Looking Through Your Eyes
Chapter 4
Marie woke up as usual at 7.00am, took a shower and got dressed. After that, she'd go to the kitchen to make herself breakfast or do it with her mother whenever she was around. Ever since her father's death four years ago, her mother had travelled around, staying home for a few times a year. The only reason why Marie stayed was because her mother wanted her to get a good education.
At 8.15am, Lance would already be waiting for her at her driveway. But seeing as how they broke up last weekend, she would have to go to school on her own.
She had always been outraged by his jealousy over Scott Summers but had ignored it, in fear of striking up a theory in Lance's clouded mind that she returned the Summers boy's affections.
In truth, she did.
It was three months ago and about five months after Lance had found out Scott had a crush on her. Marie was on the way back from visiting her aunt across town when her car broke down. Coincidentally, Scott was also returning from where she had been and had offered her a ride home after Lance had refused to drive for forty-five minutes just to pick her up. An argument had naturally ensued when she had returned.
So after breakfast, when she was just about to leave for school, she was surprised to find Scott Summers standing at the front-door, a fist raised to knock on the door.
"Scott, hey. What're you doing here?" she asked.
"Um," he said nervously. "Just thought you might want a ride?"
Marie thought about it. If Lance saw her with him, just three days after their break up, he would freak.
"Sure. Why not?" she said. She stuffed her car keys into her pocket and followed Scott towards his convertible. She felt her face flush as he opened the door for her. He got into his side and drove off to school.
X-X
"Aren't you guys, like, supposed to be gone by now?" Kitty asked when she walked into the kitchen to find her parents eating breakfast in a rush.
"Yes, well, someone forgot to set the alarm," Carmen Pryde said, glaring at his wife while he attempted to drink a cup of steaming hot coffee.
"Right, put all the blame on me," Theresa Pryde said.
"Mom, dad, no fighting. Do I have to separate you two?" Kitty said with a smile on her face as she slipped two pieces of bread into the toaster.
"Bye, dear, will you be alright?" Theresa said, hugging her daughter and placing a kiss on her forehead.
"Mom, I'm seventeen. I'm sure I'm, like, totally capable of going to school on my own," she said, rolling her eyes. "Bye, daddy. Say hi to grandpa for me."
"Bye, sweetheart. We wish we could bring you with us, but you've got-" Carmen started.
"-school, tutoring and my job at the café. Oh, and cheerleading, which I quit by the way," Kitty finished. "I'll be fine, daddy. I've been going to school on my own for four years now," she said with a teasing tone.
"Yes, but isn't Scott supposed to-" It seemed as though her father had temporarily forgotten that he was mad at the eldest Summers boy.
"Scott's a little busy this morning. I'll be fine. Now go! You're going to miss your flight," Kitty said, practically shooing her parents out the door while simultaneously buttering her toast. (A/N: I do that! Haha.)
"Now-"
"Emergency numbers are on the fridge, the rules are in the first drawer in the hallway closet, and no parties, no getting drunk and especially no inviting boys into my room," Kitty said once more. "Daddy, I'll be fine. Don't worry. You too, Mom. I want this vacation to be stress-free for you." Her parents gave her a look as they got into the taxi that had arrived about fifteen minutes earlier. "You know, while, like, stopping by Grandpa and Grandpa on the way. I love you!"
"We love you, too!" The taxi drove off and Kitty turned around to re-enter her house.
As she ate breakfast and watched the morning news, her mind drifted back to the tutoring session with Lance Alvers yesterday. In all her years of knowing and growing up with him in Northbrook, last Saturday had pretty much been the first time he had talked to her in years. Sure, in kindergarten he had spoken to her. As well as pull on her ponytail during recess and frequently stole her lunch. It had been Scott, who just also happened to be the new kid on the block, who had helped her and after that, they pretty much became best friends and were soon inseparable. Saturday had marked the first time that Lance Alvers had spoken to her civilly.
And she found that she liked the Lance Alvers who spoke to her civilly. Surprisingly, he was a good conversationalist and she guessed they had his father's business dinners at their place to thank. Her father had been invited quite a few times, since he was a well-known banker.
With a sigh, Kitty realised that Lance Alvers would probably never reciprocate her feelings. Guys like him only liked girls like the head cheerleader, Jean Grey, and the second-in-command, Marie Darkholme. But what did she know anyway? Well, one thing she knew anyway, her feelings towards the bad boy was still only at a low level, which she was very thankful for. And another thing she knew, Scott must never, ever find out that she did, indeed, like him.
X-X
When Lance arrived at school, it was to see Marie getting out of Scott Summer's car. Scott Summers put an arm around Marie and she didn't even do a thing to stop him. He felt himself fume slightly. Only three days and she was already hooking up with someone else? And with Scott Summers! He always did have a feeling that Marie liked Summers as much as he liked her. Even now, it kind of irked him. But it did kind of bring comfort to him, after a while, when her face showed, despite being very little, signs of displeasure.
"Hey Lance!"
He turned around and found the vibrant redhead hurrying up to him, her hair flying behind her as she attempted to walk as fast as she could without running.
"Oh, hey Jean," he said, shoving his hands into his pockets. "What's up?"
"Did you hear Marie and Scott came to school together?" she asked, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She wasn't one to be subtle.
"I didn't hear, Grey. I saw," he said.
"Yea, well, Scott Summers isn't exactly one to wait," she huffed.
"Don't tell me you like him!" Lance laughed, meaning it as a joke. But when her face flushed slightly, he laughed even harder as they walked into the school. "You do like him! Ugh, that's absolutely pathetic!"
"Hey! Not every single girl in this school has to be helplessly in love with you, you know," she said. "Between you and Scott, he is so much better looking than you."
"I'll pretend that you never said that," Lance declared. "Hey – uh – weren't you guys supposed to have practice yesterday?"
"Duh! Of course! We have practice everyday after school," Jean answered. "Why?" She looked at him suspiciously.
"Nothing. I was just wondering why Kitty was at Summers' café when she was supposed to be at practice," he said absentmindedly. When the words he had said finally registered in his brain, his eyes widened slightly. "I mean, not that I was-"
"Is there something going on between you and Kitty Pryde that I should know about?" When Lance remained silent, she said instead, "Well, anyway, since you're so interested in knowing, she quit the squad. Said she was taking up too much between tutoring people and her job at the café and cheerleading, of course. Not that I blame her anyway. She's such a geek."
Lance felt himself become slightly angry and he almost envisioned what Jean Grey's body would look like with bruises and scratches. Just when he was about to say something, Jean said, "Oh, hey, this is my first class. I'll see ya around, Superstar."
"I told you not to call me Superstar!" he said after her. He shook his head and made his way towards English.
X-X
Jean Grey was perfect. Pretty much anyway. And she knew it. In her perfect little world, she was beautiful, she was the head cheerleader, she attended more clubs than the average student and practically every boy wanted to date her. Too bad that was all in her head half of the time.
Recently, she had set her sights on Scott Summers, point guard of the basketball varsity team. With that mahogany coloured hair and baby blue eyes and very smooth skin, he was, in one word she summed, hot.
Too bad he was practically in love with her best friend. And she knew that her best friend pretty much returned the feelings. She never actually heard her best friend say it, but she could just tell. Especially with the way she always defended him whenever Lance said something bad about him. They were both just too chicken to do anything about.
Well, if they were too chicken, there was no reason for her to not pursue Scott Summers. And pursue him she did.
She knew she was pretty much betraying Marie, but at the moment she wasn't thinking of her. She was thinking of herself and what she wanted. She knew she had a reputation of pretty much being a slut, but she could care less. It was high school. The time to live life the fullest before some higher power pushed the lowers into college and all childlike innocence was taken away from them.
Besides, it wasn't like her parents were around much anyway. They were always travelling to some European or Asian country or another. They left her pretty much alone at home.
So she decided during first period. During practice with the basketball team later on after school, she would tell Marie that she was into Scott Summers, and see her reaction. If all went well, she would have Scott Summers all to herself.
It was too bad that she was too self-centred to care that it would probably destroy her close friendship with her one and only best friend.
X-X
It was after school and it was cheerleading practice. They were having it in the auditorium with the basketball team. As they went on with practice while the cheerleaders cheered them on (A/N: Yeah, like duh. That's what they do.), Jean pulled Marie a little away from the rest of the squad while still shaking their pompoms.
"You know what I think?" Jean started.
"What?" Marie said.
"I think Tutor Girl-"
"Wait, who's Tutor Girl?"
"Kitty Pryde, ex-member of the squad," Jean scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, I think Tutor Girl likes Scott, don't you think?"
Marie stared at Jean as though she had sprouted another head. "Jean, Kitty and Scott have been best friends since he first moved here."
"Who says best friends aren't a good foundation for a healthy and lasting relationship?" Jean asked. "Anyway, I think Tutor Girl likes Scott, but thing is, I know I like Scott Summers, and I don't know who the hell you like. And I think I'm pretty sure Marietta likes that Evan guy but that's besides the point."
Marie had frozen when Jean had said she liked Scott Summers during her rant.
"You know, I spoke to Lance this morning," the vibrant redhead continued.
"Oh?"
"Yeah," Jean said, still shaking her pompoms while looking at her auburn haired friend from the corner of her eyes. Yep, her reaction showed it all. She was so totally into Scott Summers. "Anyway, he told me that he's really, really sorry and that he'd like another chance with you. You know, get back together and continue being in love with you."
Okay, so maybe it was an exaggerated lie.
"In love? With me? You're kidding right? All our relationship was about the making out and the sex and the publicity. Sure, we cared about each other and all, but it was strictly that," Marie said, raising an eyebrow. She almost thought that Jean was lying to her. But she was her best friend. And besides, Lance had shown that he might've been in love with her.
"Oh, he told me he loves you, alright," Jean said, smirking inwardly. This is going too well, she thought. "He wants to talk to you tonight actually at Mrs Summers' café." She looked at Marie with a solemn look. "He really wanted you to go, Marie."
Marie was silent for a moment. "Fine. I'll go see him later."
"He'll be there at six, or maybe earlier. He wasn't sure," Jean said with a smirk, unaware that Tatiana had been listening in on the conversation.
X-X
Lance raised an eyebrow when he checked the caller ID on his cell phone. He was at home, thankfully alone, and was in his room, his stereo on at full blast.
He lowered the volume and answered the phone and was quite surprised to hear the bubbly redhead's voice on the other end of the line. "Jean? How'd you get my number?"
"Don't act so surprise now, Lance. Anyways, I was calling to tell you that I talked to Marie during practice."
"So?" Lance rummaged around on his messy tabletop for a piece of paper. He folded it into an aeroplane and threw it across the room, ignoring the fact that that was his History homework.
"She told me she misses you. Like, completely."
"If she misses me then why was she hanging around Summers?"
"Isn't it obvious? She was trying to make you jealous so you would take her back. The way she talked about you just now, Lance," she gave a dramatic sigh, "it was almost as though she was very much in love."
Lance snorted. "That's a very low chance, Grey," he said, reaching for another paper and making it into another paper aeroplane. "I mean, me and Marie, what we pretty much did was make out all the time. Sure, there was a little bonding between her and Ben, but that was pretty much the only thing we had in common. Oh, and the fact that we're both popular."
It was Jean's turn to snort. "Right. Anyway, she wants to meet you at Mrs Summers' café at a quarter to six. She really wants to get back together with you, Lance. She misses you a whole lot."
Lance sighed and thought it over. It didn't seem like a bad idea to maybe get back together with Marie. Maybe getting back together with the Southern beauty (she had originated from there but her accent had long since disappeared) would be much better. Maybe, just maybe, it'll help him forget about a certain blue-eyed brunette.
X-X
Kitty had been taking orders and making coffee all day since she left school at four. Her neat ponytail was in disarray as she attempted to make cappuccino and black coffee at the same time. Thankfully, Scott had come back from practice and had helped her out.
When the bell at the top of the door tinkled, she looked up and her breath was caught in her throat. Lance Alvers had walked in and was making his way to a table in a far corner.
"What is he doing here?" Scott sneered.
Kitty rolled her eyes. "He has every right to be here, Scott. It's not like you have a court order against him coming here," she said, taking a pad and pen and making her way over to Lance, leaving Scott with his mouth wide open. "Hey there, what can I get you?"
"Huh? Oh, hey Pryde," Lance said, slouching against his chair.
"Like, it's not gonna hurt you to call me 'Kitty', you know. All my friends do," she said.
"I wasn't under the impression that we were friends," he said, but grinned at her nonetheless.
"Yea, well," she said, her cheeks turning pink slightly, "What can I get you?"
"Just a mocha please," he said. "Um, make that two."
"Coming right up," she said and made her way back to the coffee maker machine.
"I don't see why you're so nice to him," Scott said at once when she returned. "Have you completely forgotten that he used to pull on your ponytail during kindergarten?"
"You weren't even there, Scott. Well, for the last half of the year you were, but the first half you weren't."
"And I heard a lot of horror stories from you, Kitty, about Alvers' escapades."
"Oh, grow up, Scott. Get over it, okay? This whole rivalry thing you guys gave got going on is ridiculous. Including that grudge against him," she said. She walked over to Lance with his mocha. "Here you go."
"Thanks," he said, nodding at her.
"So what're you doing here?"
"Oh, um, I'm meeting Marie," he muttered.
"I thought you guys broke up?" she asked immediately. She clapped her hands over her mouth and closed her eyes, feeling her face turn very hot. "I'm so sorry, Lance. That was rude."
"No, no, it's alright," he said.
"Anyway, I should get back to work," she said and went back to the counter just as Marie entered the café.
X-X
Marie found Lance at the café at exactly six and he was just sitting there, trying to avoid her eyes. She felt herself flush as she made her way towards him.
"Hey, Lance," she said awkwardly. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a mane of red hair enter the café and made her towards the counter.
"Marie, hey. Um, have a seat," he said, gesturing towards the seat across from him. She sat down. "Uh, Jean told me you wanted to talk to me."
"What! That's what she told me," Marie said, an incredulous look on her face. In her head, she began to calculate the situation. "By any chance did she tell you that I was in love with you, and that I missed you, and that I wanted you back?"
"Yea. Why?"
"Because what she said was a big fat lie."
X-X
"Hey, Superstar, Kitty," Jean said as soon as she reached the counter. She plastered a smile on her face.
"Huh? Oh, hey, Jean," Kitty said. "Do you want anything?"
"Just a latte, thanks," she said.
Kitty nudged Scott, who was reading a book, with her foot. "What?" he asked. The brunette just jerked her head at the redhead's direction. "Hey, Jean. What brings you here?"
"Oh, nothing. Just thought I could use a latte," she said casually, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "Hey, Scott, did you know Marie's here?"
"She is?" She fumed silently as she saw his eyes light up excitedly. His head craned to look for her.
"Uhuh," Jean said, nodding. She jerked her thumb over her shoulder. "She's trying to get back together with her boyfriend."
"What?" Scott frowned, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. Just this morning they had went to school together. And he had gotten a kiss on the cheek from her for carrying her books.
Behind him, as she was making Jean's latte, Kitty felt her heart sink. She was right. Lance would never return her feelings because he was still into his old girlfriend. And at that moment, he was in the process of getting back together with her.
Something was wrong about the picture. Because Kitty felt, that it should have been her, who Lance was getting together with.
X-X
"Come on," Marie said, getting up form her seat and ignored her cup of mocha.
Lance hurriedly stood up and went after her, nearly spilling his drink in the process. He cursed under his breath as he weaved his way through tables. He stopped a bit behind Marie who was glaring at Jean.
"I can't believe you tried to set us up," Marie snapped at Jean, fury in her eyes.
"It's not that big of a deal, Marie," Jean said. "I mean, it is kind of obvious that you guys want to be together. The both of you have, like, been together for years now. Why end it now? Oh, that's right, you're into someone new." She stepped back away from her slightly. "Go on, Marie, show us how you really feel about him."
Marie stood her ground. She glared at Jean but nevertheless, she strode towards the back where Kitty attempted to stop her. She sidestepped Kitty, grabbed the front of Scott's shirt and planted her lips firmly on his.
X-X
Jean scowled as she held her cup in her hand. She glanced over at Lance and saw him glance away, an almost embarrassed look on his face. He had his hands shoved into his pants. She glanced the other way and saw Kitty looking at Lance with something akin to longing in her eyes. There also seemed to be a tiny level of pain. It looked like as though Lance really did want Marie back.
But then, the gears in her head started turning. Maybe if she could set Lance and Kitty up? That would be interesting.
X-X
Mrs Summers entered the main room and was shocked to find her son making a very public display of affection in her café. She scowled when she realised no one was attempting to stop them.
"Alright, Scott, as much as it is entertaining to watch you make out with Marie," Kitty started, "I think you should take this somewhere else." She turned and saw Mrs Summers standing there. "Oh, hey Mrs Summers," she said sheepishly. "I'm, like, just gonna go and clean some tables." She grabbed a cloth and basin and went over to the many tables.
Marie and Scott parted, their faces flushed and breathing heavily.
"Mom, you don't mind if I-"
"Oh, go!"
Marie and Scott held hands and exited the café, leaving a fuming Jean, a cleaning Kitty, a furious Mom, and a confused Lance behind.
A/N: Hope that was up to scratch. I haven't exactly been in the writing mood especially since it's the holidays and I just went nuts at the DVD store. I was giving myself a movie marathon as a congrats for not failing my overall average. Don't forget to press the 'Go' button at the bottom of the page and review!