As the two girls slowly made their way down to the swimming pool, because they knew that they'd be early, Katie decided to speak up. "Nicole..." Katie asked cautiously, she didn't want to startle her. The whole time they had been walking, Nicole had been quietly withdrawn. Usually, the normal Nicole would be complaining about Logan and his lack of anger management skills or something or other.
"Mmm?" Nicole hummed, turning her attention to her friend, who was biting her lip and looking worried.
"Why do you do that with Logan? It seems that ever since we got here it's been a constant battle between you and Logan for... well, I don't know what..." Katie mumbled. What made them go at it like that? It didn't make sense logically. If they hated each other, why couldn't they just give each other their own space and just move on?
Nicole thought about it for some very long moments, obviously not exactly sure herself. "I... I don't really know..." She started cautiously, trying to ignore her incredibly mixed feelings about Logan. "Its... its a sort of dominance thing... I think... he wants me to give in, or something... acknowledge that he's... Oh, I don't know." She still wasn't exactly sure what they were actually fighting over.
Katie smiled somewhat ironically. It was slightly comical to see Nicole, who was normally a very strong, decisive person who always knew what it was that she wanted and how to get it, was struggling to explain something that even she failed to acknowledge.
Nicole frowned. "He's just... horribly dominant... and I guess he's just used to... I don't know... people... listening to what he says... but... he's so... unresponsive. I guess at first, it was just a...'haha let's see what will finally get Logan to express some sort of emotion' type of thing..." Nicole sighed, looking as if this sort of soul searching hurt quite a bit. "It's hard to figure out... I.." she faltered again, and gave Katie a very confused and desperate look. It was sort of cute actually. And nice for a change that Katie wasn't the one who was terribly confused and seeking guidance.
Katie smiled encouragingly, she knew that the searching for the source of the confusion could be difficult, but she knew from experience that it always helped in the long run. They walked into what was an entirely deserted locker room. Katie watched Nicole struggle with herself, and come up empty handed. "Nicole? Have you ever considered... that you might like Logan?"
Nicole froze, and when she turned around, she was wearing her best Death Glare. "How... how could you even suggest something as... as horrible... and... and unlikely..." The glare and her sentences melted, and Nicole drooped. Shock and realization washed over Nicole and rendered her breathless. Katie watched Nicole shakily plunk down onto a bench, staring at the insides of her hands. Nicole took a deep breath, "No..." she denied it, though it lacked the determination that it usually did. "I don't want... to.. to...I mean, It's so...unlikely... I always imagined that I would... would.. come to... you know, have feelings for... someone.. who was sweet... and kind... and a gentleman... like Bobby." her sentences were shaky and sounded more like whimpers than statements.
Katie smiled patting her friend on the back gently. "Well you know Nicole... girl's do tend to fall for the bad boy who treats them like crap rather than the sweet boy who treats them like a princess. Curiosity I think."
"Curiosity..." Nicole repeated, thinking. Oh, she was curious all right... curious as to what it felt like to be the one in Logan's arms... what it would be like to have him like her, what it would be like to kiss him... Moaning, Nicole tried to bury her face further in her hands. Katie continued to pat her, a little afraid for Nicole's emotional health. " Oh, Katie..." Nicole whimpered through her hands, sounding like she would very much like to break down and cry. "What am I going to do now?" How could she ever argue with Logan like normal with this at the back of her mind? She very much hoped that she wouldn't get all swoony like girls are rumored to do when they were around someone they liked... that would be embarrassing. She was more than certain that Logan would avoid her completely if she did start acting like that. No. She would act as if nothing was wrong. She had been able to act like she normally did- like he annoyed the shit out of her and that she hated his guts- and not turn into a puddle of mushy goo. Besides, Logan wasn't exactly the type of guy that had girls swooning over him. He was more the type of guy that had girls wanting him because of his body, not because of his personality. If he looked the way he acted... she was more than certain that no girl would go within a mile's radius of him.
"Oh, Nicole..." Katie continued patting, hoping that no one else would walk in until Nicole felt better, or the news would be halfway around the school before they got in the water.
Nicole sighed. But he obviously hated her... oh, even if he didn't know, why did she have to stand having the one she liked make fun of and generally torment her? Why did her life suck so much? And what was she going to do with Bobby now? Tell him to leave her alone because she decided she'd rather moon after a man who hated her... and was a teacher anyway, so even if he did like her... she couldn't do anything about it... "My life sucks."
Katie laughed. "Nicole, I'm sure your life doesn't suck any more than the rest of our lives.." she murmured in an amused tone, though she kept patting Nicole's back in a comforting manner.
Nicole groaned. "Yes it doessss..." she moaned, though she giggled slightly afterward. Sighing, Nicole pulled herself together. She had managed hiding her true feelings even from herself up until now. How hard could it be to hide them from Logan? I mean, the man was more than a few sandwiches short of a picnic to say the least.
They had finished putting their stuff in lockers (first choice meant getting a big one!) and changing, by the time the rest of the girls showed up from breakfast. Many gave Nicole odd looks, remembering the incident, but no one was stupid enough to say anything.
Scowling, Nicole leaned in to speak softly to Katie who fiddled with her bikini straps idly. "I don't see what's the big deal about me slapping him..." she muttered darkly, throwing a sharp glare at a small group of girls who stood huddled together, whispering while throwing small glances in Nicole and Katie's direction. "I mean," Nicole began slyly, pulling a face, "Judging by Logan's recent... behavior... it leads me to believe that Logan can't go a week with out being slapped around for some stupid reason or another..." Nicole wrinkled her nose while tightening one of the ties on her bikini bottom, sulkily eyeing the girls with rising dislike and annoyance. Katie cocked an eyebrow curiously.
"Recent behavior? What has he done to you other than win a staring contest?" Blinking in surprise, Nicole remembered that she had not yet recounted the night's events to Katie. She gave Katie a muttered rendition of the events of the night before, though she brushed over her own, brief fantasy.
When she finished, Katie snorted. "Well, that does sound like Logan, doesn't it? Bringing a whore into a school where there are small children." She paused a moment, thinking. "Though, with the way some of the other girls look at him, you'd think he'd rather not pay for it..."
An odd look spread over Nicole's face, hard, and fierce. "They look at him?" she questioned sharply, turning to glare at the dozens of girls that were scurrying about, searching for bathing suits or borrowing razors for a quick shave before class started, as if expecting them all to have ogled Logan shamelessly. No doubt he liked the attention despite the fact that they were students.
A faint smile that displayed her amusement at Nicole's budding emotions and suspicions curled Katie's mouth. "Of course they look at him. He's tall, dark, he's got nice muscles, and he's remotely attractive when he doesn't open his mouth and say anything. And he's older. That's usually always the motive behind a girl's lustful nature toward Logan. Personally, I don't find a man who acts like an animal and brings hookers to school is worth anyone's time. But that's my opinion." she said skeptically, giving Nicole a Wasn't it obvious? look.
Nicole ignored Katie's disparaging opinion, still looking suspiciously at the other girls. That wasn't fair, was it? Everything else about this sucked, and now she had competition too? Damn! "You've really put a lot of thought into this, haven't you?" she commented, looking at Katie, who rolled her eyes.
"Its obvious." Katie grinned, "Really, Nicole. It's not my fault that your struggles with your love/ hate situation have blinded you to the fact that despite his personality, Logan is extremely appealing to the typical horny, hormonal teenaged girl." said in mock exasperation, laughing when Nicole pulled a pained face.
"You sound like the author of a novel that would have a stupid title like, You Thought You Hated Him but Now You Love Him, Confusing Emotions for Dummies by Katie Abell." Nicole grumbled, pulling her hair up into a cute, tufty little ponytail, frowning when her renegade locks of her rebellious short hair fell from its restraints and tickled her neck.
Katie laughed. "Well, its not my fault I know more about you than you do." she replied, poking Nicole gently. Katie's hair was down and curling at the ends all over the place because it wanted to, and partly because it was rather humid in the locker room. "C'mon Nicole... can we go now?"
Nicole sighed sulkily. " I guess so... maybe the cool water will clear my head a bit." she mumbled, following the dwindling number of girls out of the locker room and into the indoor pool area to stand in line at the edge of the Olympic sized swimming pool. The boys stood parallel to them in a similar horizontal line on the opposite side of the pool, all donned in simple swimming trunks. Apparently, Scott was stuck on "life guard" duty today, for it was he who strode behind the line of girls slowly, tugging lightly at the ties of their bikini tops, making sure that they were securely tied.
"Nicole," Katie muttered out of the corner of her mouth, a smirk on her lips, "If cool water could clear your head, I would have dunked you in a pool of ice water years ago."
Nicole made a face at Katie. "Thanks." she muttered. "I'm glad to know someone loves me..." Katie giggled a bit, and then there was something of a to-do as one of the sluttier girl's bathing suit tops really did fall off. She gasped and tried to cover herself up as though it wasn't intentional, as all the boys pointed and muttered to each other, with a few catcalls and whistles.
"Can't there be someone in this school that has an ounce of dignity?" Nicole grumbled, though she smirked slightly as she watched Scott look thoroughly embarrassed while he apologized to the slut(which wasn't at all needed.) and told her to tie her top tighter next time.
As Scott continued to apologize and the girl continued to 'forget' to put her top back on, there came a burst of loud, hoarse, bark-like laughter. "Really Scott, you'd think that your tugging at their straps would loosen them, not tighten them. Shameful." Logan chuckled as he entered the Pool area through the girl's locker room door, his army boots clonking on the damp, tiled floor.
Nicole stiffened, she and Katie were the last in line and closest to the door. Oh god. OhgodOhgodOhgoddy god.
Katie, realizing that Nicole was on the door side, immediately switched places. Scott gave Logan a look as though Logan wasn't worth the energy it would take to reply, and continued down the line (hoping no one else decided to make such a show of themselves). Katie was still looking from Logan to Nicole, wondering if they were able to ignore each other, or if there needed to be some sort of intervention. Hopefully in the form of a SWAT squad and a helicopter.
The rest of the girls, however, did not share Scott, Katie, and Nicole's dislike of the man in question. The ones who had already passed the 'security' test, gathered closer together in small groups, talking and giggling and the bolder of them casting Logan some adoring looks. Logan chose to ignore them, though his face attained a slightly smug and satisfied expression.
Somewhat ironically, when Logan came to patrol in front of the line of girls with his hands behind his back, he reminded Nicole strongly of an superior army officer. When Logan came to a halt in front of Nicole, she half expected him to shout in her face and call her 'maggot', which of course would do nothing for her morale. But he didn't he merely glared at her, and with a severe amount of concentration she glared back. When Logan took a step forward, Nicole couldn't help but take a small step backward, feeling extremely vulnerable as if she were wearing her bra and panties instead of a bathing suit. "My cheek still smarts. Next time, don't expect Scott to be there to hold me back." he growled.
Feeling the familiar fury and agitation flaring up, Nicole glared at him with no difficulty now. How dare he talk to her like that? What gave him that right? "I'm so scared. I can barely think for trembling."
"You should be scared..." he replied in a most threatening manner, as though he wasn't quite sure how he was going to make her sorry, but it was going to be horrible. Leaning in to leer at her from closer up he punctuated the comment by poking her in the shoulder.
"Christ, can't you leave her alone?" Katie snapped, losing it. She normally tried to stay as uninvolved as possible, but no self-respecting friend would have let Nicole be threatened (though whether it was her life or her virginity, Katie couldn't tell) and not do something about it.
Nicole laughed, if not somewhat rudely, in Logan's face, not looking away but acknowledging Katie's comment. "Don't worry Katie. There isn't anything that he could possibly get away with doing to me with out getting fired." she snarled, her comment being very vague and innocent in consideration, but leaving much to the imagination all the same.
Katie couldn't help but snort with amusement as she saw the recognition in Logan's eyes of the very well hidden implication. Surely Nicole hadn't meant it in that sense, but it was still highly amusing to see Logan jumping to conclusions.
An odd expression took control of Logan's face, frustration and apprehension loomed in his eyes like dark blue storm clouds. Those stormy eyes flicked over Nicole's scantily clad form, remembering their brief meeting the night before. Her now dark, and angry brown eyes had been soft, and wide with virginal surprise, and the lips that were pursed had been parted and soft, and her body was not as bared to him as it was now. He still didn't need to reminder that he could not have her, even if he'd wanted her (or more, if she'd wanted anything to do with him). He'd been called a great deal of insults in what time he could remember, but he was not a pedophile.
"Did you get lost on the way to the locker room, Logan, or did you want to be the pool boy?" Scott asked, quietly, unintentionally breaking whatever moment there had been.
Scowling, Logan broke away from his observation of Nicole, bracing his hands on his hips in impatience. Really, did he have to go an explain his business to everyone? "Apparently, the faucets to the girl's showers have to be replaced, and I was checking out the damage. Also, I'm supposed to check up on the filter, it was being temperamental last month if I remember correctly, water turning a nasty, murky green." he challenged, glaring at Scott. "Apparently, I've gone from babysitter" his gaze flicked to Nicole momentarily, who was making no secret that she was listening to every word that he said, "to repairman. So, if you'll excuse me, please go about..." he motioned vaguely to the entire pool area with a sweeping movement of his hand, "doing what ever it is that the you guys do in this class that is oh so important." he growled. It was then that Nicole promptly noticed that hanging loosely about Logan's hips was a tool belt.
Scott simply gave Logan a look, and shoed everyone into the water, as Logan went and did something actually useful for once. Most of the students already knew how to swim, and so it was mostly just a free-for-all, though a group of dedicated (or slightly insane, depending) volleyball fans formed a giant game taking up nearly half of the pool. There was a lot of looking (checking out, really) of everyone in their bathing suits, and being checked out themselves, just in case something had changed in the two weeks or so between swim sessions.
As the volleyball game came to become extremely competitive, tempers were running high, and competitive insults whizzed back and forth over the net more than the ball did. Bobby and Pyro had been placed on opposite teams so there was an incident where Pyro (though slightly weakly since he and his lighter were wet) angrily set the ball aflame after Bobby's team won for the second time in a row. The female population of the opposing team dived squealing out of the way, and Bobby was forced to put the ball out before it bounced out of the pool and into Logan. Who snarled, annoyed. Couldn't he just do his job without any interruptions! Amid the confusion and squealing girls, Pyro managed to 'bump' into more than one girl, deftly loosening their bikinis.
Katie, who had been targeted, squealed with anger sparks literally jumping from her eyes, her hair standing on end, glaring at Pyro. "You asshole! You're such a pervert!"
"Katie! You're sparking!" Nicole yelled, trying to get her friend's attention before anyone got electrocuted.
Katie, realizing, hurriedly jumped out of the pool, still clutching at the loose ends of her bathing suit. "You are so DEAD!" She yelled at Pyro, glaring at him, hair, and fingers continuing to spark madly. "I'm going to KILL you!" He didn't look concerned, flashing her one of those charming-player grins that he was so good at.
"Lets save the death threats for after you're dry shall we Katie?" Scott said, approaching and cautiously placing a hand on her shoulder. Though he regretted it a split second later.
"Ah!" the two shouted at the same time as the pent up energy that had been safely crackling in between Katie's fingers and the ends of her hair, was transferred to Scott's hand. Stung, Scott recoiled, examining his hand.
Katie gasped softly when she saw that the palm of his hand was pink and raw looking. "Ohmygosh! I am so sorry!" she squealed, though she kept her hands on her top, to maintain her dignity, even though she would much rather grabbing Scott's hand and examining the damage. Or perhaps just to grab Scott's hand...
She tried to tie her top as quickly, but as securely as possible. Finishing she reached out carefully for his hand, hers now spark-less. "I'm so sorry!" she repeated, as he flinched ever so lightly when she reached out, as though half-expecting another shock. Oh, today was coming out nicely... she flashed most of the student body and shocked the one person she'd never wanted to.
Scott let a sigh hiss through his clenched teeth as he allowed her to poke and prod gently at his burnt hand. It wasn't all that bad really; the worst would be that it would sting for a while and feel a bit numb. "No problem, I should have known better than to go and touch you when you were soaking wet and upset..." he sighed, gently removing his hand from her grasp. Even when I'm in pain, your touch is soft and sweet and pleasant.
Katie sat back, dripping and feeling miserable. For some reason (no, not some reason... her mind interjected, smugly) it was absolutely killing her to see him in pain, especially pain that was her fault. Looking up at him, wide-eyed and biting her lip, she wished she could take it all back, and so wanted to hit Pyro all the more for being the reason for all this...
With a pang of surprise and a guilty squirm of his insides, he fought the urge to pull her to him and kiss away the doubt and guilt that shone clearly in her eyes, and to tell her that it wasn't her fault. Scott smiled, shifting his hand so that it slid into the pocket of his jeans. "Don't worry about it Katie, it's not your fault." Scott smiled, his whole face maneuvering around the expressionless ruby sunglasses so that his face was full of warmth and gentle understanding.
Katie took the time to notice that he had nice cheekbones and that when he smiled widely his teeth were just visible between his lips. She blushed. "I am sorry though... I knew that I wasn't supposed to let anything get to me when I'm in the pool with the others..." she mumbled, staring at her bare feet and shifting them uncomfortably.
He chuckled, and the sound was deep throated and warm, "Don't be so hard on yourself, Pyro is a player and has no respect for women's feelings. Now, lets get you a towel.." Blushing, Katie allowed Scott to usher her into the supply closet where he selected a thick, fluffy towel and handed it to her.
- - -
Logan was entirely uninterested in whatever was going on, not really caring if a few girls dropped their tops (at least, as long as their backs were to him he didn't care), and some student having difficulty controlling her electricity wasn't his problem either. His "problem" however, became a great deal more problematic as he stood up, slipped in something of a giant puddle (oh, how graceful) and fell with a great splash into the pool. Nearly landing on several people and swamping a few more.
Agh! Water, BAD. Thrashing around in surprise, Logan groped for something solid in this weightless world of water. He needed air. Finally after feeling nothing but the smooth, slippery bottom of the pool, he came in contact with something solid. Thankfully, he wrenched at it in order to propel himself from the water.
With a panicked squeal, Nicole went under. Thrashing against the firm grip on her hips, she tried to scream but bubbles were the only thing that came from her. She was pressed against the hard stretch of a body. Very hot despite the cold water. "Mmm!" was the only noise she could make, pressing her palms flat on his chest, and trying to push him away. Weakly, as she ran out of oxygen, Nicole struggled. Let go... let go.. I can't breath! She struggled until her feet came in contact with the ground. Instinctively, they both kicked against it. They must have floated to the deep end...
Nicole gasped for breath as her head broke the surface, clutching at the thing that had dragged her under, trying to use it to keep her afloat at the same time she tried to get as far away as she could lest it try to down her again... Coughing wetly, she blinked the chlorine from her eyes, wondering what the hell would have fallen so heavily into the pool...
Logan thrashed, still somewhat panicking until he drew in that first breath. Coughing up water, he held on as tightly as he could to the thing (it was a rather nice thing, he noted in the back of his mind, somewhat warm and soft), trying to blink away the water in his eyes.
Rather suddenly, there came a burst of sound that was at first very confusing, but as Nicole filled her lungs with nice, soothing oxygen she could begin to pick out the sounds of loud laughing, wolf whistles and cat calls. "Whoooo Logan! What a graceful fall. Where you a stunt double for Shamu in a past life!" Someone called, laughing hysterically.
There came a deep growl of anger. "Pyro, when I get out of this pool you'll be lucky enough to escape with your loins intact!" Logan's voice barked from in front of Nicole. Oh no. Logan fell...?
Sure enough, when Nicole's eyes cleared it was Logan's face that was slightly above hers, her arms were gripping his upper arms tightly and her head was nestled so that her nose and lips were too close to his chest for comfort. A faint, spiced, male scent penetrated the thin, white cotton shirt he wore, which was clinging to his chest. He had grabbed her, she came to the conclusion, for it was his iron vise-like grip on her hips, his thumbs pressing almost painfully into the hollows just beneath her hipbones.
Logan, giving Pyro one last Death Glare, looked down at his 'floatation device' to realize... Oh, damn. It just had to be Nicole, didn't it? Had to. But for once she didn't look she was going to try and slap him, though she was also half-drowned, which may have helped put a damper on her violence. He took a deep breath about to make a comment.
"Don't." was the soft plead, Nicole's fingers pressing into his upper arms. "Don't say a word." she whispered. Brown eyes, veiled with anger and frustration and some emotion he couldn't quite make out, stared up at him.
He couldn't help but laugh. "A. Word." he purred, grinning toothily.
"Ooooh!" she raged, struggling against him, completely infuriated. "You are the most infuriating- most repulsive-" she growled, beating on his chest, "Most loathsome being on earth!" she finished, glaring and panting for air.
His grip had not loosened and she was pressed against him even more so than she had been. And even more infuriating, Logan continued to smirk. "Let go of me!"
"You first."
Katie, standing on the 'sidelines' wrapped in a very nice warm fluffy towel, laughed. Oh, Nicole was definitely enjoying herself, even if she was glaring at the sexy (Katie thought this extremely grudgingly) wet man who was holding her so very tightly.
"Logan, I said let go of me…" Nicole growled, dangerously.
Daringly, Logan's eyebrow lifted and his lips twitched upward. "Oh, me? You're talking to me? Funny, I was beginning to assume that my name had been changed to asshole, or bastard, even pervert. But Logan? Wow."
Nicole sighed, growling in frustration at the same time. "Let Go! My hips are going to go numb!" She squealed, removing her hands from his upper arms to attempt prying Logan's fingers from her lower abdomen.
"Maybe I don't want to…" he challenged back, still smirking in that infuriatingly smug good-looking way. Nicole's eyes narrowed. "Let the hell go of me," she repeated, fed up with his I-can-do-whatever-I-want antics. He did not get a chance to make his smart comment. She held up her hands flat against his chest (refusing to let her mind comment), and pushed with her mind, sending him flying.
Logan went flying through the air, shouting hoarse oaths and curses as he went until he slammed into the wall with a satisfying smack! After the initial impact, Logan slid wetly down the tiled wall, landing with his legs sprawled open and his arms handing limply by his sides. Several of the girls in the Logan fan club (a rather scary organizantion, made up of fairly slutty girls whose only aim seemed to be making it into his pants) were squealing in distress. Logan groaned, lifting a hand to gingerly prod at the throbbing spot at the back of his head where it had smacked against the tile. The girl was going to pay this time…
The fan club paused for one long moment, undecided. Should they run to comfort their object of adoration? The murder in his eyes convinced them this might be a bad idea, and they ran for the locker room to plot against She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named (Nicole).
Scott decided this might be a good time to end class, and dismissed everyone. He hung around though, hoping Logan would be seriously hurt so Scott could make fun of him. Laughing softly, approaching Logan as the last of the students, which happened to be Nicole (who had dawdled in the water, having seen a shiny sparkly thing on the bottom of the pool and paused to retrieve it), retreated into the locker room. "Wow Logan. Somehow I find it hard to believe that you were defeated by a student, a girl no less. Oh, how the mighty have fallen." Scott chuckled, coming to a halt over Logan.
"Shut up, asshole," Logan replied, as the broken bones repaired themselves.
Scott laughed again, enjoying Logan's pain.
"Nicole!" Katie hissed excitedly. "What happened? I had been getting a towel…" Oh, and how very awkward it had been! He'd been in a hurry, as though not enjoying being alone with her, and she had taken it wrongly (he had been in a hurry, yes, but more to keep from giving in to the overwhelming urge to kiss her).
Nicole's face, which was hidden by her curtain of dark hair, colored brightly as she looked up from examining her trinket. "Oh, well, Logan tripped and fell into the pool, then he grabbed me and pulled me under." Nicole muttered vaguely. In her hand she held a shining silver dog tag on a small chain. She had found it lying on the bottom of the pool just after she knocked Logan out of it. Curiously, she held them up to the light. The word WOLVERINE was imprinted in bold lettering into the metal, followed by a series of numbers.
"And?" Katie prodded impatiently. Really, what was so interesting about some dirty dog tag? Who knew where it had been…
"And I didn't like it." Nicole continued, looping the chain over her head so the tag hung at her chest. "So I sent him away. And I think you know the rest."
Katie nodded, losing interesting. Nicole + Logan trouble was not a new equation. Running her fingers through her hair she added a light current, drying it as well as a blow dryer would have. "Do you know what's for lunch?"