretty."
Paige said something to Ray, he retorted angrily.
Tabitha backed Ray up.
"She didn't." Jubilee murmured, burying her head in her heads.
It was an unwritten law that no one got themselves involved in one of Paige and Ray's fights. The fall out was too bad.
"Has she got a death wish?" Sam asked, watching his sisters face darken with furry.
But before Paige could speak Ray threw her a parting comment and stalked off with Tabby on his arm.
"Tell me that did not just happen." Mattie begged.
"Excuse me." Sam muttered getting out of his chair and heading Paige off as she started after Tabitha and Ray.
"You know I really think that we need to find Tabs a hobby." Mattie said as she sank into her chair.
"Looks to me like she already has one." Bobby said.
"Causing trouble is not a hobby." Jubilee told him, watching as Sam cajoled his sister over to the table. Paige still looked murderous and kept casting furious glances in the direction that Tabby and Ray had gone.
"It is the way Tabby does it." Bobby told her.
X
When they got home, Ray and Tabby weren't back.
Paige headed straight up to her room. Mattie followed her up, but had the door slammed in her face.
"I'll come back later then." She called through the door.
Bobby looked up as Mattie entered the Rec room shaking her head. "I would not want to be in Tabby's shoes right now."
Bobby grinned and made room for her on the sofa next to him.
"How 'bout my shoes?" He asked. "Am I in trouble too?"
Mattie grinned at him. "Na. I'll let you off on account of good looks."
Bobby grinned back at her. "I'm not going to argue with that." He leaned forward to kiss her, then threw himself back against the sofa again. "Do you have to go away?"
Mattie sighed. "Yes. I told you. They are my friends. My friends from back home. My friends who I never see."
"But that means I wont be able to see you." Bobby protested.
"Yeah, cause the fact that we live in the same house, go to the same school and spend all our free time together. That's not enough for you."
"No." Bobby told her, lunging forward and gabbing hold of her. "You're mine, all mine! And I refuse to share you with anyone."
"Idiot." Mattie told him pushing him off her.
"But a good looking idiot."
"Oh of course."
Bobby screwed up his face into a frown. "But the whole holiday, Mats?"
"It's only three weeks." She told him. "Not three years!"
"Every second that I'm away from your feels like a year." He told her.
"Oh yuck!" Rahne muttered from where she sat.
Jamie was making puking motions.
Roberto looked equally nauseated. "Take him away would you."
Mattie grinned apologetically and got up. Bobby trailed after as she headed into the kitchen.
"Are you really upset with me?" She asked.
Bobby shrugged and grinned at her. "You're all right. I'm only messing with you. I'd forgotten that you were going, that's all. And I figured we could grab some alone time this holiday."
Mattie smiled at him. "Sorry."
"No worries." Bobby told her. "I'll have more time to hang out with the guys." He glanced slyly at her. "And Tabby with be here."
Mattie glared at him. "Not funny."
Bobby struggled to keep a straight face.
"Robert Drake." Mattie said glaring at him.
"Yes? Matilda Drew?"
"Regarding your actions this evening, while I am willing to forgive them, I am not ready for you make jokes about it." She turned her back on him, trying hard not to let her shoulders shake as she quashed her giggles.
"Mats?" Bobby stepped up behind her and taking her by the shoulders turned her to face him. "Are you trying not to smile?"
Mattie pressed her lips together in a desperate attempt not to laugh.
Bobby grinned at her. "You're really bad at that you know."
Mattie opened her mouth to reply, but Bobby cut her off by kissing her.
Mattie pulled away. "Stop doing that! You can't keep winning the argument just by kissing me! It's not…"
Bobby recaptured her lips and Mattie kissed him back. She was going to take him to task about this. Right after she finished kissing him.
X
All the students entered the Danger room with baited breath, the next morning. News travelled fast. They all knew that Tabby and Ray had arrived back so late that Logan had grounded both of them.
Paige was positively seething. Ray had the decency to look sheepish. Sam had a watchful eye on his sister and a disapproving frown for Ray. Mattie had listened to Paige's rant for most of the night and all of this morning. Bobby was eyeing Sam and Ray carefully.
Tabitha looked totally unconcerned by the whole affair.
Logan may claim not to care about the details of what was going on with the students. But he was not stupid. He carefully selected groups that separated Paige, Ray and Tabby.
X
The eruption finally came when they arrived home from school. Ray approached Paige as they entered the Institute.
"Paige?"
"What!" She snapped at him.
The others started to edge out the way. If this followed the normal pattern of a Paige and Ray argument they would be able to hear it where ever they were. And none of them wanted to be caught in the cross fire.
"Paige, nothing happened."
"I'm sure I don't care." She told him frostily.
"Paige you know I'm crazy about you." Ray told her.
"No. I don't know that, Ray." Paige glared at him, her eyes blazing. "And you sure as hell have a strange way of showing it!"
"You drive me insane!" Ray yelled at her. "You make me so mad that I don't know what to do. But I still want to be with you. I'd have to be crazy about you to feel like that."
"I drive you mad!" Paige replied hotly.
In the kitchen Kitty handed out a round of drinks. The Rec room had been considered the first place the two of them would head after making it through the front door. So they were hiding out in the kitchen.
"How long do you reckon they'll go at it?" Rouge asked. "Ah've got work to do. And Ah can't do it with the two of them yelling like that."
"Got me." Amara shrugged. "They're pretty worked up."
"It'll blow over."
As one the group turned to glare at Tabby.
"You know this is all your fault." Jubilee told her.
Tabby waved this comment away. "It'll be fine."
"How can you say that." Amara looked upset. "Tabby, you know how Ray and Paige feel about each other. I can't believe you came between them like that."
"Sorry princess, but I didn't 'come between them'." Tabitha replied.
"Yeah you did." Mattie said before she could stop herself.
"Ray and I just wanted to go see that horror flick." Tabby said. "It was totally harmless. If Paige has got herself all worked up then that is her problem not mine."
The others shook their heads. Tabby's warped sense of right and wrong had caused clashes in the past. Trouble was that she was such fun to have around that people usually forgave her for anything she did.
"Hear that?" Kurt asked.
"Hear what?" Jamie asked.
"Exactly." Kurt told him with a grin. "I think the war is over."
"Yeah, but who won?" Bobby asked.
Scott stalked into the kitchen and dumped his bag and his pile of books on the table. "Can someone please tell Paige and Ray that the Rec room is not their personal make out room."
Sam groaned. "I hate when they make up. I shouldn't have to watch."
"I'd call it a draw." Roberto said as the others headed out the kitchen.