"No, dad, I'm telling you! We HAVE to check out the Ferrari Novitec F12 Berlinetta. It has a high quality exhaust systems available in the ultra-lightweight material. I was reading that to maximize driving performance, they changed the suspension components and added tailor made wheel and tire combinations to help provide maximum contact with the road. Plus, the finishes on the interior are flawless with that orange stitching."

Nates comment on the interior earned an eye roll from our mom and I small smile from myself. For a kid who's still two years away from driving, he's obsessed with cars. It's very annoying, but gives him and our dad something to bond over.

"Alright, alright, we'll we can try to check one out on Sunday, but let's pause the car talk, bud, we're boring the ladies."

Nate's brown eyes, the same eyes as our mom, lit up at that promise, and he dug back into his fried rice. We were at Mom's favorite Thai place for our monthly Friday night family dinner, or as Nate and I call them, 'Famday' night dinners. I know, dumb, but we coined the term when we were like 5 and 7.

"Let's move onto school updates." Dad continued.

Through a mouth full of rice Nate started, "ah got a Fee lus on my Trig est!"

"Nathan!" Mom scolded.

He simply shrugged and shoved yet another bite of food into his mouth. Dad shook his head, and turned to look at me.

I was moving my fork around through my Phad Thai, and let out a small sigh. "Got an A- on my essay for Hamlet. Professor X and I are going to review a few things on it come Monday. Did well on my Pre-calc quiz, so I'm feeling confident for my exam on Wednesday. Mom gave me detention. Storm said that mine, Ryan, Lillie, Frazier and Annie's group get to move on to the next level in the dan…."

"Wait, why did you give Rachel detention?" Dad cut in, turning to mom.

"How about you ask your daughter." Mom responded, giving me a hard look.

Dad looked to me and I quickly looked back to my soup. "Uh, she gave me a week's detention for talking in class."

"Rachel." Came mom's stern voice.

I let out sigh, "Okay, she gave me detention for telecommunicating with Annie during her lecture."

"Seriously, Ray?" Asked dad, in an unimpressed voice. "That's what? The third time? And why on earth would you do it during your mom's class? I love you, but that's just stupid." There was a hint of amusement in his voice, but when I looked up, both were sporting annoyed, angry, expressions.

Nathan had grabbed the last of the spring rolls, and was appearing to be very interested in the table, clearly trying to stay out of the conversation.

Annoyed at being called both dumb and stupid by my parents, my agitation cut in. "What I don't get is why I'm the only one in trouble. Ryan got off warning free in your class, and Annie was caught twice, too."

This remark earned me a 'really?' look from both of them.

"First off," mom replied, "Neither of us called you dumb or stupid."

I instantly threw up my mental shields, even more annoyed now. "We were referring to your poor judgement of using your powers during our classes as a dumb and stupid choice. Not you. And second, neither Ryan or Annie are Telepathic. Only you are. Meaning, you were carrying the conversation. Not them."

I rolled my eyes at that and muttered "whatever" under my breath. However, it was a bad choice.

"Would you like to add grounded to your punishment?" Dad asked in an irritated voice. Apparently, I wasn't taking this conversation seriously enough for them.

My gray eyes, the eyes I'd apparently inherited from my dad, according to my grandma since I've never seen his eye color, snapped up to them. I clinched my jaw, and tried to calmly say, "It won't happen again."

Wanting to be done with both the conversation and the lecture, I started eating my Phad thai and refused to look up. My parents let it slide and went back to talking to Nate, who had finished his food, the spring rolls, and was now attempting to steal mom's green curry.


The rest of dinner had passed normally, and we'd just pulled back up to the manor. As soon as the car was parked, Nathan was throwing off his seat belt.

"Hey, slow down, bud." Mom cut in before he could throw open his door, too. "Dad and I are planning to watch a movie if you'd like to join?"

"Nah, Tanner and I are going to work on our robot." Was his response, as his door opened and he ran back towards the door to the school.

I had just placed my hand on my own door handle, when mom said, "Ray, wait. We'd like to talk to you."

I bit my lip, and let go of the handle. After hearing the clicks of their seat belts, I looked up to see them both watching at me.

"Yeah?" I questioned, not liking the silence.

"Sweetheart."

I swallowed hard. When mom started a conversation with 'sweetheart' it was never a good sign.

Mom let out a sigh, before continuing. "Look, we get it. It's hard having your parents as your teachers."

I furrowed my brow at this, but didn't say anything as she continued, "Dad and I might have been a little hard on you, but you have to agree, you made a bad choice. Well, a bad choice 3 times."

There was silence in the car, so I quickly looked at both of them, nodded, and said, "You're right. Sorry. May I go now?"

"No, you know that's not how this works. We're talking about this."

"About what?" I groaned out at her.

I knew I was acting like a child. Whining and complaining, but I could stop it.

"About whatever it is that has you constantly talking during class, using your powers when you know it's not allowed-"

"Ma, there's nothing going on!" I said, cutting her off.

They both looked at me surprised by the outburst. "sorry… Ugh, why does it matter? You basically read my mind whenever you want to know what it going on anyways." I said, looking at mom.

"Parts, yes. But Sweetie, I don't live to read your thoughts. I really do try to give you privacy."

I gave her a skeptical look and sighed again, then decided to speak my mind. They weren't going to let me go until I did, anyways.

"I love you two, I really do, but it's not fair. Everything, and I mean everything, that Nate and I do is reported back to you."

Neither made to comment so I continued, "For example, instead of telling me off in German, Kirk went to you about me and Annie telecommunicating. Any other student he would have given them lines to write out. And I know that Storm conferred with both of you before announcing that my team gets to move onto the next danger room level, even though she's the leader of my team. I can't fail a quiz without you already knowing before I tell you and any trouble I get in…" I huffed another breath, "I don't get to be a normal kid. Mutants aside, I should feel normal at school, this school, and I don't."

I paused taking a deep breath. "I love it here, and I have loved growing up here, but sometimes I hate that our personal lives are here, too. All the other kids get breaks from their parents. Their home life is at home and their school life is here. They are treated like regular students." Shrugging I said, "Nate and I are treated as Dr. Grey and Mr. Summer's kids. It gets old."

I looked back to them and sincerely said "I'm sorry for using my powers in class and for distracting Ryan and Annie. I'm also sorry for my crappy attitude lately, I'm not sure what's up with me, I'm just off. I can't make any promises, but I'll try not to let it happen again…"

Mom gave me a small, sad, smile and after a moment dad said, "We love you and your brother very much, and we are so proud of how you're growing up. You're a good kid, and really, if using your powers in class is our biggest issue, we'll take it. But if it does happen again, there will be grounding and further consequences, got it?"

I nodded as he continued, "You also have to realize, any other student would have received detention after the second warning, you got off twice. Your burden also works in your favor."

There was silence again as they both lovingly looked at me. "Yeah, yeah…" I said rolling my eyes. "Love you, too" I said sarcastically. "can this love fest be over?"

They both chuckled slightly. "You want to watch a movie with us?" Mom asked, turning to open her door.

"Sure, at least until Annie gets back. I need hear about the date."

With that we got out of the car and headed in. My parents holding hands, and my dad wrapping his arm around my shoulders. My parents are annoying, but I'm glad they're mine (most of the time.)


"Come on, we can do one more lap!" Annie challenged. We were on our usual morning run before classes, but today I just wasn't feeling it. I was slow, lethargic, couldn't get my breathing down, and I was pretty sure I was feeling the onset of a headache.

"I think I'm done." I gasped out between breaths.

"Fine, at least run to the back with me."

We kept a slow jog around to the back of the school, and slowed to a walk as we neared the basketball court.

My lungs were on fire as if we'd done sprints, instead of a simple run, and I could feel bile in the back of my throat.

"Ray, wanna join?!" Nate yelled at me, and I looked up to see him and some kids playing a bball game. I shook my head in his direction, since I didn't have the air to yell back.

I bent forward to touch my toes, and then reached my arms above my head, trying to allow more oxygen into my system. I rested my hands on the back of my head, and just as I went to take a step forward, a sharp pain shot through my head from the front to the back, and my legs gave out. I landed hard on my knees, and an "oof" escaped my lips.

"Rachel?" Came Annie's worried voice followed a couple seconds by Nate telepathically asking me "Hey, are you okay?" As him and few buddies ran over to us.

As I was shaking my head to clear it, Nate slowly helped me up. "Yeah, I'm okay. Dizzy spell." I responded, and blinked a few times as the pain in my head started to subside. "I think I'm just dehydrated or something."

I forced myself to steadily walk towards the manor. "Should I go get your mom?" Annie asked.

"No!" I snapped out. Clearing my throat, I continued, "No, really, I'm fine. There's a faculty meeting this morning anyways. No point in interrupting. I'm good, guys, really."

As I walked away I said telepathically to Nate, "Don't go telling on me. I'm fine."

He instantly responded with, "You don't look fine, but whatever. You do you."

Both Nathan I are pretty open and honest with our parents. It's kind of hard not to be with a telepathic mother, but even still, we never really feel a need to hide things. However, Nate tells them everything which I find a bit odd. He's such a rule follower and says whatever he thinks or feels. He's sincere about it, but it's still weird since he's a 14-year-old boy. Mom often refers to him as her 'Little gossip buddy." Out of the two of us, I'm the more private, rebellious, one.

Deciding that's simply what it was, a dizzy spell that had occurred, I headed off to chug some water and then shower. My first class was in an hour and I needed to get ready.

By the time, I'd reached the kitchen, I'd even forgotten about the episode because Annie and I were now discussing if we could convince our parents to let us go to a Beyoncé concert that had been announced to be in D.C. in about two months. We'd have to pitch the idea carefully.


Thanks for the reviews! It's fun to know that there are people out there still interested in x-men and this story line. Hope you had a good weekend and cheers to a new week!