Chapter 6: A Call from Nowhere

Imagine me actually uploading this on time - wow I'm doing so good haha. Anyway, enjoy this chapter! ^-^

Although I was nervous about meeting the other students, the rational side of my brain convinced me that I needed to spend a few hours with people. So I changed into some jeans and slipped on the pair of tennis shoes that was left in the closet of my room. I combed my brown hair to the side and tried to style my messy curls as best I could. My hair had always given me trouble, but with some mousse from the bathroom, I was able to get it to lie somewhat flat. I wasn't sure why I felt the need to impress these people, but I guess it was just that innate desire to be liked.

I was walking to the pool room when I heard a phone ring. It was one of those junky old phones connected to the wall. Why Xavier still had it was a mystery to me. I looked around but no one else was in the halls. I could hear several voices coming from the pool hall, but here there was silence. I picked up the phone, expecting to hear some telemarketer.

"Hey kid, how are you holding up?" The voice was Logan's. I was stunned.

"What… How did you even know I would pick up?" I asked, shocked.

"Lucky guess," He said on the receiver. I was so full of questions. I wanted to know everything so badly. Something in Logan's tone told me that he wasn't going to answer them but now was as good of a time as any.

"I met the Professor and Bobby…What happened between you?" I asked after a few seconds passed.

"What did they tell you?" Logan asked, full of what sounded like dread.

"Nothing, except that you left and haven't come back. Xavier sounded upset," I said. He was hiding something. I just had to figure out what it was.

"Don't worry about it, kid," he said. "You'll figure it out eventually,"

"Wait - " I started to say.

"Don't tell anyone I called," he said, cutting me off. With the click of a button, he was gone. I had so many questions for him. Frustration bubbled up in my chest. What was he hiding? Why did he and Xavier feel the need to shield me from information? I breathed deeply for a second and unclenched my fists. Even though I was still in the dark about Logan, I got the sense that there existed a kind of connection between the two of us, though I had no idea what it was. I was a little shook up. I hung around the phone for a few more minutes, hoping that Logan would call again. He didn't.

By the time I got to the pool hall, it was full of students. Some had obvious mutations, and others looked normal. They could almost fool you into believing that they were human. I stumbled around for a minute trying not to look like I was totally lost and confused. Within a few minutes, Bobby ran up to me and smiled.

"Dude, glad you could make it. Anyway, my turn is almost up, but if you want to join the next game, you can. Or you can just watch. Gotta go!" He ran back over to the table and pushed his way through the crowds of people. Suddenly alone again, I felt myself start to sweat, anxiously trying to find a place to sit or anything that would make me feel comfortable. I noticed that the blonde girl I had seen earlier was sitting on a bench by the window, holding a glass and eagerly watching the pool game between Bobby and another student.

"The name is Quinn," she said. She stuck out a hand for me to shake. I noticed the way her eyes gleamed in the light. Full of hope, unlike mine.

"Louis," I said. She stifled a laugh.

"You French or something?"

"Actually, my mother was," I said, "it's a family name,"

"Oh okay, makes sense," something about her struck me. Maybe it was her confidence, that air of 'I know what I'm doing'. I relaxed a little bit. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.

"Do you play pool?" I asked her.

"No way. I come because if I wasn't here I would be studying in my room, and I don't know if I can take another minute of that," she laughed. "It's funny how your parents make you study when they're convinced you're going to a school for gifted youngsters. You?"

"No, I just got here today and I wanted to scope out the place," she looked at me for a second.

"Oh you're the guy Professor was talking to earlier. Sorry, I didn't recognize you,"

"It's fine. I didn't even recognize myself," I forced a laugh. The conversation ended there. Quinn watched the players with extreme concentration, occasionally making remarks under her breath about them. Bobby was good. The guy he was playing with was, unfortunately, not a match for him.

"So, what's your mutation?" She asked me after half an hour of focused silence. The question I had been dreading.

"It's nothing really, just - something lame," I said, trying to cover it up. "What's yours?" I asked so fast that hopefully, she wouldn't have any time to think about my answer.

"I guess you can't really call it a power," she said. Thank goodness she didn't ask me any more questions. "I can manipulate your perception of color," she saw my confusion. "Don't laugh! It comes in handy when I need a new outfit. It's hardly X-Men material, but I'm alright with that. I've always thought that's too much pressure. Here, I'll show you," she pointed to a kid with red glasses, and in a flash, his black leather jacket became a vibrant shade of pink. I laughed.

"Quinn!" He scowled. "You know what I told you about changing my clothes," she laughed.

"Sorry Scott, I can't figure out how to turn it back!" she said.

"I think it looks better like this," a brunet guy in the back said, laughing. I stifled a laugh as well. I found it interesting that her mutation was something so minor, so innocent. I wondered how many other kids here had mutations like that. But, I was alright if we dropped the mutation subject for now in case she turned it back to me.

Quinn spent a few minutes pointing out other mutants I should be aware of.

"That's Kurt," she said pointing to a short, blue kid hanging from the light fixture. "He looks like the devil himself, but don't worry he's not all bad," she motioned to a girl and boy that were chatting in the corner. "That's Jean and Scott, they definitely like each other but won't admit it," she laughed. "And that's Rogue," she said. Rogue stood in the corner, watching the action from afar. "She doesn't say much, but she's cool,"

"Seems like I've got a lot of work to do," I said, thinking about all the students I should get to know. At that moment I decided it really would be easier to live on your own.

After at least ten more games, I wanted to get some rest. Some of the students were still totally entertained by the pool matches, but several had left. Bobby was competing against Rogue, and although she was didn't look like much, she kicked his butt. It was fun to spend time with people who were like me in a way, but I knew that when any of them had learned what I had done, they would hate me. I needed to spend some time alone.

I excused myself without saying goodbye to Quinn and Bobby, and headed back up the stairs. It didn't feel super late, but the mansion seemed so empty. I wondered where all of the teachers and Xavier went at night. I passed a few more students on my way, but none of them approached me which I was rather grateful for.

When I got back to the room, I realized just how much my body ached. After a switch, several hours in a small truck, and a flight across the country, I needed a good night's rest. A small alarm clock was positioned on the nightstand next to me and I could see that it was around eleven. Normally I would stay up late, but I was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to sleep for one night in a clean bed.

I didn't even bother changing before I fell asleep. It felt like I was out as soon as my body hit the sheets.

The switch happened that night.

I can always feel them before they happen. It's like heartburn, but everywhere. My senses become heightened and my muscles start to ache. I bolted awake when I felt it. The smells in the mansion became stronger, I could hear every footstep, feel every heartbeat. It's like being hit with a wall of sounds and smells all at once, and I often have to stop myself from throwing up. My hands began to shake and I started to feel pounding behind my forhead. Panic began to rise in my chest and I could feel my heart rate skyrocket, as if it were about to burst though my chest.. Where would I go? It could destroy everything in this room. It could break walls and tear up floors. The only safe place for it was outside.

But I didn't have a lot of time. Minutes at most. I threw myself down the stairs and into the hallways. I didn't check my clock before I left, but it seemed quiet, so I guessed it was early morning. My bones started to sting and my vision got fuzzy. Black began to crowd around my eyes and my stomach felt like it was rising into my chest then plummeting again. So much noise. So much pain. Luckily, I made it out the front door and around the side of the mansion before I screamed. I collapsed and rolled on the ground, clenching my fists and jaw. Everything was on fire. I felt like my bones had been snapped. My muscles were torn. Tears streamed down my face and I grabbed tufts of hair, trying to ease the pain.

I remember getting about 200 yards from the mansion before everything went dark.