Chapter 13: A Race to the Danger Room
She began to run as fast as her legs could carry her towards home. Kitty and Lance smiled at each other and waved goodbye as Kitty took off after her. Scott hopped into his car and sped around driving towards the institution as fast as the speed limit would allow. Pietro and Kurt glared at each other before Kurt bamphed to where Alara and Kitty were. He ran as fast as he could, keeping an even time with Alara and Kitty. Pietro turned to follow them but Lance yelled, "Come on Pietro! We gotta get home before Toady-boy and Butterball destroy the house!"
Pietro growled back at Lance, but turned back obediently and hopped in the Jeep. Meanwhile, Scott got stuck at a stoplight. Kitty phased through some people's backyards, coming out in front, while Kurt and Alara ran side by side. Suddenly, Kurt's arm shot out and he grabbed Alara's hand. Suddenly, he bamphed and they both ended up in front of Kitty.
"Hey! That's cheating!" she yelled back at them, but laughed.
"So is phasing through people's backyards!" Alara yelled back to her.
Kurt and Alara laughed. Suddenly, Scott zoomed up beside them in his car. He shouted to them, "I'm gonna wiiiiin!" and raced off.
"Oh no you von't!" Kurt shouted back. He grabbed Kitty's hand and Alara's hand and bamphed to the institute's front door just as Scott pulled up. They all laughed for a minute, then they all turned to the door and walked inside. Logan stood there, his arms folded across his chest.
"And where have you four been?"
Kurt and Kitty gulped and Scott looked panicky. But Alara calmly stepped forward and said, "I'm sorry Mr. Logan. I got lost in the school and they had to go in and search for me. Since they all were searching for me, we missed the bus and Scott ran in to traffic on the way home."
Logan looked at the other three suspiciously. They all stared, eyes wide, at Alara. Logan smiled and shrugged.
"Okay then. You can go."
They all turned to leave, but paused when Logan growled, "Kurt stays."
Kitty and Scott ran upstairs and Kitty peeked over the edge of the railing to see what happened. Scott went off to find Jean.
"Kurt, it's time for practice," Logan smiled, almost evilly.
Kurt sighed and looked at the floor, his watch turning off.
"Today is the vorst day ever."
Alara's eyes turned glassy out of pity, then hardened as she stepped up to Logan and said, "I'm going with him."
"What?" Logan asked in surprise.
"Vhat?" Kurt murmured.
"I'm going with Kurt into that Danger Room thingie," Alara said, standing next to Kurt. She put an arm around his shoulders and smiled at Logan. "It was both of our faults after all."
"I don't know. I mean, it's not his first time, but it's your first," Logan replied, unsure.
Alara stamped her foot in protest.
"Mr. Logan. I've never insisted on anything in my life except for two things. This is the second. The first was… well, it was a long time ago and I've never done it again until now. And anyways, how hard can it be?"
Logan laughed slightly, making Alara unsure. Kurt looked uneasily at her and Logan, wondering who would give first. The staring contest seemed to last forever, five seconds on Kurt's watch, when Logan finally sighed and said, "Fine. But I'm not going to take it easy on you."
Alara smiled and nodded sternly.
"Good."
She looked at Kurt, who looked back at her with fond admiration, but with a fear that Alara could detect. Her smile shrank a little bit before they started following Logan to the room. Before they entered, Alara made them stop at her room so she could change. After she was done, she walked out in a pair of black shorts, a green tank top and knee-high, leather combat boots. She nodded and they continued walking down the hall. Alara wrapped herself around Kurt's arm nervously and as they walked down the hall, her grip tightened, sometimes almost making Kurt cry out in pain.
"Don't vorry. You'll do just fine," he whispered to her.