"Storm are you sure fingerprints are what you saw"? "Yes Charles there were fingerprints on the child's neck" Storm assured the man in front of her as she paced by. "They were bruises" she added. Xavier was silent for a moment. "This is a very serious issue Ororo" he began. "If someone is hurting one of our students we need to find out who". Storm nodded plopping down into the backless seat beside her. "I…I'm worried Charles" she whispered.
Flashback:
Storm couldn't remember the last time she had enjoyed attending school. In the past it had been an opportunity to receive what she had been denied in Africa, a place where she could be a "normal teenager", or at least that's what Xavier had told her but now it had become nothing more than a terrifying prison from which she knew no way of escaping. Stepping off the bus that had brought her there the young mutant tagged behind a group of giggling girls solemnly making her way towards her first class. She kept her head down in an effort to avoid the eyes she felt watching her from the end of the hall.
Like clockwork Mr. Toler came out of his office everyday at 7:25am to monitor the halls five minutes before school began. His vigilance wasn't necessarily to ensure that the students went to class on time but rather to ensure that she was there. Despite herself Ororo found her eyes shift in his direction as she rounded the corner and to her utter terror he met her gaze. Taking a seat in the back of the class Storm removed her English book from her backpack and waited for the class to start. Across from her was Cyclops who by claiming to be blind managed to get the school to allow him to wear his specialized glasses. He smiled at her as she opened her book and as to not be rude by frowning she pretended not to see him.
Their teacher was a young woman no older than 35 but with a temper that made her seem much older. She glared out at her students as if it were their fault she hated her job and began scratching x's onto the paper she held in her hand as she began taking role. "Morgan Anderson". "Here". Samantha Berkley"." Here" Storm felt her knees begin to bounce in anticipation of her name being called. She was the last one on the list and the young woman knew that if her teacher made it to her she would be safe. "Gordon Miller". "Here". "Oro-". The teacher stopped interrupted by the ringing phone on her desk. A sound that made Storm's heart plummet as the woman turned to answer it. "Oh hello Greg….yes…she's right here…yes…ok I'll tell her". Setting the phone down the woman turned to the white haired student in the back of the room. "Ms. Monroe please bring your things the principal wants to see you".
Collecting her belongings Storm kept her mind focused on her breathing. It didn't matter what she did outside the class the real challenge was getting out of there before anyone notice the tears building in her eyes. As she passed by Cyclops she turned her head in an effort to keep him from noticing that anything was wrong. As far as the students and teachers knew her visits to Mr. Toler were nothing more than weekly checkups made by a concerned principal who wanted to make sure his "newest student was adapting to life in America". Sucking her teeth slightly she rounded the corner. If only they knew.
The door to Mr. Toler's office opened before she had the chance to even knock.