"Kitty, how many times must I tell you that you just aren't fit enough to go to school? You really have to have me worried is that it?" Theresa Pryde pulled the thermometer out of kitty's mouth to check for her temperature.

Kitty argued right back, "Mom, I want to go to school. I mean, I want to learn, just like everyone else, not hibernate in my bedroom and shut myself out of the world."

Her mother sighed, "I know, dear. But…this entire "mutant" thing has already me and your father quite worried enough and besides, we really want to see you well. Do you know how worried I was when the school called and said you fainted at the school field and that a student got you in the sick bay? I almost died of shock!"

Kitty pulled the blanket up to her chest and said, "Like, mom, you're too worried already. I was…fine."

"Fainting and coughing out blood? My, my, my, how original is my daughter?" Teri said with a laugh and passed Kitty Lance's handkerchief. "Here, I've washed it, dried it and ironed it. Don't say I'm not a good mother."

Kitty let out a warm smile, "Like, thanks so much mom. You're the best." Kitty hugged the handkerchief to herself. Her mom had indeed done a brilliant job of washing. Not a single bloodstain to be found. But yet, there's still the familiar smell. Of Lance.

"Hmmm, if I know you well enough, I'd say you didn't have that in your cupboard. I've washed every single piece of clothing in this house and I think I know."

Kitty blushed to the color of beetroot. "Mom, stop it."

Teri sat down next to her daughter, "Kitty, that's a guy's. It's not a million years ago I've been 17 myself. Tell me, who is it? The same person that the school told me carried you to the nurse's office?"

Kitty nodded with a smile. "Actually, yeah. I…Mom, I like him. I really do."

"Well, well, it's normal for girls at your age to have a crush on somebody."

Kitty said, "No, mom. He's not just a "somebody". He's a mutant…just like me, mom! I…he used his powers and got a Riley and her gang going. He can make the ground tremor. And I saw it with my own two eyes. I'm NOT the only mutant!"

"Really? What's his name then? He seems rather nice…"

"His name is Lance Alvers and he's much more than just nice. He's…wonderful. And he really can play the guitar. I loved his songs." Kitty said, at the memory.

Teri started to leave Kitty's room, "Well, then, maybe you have found just the boy that's right for you."

Kitty sighed slowly…

I'm sure I have.

Kitty didn't mind waking up at 8:15am. She just had to get to school…she had to see him.

Kitty scanned her baby blue eyes around the huge campus. Rats, no Lance in sight.

And then, she remembered.

The first time she had met him was at the music room. He just had to be there. Her intuition was telling her that she was right. She just had to be.

Kitty got to the music room and phased herself through the door. There he was, completely into his music. Kitty could tell that it was a new piece.

She got behind him, but all Lance could see was his music. He didn't even notice she was there.

Kitty looked at Lance with a smile. He was…amazing. She never had such strong feelings for anybody in her life, and right now, Lance was taking her breath away.

Lance finished his piece with a satisfied look and when he turned around, he almost fainted from shock. "Kitty!"

"Oops, sorry, Lance. I just…um, wanted to hear your music."

Lance put his guitar down, "Kitty, are you ok? You know, yesterday? You had me so worried. I thought you might…"

"Die? Nah, I'm too young to…at least, not yet. New piece?" Kitty said.

Lance replied, "Yeah, just did it yesterday. Except that stupid little kid, Leroy, at the orphanage kept bugging me. Got me pissed off and so, I…uh, shook him down the stairs."

Kitty giggled, "You live at a orphanage?"

"Been there all my life. Boy, all those little kids there…they really make you go crazy."

"You like little kids?"

"Maybe. Kinda'. Yeah."

"Then, can I, like, visit your orphanage today? After all, I don't want to be bored to tears at home, where mom just keeps checking my temperature every two minutes. It really gets to you. So, what do you say?"

"If you want to, then…"

Kitty hugged Lance and said, "Thanks, Lance. Um, and thanks for, uh, yesterday too."

Lance had never got hugged in his life before…especially not by a girl he liked…

But it definitely felt good.

"Here's the orphanage, Kitty. I don't think my keeper would care. Cos' if she does, I'll just kick her ass." Lance pushed the gate open and let Kitty go through first.

"Thanks. Wow, it looks big." Kitty admired the old Victorian styled house.

Lance said, "Ugly on the inside."

"Look! It's Lance!" A tiny bunch of kids ran up to Lance and hugged him. Must be round 5 of them. Lance almost died of embarrassment. He should have known!

"All these little kids…they like you." Kitty smiled.

"Yeah, a little too much. I'm the oldest here so I gotta', you know, take care of em', help out along with them and try to make them fit in. I'm telling you, I can be the local baby-sitter if all this keeps up." Lance tried to pay attention to both Kitty and all the five little things.

"Lance, got us any ice cream?" a little girl tugged at Lance's ripped Jeans.

Lance bent down and picked her up, "Say hello, Tracy."

Tracy didn't seem embarrassed at all. "Hi!"

Kitty loved little kids, "Like, hello. How old are you?"

"Six and a half. One day, I'll be as pretty as you and as tall as Lance." Tracy laughed.

"Um, don't mind her, Kitty. Tracy is a lil' talkative." Lance grinned.

"Then, are ya' Lance's girlfriend? Lance is really nice cos' he plays with us and he gets us ice cream. Did he get you any, huh?" Tracy pointed at Kitty.

Kitty blushed as Lance placed Tracy down on the ground and said, "Tracy, go play with the others. I'll get you your ice cream later."

"Ho-k!" Tracy dashed after the others into the house.

"Sorry bout' what Tracy just said…she didn't mean it." Lance ruffled his hair, majorly embarrassed.

Kitty shrugged, "Sure, little kids. You never know them." But she certainly hoped it was true, that she was Lance's girlfriend. Eventually.

Lance brought Kitty to the kitchen and found even more tinkle-tots waiting eagerly. "Um, let me get them done first." Lance said, as he signaled for Kitty to sit down. Kitty looked at Lance grab some bowls and spoons out before he grabbed a tub of ice cream from the fridge and for every lil' kid, he gave them all four or five spoons. "Here you go, now just shoo off for a moment. I've got a friend here and I-."

"Girlfriend, girlfriend, girlfriend!" the kids laughed as the dashed out of the kitchen with the ice cream.

Lance basically sighed. Kids…Lance turned his attention towards Kitty. "It's strawberry and vanilla. Want any?"

"Why not?" Kitty said. Lance gave her extra spoons, "Here you are. Uh, you won't faint or anything, would you?"

"Not that easy. And thanks, it's delicious." Kitty admitted, taking her first mouthful.

"Glad you liked it." Lance slammed shut the fridge door. And then sighed again.

The housekeeper.

"Alvers! How many times must I tell you that no ice cream, especially not before teatime! You want me to saw ya' head open and see what's inside that wouldn't make ya' listen? Stop spoilin' da' children!" she said, as she pilled all the groceries on the ground, rubbing her aching back.

"Come on, Ms.Hale, I know what I'm doing. And, stop with the scolding." Lance said, as he strolled over and pulled the bags up and then put them at the counter.

"I watched you grow since 12 and what do I get? Nothin'! You better help out more around this house. I'm getting old already! And have you washed the bed sheets and cleaned out the garbage?"

"All done, Lady governor. Now, exxxcuse me…"Lance said, pushing Ms.Hale out of the door and locked it.

"Open up, lad! Or I'll break your bones when I get to ya'." She yelled.

Kitty looked a little shocked, "You locked her out!"

"She doesn't care. After that, she'll just retreat to her room and shut up. Hey, I'm doing a favor for my ears." Lance sat down opposite Kitty.

"Why not get any ice cream for yourself then?"

"Rather to save it for the kids. I buy them with my own pocket money. I just want them happy."

Kitty smiled, "You care a lot for them, even though you didn't have to."

Lance said, "I just want them happy. Not to be like me. We all don't have any parents here, and I want them to enjoy childhood when they can. I didn't enjoy my childhood. And now, I hope they don't grow up like me."

"Wow…that's awfully…great of you…"Kitty said, with a cough, "But I don't see why being you is so bad. I mean, you're a good guy."

"No, I'm not. I fail everything I studied in and I can't even support myself. I don't have anything." Lance bowed his head down.

"Well, you can play the guitar really well. And you're nice. I believe what's inside matters the most. And I'm sure you're a great person inside." Kitty said.

Lance looked up, "Why do you even care so much?"

Kitty went red again that it almost seemed like some daily routine already. "Um…I…nothing. Just that we're both mutants and I don't have many friends. So…you know." Kitty was definitely lying through her teeth, but she was just a lot more afraid to show it. Please, don't let my face give me away, please!

Lance smiled, "You're lying…aren't you?"

Kitty ignored his words, "Who said I am?"

"From your face maybe." Lance chuckled.

Kitty cleaned her ice cream out, "Don't be crazy, Lance. Just take me home you ego-maniac."

Lance grabbed his keys for his jeep. "Alright, alright." He said with a laugh.

"Here's my stop. Now, you better go back to the foster home before your housekeeper starts butting orders at you."

"Who cares about her, anyway?" Lance looked over at Kitty's house. It was beautiful and the place almost made him feel uneasy.

"That's your house?" Lance couldn't believe it.

"Uh-huh. Wanna come in for a seat? My mom really want to thank you for what happened yesterday." Kitty said.

"You sure about that? I mean, it won't be exactly nice or anything." Lance said.

"C'mon, mister. She wouldn't mind, I promise." Kitty phased through the jeep door and pulled him out.

Dragging him through the door, Kitty called, "Mom? I brought somebody home. Hope you wouldn't mind."

Mrs. Pryde came down the stairs. "Who is it? You never had any friends over."

Kitty beamed up at her mother, "Mom, this is Lance Alvers. Lance, this is my mom."

Lance managed a smile, "Hi, Mrs. Pryde."

"So, you're the one which helped my daughter that day. Kitty told me about you and I really wanted to meet you, even though I didn't expect that soon. Like Kitty, you're a mutant too, aren't you?"

Lance shifted from foot to foot awkwardly, "Yeah, um, yeah I'm a mutant."

"Then, would you like something to eat? I've just baked a huge plate of cookies." Mrs. Pryde said.

It was definitely inviting, but Lance decided he better not. "I've still a lot to take care of at the foster home. So, I think I better get going first, before my housekeeper starts nagging. But thanks, anyway."

Lance went out of the Pryde house as kitty rushed to catch up with him. "Lance, just stay for a minute, ok?"

"I better not. I promised to play with Tracy and the other kids." Lance rolled his eyes.

"Well, at least…uh…" Kitty didn't know what she should say. She even felt her cheeks go red.

"What?" Lance asked, "Tell me."

"At least, know that I like you." After saying this, Kitty went even redder and phase through the door, leaving Lance standing there.

She like me? She really likes me?

Lance went, "Alright!" and the ground trembled a little.

Kitty leaned against the door, panting just a little.

Why did she say it? Why oh why oh why oh why?

Lance hopped into his jeep and smiled to himself.

At least, Kitty, know that I like you too.

I didn't like this one as much as my first chapter but it's definitely longer. Still, please review it.