Title: My name is Star

In a quiet room lies a girl with starry white long hair in bed. She begins to stir and her eyes flutter open to reveal a pair of beautiful silvery blue eyes. She slowly sits up and rubs her forehead. There was a bandage over her bump…but then something strikes her.

"Where…where am I and what am I doing here?" Peprica asks herself.

Click

The door slowly opens and a young boy comes in with a cup of orange juice, porridge and a banana on a tray.

"Who are you?" Peprica asks sternly.

"Huh!" Jamie shouted out shocked. The tray wobbled and almost slipped his hands. Jamie, embarrassed, regained his balance and placed the tray on the table in front of Peprica. Suddenly, Jamie thought he heard a giggle. He looked up to his Peprica giggling at him. The moment Jamie saw her; he showed a goofy expression on his face.

"Hi, my name is Peprica Star."

Jamie looked up at her and saw her extend her hand out. Jamie hesitated at first then shook her hand. "My name is Jamie, Jamie Madrox." Peprica just smiled sweetly at him and Jamie could not help but stare at her. Her long white starry hair and silvery blue eyes with fairly tanned skin and melodious voice can just make him drool.

"I see you've made a new friend Jamie."

The two turned around to see Storm come in smiling.

"Hello, my name is Ororo Munroe." Storm said as she places her left hand over Jamie's shoulder.

"My name is Peprica Star. You got a unique name there."

"Thank you and you've got a nice name there too Peprica." Storm said

"Why thank you, my mum gave me that name. Uh…where am I exactly?" Peprica ask. Her voice was sweet and innocent and Jamie felt like his heart skipped a beat.

"You're in the Xavier Institute for the Gifted." Jamie replies.

"Oh! The school for mutants! Cool!" Peprica excitedly shouts. This took Jamie and Storm taken aback cause for a second there, they thought she was going to freak out.

"You…you don't think we are freaks?" Jamie asks quietly.

"Huh? Of course not! I think you guys are cool and the things you guys do are just awesome. You know, teaching mutants how to use their powers for good!"

Storm felt that there was hope after all, seeing a young girl like her believing in them. In fact, something about her makes you want to smile and have faith in just everything.

"Hello Peprica."

All turned to see Professor Xavier and Jean come in.

"My name is Xavier Charles, the founder of the Xavier Institute. This is Jean Grey, one of my students."

"How did you know my name?" Peprica asks rather surprised

"Telepathic abilities, that's why." Jean answers.

"How are you feeling now Peprica?" Storm asks

"Better, thank you for aiding me. I do apologize for intruding on your property."

Professor Xavier could tell that the girl is brought up with good manners. He showed a warm smile and then wheeled closer to Peprica. "Tell me, how did you end up here? You seem to have suffered exhaustion and you passed out." Professor Xavier asks concerned.

"I…I can't seem to remember. In fact, I can't remember anything at all." Peprica replies worriedly. "Have I lost my memory!"

Professor Xavier lets out a small laugh followed by Jean and Storm. Jamie just stood there staring at Peprica.

"Well, you just seem to have temporarily lost part of your memory of what happened to you before you passed out. It's natural, even when that blow to your head could have been the reason." Xavier says as Peprica felt her bandage on her head. Peprica then turns to look at Jamie who is still staring at her. Peprica revealed a sweet smile which made Jamie blush deeply.

Gosh she is pretty!

Jean turns around to look at Jamie; it seems his thoughts were so loud and anxious that her telepathic ability have seemed to catch it. Now knowing that Jamie has a crush on Peprica, Jean could not help but think that Jamie and Peprica look cute together.

"How old are you Peprica?" Professor Xavier asks.

"13." Peprica answers.

"Hey, same age as me!" Jamie happily replies. Peprica could not help but let out a small laugh to Jamie's enthusiasm. Professor Xavier could sense a small link between Peprica and Jamie. "Do your parents know you are here?" Storm asks. Peprica's smile soon turned into a sad face. "Um…no. My mum passed away five years ago and my dad is in Jail." Peprica replied while looking at her fingers. The whole room fell silent as it was quite sad and Storm could feel that Peprica is embarrassed about her family's background.

"Then where do you stay?" Jean asks.

"I…I stay in the church bell tower." Peprica replies sadly.

"Church tower!" Storm replies concerned, "by yourself?"

"Oh, no…well yeah I made my home there and ring the bell when I need to. It's actually quite nice staying there. Just like the Hunchback of Notredum, (don't know how to spell) it's great there. The priest there wanted me to stay in a proper home like the orphanage but I refused. The air is great, the scenery is beautiful and I have great friends there." Peprica looks up smiling.

Storm and Jean were taken aback by her enthusiasm despite the fact her home is the bell tower. Peprica could sense that they felt sorry for her even if she showed her enthusiasm.

"Don't need to pity me, life is this way. I try to keep myself happy despite I have no family except that my friends are my family." Peprica says as he takes a sip of her orange juice.

"So you don't have any other place?" Professor Xavier asks.

"No, the church is my home." Peprica said as she puts down her cup. "People call me the Blue Angel of the Night."

"Why?" Jamie asks curiously.

"Well, now that I am here, best I show you." Peprica replies.

Peprica got down from her bed and stand on the floor. She closed her eyes and slowly, two blue silvery wings flow out from her back and elegantly spreads out and then folds properly. Not only her wings but her hair turned from starry white to silky deep blue colour. Everyone in the room was amazed at the sight of her beautiful wings and the change of her hair.

"I am also born with Martial arts abilities. The rest of my powers…don't know."

Outside a room door, Rogue stands there, repeatedly knocking on the door. However, Kurt, sitting at his balcony, ignores her and stares outside. Rouge, knowing this won't help decides to just let it go. Just as she was leaving, Jean appears.

"Hey, so, Kurt not coming out?" Jean asks.

"No, ah never meant to hurt his feelings. Now, he won't even talk to me or anyone else." Rogue said with her head down and her eyes on the floor. Jean placed her hand on Rouge's shoulder and looks at the door. "Let him have some time alone, let him cool down a bit. Come on, let's get some dinner." Jean says as she walks away with Rouge.

In the lonely room, Kurt sits on the balcony edge with his eyes closed and his tail swaying from left to right. He felt pain and anger in his heart; he just could not bring himself to forgive anyone, not even Rogue. He felt a spark in him when he told Rogue off and that spark seems to be growing. Feeling he can't take the atmosphere, Kurt teleports away.

Down at the library, the door opens and Jamie and Peprica walk in.

"This is the library; there are tons of books in here."

"Wow, you guys are so fortunate! Do you have fantasy books?" Peprica asks.

"Well, not really, only a few. Why?"

"Ever heard of Beauty and the Beast?"

"Yeah."

"My mum used to read to me that story book, it's my favourite. Every night before I go to sleep, I must read at least one chapter of it. It calms my thoughts down you know." Peprica says as she scans through the shelves.

As Peprica scans through the shelves, Jamie could not help but stare at her. Her long wavy starry white hair tied up in a pony tail with strands of her hair left hanging down. Her eyes reflect different sides of her and show stories of her past life but yet when you are around her, you feel happy and hopeful. Jamie thinks that she herself is purer than anything else.

Out in a quiet park, Kurt walks about by himself and then comes to a stop near the lake. He looks up to see people on rental boats, laughing and talking. However, there is this certain boat that caught his eye. There is a small boy and a mother in it. The boy looked to be no older than 10 years old and the mother looked quite young. They were laughing about and that made Kurt smile a bit.

The sun is slowly descending and Kurt sits by the lake staring at the shimmering waters. Everything else around seems to have melt away as he stares into blank space. Suddenly, something seems to have drawn him out of his empty world. He looked up and turned to his right to see Mystique as Principal Darkholme. He saw her walk down to the other side of the lake and throw crackers into the water for the ducks to eat. Her face expression seems to be sad and hurt. Not knowing why he felt eager to know what is going on, he teleported to behind a tree, behind Mystique and listened closely.

Mystique, not knowing that Kurt was listening poured out everything. Her heart could not contain anything else anymore and she just broke down.

"I am so sorry Kurt, for everything. I never meant to abandon you! I was scared that Magneto might hurt you again…I…I still love you Kurt, I always will. You just don't know how hurt I am…even if I told you right now, you will never believe me, after all the things I have done…I just went crazy, confused, not knowing where my heart lies. Not knowing….is all that I have to say." Mystique said as she threw the bag of crackers on the ground and walked away.

As Mystique walked away, Kurt walked out of hiding and reached for the bag of crackers. He heard it all, all of it. Mystique, his mother still loves him but is it true motherly love? Is she tricking him? Is she up to something?

But then again, should he think of his mother that way?

Next Chapter: Reflection with the heart

Author: Please review, it will mean a lot to me.