Chapter IV

Smile Like You Mean It

Now, where's that wall with the elevator?

I was turning corners left and right, but it all looked the same to me. I turned left at a corner and WHACK! Next thing I know, I'm laying on the floor staring up at a tall, hot, young, hot guy.

I said 'hot' right? OK, just making sure.

He was wearing a pair of khaki pants and a blue dress shirt. He was also wearing a pair of sunglasses with red lens.

OK, I know that it's kind of bright down here, but does he really need to be wearing sunglasses? Oh well, it makes him look all the more sexier.

"Jen, Jen, Jen? OH! There you are," Jean said looking down at me.

OH, Shit! Come on Jen get your mind out of the gutter before Jean pops in to say "Hello" and sees what you're thinking about.

"What are you doing on the floor?" Jean asked, laughing a little. "Come on, get up," she said as she pulled me to my feet.

I rubbed my hands on my face to make the tears look like sweat.

"Jen, this is my fiancée, Scott," Jean said smiling at Scott.

He returned the smile.

"Nice to meet you, Jen," Scott said holding out his hand.

He was still smiling. That smile. He smiles at me the same way my brother smiled at me, before he became road kill. That 'I'm here for you' look. The tears came back. I took off running, heading to the right instead of the left.

Now, where is that elevator that Storm used at?

DING!

There!

I saw the opening in the wall and I ran for it.

WHACK!

I ran head on into Storm, who was coming off of the elevator.

"Whoa, Jen? Are you OK?" Storm asked, with a very concerned look on her face.

Tears started streaming down my face. She rapped her arms around me and pulled me close, trying to calm me down. But, it wasn't working. I heard Jean and Scott come running around the corner.

I don't know how long it stayed like this. Me crying, Ororo trying to calm me down. Jean talking to me in my head and Scott just standing there.

''It's OK, it was just Scott. He's not going to hurt you,'' Jean said softly in my head.

''I know it's just...'' I couldn't explain it, I couldn't explain the way I felt, not even to Jean.

"Maybe you should leave until she calms down," Jean told Scott.

"OK, I'll see you later," he replied, kissing her good-bye.

He walked to the elevator and left.