I was sitting in my room when Logan quietly knocked on my door. "Maia?"
He opened the door a crack. I must have looked pathetic. I was sitting on my bed, head down, fighting tears. I heard my voice crack when I answered. "Come in, Logan."
He stood just inside the door, looking at me. "Hey. Are you alright?"
I can't help it anymore. I started crying. Logan rushed over to sit beside me. He wrapped an arm around my shoulder, and pulled me to him. I wrapped her arms around his shoulders, burying my face in his black T-shirt, sobbing. He held me for a few minutes, not saying anything, until I could calm down. I pulled away, wiping my eyes. "Sorry. It's just that... I hoped that I wouldn't be a freak here."
Logan smiled at me. "But you're not. Even if he said so, what is the big deal? He is a moron. And he got beat up by a girl."
I laughed weakly. Then I looked up into his eyes. "Do you really want to know?"
"Yes."
The professor had just taught me how to project memories. "Can I show you?"
"Of course. Whatever you want."
I looked at him for a moment, bringing the memory forward. I would have to relive it, too, but I wasn't going to tell him that. I felt a tug, and we were no longer on my bed.
I was in a small, dark cage. In one corner was a pile of straw and a tattered blanket. My bed, I knew. I looked at my arms, and they were covered in red welts, from where I had been whipped. I knew my back looked the same. Suddenly, a door was thrown open, and three men walked in. A rough hand reached toward me. I didn't want to go. I lashed out, swatting the hand away. I felt a whip across my back, my face and arms. I crumpled on the floor in defeat. The men picked me up and carried me out. I could feel Logan's mind, watching the scene, shocked. It gets worse, I thought. Just wait.
I was thrown into a larger cage, surrounded by a curtain. As it opened, people were standing around, staring at him. A big man with keys opened the door, and walked over to me. The man pulled out a whip. I knew that if I didn't do what the man wanted, then I would be whipped in front of all of these people, and then would get no supper again. The big man began to talk to the crowd in another language. He pointed at me, and I just looked at him. The man said, in English this time. "Anytime, freak!"
I began to shift my shape, growing taller and thinner. I grew out my hair, then shortened it. I continued shape shifting to look like the people in the crowd. They began to screech and taunt, throwing their popcorn or peanuts at ne. I only knew one word in their language and that was the one that they said over and over.
Freak.
With a jolt, we were back on the bed in my room. I looked at him with wide eyes. He stared at me, amazed. "I had no idea..."
The tone of his voice, the pity, made me want to cry again. He pulled me into his arms. I felt safe, and I leaned into him, sighing. "I am sorry that you saw that."
After a moment, Logan asked "Do you want to go beat up John some more? He deserved worse than that."
I laughed weakly. "I am just glad that I managed to stop before I used one of my abilities against him. Then I could get kicked out. Now, I could just get suspended."
Logan pulled back, and looked at me. "If you get kicked out, I will follow you. You never have to be alone again."
I smiled at him, then remembered something. I reached under my bed and pulled out his shirt. "This is yours, by the way."