---indicates thoughts---

note: thank you for all the feedback, it's much appreciated!

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Pietro Maximoff

There he was, in the strangely enchanting red and yellow glow of "tasty piggy-on-a-stik" signage-the reason for her misery.

Momentarily she was taken back to the sanctuary of her bedroom, remembering how she had cursed that perfect body of his, taught herself to loathe the memory of how whenever he looked into her eyes she forgot how to do simple things, like breathe. She could think of many unKitty-like things to say to him, had he not been standing before her. He spoke and tore her from the memories……

"Hey there, Kitty, having a little trouble?

"Like why would you think that? I'm just uhh….

"Well, Pryde, lemme help ya with that."

"I've like got it under control, thanks anyway"

---Well, this is just the best day EVER!---

"C'mon Pry-Kitty, there's –"

Rogue stood on the tips of her toes looking for Kitty, but only seeing Pietro! And the smallest little part of a pony tail sticking up from the floor, Rogue raced over to see just what was going on

"Kitty! KITTY! What is goin' on here? Why are you even standin' here with HIM!" Chirped a very irritated Rogue.

Kitty sheepishly looked Rogue in the eyes and blurted out

"Well, I just dropped my stuff and you know……uh…."

Rogue silently shook her head and sank to the floor grabbing at Kittty's things.

Kitty could not help but stare at her former boyfriend for what seemed like eternity while Rogue dumped all Kitty's belongings in her "Bebe's dress boutique" bag. Now finished, Rogue grabbed Kitty's hand and began tugging her pal towards the mall exit.

"Look, we gotta go, Kitty, we are supposed to get back for umm…Jean's…uh…thing let's go!" Spat Rogue and tugged a little harder on Kitty with her gloved hand.

Pietro took a step forward, hoping to stop Kitty, took a deep breath and his-oh-so carefully thought out sentences had suddenly eluded him the moment he again tried to say the perfect thing…the words that would fix everything, this was his chance-and he was blowing it the second he opened his mouth.

"Kitty, look if…..uhmm… I didn't say it before, I um didn't plan what happened…and um.. well…." Pietro nervously looked from Kitty's face to his hands.

For a moment, Kitty wanted to reach out and hug him, tell him everything was forgiven, but she thought about the nights she had cried so hard, soaked Lockheed through with her angry tears, remembered how it felt-the intense burn of Pietro ripping out her heart at least that's exactly how it felt when he…..no, she was not a doormat, but it was so tempting to forgive, just forget it all………… mustering a little courage and said with more conviction that she actually had she said

"Look Pietro, I uh..we gotta get back….and we umm, I said everything there was to say when…"

Pietro decided to try one more time cut her off, "Kitty I-we need to clear the air about some things, some …you have to listen to the truth….

Forgiveness immediately forgotten, and intensely angry, Kitty dropped her empty purse and walked to Pietro until her shoes were toe-to-toe with his, and threw back her head, nose pointed up at him "Excuse me, Pietro, you cannot change THE REAL TRUTH! I like, saw you! With MY OWN EYES that's the truth!"

With that not another word was said, and the two girls turned on heel and walked out of Bayville mall, never looking back at a speechless Pietro.

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"Where's the ice cream!"

"Rogue, I told you, I hid it in the very back so Kurt wouldn't find it!"

"Well, now Ah can't find it!"

"Like lemme look, geez, you are socranky!"

Triumphantly, a icy-fingered Kitty thrust the ice cream at Rogue. "Here eat this chocopeanutbutterychip ice cream now!"

Rogue, dunking a huge serving spoon into the rich creamy goodness and glared at her friend Kitty. "Well, If Ah had gotten some dinner Miss Pryde, ah wouldn't be starving right now!"

"How many times can I say that I'm like, sorry?"

"A hundred times until you order a pizza, ah can't stand being hungry!"

"Fine, pizza, ice cream, a great meal before finals!"

Back in their own little haven upstairs, Rogue threw the empty pizza box aside and sank off her bed to the plush carpet below, beside a sullen Kitty.

"Kitty, ya know that if you get back together with him it's just gonna happen again…"

"I well, that –at the mall was a like- a total momentary lapse of judgment, I bet Pietro doesn't think I'll show my face at the dance without him, well I'll-uh we will show all those smug guys! I mean, Let's face it Rogue, there are no decent guys left in Bayville…..well, guys who want to be with me."

Without realizing it, Kitty phased into Rogues' bed

"A little distracted Kitty?"

Sitting up, Kitty phased out of the bed, albeit a little red in the face.

Ignoring Kitty's embarrassment, Rogue studied her nails and realized she needed a manicure.

"Come on now Kitty, why don't you go with Kurt?"

"Uh, like no way! He's an annoying brother type!"

Rolling onto her back and stretching sleepily, Kitty let out a sigh she didn't know she had been holding,

"I want to prove that we can go to this dance and have an incredible time without all this drama! I am like going to show Pi- I mean everyone that Kitty Pryde does not need some totally gorgeous guy to ask her to the dance to have a mind-blowing night, just my friends and some great music, and well, yes the like perfect dress!"

Rogue rolled her eyes at Kitty's crazy idea that the "perfect dress" will make everything right for her. Not wanting to hurt Kitty, she said nothing, and pulled out her manicure supplies from under the bed.

Grabbing Kitty's right hand, Rogue shared a rare smile and declared, "Well, since we've already stayed up half the night, may as well blow the whole nights' sleep doing our nails and hashing out a plan for the dance!"

And an hour later they fell asleep.

Morning came way too early for Kitty and Rogue. They dragged themselves downstairs for a desperately needed infusion of junk food, or maybe pancakes………….

"Vell, vell, you ladies ver up late last night" smiling ear to ear, Kurt Wagner, AKA, Nightcrawler reached over Jean for three more muffins.

"And how would you know?" Yawning, Rogue took Kurt's muffins and quickly ate them all.

"Hey, those vere mine Rogue!" "I smelled the Pizza, and hey, thanks for saving me a piece" Kurt mused

Jean ignored Rogue and Kurt's squabbling and reminded Kitty she promised to help with cleaning up the back patio after school. Kitty groaned inwardly, she and Rogue had planned to go to a new boutique just outside Bayville looking to find the dress she sorely needed for the quickly approaching dance.

"Sure, I remember, I wouldn't miss it for anything!" Kitty sounded a little too enthusiastic to Jean but she quickly dismissed it.

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SLEPKT!

"Even the sound this stuff makes is disgusting!" Kitty stared down at her "Lunch" a scoop of a grey! Jello-spinachy glop and a rice pudding, yummy.

Taking as seat next to Rogue, Kitty's thoughts drifted off to finding the dress she needed to make everything perfect for her big night, well, her and Rogue's big night.

Rogue grimaced at the thought of eating the "food" and decided not to risk it and asked "Well what are we gonna do about our trip to that new boutique?"

"Mr. Logan is always out on the patio in the late afternoon right?" Well, I think he'll take us, if we like ask him really, really nicely, and we can still make it back before too late"

"Ah guess that could work" then Rogue sarcastically added "In another reality"

---So much for that idea---

Kitty and Rogue decided to grab some lunch from the vending machines and dump the disgusting goop.

Pietro slumped against the gym, wondering what to do next………He wanted to get his Kitten back, but he didn't have a clue how to do that. Finishing his soda, he walked over to Lance and Toad sitting in the shade of a large Oak tree. "Hey, P what's -gulp- got you so quiet yo?" Asked Toad between gulps of M&M's.

Smiling, Pietro said "Well, I just figured out how to get my kitten back"

Next chapter: gambit