A/N: so here's chapter 2. not the best, writing techniquewise... but it gets the point across... enjoy!

Chapter Two: The Cat's Meow

It started raining as I walked from the bus stop. I didn't like rain. Rain led to floods. Floods kill. I ran home.

"Shoes off," my mom said as I walked inside. I kicked my soggy sneakers off in the foyer.

"How was school?"

"Fine," I replied. She didn't need to know about my meeting with the counselor. It would just make her worry anyway. I ran upstairs to my room. I changed out of my wet clothes and into dry sweats and one of my dad's old flannels. My mom had not wanted to keep them. But I didn't want to forget him. So I kept a box of his flannels in my closet.

The rain began to let up. I looked out the window at the heavy drops and remembered the day Hurricane Katrina had hit. My dad was visiting his sick mother in New Orleans. Nobody thought the storm was going to hit so hard. But it did.

I opened the window. The rain was gone. The wind blew my black hair away from my face. It was soothing. I lay down on my bed and let sleep consume me.

It was raining. Heavy drops fell from the sky onto my face. It was dark as midnight. I couldn't tell if I was outside or inside. But water surrounded me, trying to claim me as its own. I was scared. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think. My heart raced in my chest. I heard a piercing scream. It took me a moment to realize it was my own. I felt lost. I heard cries from others around me. But I couldn't see them. I spun out of control in the water, fighting for air…

I sat up in bed soaking wet. The window was still open and rain was pouring in. I cleared my head and got up to close the window. A perfectly straight line of water went from the window to the bed. I didn't think much of it and went to the linen closet to get some towels. I knew I wasn't going to go back to sleep.

I lay on my back contemplating the rain. I had left my window open in the rain before and had never been soaked. So why was tonight different? Why was I soaking wet? I couldn't sit still anymore. I got up and went into the bathroom.

I crouched down next to the tub and turned the water on. I stared at it. I focused intently on the water. Do something, I willed it. But it continued to fall in a steady stream. I closed my eyes. Thoughts of my dad and the raging water burying him in a watery grave. I opened my eyes and looked past the water at the wall. The water began to move upwards. I looked back at the water and it went back to normal. My head spun. I stood up and walked back to my room. I glanced at the mirror on the way out. My usually brown eyes were now an icy blue.

School seemed so confining the next day. I kept fidgeting and forgot what my teachers said almost instantly. I felt out of place.

"Mind if I sit here?" asked a rather cheerful voice from behind me.

"Sure," I replied. She had longish brown hair pulled high into a ponytail with two thick strands in her face. "I'm Kitty. Just transferred from New York."

"Nice to meet you," I replied, suddenly feeling very shy. "I'm Carson. You don't sound like you're from New York."

"We've moved around so many times I'm not even sure where I'm from," she replied. We both laughed. "My dad died a few years ago and my mom has been running from memories," she said.

"I'm sorry," I replied. "I lost my dad too. During Hurricane Katrina."

It went on like that for about a month. Kitty and I became friends. We shared three classes after lunch.

"Wanna study together after school today? I feel like I'm gonna bomb on tomorrow's history test."

"Yeah, sure," I replied. I didn't really want Kitty to throw off the routine I had developed in the last month. It was apparent that this ability was more than a dream. It was a gift. I had been honing my skills. I could now move the water whenever I wanted.

We had been studying for about thirty minutes and I was restless.

"Can we take a break?" I asked.

"We haven't been at it for that long," Kitty replied.

"I know. But I think we've absorbed enough information to last a lifetime. I can't sit still anymore."

"Okay, we'll take a break. What do you wanna do?"

"Let's go for a walk. There's this place I want to show you."

There was a lake in the woods just outside of the neighborhood. It was deep and the water was clear. I had never gone in. I never swam alone. Not since my dad had died. I didn't want to die the same way he had. But the lake was serene. A great place for thinking.

"This is beautiful," Kitty said once we got there.

"Yeah," I replied. "It is."

"Let's go swimming," she said.

"It's too cold," I replied. "Plus we don't have suits."

"Who cares?" she jumped in fully clothed. I laughed. "Come on! The waters great!" she was shivering.

"I don't think so!" I called back. "It's way too cold."

She slipped and went under. She didn't come up for a few moments.

"Not funny, Kitty!" I called. "I'm not coming in after you." She still didn't come up. I stood up on the rock I had been sitting on. "Kitty?" I started to get worried. "Kitty!" No answer. My hands shook. I was scared. I jumped in. the water was even colder than I thought. I swam around searching for her. I felt a body part. An arm! I dove under and grabbed her. She wasn't breathing. I carried her on shore. I wasn't sure what to do. But before I knew it, I had opened her mouth. I felt my hands go rigid as I began to draw the water from her. She spluttered back to life.

She looked confused.

"Hey, you made it in," she smiled and coughed.

"Kitty, you almost drowned," I said matter-of-factly.

"Yeah. How did you do it?"

"Do what?" I replied.

"It was like the water was pulled out of my lungs." I winced. I guess it was time I shared my secret.

"Kitty, there's something I have to show you."

"Okay," she replied, wrapping her arms around her in attempt to get warm. I closed my eyes and began to make the lake water dance. Her reaction wasn't what I expected. Her eyes didn't get bigger, she didn't scream.

"That's cool." That was all she said. "Now it's my turn." I looked at her with confusion. "I have a secret for you. I'm not really from New York. I transferred here from New York, yes. But I'm from Illinois. I live in New York with a… a professor named Charles Xavier. He runs a school for… for people like me… people like us." She picked up a nearby rock. "This is what I can do." Suddenly, the rock fell through her hand. "The professor helped me learn to control my… my gift. He can help you too."

"Are you saying I'm one of those freaks who cause train wrecks and blow up cities?" I asked in alarm. "This isn't a gift. It's only a curse to be a dirty mutant."

"Carson, listen to me. You saved my life with your power. Think of all the other good things you could do with it. Think about it."

So what do you think? thanks so much for the reveiws. you made me feel good!