Disclaimer: Don't own any of the characters, Marvel does.
Summary: Jubilee has already graduated after being in Applegate private school (made the school up) for one year. She is now 16 and has a full scholarship at New York University.
Chapter 1
(Friday night)
'Dear Diary,
Who knew college life can be so hard. Well its not that hard, but I like to think to myself that it is. I haven't had contact with the X-Men since they dropped me off at Applegate. Go figure that the teachers there actually noticed that I had more potential than I was putting on. They made me take a few tests and I'd aced all of them. They put me in the 12th grade, but I asked them not to tell the Professor or anyone else until I was ready to do that myself. Well the day came of my graduation. I sent everyone an invitation to attend my graduation, but no one ever showed up. I wasn't to surprised. Why should I have been? I wasn't exactly expecting them to show up. They didn't write or called the entire time I was there. That didn't surprise me either. I spent my holidays with some friends and their families. They made me feel like I had a family. They didn't care if I was a mutant, the whole school knew that I was a mutant but they treated me like I was normal. No one looked at me with fear, that made me feel great in the inside. My friend's, Mark, June and Kevin, parents came to my graduation and then throw me a graduation party. That was the most fun I have had in ages. They made me promise to keep in contact with them cause I if I didn't then they will come hunting for me. I guess in a way they are my family. The only one that I have. Well it's late and I want to get up early enough to do some shopping. So night diary.'
Jubilee then turned closed her diary and went to sleep, not thinking about what the following day was about to bring.
(Saturday 11 a.m.)
' Great. This is just great. I haven't being shopping in a while and no trouble coming my way. Hope today stays like this. Nice and Sunny.' Jubilee then stopped at a store looking into the shop when she heard some familiar voices.
"Yo Gumbo. Think Ororo is going to like our present?" Bobby Drake asked of his friend.
" I think that the chere will like it. Now come on, we be late in meeting up with the others for lunch an' you know how Rogue be mad when one is late."
"Yeah. She'll think that you were hitting on girls again. Which you were."
"It's in gambit's nature to hit on them, which you will not tell her that I was. Non?"
"Don't worry your secret is safe with me, at a price."
Jubilee notice that they were heading in her direction and quickly put her black shades back on and faced the store window once again.
'Man, just when I think I'm having a great day, something always happens. Why do they have to be here now! Couldn't pick a better day to go shopping huh Lee. Just stay clam and they won't notice you. ' Jubilee said to herself waiting for Gambit and Bobby to pass by.
Once they did pass by her, Jubilee let out the air that she was holding and decided to investigate who else was with them before doing anymore shopping.
"Bobby! Gambit! Over here."
Jubilee heard yet another familiar voice and noticed that it was the voice of Paige Guthrie.
"Hey good-looking. Saving a sit just for me? How sweet."
"Cut it out Bobby. Ya know that sit is for Warren."
"Aww come on. What do you see in Warren that you don't see in me?" Bobby asked Paige playfully.
"That's easy. I'm handsome, have great looking hair, good manners and on top of that I'm rich." Warren said carrying a tray full of food.
"And a great kisser."
"So it's the money then."
Everyone at the table, who included Bobby, Gambit, Paige, Warren, Rouge, and Bishop, started to laugh.
"Now sug, don't feel so bad. I'm sure that you'll find someone soon enough." Rouge told Bobby.
"For your information Rouge I already found someone. She just happens to be in Paris at the moment."
"Oh yes. How is Monet doing? I'm sure she don't like that you be flirting with others, especially one of her friends." Gambit asked his friend.
"Yes Robert. Monet seems like the jealous type." Bishop said.
"Nah. She isn't. Sides if she were then my mind probably be all messed up by now. Telepaths can do that you know."
For some strange reason Bishop looked up and noticed that someone was watching them, but didn't say anything. He just excused himself from the table saying that he had to use the bathroom, but went straight where Jubilee was.
'Oh no. Bishop is heading my way.' Jubilee then went into a nearby store acting as if nothing was wrong. But Bishop noticed the teenager going into the store and followed in.
Looking around, Bishop finally spotted the teenager by the music section, still wearing her black shades and went up to her.
"My telling me why you were spying on my friends just now?"
"I wasn't spying. I was merely looking around and notice your group. Now leave me alone." Jubilee said in low warning manner.
"Jubilation?! Is that you?"
Jubilee didn't answer; she just merely turned and walked away. Bishop followed her all the way outside the mall.
"Didn't I tell you to leave me alone?" Jubilee said, turning around to face Bishop.
"Yes. But did you honestly believe that I would? What are you doing here?"
"That's none of your concern Bishop."
"Of course it is. When the youngest member of the x-men is out on her own in New York City..."
"I'm not an x-men anymore Bishop. And I can take perfectly care of myself. I have being so for the past two months and all of my life. So leave me be." Jubilee went to halt a taxi, but bishop stopped her from getting in.
"Your not going anywhere Jubilation until you answer my questions." Bishop said in a tine that was both caring and worried, which Jubilee noticed.
"Alright. But not here. They can come out anytime and see me. Lets go into that coffee shop across the street."
"I'll have a mocha with extra foam please." Jubilee ordered once at the said shop and sat down across from Bishop. "So ask what you were going to ask. Doesn't mean I'm going to answer."
"Very well. Why are you here?"
"Not going to answer, at least not yet. So next question."
"Very well, I'll come back to it later. Why didn't you want us to see you or why didn't you come and say hello? I'm sure they would have been glad to see you."
"Well, I was just waiting for you guys to leave so I can continue with my shopping and seeing that you all were having such a great time I didn't want to spoil it."
Bishop looked at her and knew that she wasn't telling a lie. But still wondering why she was avoiding the others.
"Anything else? Can I leave now?"
"No, not yet. Jubilation I thought you were supposed to be at a private school, at least that's what the others told me."
"Yeah. At Applegate. Listen I know I can trust you so don't tell the others. Please?" Jubilee said in a pleading voice.
"Very well. You have my word."
"The same year I entered Applegate was the same year I graduated from there. I was valedictorian. I then applied here at the University and got a full scholarship and live in the dorms. That's why I'm here."
"Why didn't you inform the others of your success?"
"I did. I sent them an invitation to my graduation. No one showed up. I wasn't surprised about that either. But my friends and their families showed and threw me a nice party." Jubilee added smiling at that thought.
"I'm sorry we weren't there on your big day."
"No biggie. I wasn't expecting none of you guys to show up. Listen, I have to go. Or I'll be late for work. It was nice seeing you again Bishop." Jubilee got up, hugged Bishop and paid the waitress.
"Oh and make sure you get rid of my scent. Don't want Logan to smell me on you."
"Take care and I'll keep in contact with you Jubilation."
"Right."
'I can't believe them! Paige and Monet are part of the team. They're just three years older than me and they get to join! Chill J. You've gone on with your life. You have a pretty good job here the at the Daily Bugle working on their website and having your own editorial for teenage advice. Yeah, whoever said Jameson couldn't see talent in people was wrong. Good thing he had agreed not to use my real name on it. Life couldn't be better.'
"Hey, I'm looking for the person who's in charge of the website. Anyone seen her?"
"Yeah, over her bub. What can I do for you?" Jubilee then turned around and saw the familiar face of Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man.
"Jubilee?! What on earth are you doing here?"