All right everyone, please don't kill me! I haven't updated in forever because we were moving to a new house. Woo-hoo!!! And I didn't have access to a computer. So, needless to say, I have chapters up the wazoo written in notebooks, but nothing on disk. So here is the next long awaited chapter.

This is an AU fic for the X-men movie characters. I don't own any of the Marvel character. Though, I do own John's sister, Dad, and the character Blade.

Chapter 9

When I got back, I went straight to Xavier's office. I kept my eyes concentrated on the ground as I hurried past the others students. I breezed by Gambit, ignoring the fact that he was about to say something. Catching a glimpse of the puzzlement that decorated his face, I forced myself to keep moving. I flung the Professor's door open and slammed it shut behind me. Xavier, of course, knew I was coming, but Blade jumped at the noise. I scowled at her presence, but realized there was nothing I could do about it.

"Welcome back . . . Pyro, is it now?"

"Yeah."

"Very good. Please have a seat, Pyro. This is something we really need to discuss."

I lowered myself into the chair, images of my old principal flashing in my mind. God, he was such a prick. I didn't stop myself from thinking it and realized my mistake too late. My head whipped up to see Xavier's reaction. His soft smile was still in place and his eyes were still warm and inviting. I forced myself to relax, shifting slightly in the seat.

"So now what?" I demanded, the silence getting on my nerves.

"Now," Charles' smile grew, to reassure me, "we talk about what exactly happened in the study room."

"I didn't wanna be there, so I left. Simple as that." I replied, moving to stand up.

The Professor sighed and tapped the side of his head, near the temple. I groaned and fell back into the chair.

"Don't ya gotta ask permission before goin' into someone's head like that?"

"I normally do. And I didn't read your mind, yet. You were practically broadcasting the fact that you were lying. It was very hard to ignore." The last sentence was almost said as a comfort, triggered by my deepening frown.

"Shit." I murmured, crossing my arms tightly over my chest. "I hate school."

"Then why are you going to one?"

His question surprised me, causing me to sit up straight in the chair. "What?"

"I said, then why are you going to one?"

"'Cause . . . well . . . I go to the classes I like. They just ain't any of the academic ones. 'Sides, when am I ever gonna use that stuff? That book she gave me is useless! Except, maybe, for a doorstop."

"But you do need to know how to read." Blade broke in, standing up from her chair. "And since you aren't able to do that, than you obviously have more to learn."

"I can read!" I shouted, jumping up from my own chair.

"Then read that." She pointed to a framed sheet of paper over the Professor's desk.

I fidgeted and bit my lip. "I said I can read. Just takes me a little longer than some people."

Charles looked at Blade and nodded. "Yes. I believe that might be a reasonable solution. Are you volunteering?"

The woman's face darkened and her scowl almost broke it in two. "That is not what I was saying, Xavier."

"I think it would be good for you. Both of you." The Professor's eyes swept the room to include me in the conversation once again.

"What?" I demanded, made anxious by their silent decision. "What's a reasonable solution?"