Over the next few days of staying at home, I found myself falling back into a steady routine. Perhaps it had been best to leave the city I got the most hurt in.
I got my school work done, I picked up the guitar again, I facetimed Peter when I could.
The Xavier school's homecoming was right around the corner but I still hadn't decided if I would be going or not. I had found a dress in the back of my closet, but I wasn't sure if all the loud noises and flashing lights would be good for me. I didn't want to push myself.
However, Peter had asked Warren out with his glittery sign (which I had taken a video of and sent to my Peter). My brother had said yes, of course.
But after talking to Charles, he had persuaded me to try to go to the dance, at least. And if I didn't like it or got overwhelmed, my bedroom would be waiting for me. Damn him for always making sense.
So, try I did.
It was homecoming night.
Nearly everyone in the school was in their room and bathroom, doing hair and makeup, getting ready.
The dress I had found was from a few years ago but it still fit okay. It was long and navy blue made of silk with an open back. I had thrown up my hair and attempted some makeup as Peter's Aunt May had done for our homecoming, but mine didn't look nearly as good as hers.
Since he and Peter shared a room, Warren had opted to get dressed in my room, letting me have my bathroom. I guess they wanted the first looks to be a surprise which was insanely cute of them.
"How do I look?" I said as I exited my bathroom.
Warren stood in front of a mirror straitening his tie. He turned, his curly blond hair slicked with gel.
"Like a dork," my brother smirked.
I punched his arm.
"Alright!" he laughed. "You look nice."
"Well, you look nice too but now I want to take it back," I said, pushing him out of the way of the full-length mirror.
"Hey!" Warren pushed back.
"Hey, it's my mirror," I said, putting on my shoes. "Besides, don't you have to go get your date?"
Warren's confidence faltered. "Could you come with me?"
"Yeah, 'course," I replied. I thought about teasing him for being so nervous but my brother was simply head over heels.
Warren and I made our way down the hall to his and Warren's room.
"Got the flowers?" I whispered just before my brother knocked.
"Oh, uh no—"
I produced the plastic box from behind my back.
"Thank you, Eve," Warren said quietly. "For everything, really."
I had never heard him so genuine. Normally every other sentence was some way of calling me "dork."
My brother knocked.
"Who is it?" Peter sang sarcastically from behind the door.
I scoffed and crossed my arms.
The door swung open.
"Hi," Warren managed, an intense blush creeping up his cheeks.
Peter wore a tux, his silver hair half-up in a small bun. He smiled, looking at my brother in his suit. "Good evening, angels," Peter joked, hiding a blush of his own.
I rolled my eyes. "Haven't heard that one before," I replied.
"I uh, got these, for us, you know, to match," Warren said, offering the box of flowers and pins.
"Aw," said Peter, hanging in the doorframe.
"C'mon, you can pin them on when you get there," I said, taking them both by a hand and dragging them down the hall. "We're already past fashionably late!"
I had the most fun I've ever had in a long time.
Everyone was dancing and singing and being themselves. Nobody was really worried about how they looked because, hey, we were all mutants. People were cognizant of mine and my brother's wings, unlike Midtown High where feathers were almost always stepped on.
When it was finally time to say goodnight, we all were exhausted.
After changing into PJs and returning to my bed, I pulled out my phone.
How was the dance? a text from Peter.
I sent him a picture from earlier before I had danced off my hair and makeup.
So fun, I replied. It's nice to be around mutants again. Just look at this pic of my brother and his date.
You all look so nice :) , Peter said. I miss you, are you staying home all of spring break?
I hadn't thought about that. I'm not sure, I texted. Well, my brother and Xavier's school go back to class before we do. I'll probably come back before then.
Nice, okay, Peter replied. We should do something fun. And we got the field trip to MoMA after break too.
I'm excited :) , I said.
It sounds like you're feeling better? Peter asked.
Yeah, I texted after a moment. Yeah, I think so.
Spring break came and went.
I said my goodbyes to Charles, Warren, Hank, Peter, and all the other kids at school. I had become like a local celebrity to them. I wished some of them would just treat me as another student, but that didn't bother me all that much because I realized my real friends still just saw me as Eve.
Back in NYC, Peter and I met up for the rest of spring break. We went on little flights around the city, becoming our own kind of urban explorers.
The air was starting to warm up ever so slightly, the trees starting to turn green again which definitely helped with my overall mood.
Back at Midtown High, it seemed any rumors about me had been forgotten over break, that which I was thankful for.
Just when it seemed I was finally back on my feet, the rug was yanked out from under me, hard.