A New Age. A New Team
Chapter 10: Three Is A Rival
"Who were the Federalists and Anti-Federalists?" Cerebro's mechanical voice said over everyone in the classroom.
No one in the entire class raised their hands as they all buried their noses in their books to hide from Cerebro calling on them, except for Noah and Sam. They both raised their hands at the same time.
"Mr. Grissom, please answer my question." Cerebro asked, as Sam sighed in frustration for not being called upon.
"The Federalists favored the constitution in establishing a strong government and they favored limited state power, while the Anti-Federalists opposed a strong government, supported power of states, and supported the Bill of Rights." Noah said proudly.
"Very good No–" Cerebro started to say but was quickly interrupted by Sam.
"The Federalists also didn't believe in the Bill of Rights and were supported by large farmers, while the Anti-Federalists were supported by small farmers and believed the nation should be a small republic." Sam said smugly and glanced over at Noah when she was finished, and Noah just rolled his grayish blue eyes at her and went back to reading his US History book.
"Excellent Miss Wilder."
Someone in the back of the class began to do a fake cough to cover-up their words. "Kiss ups." Then there was a couple giggles from some of the students in the classroom.
Noah turned making his shaggy sandy brown hair sway a little, as he turned around to see Tonya smirked at him. "What?" She whispered sheepishly.
"You're just calling us suck ups because you're mad that we actually pay attention during class and get good marks, unlike yourself." Noah smirked at her, making his grayish blue eyes twinkle, and then he turned back around.
Tonya glared at the back of Noah's head in disgust but she bit her tongue and stayed quite. There's no point in fighting with him when Cerebro's looking after us. I'll lose, be put on probation, and he'll get some kind of an award or something. She rolled her green eyes and looked out the window are the large fountain in the front of the school. Stupid kiss ups.
"Class listen up," Cerebro started. "we have a project due for Us History on the Golden Era. I thought it would be more interesting to learn about the era the original X-Men lived in, then something about entirely different world." Some of the class rejoiced, while other grown in annoyance. "The subject is broad, which means you and your group must agree on any topic you please that has to deal with the Golden Era." There was a pause as some of the kids in the class leaned over to their friends and started talking about their groups. "The downside is that I will be choosing your groups this time." There was a large groan from everyone in the class. "Each group will have three members… The first group is Samantha Wilder," Sam looked around the class at her potential partners, "Noah Grissom," Sam glared over at Noah and rolled her eyes in annoyance while many of the students whispered about how much they were going to fight, "and Tonya Sorenson." Many kids in the class let out giggles, while Tonya let out a large groan and slapped her hand against her forehead.
Quickly Tonya's hand flew up into the air before Cerebro could call out the next group. "Yes Miss Sorenson?"
"Can I have different partners?" She pleaded.
"No Miss Sorenson."
The entire US History class slowly filed into the large library and took their seats in a large area with lot of circular tables. Each group took a certain table and sat down.
"The rest of the period is yours and your groups to decide on a topic and get to work." Cerebro said to everyone.
Tonya, Noah, and Sam glanced around at each other as they sat in silence around their tables. Tonya had never been able to speak more then two sentences to Noah without finding a way for both of them to end up fighting. Sam and Noah had always been rivals with each other since the day they both arrived. Noah never liked talking with Tonya because anything out of his mouth, she had to try to correct, even if she was wrong at times. Moreover, Tonya never listens to Sam, and since Sam at times can be controlling that just makes her more mad at the situation and Tonya.
"Well since no one's going to say anything, I'll be the first… I think we should do it on the music of the Golden Era." Tonya said as she leaned backing her chair.
Noah rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, "That won't get us an A."
Tonya leaned forward and in the direction of Noah, "What? I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you." She said sarcastically.
Noah turned towards Tonya, "I said that won't get us an A."
Tonya felt her blood start to boil and she shook her head. Don't get mad, don't get mad… Oh screw this! She thought. "You got a better idea Grissom?" he said bitterly. "I don't hear you saying anything but putting down my ideas."
"Because I know that I can't think of anything right now, so I know when not to open my mouth… Unlike some people."
Tonya's mouth dropped open a little but she quickly fired back, "At least I'm trying."
"Just like you try in class?" Noah asked as he raised an eyebrow at her.
"Screw you Grissom."
"Good come back Sorenson."
"Both of you shut up." Sam interjected in annoyance. "You both are bickering like brother and sister, or like two year olds. Just shut up." She said as she looked at Noah and Tonya, who were seated on either side of Sam.
"I don't hear anything coming out of your mouth Samantha." Noah hissed.
Sam glared at Noah. "It's Sam, and it's a little hard to think when you two never stop bickering."
Tonya crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair in annoyance. She decided to just let those two bicker, then Cerebro can catch them fighting and deduct points from them.
"Oh for once Miss Smarty-pants can't think of something." Noah sarcastically said.
"Look Grissom–" Sam started, but quickly Cerebro came over them.
"Is there a problem Miss Wilder and Mr. Grissom?" Cerebro asked calmly in it's mechanical voice.
Sam glared at Noah and then shook her head, "No."
"No Cerebro." Noah said.
"Good."
What?! No points taken off? If that had been me I would have been deducted… Damn computer. Tonya huffed. "So what's our topic?" She said bitterly.
Sam pondered for a moment of a topic that the three of them could agree on, while Tonya glared over at Noah and he ignored her. "We'll do a simple overview on the relationship between mutants and humans–" Tonya and Noah were both about to protest the idea, but Sam quickly spoke, "–we all hate the idea, so if we can't agree to do something we all like, then we'll do something we all hate."
The three of them sat in silence as they contemplated the idea over.
"Fine." Tonya said bitterly.
"Fine." Noah said quickly thereafter Tonya.
"So now we have to decide on three subtopics to the relationship between mutants and humans, then we have to choose which subtopic we're going to go." Sam said as she reached in her giant red and crimson red handbag and pulled out a notebook and a pen. "Alright I'll write down who's going what that way there's no confusion, all agreed?" She asked as she looked from side to side at Noah and Tonya, who both nodded. "Good… Now Tonya what part do you want to do?"
"What are my options?" Tonya said unenthusiastic.
"I think the three subtopics should be: the things mutants went through, the things humans went through, and then the things they went through beforehand in order to get to that point that they were at."
"O…k." Tonya paused in thought.
"Can I have the part about mutants?" Noah asked in annoyance at how long Tonya was taking.
"Hey! That's the one I wanted!" Tonya shouted.
"Fine, I'll take the one about humans."
"Then we're settled, right?" Sam asked, and both Noah and Tonya nodded as they glared at each other. "Good." Sam sighed in relief as she stood up and walked around to the other side of the table and stood in front of the large window. "Then let's get to–" There was a small tap against the window behind Sam, but no one else heard it except Sam due to her acute hearing mutation.
"Sam?" Noah asked. "What is it? What's wrong?" He asked in concern as he leaned in closer, while Tonya rolled her eyes.
"Nothing." Sam said as she slowly came out of her daze.
"Whatever." Tonya huffed as she opened her history textbook and began to flip through the pages to get to the chapter about the Golden Era.
Sam looked over her shoulder out the window and fell back into her trance of staring out the window, while she did that, Noah's grayish-blue eyes watched her carefully. Something wrong. She must hear or smell something, because she only acts like that when her powers notices something. He thought as he sighed in defeat knowing that if Sam didn't tell him when he first asked, she wasn't going to tell him if he asked again. He slowly pulled his eyes away from looking at her and turned his attention to doing his side of the research project. It can't be too serious, otherwise she'd inform Cerebro. Noah took comfort in that thought, though the idea that Sam was troubled by something did bother him.