Note: Hi! It's been a while since I contributed a chapter to this story. It is for the simple reason that I have been to busy. So, not to worry! I still have lots of ideas for this story, hehe. This is the eleventh chapter. Taking a new twist. Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read my story, and your reviews are greatly appreciated. Enjoy!
Mystique hated the east coast winters. Everything about them was despicable. The temperature was unbearably low. This fact did not suit Mystique, who was more of a summer-person. On top of all of this, winter usually meant Christmas, which meant annoyingly happy people all around the city, greeting you and wishing you a "merry Christmas"… Mystique shook her head. Why was she thinking of things this unimportant. The only thing that mattered now was the plan. The plan that couldn't (not to mentioned mustn't) fail. Mystique turned down the road with a sigh, as she nearly fell in the snow…
Contradicting my first thoughts, the holidays were really enjoyable. Well, why wouldn't they? I had a new home with my own large and luxurious room. For the first time in forever I did well in school. I had been gifted with an incredible family. And in some mysterious way, I was the boyfriend of some kind of angel… Or at least something divine.
The only reason I had to be unsatisfied was that this divine angel had left me for the rest of the holidays to spend time with her parents.
Well, I guess this is highly irrelevant, because the fact is I was having a great time. I was closer than ever to my family. I no longer had to be careful not to say anything wrong. I was now fully accepted by everyone. Even Scott, who had once been my rival, was now like a brother to me.
Endless amounts of hours passed with various joyful activities, such as snowball fights mutant-style, trips to the movies, and different sports, not to mention the infinite amount of gallons of hot cocoa. Even though our numbers had been decreased a little, due to some of the students traveling home to their parents (like Kitty), the bond was still just as strong.
I woke up as the sun shone through my curtains. My favorite way of waking up.
It's impossible for me to explain why, but I had the feeling that something was up. Not wrong… Just up. You know the feeling right? The feeling that something has… Changed. I put on some clothes and strolled down to the kitchen.
As I was about to take a sip of a glass of orange juice, when I heard some noise coming from the front door. This surprised me. It was quite early in the morning, and though it would be pretty normal for someone to have gotten up from bed by now, I didn't expect anyone to have been outside yet.
I approached the front door and opened it.
The sun blinded me and made it impossible to see anymore than the shape of the person in front of me. I raised my hand to block the sun, but before I had done so, the unidentified person threw herself against me and kissed me. Surprised, I tried to break her off.
Though she tried to resist, I eventually proved to have the physical upper hand and she had to give up. She took a step back and I was now able to see that it was… Kitty! But how? She wasn't supposed to be home for another week. I wondered for a second if something had happened to her, but she seemed to be fine.
"Kitty, what are you doing here?" was all I managed to say before she, once again, kissed me.
She didn't say anything. She might have missed me as much as I had missed her.
I was thrilled about her homecoming. The kiss lasted for so long, I started to get the feeling that something was wrong. Finally she stood back.
"I'm home!" she mused and smiled.
She was as beautiful as ever. Her smile had the usual effect. I could feel my heart start beating faster.
As we entered the mansion, everyone was present in the kitchen. I started to wonder how long we really had been kissing, since no one had been there before my encounter with Kitty. The others didn't seem surprised to see Kitty next to me, and I quickly figured out that they had all known about her homecoming but had arranged for her to surprise me.
We had breakfast with everyone else in the kitchen. I spend most of the time staring at Kitty, as if to make up for lost time. It had been a while since I could appreciate her beauty. As the meal progressed, I grew more and more certain that something had happened to her.
Kitty really wasn't the quiet type. She usually took part in as many conversations as possible. Now, however, she was all silent.
Even though she seemed happy, it was clear that something had changed. But what had changed?
Obviously! How could I be this stupid? The last time we were together… Christmas Eve… This was what had changed. She had changed. Just as I had feared. This was why I insisted on not rushing anything. To me, everything that mattered was Kitty. I didn't want anything to change, since everything was already perfect. I know it sounds stupid, but at this moment, I was actually having something close to a panic attack.
I told myself not to be silly. Then I signaled Kitty to follow me. I led her outside. I wanted to talk about this as quickly as possible.
"Kitty, I'm sorry. It was obviously too big a step to take that fast", I started and looked her in the eyes. Kitty looked at me like she had no idea what I was talking about. What was wrong with her?
"What step?" Kitty said, with a skeptic tone.
She emphasized the last word, in an almost sarcastic way. This annoyed me. Of course she knew what I was talking about. Or… Was this really no big deal for her? Was this just normal for her? Had she been through this… Before? I instantly lost my breath. It felt as if I had been tossed into a pool of ice water. The fact that I had forgotten to bring my jacket contributed to this metaphor.
"You mean you don't remember?" I asked sarcastically. This was of course a rhetorical question. So when I saw that Kitty was going to answer I froze.
"I guess I don't", she said coldly, and quickly approached me to kiss me.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" I yelled, and walked with fast steps towards my bike.
"Lance!" Kitty called but I had no intentions of stopping.
I turned the ignition and drove away, full speed.
I had driven for… Well, actually I lost track of time, but anyway, it felt like a couple of hours. I was at the highway driving way too fast.
The traffic next to me was mostly just a blur, but suddenly I noticed the X-mark on a truck beside me. I slowed down, adjusting to its speed.
Beast was sitting in the driver's seat. He signaled me to pull over. I speculated for a moment but then decided to obey him.
I pulled the breaks and parked next to Beast at a rest area. I waited for Beast to step out of the car but it was the back door that opened first.
My eyes narrowed, as Kitty stepped out.
"Surprise!" Kitty said and leapt to me.
She attempted to wrap her arms around me but I caught her right wrist in the action and prevented her from embracing me.
"What the hell is up with you?" was all I could manage to speak. One minute she was acting all weird, and now she acted as if we hadn't even met today. I was so confused. She was acting so out of character this morning. She was so… Unfamiliar. What confused me most was the fact that her usual aura seemed to have returned now.
"Wh-What are you talking about Lance?" she said, obviously hurt by my raised tone.
This was too much. I couldn't deal with this anymore.
"I wish I'd never met you… Just… Leave me alone", I mused. I returned to my bike and started the engine.
"Lance… Please", Kitty was almost speechless. I didn't care. I turned back to the highway, now driving even faster to make sure Kitty wasn't following.
What was I doing here? This was a stupid idea. I shouldn't be here. This was my life once. Now I belonged at the mansion with… Her.
No! That definitely wasn't my life anymore. It was as Magneto had said: Xavier and his stupid X-Men had brainwashed me.
So it was perfectly logical that I was now returning to the Brotherhood house.
There was, however, one thing that bugged me. Another thing Magneto had said to me: You have chosen your side, so don't come crawling back.
Well, I had to try to redeem myself.
I stepped up to the front door. I could hear voices inside. One of them was definitely Magneto. The other had to be Mystique.
"It was surely a success", Mystique said.
"Well, It was about time", Magneto said, concluding the conversation.
A little ashamed at my eavesdropping, I entered the house.
I was met by Mystique and Magneto in the hall.
"I'm home", I said, not quite joking and not quite speaking in seriousness. I guess I didn't really want to return but it was the only choice I had. Obviously, I couldn't stay at the mansion now. And this was my only other option. The people in front of me didn't seem to have anything to say. So I carried on.
"I'm sorry for treachery, I regret it and I admit that you were right the entire time, Magneto", I said as I looked shamefully to the ground.
"Son", Magneto said and put his right hand on my shoulder.
"I forgive you, I bear no resemblance to that evil manipulating Xavier", Magneto said and removed his hand.
This undoubtedly meant that I was excused. I turned towards the staircase, heading for my old room.
"Oh, and Lance?" Magneto said with a kind tone to his voice.
"You are indeed home", he said and smiled.
