Mary nervously followed Rogue down the hallway of Bayville High School. It seemed as if the past few days had gone by too quickly, and school was upon the inhabitants of Xavier's once again. She tried to ignore the stares of the other students who found interest in the two almost twin-like girls, and hurried to catch up with her big sister.
"Ok… well here's tha office. Yah just need tah wait in here until tha office ladies can get yah your books and schedule." Rogue explained as she held the door open to the office. Mary nodded and Rogue noticed her glance around uneasily and she smiled. "Do yah want me tah wait with yah?" She offered.
Mary would have happily accepted the offer, but as she opened her mouth the warning bell rang, signaling straggling students that they had 3 minutes to get to class. "No… No I'm good. Go ahead and get to class." She assured her as she waved goodbye and stepped into the office. She walked up to the desk and waited patiently for a few moments while the secretary was on the phone. After a moment, the lady looked up and smiled before gesturing for her to sit down for a few minutes so she might finish up the call.
Mary knew she wouldn't be able to sit at the moment… she was too nervous. Instead, she tossed her backpack in the chair and leaned against the wall and tapped her foot. She glanced around the office and took in the décor. The walls were a creamy yellow, with a few potted plants in random areas to give the room a more comfortable feel. The two-tone looked to her right and nearly fell over from shock. Next to her was a mirror, and her own appearance had frightened her for a second. Once her pulse returned to its steady beat, she looked again at her reflection. Her hair had been pulled into a low ponytail, the white streaks left out framing her face. She wore a bit of dark eyeliner, and that was it for her make-up.
Her clothes, on the other hand, were ones she had purchased with Kitty a few days back. She wore a black corset under a sheer blood-red top, and of course her gloves. The top allowed her skin to breath during the day without the danger of skin-to-skin contact. Rogue had suggested it, and Mary had taken up the idea but altered it a bit so she wasn't dressed exactly like her sister. She wore a black leather miniskirt and dark red stockings and her black Converses. She grimaced as she turned in the mirror and spied her thighs. "I can't believe I wore this before I started exercising." She scowled as she pulled her skirt down a bit in an effort to cover her legs.
"Ms… Dawson?" A voice came from behind. Mary spun around and blushed as she saw the secretary staring at her. The two-tone grabbed her bag and headed towards the desk to receive her instructions. "Here's your schedule. To get to your first period, turn left after you exit here and it's fifth door on the left. You can pick up all your books in your classes." The pudgy lady explained before handing a slip of paper to her. "This is your locker number, 626. To get to it, take a left out of here and it's on the top row a few yards down. Here's the combination for it." She smiled warmly. "Welcome to Bayville High School… and good luck."
"Thanks ma'am." Mary said, greatly relieved to see that not all the faculty members were mutant protestors. She turned and was headed for the exit when the Principle's door opened suddenly. Mary jumped and spun around at the sound and spied a very unpleasant looking man staring at her.
"Ms. Dawson, please accompany me to my office." He said coldly before standing aside and holding the door open for her. Once again, that sense of dread returned and was magnified. She entered his office, not glancing at the man as she did so. She spied a chair and set down in it, nervously picking at the tips of her gloves.
"So, Ms. Dawson. I just wanted to clarify a few things with you before you started your term at Bayville High. I am Principle Kelly." He greeted, his eyes showing none of the warmth the secretary's had. "I understand you're from the Xavier Institute, correct?" He started in, not giving any time for Mary to respond to his… introduction. She opened her mouth to speak, but he continued on anyway. "From what I understand, many of the kids who are here from Xavier's are… special." He explained. She saw a flicker in his eyes and she knew that he meant mutant… or more accurately, 'mutant scum'.
"Yes, sir." She nodded.
"I assume you're… 'special' as well?" He pried.
"Sir, if you're inquiring if I'm a mutant… yes. But I don't see how that would matter… I'm still a student." She answered him, becoming disgusted at his racist views. He said nothing for a moment, but perked a brow at her answer.
"You better get to class, Ms. Dawson. We don't need you getting into any trouble this soon in the year." He said, his voice colder than she had heard it so far. She flashed a cold glare, but complied and exited the office and went off in search of her first period class, unknown that other cold eyes were watching her.
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Pietro Maximoff stood behind a pillar near the wall and peered at Mary. "I can't believe I'm forced to do this." He complained as he watched her walking away from him. He took in a few more of her features that he had missed the night he had first seen her and realized that she was short… but she had a nice figure. He smiled wryly as he saw her hips sway while she walked. "She'd be nice arm candy…and she will be for a period of time until I get her to father." He thought to himself. He saw her pause in front of a classroom and peer in the window before knocking softly. He waited until she entered the room before coming out from his hiding place and speeding off himself to his first class of the day.
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Mary was relieved to have people she knew in her first few classes. She had just finished lunch, and was on her way to 5th period. So far, she had had each class with Tabitha, Amara, or even Kitty. For once, she was thankful she excelled in science and was able to be in a higher-level class. But now, as she walked into her Literature class, she realized she knew no one here. She handed her slip of paper to the teacher, who nodded and supplied her with the book they were reading in class, and an assignment she needed to complete. Mary turned to face the class, and realized that she was required to be somewhat social in this class; instead of desks, there were tables that seated to apiece.
Mary's eyes scanned the room and saw teenagers chatting away with each other, almost all the seats taken… except for one table near the window. It was empty. She made her way quietly to the seat and smiled softly at her other classmates, who waved or nodded in response.
"Alright class! Where did we leave off yesterday?" The teacher asked as class started. No one replied. It seems it didn't matter what state you were in; any class after lunch was dead. "Oh come on you all…" She sighed in frustration as she grabbed the marker off the tray and began to write on the white-board. "We had just begun 'The Great Gatsby'. We enter the story with Tom, who is the apparent narrator of the story, but not the main character. In a few chapters later, you will see his personality mirror what he has just said in the opening paragraph, but for now you don't - " She was cut off as the door opened suddenly. The teacher turned and saw a teenager walk in the room. "Mr. Maximoff, late again I see?" She asked him.
"Sorry teach… I got a little hung up at lunch." He explained before heading for Mary's table. Mary's breath caught for a second, as apparently many girls' did. Their heads turned ever so slightly as the silver-headed boy walked past their tables. Obviously, he was one of the boys the girls fawned over… and Mary saw why. He was tall, and had an amazingly fit figure. His eyes are what caught Mary's attention though; they were a brilliant shade of blue, and seemed to be sparkling. She adverted her attention when he sat down as to not look like an idiot.
Pietro stared at his mark. Mary seemed nervous, and he saw he blush when he began walking towards her table. "This is gonna be easier than I thought." He chuckled to himself as he sat down next to her.
She felt his gaze on her, and she shifted uncomfortably. "New?" He whispered. Mary nodded in return, barely glancing at him as she tucked her two-tone hair behind her ears. "I'm Pietro Maximoff… and I haven't seen you in any of my other classes today." He introduced.
"I'm Mary Dawson… and I was placed in this class because I'm well versed in literature. I'm only a sophomore." She explained to the junior. In the back of her mind, something struck her about the name, but she couldn't place it. She tried to shove the thoughts out of her mind, and figured that it was nothing.
"One of the smarter ones apparently." He winked before returning his attention to the teacher. Mary was thankful for this, because she began to blush deeply. "Yep, a whole lot easier than I thought." He thought to himself again.
After class ended, Pietro followed Mary out into the hall. "You know, you remind me of someone." He piped up.
"Really? Who?" Mary asked as she headed for her locker.
"Another junior… I have a few classes with her. Her name's Rogue. You two have the same hair… do you know her?" He asked, watching her eyes flash as she heard her sister's name.
"Umm… yeah. Actually I do. She's pretty cool if you ask me. Are you and her friends?" She asked, hopeful that if they were she would be seeing him a bit more instead of in only one class.
"Sorta, we belong to two very different groups though. We used to hang out, but not so much anymore." He replied, not exactly lying but not being totally honest as well.
"Oh." Her voice fell. They reached her locker and she tossed her books in. Pietro was about to ask another question, but was interrupted by the girl he least wanted to see at the moment.
"Pietro." Rogue greeted warily as she stepped around him and stood next to her sister.
"Hey Roguey. We were just talking about you. How's it hangin' at the Institute?" He asked nonchalantly, trying to disguise the annoyance in his voice as interest.
"It's great Pietro. We ran intah Lance and tha others at tha mall a few nights ago… where were you?" She asked, daggers in her voice.
At last, the name clicked in Mary's head and she drew back ever so slightly. So, this was the infamous Brotherhood member? From what she understood, they were always on opposite sides… how could it be that they could be congenial at school? She looked to her sister, whose focus was on the teenager in front of her.
"Lance and them? Gah, petty thievery is below me Roguey. You should know that." He grinned before turning to Mary. "I only go for the beautiful stuff." He winked at her.
Rogue's eyes narrowed into her infamous death glare, and Mary was sure that if looks could kill, Pietro would be dead where he stood. "Stay away from her, Pietro." She warned him.
"Rogue, I was just walking her to her locker. There's no harm in anything. Why try and protect her from nothing?" Pietro asked, wondering if she would declare their relationship in front of him.
"Don't yah dare act like yah don't know. Yah live with Toad. Tha second he got back from the mall he would have informed you what had happened. She's mah sister, Maximoff. Stay away from her. Anytime yah get involved in anything, trouble ensues." She said maliciously. Mary did not like the tone in her sister's voice, and became anxious to get away from the both of them before something happened. She backed up a bit slowly, and they both turned their attention to her.
"I'm sorry Mary… it seems I've troubled your sister. I'll go before I cause anymore trouble." He apologized, effectively wrangling in his pride momentarily. He looked back to Rogue and sent her a withering glare. "And no, Rogue. I had no idea you had a sister. I don't always listen to Toad's ramblings. I'm glad you found one another… sisters are always great fun." He lied, his mind flashing to Wanda. He turned and walked down the hallway, turning the corner a moment later and disappearing from their sight.
Mary's eyebrows rose in slight fear of her sister. Rogue continued to stare after him, but instead of the earlier rage radiating from her eyes, it was confusion and distrust. "Rogue?" She asked hesitantly. Rogue turned to face her, and her gaze immediately softened.
"I'm sorry." She immediately apologized while glancing over her shoulder. "Ah just don't trust him, Mary. Ah never have really. Ah don't want him tah get anywhere near yah." She explained.
Mary looked after him. She didn't see anything dangerous about him. He seemed sweet, and he was kind of cute. Ok, he was incredibly sexy, but Mary didn't want to admit that she was beginning to crush on the X-Men's enemy.