Chapter 10: Mystery Solved


After my field trip in the Taepo Caves, my parents bandaged up my nose and I neglected to tell them about my strained arm. It didn't hurt that much either so it wasn't a big deal. On Monday, everything had changed. Rogue and Scott were alive thankfully, and so was Mystique because Principal Darkholme was there. I could have begged for my parents not to send me to school, afraid the principal would try and get me, but I couldn't. They'd want an explanation and I couldn't give them one. I couldn't honestly tell them my principal tried to kill me and she's actually a mutant in disguise.Rogue was living in the Xavier Institute now. People were wary of this, after all, who could believe someone living with the Brotherhood only a few days ago could be magically gifted all of a sudden. Plus, she didn't exactly look gifted to be honest.

True it was embarrassing to go to high school with a big bandage on your nose, but that passed when I was allowed to take off the bandage. I tried hard to cut out any eavesdropping I would do, either on purpose or accidentally, but it was hard. I really wanted to find out who these "X-men" were. Perhaps a secret organization filled with mutants? It was possible.

Speaking of mutant, I tried hard to avoid the fact that I was. Maybe it was just a one time thing?

During passing period I was walking down the hall to my locker when Angie skipped to my side.

"Haley, mind if I borrow the trigonometry homework?" she asked, giving me her puppy dog eyes.

I gasped and looked suspiciously at Angie. Was this the real Angie? Angie ALWAYS ALWAYS did her homework. If anything, I would be the one copying her homework. This was too weird. It was impossible to believe this Angie would neglect her homework. She got an A+ in every one of her classes for crying out loud!

"Sure," I said meekly, I unzipped my backpack to present her with a series of papers.

"Thanks so much! I owe you one," she sighed and sped off fast leaving me all by myself.

I walked idly to my Biology class next to a VERY annoying girl who was always smacking down a piece of gum. She tended to stick it in the hair of the girl sitting in front of her. It was gross, but I decided to ignore it in case she decided to put the gum in my precious blonde hair.

Rogue was sitting way off in the back. Natalie came in tardy like usual and sat down behind me. After lunch she would meet Greg Ferguson, her new boyfriend, and they would flirt for a while and then the bell would ring and she would finally come to class. I personally didn't like Greg. He was dumb, but cute and I suppose that's all Natalie was going for. She told me once she wanted a relationship in which she was the dominant one.

Mr. Snyder, the Biology teacher, coughed his throat so that everyone would hush up and he could begin his lecture. First he went over to the blinds and closed them.

"Today we will be watching a movie," he explained.

The class went into an uproar but it was soon silenced when he droned on, "about bacteria." The class groaned.

Mr. Snyder turned off the light and played the movie when suddenly a felt a sticky substance on my arm. I looked down at it and found a gross chewing gum applied on my arm. I sneered in disgust and dug it out with my pencil. I glared at Casey Coleman, the girl who sat next to me smacking gum all day.

"What was that for?" I asked.

"My other gum lost its flavor," she explained.

"You know what I mean!" I hissed as the announcer in the movie introduced the topic of "bacteria".

"Janice ain't here. I need to put the gum someplace," Casey shrugged. I looked at the desk in front of Casey and it was indeed empty. I groaned.

"How about in the trash?" I asked.

She shrugged and about 20 minutes into the movie I felt her press an object on my sleeve. I looked at my shirt and the sleeve was covered with sticky pink gum. I was ready to bawl. I wanted to slap that bratty girl in the face and shriek. How dare she? I was so mad. This was a new shirt!

The class gasped and looked around as the lights began to flicker on and off, on and off. My anger was reaching its boiling point and I couldn't do anything to stop it. The lights kept signaling off and on and now the TV screen and computer monitor. I grasped my head in pain when suddenly everything sparked out, leaving the class amidst complete darkness.

"What just happened?" one girl said slowly, looking up at the lights.

"Weird," a boy remarked.

"That was cool," another students replied.

"Was that a blackout or something?"

"No way."

"This school needs better stuff. It's so cheap."

Mr. Snyder coughed out loudly and bellowed, "Class! Settle down! Now!"

The class immediately hushed up and all eyes were directed at him. I breathed heavily, clutching my head. I tore the gum off my shirt and quickly gathered all my belongings. My heart was pounding and I just bolted out of the classroom, with no explanation whatsoever.

I leaned against a locker and sucked in a deep breath. I had did that hadn't I? I had caused the lights to flicker on and off in that classroom and I didn't even know I could do that.

"Haley?" a voice asked.

I looked to my right to see Jean Grey standing there, looking at me with concerned eyes.

"Yeah," I said, my voice trembling.

"Are you ok?" she asked.

"Yeah," I lied, "Why?"

(I know what you did just now), a voice breathed in my head. The voice was familiar, but I knew it was just my imagination.

(It's me, Jean.), the voice continued.

I cocked my eyebrow and looked at Jean with distrust. How could she do that? Well, she was a mutant after all. If she could move things with her mind, then maybe she could talk to other people using her mind as well.

"Huh?" I asked.

(I know that you know about mutants. You've known for quite some time haven't you? And you probably have a lot of questions), Jean voice said. She looked at me as though she was peering into my soul. She was studying me, trying to get more information from me.

(Duh), I thought, feeling silly at thinking this. Could she actually hear my thoughts?

(I'm a telepathic. I can read minds.), she explained.

Angrily I looked her over, "You've been reading my mind?"

"It's not like that," Jean said, surprised at my sudden cold reaction.

"Yes it is!" I said accusingly, "Just stay away from me! And my thoughts!"

With that the bell rang and busloads of students exited their classroom. I spun on my heel and ran out the doors to outside where the freshly cool air dispersed my anger. A telepathic was a person to be wary of, that's for sure. Would you want to be around a telepath with the constant knowledge they can invade your mind and read your thoughts? I don't think so! And that's exactly how I felt.

I sat on the bench outside school so I could get my head straight. I didn't feel like going home right now so I quickly dialed my mom's phone on my cell phone and told her I'd walk home. I also reassured her I wouldn't get kidnapped or anything.

My back rested against the bench and I let out a sigh.

Walking home was relieving actually. I got to experience the fresh air instead of the suffocating seat in my mom's van. I cocked my head as I neared the Xavier Institute and remembered that the only route I had ever taken home was by passing the institute. I walked on and admired the large mansion. I stopped for a few seconds to marvel at it when suddenly the tall gates opened up as if inviting me to enter.

My adventuresome side kicked in again. It hadn't been gone long. I took two steps inside the institute premises when suddenly the gates behind me closed up, as if locking me inside. I sighed. It was my choice after all. I didn't have to go in but I did.

I stood there for a while when suddenly machines popped out from the ground and from a couple of statues. There aim was at me. I gasped and began to run farther into the institute and jumped up in surprise when a bullet hardly missed my foot. I jumped up in surprise again as another bullet hit and continued my run. I screamed and my hands shot out sending out a stream of light. It blasted the machine.

Wow!

My screams echoed loud as another "chime" sound was inserted as I shot my hands forward again, blasting a statue this time.

"Help!" I shrieked and ran farther and farther into the institute. I pounded on the doors as the guns looked more dangerous than ever. "Open the door!"

A gust of wind passed me by and the doors flew open, causing me to fall face first on the ground. The doors behind me closed, locking me in like the gates had done. As I began to stand up, I looked at my hands in awe. My "powers" had saved my life.

"Hello? Anyone in here?" I asked, my voice echoing inside the large mansion. I chimed, "Hello?"

I gasped as the familiar gust of wind spun around me and propelled me into the air. I was floating! Then the wind dispersed and I landed on my feet. I looked around. Where had that wind come from?

Gasping, the familiar African-American woman from Kevin's basketball game (and Evan's aunt) appeared.Her eyes were shining a brightsilver and her hands were out. I screamed as a surge of wind began pushing me back into the wall. I shot my hands forward, yet nothing happened. Once more: nothing.

I concentrated on my hands and closed my eyes. Reopening them, a saw two specks of lights dancing around in my hands. They weren't hot like I expected them to be, so with all my strength and threw them back at "Ororo." She easily dodged it.

The rushing wind kept coming but now with even more strength. I concentrated on my hands again and put them up. All of a sudden a yellow colored shield appeared, causing the wind to part sideways instead of hitting me. The shield wasn't very strong because it disappeared in a matter of seconds.

"Storm! That's enough!" a voice called and the white-haired woman stopped her assault. The voice continued, "Ms. Woodrow had proven that she is indeed a mutant."

"What?" I asked shocked. "What is this all about?"

"My name is Professor Charles Xavier and I run this institute," he explained. It was pretty obvious that he was in charge considering his last name was 'Xavier'. When he appeared I was astounded to see that he was a disabled man in a wheelchair and that he had no hair. I pictured Charles Xavier in a different way. I pictured him tall and obese with a round belly and rosy cheeks. I guess I was leaning more on an image of Santa Claus.

"Yeah," I said, urging him to continue.

"I have been given to believe that you are a mutant and I suppose you know what they are, considering you've been following my students around lately," Professor Xavier said with a hint of disapproval in his voice. "Under the guise of a private boarding school for gifted children, I run this establishment away from wary eyes of those who might judge. That is why I am pleased about your decision for keeping our secret."

"I guess," I trailed on.

"My computer, Cerebro, detects the sign of mutant power manifestations. Your powers emerged when you were battling Mystique, am I correct?" he asked. He knew he was right but he asked anyway so I nodded.

"Yeah what's up with her anyway?" I asked. "She did try to kill me."

"Her intentions are not quite clear," Professor Xavier said. For some reason I doubted it. I wasn't telepathic but something about the way he said it made it seem like he knew more than he was letting on.

The middle-aged man led me to an area in the mansion where there were sofas. I sat down on one of the armchairs and we talked for a few more minutes and he answered all, or at least most of my answers. He ran this place with the purpose of teaching mutants how to control their powers and the X-men were his top students who ran sort of missions.

"I'm extending an invitation to you to join my institute," Professor Xavier said.

What? Live with other freaks like myself? Train to "learn how to use my gift"? No way! Uh-uh! Not going to happen!

"I understand if you need more time to think about it," Professor Xavier said.

"Actually, I've decided no. This place – it's just not for me," I explained. "I'm a mutant and I except that. Whether it's a curse or a gift – I haven't decided. My own principal tried to kill me and one of your advisors attacked me just now. No."

Professor Xavier sighed, "It's understandable. But if you ever change your mind-"

I looked at him, "I won't."


Violet: I hope everyone likes this chapter! R/R