For the next few weeks, Madison had tried to avoid Kurt. If she saw him in the hallways, she'd just look at the floor and walk on by. She also didn't tell anyone about what happened that night. For 3 whole weeks, she had been successful til the day they had to do a project for physics.

In physics class

Sooo bored.

Madison sat in class, trying not to think about Kurt or those other people. He sat a few desks in front of her on the row beside her. Every once and a while he'd look back at her and she'd look down at her paper and pretend to take notes or look up at the ceiling or down at the floor.

Why does he continually look at me? I'm tired of it.

At last, the teacher finished her lecture, and most of the students started chatting with each other. Madison just sat there doodling on the edge of her full page of notes.

Common ya damned bell! Ring already!

The teacher placed her books and papers on her desk and stood up in front of the class again. She called out for everyone to be quiet. For the most part, they listened.
"Ok! Project assignment!" she called out. Everyone in the class groaned. "This project is going to count for a good part of your grade, so pay attention! You guys will be paired in groups of two. Each group will be assigned a topic. You will have to study, research, and perform experiments on your topic." People groaned again and some whispered to others. The teacher continued, "Each group's topic will all be different, so there will be NO cheating or getting work from other groups. This will be due the last week of this month... any questions?" she asked and a girl near the front of the room raised her hand. "Yes, Katelin."
"When do we, like, get to choose our partners?" the girl asked and several students began talking to each other again.
"HEY!" the teacher called out for the people to be quiet. "You won't be choosing your partners... I will." the teacher answered.
Everyone groaned at this. Madison's mouth dropped open slightly, then she put her hand over her face to hide her frustration.

NO! NO FREAKIN' WAY! I won't do this. Everytime I have to do projects like this, I ALWAYS get assigned someone who either is too lazy to do anything or someone I really don't like...

She glanced up at Kurt, who was looking her way. She put her head back in her hand.

And knowing my lovely luck.. I'll get partners with him Kurt...

The teacher started calling out people's names and telling them their partner. One person was to get up and take a sheet of paper that had their topic and further instructions on it. The teacher started at the top of the attendance list and randomly choosing someone as the second partner, "Katie Baily,... your partner is... Kristin." the teacher started out.

Madison was rather nervous. She didn't want to be partners with Kurt... or any other student in the class for that matter... The only person that she really wanted to be partners with was her best friend. "Leela Daniels..." Madison's head perked up and she crossed her fingers. "Your partner is... Jack Nickelson."

Aw, shit.

Madison knew her name was getting closer since the list was in alphabetical order... she wasn't sure if she'd become a second or first, but she figured she'd be a first.

Oh, please God... NOT him!

She closed her eyes and laid her head back. Then the teacher called her name and she quickly lifted her head. "Madison..."
"Your partner is..." Madison closed her eyes again and crossed her fingers. "Kurt Wagner."

WHAT! No!

She opened her eyes and her jaw dropped. She looked at the teacher in disbelief that she heard correctly then looked at Kurt. He looked back at her, then stood up to get the topic paper. Madison closed her eyes again, put her hand over her face and slunk down in her desk.

This is NOT happening... why is my luck like this?

After the end of class bell rang, Madison quickly grabbed her book, tossed her bag on her shoulder, and walked out of the room. As she started to walk up the stairs, she heard her named called by a guy's voice. She knew it was Kurt. She ran up the stairs, tripping a few times. As she got to the top, he had stopped calling her name. She slowed and looked back down the steps. He wasn't there. She sighed and now in a slower pace, walked the rest of the way to her locker.
She was messing with the combination, when she heard someone walk down the opposite hall she came. She looked up and practically jumped when she saw Kurt standing there.

OMG! HOW the heck did he get up her so fast! I didn't know there were stairs down that hallway!

She opened her locker and grabbed her books, ignoring him. She stuffed a book in her bag and started to walk away. She was pulled back.
Kurt grabbed her bag, "Please vait!"
She pulled away from him. "Leave me alone!" she said.
"Please, listen!" he said in a soft tone, not seeming at all mad at her for not talking to him for the past few weeks.

Get away from me, freak!

Madison closed her eyes and breathed in deep. Then she opened them again and gruffly said, "What?"
He kindly looked into her eyes, but she looked away and stared at the lockers. "I am sorry. I am sorry if I zey scared you the other night. I did not think..." he said but Madison cut him off.
"You didn't think that I'd figure it out? That I wouldn't be bothered that you have been keeping that from me!" she said and closed her eyes, turned her head to the ceiling and opened them again.
"Please. Vill you listen..." he said but again Madison interrupted.
She quickly said, "No!" Several locker doors slung open and papers flew out. She clenched her fists and walked up to him and came close to his face. She said in a low tone, but in a low, threatening voice, "Look... don't want to go to your little mutant school. I don't want to do this project, but, Kurt, if I get a bad grade again I'll have to repeat this stupid class next semester. Now I will NOT spend any more time than absolutely necessary with you to finish this damn project. Got it?" she paused and looked directly into his eyes. A small part of her, inside, missed Kurt's company so much, and still loved him.

A hate myself for this...

Kurt attempted to smile and lightly nodded his head. "Fine.. meet at my place around 7:30 tonight. Bring your text book and some library books on the topic." she said and turned around walked away again. He pulled at her arm. She stopped again.

Please... just go...

"Madison,..." he said with a sorrowful voice. She pulled away from his grip and walked away, with a silent tear falling down her face.

Later

It was 7:40. Madison started to get tired of sitting around on their living room couch. She walked to the balcony. Their apartment complex was a strange one. Instead of just having the normal 2 levels, there were 6, and the top floor was a small penthouse, and it was exactly the same as the other floors, rather than being the biggest or best apartment.
She sat on an old plastic yard chair, with her knees against her chest and her chin resting on her knees. Since they lived on the top floor, she had the best view of the sky. She looked up at the sky. The moon was out and was a bright crescent and the stars were beautiful.

Inside, the doorbell rang. Madison didn't hear it so her mom grudgingly got up to answer the door. She opened the door and pointed towards the living room. "She's in there." she said and went back into her bedroom.
Kurt walked into the living room and looked around; no one was there. He noticed a pile of project stuff and the physics text book laying on the coffee table, so he put his pile of books on the table also. He stood there for a few minutes, waiting for Madison. After 5 minutes he walked to the open door, curious to where it lead. He quietly stood in the open doorway looking at Madison sitting there on the chair. He stood there a minute, waiting.

Madison shifted her legs, but still sat there looking out at the sky. Madison almost fell out of her chair when the silence was broken by someone clearing their throat behind her. She jumped up and turned to see Kurt standing there. She exhaled aggravatedly, sat back down it her seat, and looked up at the sky. She put her arms on the railing of the balcony and rested her head on her chin.

"Madison,..." he said. "I am sorry you..."
"Sorry I'm what? Not as stupid as you thought? That I actually figured out what you were hiding from me? Find out that you're a mutant?..." Madison said angrily. Kurt stood there wanting to say something, but he was quiet. She turned and looked over the balcony and quietly said, "I truly thought you loved me..." she said.
"I do love you, Madison. It's just... complicated." Kurt said.

Oh yeah,..right...

"How is it complicated?" Madison asked. "How is you just telling me that you lived in some freak house complicated? I wouldn't have dealt this badly with it if you hadn't kept it a secret from me!" she said and held her arms to herself and silently cried. Kurt still said nothing, and looked down at the ground. Madison spoke up again. She turned around to Kurt and said, with tears running down her face, "I love you Kurt. I don't care if you're a mutant or an alien or whatever the hell else. I've never loved anyone else before, Kurt... I love you. Now and forever, I will love you..." she drained off. Still crying. She sat down on the chair again and wiped the tears from her face.

They both said nothing else or did anything. Both stayed there still and quiet. Madison looked out at the parking lot and then toward the skies. She heard him sigh, but he said nothing at all.
At least 10 minutes had past, when Kurt spoke up. "Madison?" She didn't answer. "I vant to show you something... Could vee go onto ze roof? I believe there will be a... beautiful view up of ze sky from zere." he said. Madison slowly stood up, and walked inside.
She didn't bother putting on shoes, but she grabbed a light jacket. Kurt followed behind her, as she walked out of the apartment and shut the door behind her. She led him down the hallway to the last door. She opened the door and walked in. It was a stairwell, and it was pitch black. She felt along the wall for a light switch but found none, she started up the stairs, with Kurt a few steps behind her.
She was halfway up the stairs; she took a step, but missed the stair and fell forward with a scream. She never hit the ground. She opened her eyes, and felt Kurt's arms around her waist, keeping her from hitting the ground.
"Be careful..." he said sweetly.

That'd be good advice to give yourself...

She jumped out of his arms and finished the walk up the stairs without falling again. She opened the door and revealed the roof. There was nothing up there, except a few air conditioning units; there were no railings along the edge.

Madison wasn't exactly thrilled about being up so high without rails so she sat herself cross-legged in the middle of the roof. "What is it that you need to show me, that's so special that we had to come up on the roof for?"