He watched her as she stared out at the pond, he couldn't help but notice just how beautiful she was, in fact he thought her to be breathtaking and captivating.
He also noticed how sad she looked.
"We don't have to go to the movies if yer not up to it Rory, I'll take a rain check." Creed said still watching her and she slowly turned her head to face him and threw him a warm smile.
"I am sorry Victor that I am not the best company." She said with a sigh.
"It's ok babydoll, the runt brings out the worse in me too." Creed said winking as she giggled.
"Goddess is it that obvious?" She asked as she lowered her head a bit fiddling with her fingers.
"You care about him," Creed questioned.
"I love him, but I think you already know that for I'm sure that fact had a lot to do with you asking me out."
"True but also had a bearing on you saying yes." Ororo's smile broadened as she nodded her head. "Wanted to make him jealous huh?" He asked as he leaned forward, bracing against the railing of the small fence that surrounded the pond.
"No I wanted to hurt him." She answered honestly. "Thought I could make him feel as badly as he has made me feel, but I realize it is not possible and that I really don't wish this pain on anyone." She answered as she hugged herself which Creed notice and hastily removed his jacket and draped around her shoulders, causing her to smile at him. "Why who would have thought Victor Creed to be such a gentleman." She teased and gained a smile from him.
"Yeah well it's just between you and I. I do have a rep to keep up."
"A bad rep." Ororo added.
"Those are the best kind babydoll." He said with a chuckle.
"Well I am pleased to see that it's mostly an act. And you perform it very well." He bowed before her and she laughed at the move.
"You know Rory, I don't know anything about love, don't think I've ever felt it, but from all the crap I read about it and hear from people professing to be in love, it's not suppose to make you feel bad or make you cry. I think it's supposed to be a good thing. And if you and the runt fell out take it as a blessing, or a sign that he's not the one intended for you and vice versa. If one is to believe that there's someone out there for everyone. And yer still young babydoll a bit early in the game to be settling don't you think?"
"Maybe," She replied as she focused back on the pond that housed a group of swans.
"But it doesn't change how you feel here does it?" Creed said as he pressed one of his hands over her heart and Ororo only shook her head. "The heart wants what it wants."
"In this case I think the heart wants what it cannot have."
"Don't think the problem here has anything to do with your heart babydoll, maybe it's the runt's heart that's just not getting it, and there's nothing that you can do about that." She listened to this wisdom and it invoked a giggle.
"You knew you were so wise Victor."
"I did and all my teachers as well, but that's all." He said throwing her a wink.
"Thank you Victor and I am sorry for being such a bad date."
"Hey you haven't made me want to run off and leave you yet, so this is a good date in my book."
"Surely you have never done that to a girl." Ororo smiled at him.
"Hey she was telling me that I couldn't look at her cause I was trying to take her soul, and then there was her necklace, which was a chicken's foot." Ororo wrinkled her nose as she continued to smile at him. "No lie." Creed said to her doubtful stare as he raised his hand. "I'll admit that I aint that particular when it comes to a girl, especially if there's a chance I'm gonna get to grope her, but even I have standards. Her dark look, the black clothes and makeup I took as goth chick, trashy and easy, but turns out it was more devil worshipper who likes to drink human blood." At his words Ororo fell into a fit of laughter. "You laugh but let me tell you I'm constantly looking over my shoulder, afraid she hexed me for ditchin her." He chuckled more at the sound of her laughs, pleased that he had taken her mind off of her own misery.
"Oh Goddess I can just picture the look on your face." Ororo laughed harder. "Oh forgive me I do not mean to make such light at your expense." She said trying to calm herself but still giggled.
"Don't worry about it, it's funny." He laughed. After a few more moment of giggling and small talk a silence settled over them. "Guess we should go, got about ten minutes til the movie starts, gives us just enough time to get there before all the best seats are taken." Creed said and Ororo nodded her head as she grasped the hand he held out to her, and they walked back to his car.
"Thank you Victor for the talk, I actually feel better now." Ororo said as she looked up at him, for the first time noticing that he towered over her, which was refreshing since she either towered over or was eye level to most the boys she knew, including Logan who she figured she'd be taller than in a couple of years.
"I like your smile babydoll, so it's now my mission in life to make you smile." He professed and she threw him one of her brightest smiles for his effort. Without thinking on it and acting as if it were the most natural thing to do, Creed lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a soft kiss upon it and Ororo blushed, enjoying the intimacy and feeling of it.
She found him exactly where she had expected to, in the garage underneath the old car he was restoring for shop class. She knew she didn't have to announce herself for he probably sensed her approach all the way in the Parlor.
"Pass me tha ratchet." A voice spoke from under the car and Jubilee looked about her in confusion. "Right there on the table." He directed and she grabbed the tool and handed it to him as she squatted beside where he worked. "Kind of busy so if ya got something ta say, say it."
"You're just going to let her go?" Jubilee asked as she stared at the only part of Logan she could see, which was his chest. He remained silent and continued working. "Damn it Logan, stop being so proud and so stupid." At her name calling Logan rolled himself from under the car and glared up at her.
"It don't concern you." He took a warning tone.
"Like hell it doesn't she's my best friend and for some ungodly reason, she loves you and you're hurting her, punishing her for something that isn't her fault. The ones at fault here are you and Emma, would you'd rather go on thinking you father a child that you hadn't, a child that would have kept you and Ro apart? Now you're free to be together and you're holding a grudge. You're so fast to move on?"
"Why tha fuck not, she has." He nearly roared.
"Please, she only went out with Creed to piss you off and I think it's working. She just wanted to get a reaction out of you other then the usual anger you give her."
"There's too much water under tha bridge now." He said with a heavy sigh as he listened to Jubilee trying to convince him. "I knew she was outta my league and I never shoulda gone there."
"Funny she says the same about you, you know. And who cares about the water, you're both strong swimmers, I've seen you." Jubilee said with a slight smile, which Logan returned. "You're both just making it harder than it has to be. You love her, she loves you and it's really 'that' simple, Logan." Jubilee finished and then stood and turned to leave.
"Are you always gonna have yer nose in our business?" Logan asked her as she stood at the exit.
"Only when you're hurting my best friend and being a complete asshole, other than that no." Jubilee said with a bright smile. "By the way I think Ro and Creed just pulled up, go talk to her that won't kill you." With that Jubilee left and Logan stood and grabbed a rag to clean his hands and face, before he made his way outside through one of the garage doors. He rounded a corner of the house a side, which gave him the best view of the front entrance, and there he saw Ororo and Creed standing near the steps.
"I really had a great time Victor," Ororo spoke softly as she smiled warmly at the boy before her, fidgeting with her fingers as she had throughout the evening.
"Me too babydoll." Creed replied himself seemingly nervous.
"And I really appreciate our talk, it made me feel better. I know Logan is not your favorite topic of discussion but you handled it all well." Logan tense as he listened and a new anger gripped him at the knowledge that Ororo was discussing him, them with Creed.
"Like I said Rory, he can bring out the worse in me, but I think that's what I like about the runt, but don't ever tell him that." Victor said giving her serious stare and invoking a laugh.
"Your secret is safe with me." Ororo giggled.
"I know yer not over him, and I wouldn't expect you to be so soon, but even still I liked spending time with you and maybe we could…"
"Wednesday." Ororo blurted out cutting Creed off, but his confused look made her continue. "The game Wednesday, between our schools, maybe afterwards we could hang out?" Ororo suggested nervously as a smile spread across Creed face, and disgust filled Logan's belly.
"Yeah, sure we can. I'd really like that." Creed replied genuinely pleased at what she had just said.
"Good, so it's a date." Ororo spoke beaming until she realized what she had said and then her nervousness nearly overtook her and she began to stammer. "Uhm, I mean not a real date, date, but more of a…"
"It's ok babydoll, call it what ya like either way, I'd really like to." Creed smiled at her causing her to relax a bit that is until he took a step closer to her. This scene was familiar to her, one she and Logan had played out on many occasions. Ororo, Creed, and Logan all gulped down the lumps in their throat and all held their breaths in anticipation to what they all knew was coming. Ororo had been the most surprised when Creed finally pressed his lips to hers, not because she hadn't expected the kiss but that she hadn't expected it to be so soft and gentle. He didn't pressure her with this kiss, it was more a quest to see if she'd accept him being this close or if she just wasn't ready yet. He was pleased when she took the next step, moving in closer to him and opening her mouth a bit, to deepen the kiss. Logan watched with watery blood shot eyes, his rage so deep that it paralyzed him so that all he could do was watch. It had been the moan that set him off, a moan of pure pleasure that escaped Ororo's lips, the very moan he have pulled from her when they kissed. He charged the couple who were so lost in their kiss they had not seen the blurred form coming at them, not until they were both knocked off balance and to the ground. Ororo had mostly been knocked clear with Creed taking a complete body shot, when she finally got her bearing she stood to watch the two boys tearing into each other as they thrashed about the ground, punching and kicking and both equally matching the other.
"Logan, stop!" Ororo yelled but to deaf ears. She could see the rage in him and Creed both. "Logan!" Logan was sent flying back to crumble at her feet, having been kicked my Creed. He quickly leapt back to his feet, and took a fighting stance.
SNIKT!
Ororo's eyes widened with fear as she looked at the claws and just before Logan moved to charge Creed, she moved in front of him, a moved that stopped Logan and Creed, and even seemed to stop time itself. Logan and Ororo stared at each other with wide eyes, Logan's soon taking on a pained look as he watched her step back. All eyes looked down to Ororo's stomach, where she held her hand, which were now covered with her own blood, as was the front of her blouse and jean skirt. "Goddess," Ororo gasped out before she fell, striking the concrete steps with her head and shoulders. Creed instinctively moved to her, checking her wound and her pulse. He placed both his hands over the wound and then turned to where Logan still stood staring down at Ororo's still form.
"Go get help man!" Creed roared at him, but Logan only fell to his knees, his gaze now locked to his bloody blades. Creed seeing he wasn't going to get help from Logan, hastily scooped Ororo up into his arms and raced for the door, opening it and running into the parlor. "Somebody help me!" He roared and his voice seemed to boom throughout the mansion. "Please help me!"