High School

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Serenity

- 13 -

Growing up we hardly ever had money. I had no brothers or sisters and my mother Renee and her boyfriend Johnny. We lived in a small town in Pennsylvania and both of them worked but for some reason we still struggled financially. At the time I was 4’9”, skin the color of warm honey (Puerto Rican & Black mix), and about 110lbs. My mom was beautiful simply put. She was 30 years old, she had the same complexion as me, and she was around 180lbs. She wasn’t fat but she was thick in all the right places as guys would say. Her boyfriend on the other and was disgusting. He was Caucasian, 37years old, 6’0”, and about 230lbs of dirty ass. He was always cussing at my mom and he had even started to hit her. Whenever I could I would go to my Grandmother Nena’s house in New Orleans. Even through the hurricane she stayed, but was forced to move because of health reasons.

My grandmother was a beautiful woman. She was 62 years old, had the same complexion as me and my mother, and she was around 5’5”, but her age started to weaken her back so she was hunched over most of the time. My grandmother had lot’s of books around her house and I loved to read them all. She had all kinds of classics and I was extremely happy to be there.

When I was at home things were hard though. It was getting worse between Mom and her boyfriend and he had started beating her all the time. On more than one occasion I would try and step in for her and he would slap me sending me flying to the ground.

Mom: “Johnny we need to talk.”

Johnny: “What?”

Mom: “I had some money in my purse and now it’s not there.”

A look of anger flashed across his face and he started to get up.

Johnny: “What the fuck are you trying to say? You think I took your fucking money?”

Mom: “No I just wanted to know if you had seen it anywhere.”

Johnny: “Don’t lie to me bitch. You think I took your money.”

Mom: “It’s just it was in my purse and now it isn’t there.”

SLAP!!!

Johnny: “I don’t need your fucking money!”

SLAP!!! He slapped my mom again and then she fell to the ground. I jumped on his back and started trying to choke him.

“Leave my mother alone.”

He swung me off his back and then when I landed on the ground he kicked me in my stomach making me lose my breath. I was still trying to get back up and I kept hearing my mother scream while he punched and kicked her. After a while she just stopped screaming. She just stopped moving. He kept hitting her and hitting her though. Eventually he did stop though. He grabbed his coat and left out of the house saying “I’ll be back later.”

I crawled over to my Mom and she was unconscious. She was bleeding all over and I could tell that she had some broken bones. As softly as I could I tried to shake her.

“Mom!… Mom please get up? Mom!”

This is how it was for the majority of my preteen years. She would be beat at night and in the morning she would be in the kitchen cooking his breakfast and smiling like a teenager.

- 15 -

Things between my Mom and Johnny had gone completely sour. She had gone to the hospital multiple times and Johnny just kept beating her.

With all the shit going on with school I was completely fed up with my home life. Johnny was bad for us and he was bad for my mom. The only escape I ever had was to go to the local center where Mrs. Marcy taught gymnastics. She was really good back in the day but she had an accident or something that ruined her career. But Johnny had to go and if my Mom couldn’t see that then I would make her see it. I asked one of my friends from school if she could get her hands on a video camera for me and in the next few days she had it for me. I don’t know how she got her hands on it, but to be honest I didn’t give a damn. It was actually a pretty cool camera because it had a wireless setup and if there was internet around you could send the recording to another computer. After school I would go home, do my school work, cook dinner, and then wait for Johnny to leave like he usually did before going over to my friends’ houses. He only left once my Mom got home though and he would feed her some bogus ass lie and then leave for hours and come back when he felt like it.

But things went a little differently one day. I came home and did my chores as usual until my Mom came home. I made a small bag of clothes and some other things and then I listened from my room and waited until he was leaving. I snuck out of my window and went around the house and saw him walking down the street. I had the camera in my bag and I started to walk down the street a good distance behind him. It was dark and if he looked back he wouldn’t notice me but I wanted to be able to see him. We made close to a twenty minute walk, at first passing by homeless people and broken bottles which slowly turned to flowers and trees. We had walked for a while and he came up to an apartment building that was in a better looking part of the neighborhood. He went up the stairs and walked right into the building. I waited a few minutes and then followed him in. I turned on the camera and started to film him and watched as he knocked on the door and then was invited inside.

“Damn. This doesn’t prove anything.”

I looked around and noticed that there was a pretty big vent right outside of her door. As quickly as possible I unhinged the vent and slid into the space that was there. The vent went in four different directions but the one I needed was a bit of a ways up. I had to shimmy my way up and with taking the classes I had become pretty quick and flexible so it was easy for me to do. Once I got to the top of the vent, I started to crawl further down until I reached the descent down to where her vent was. As quietly as I could I began to slide down until I could actually see into her room.

Johnny: “I only have a little while.”

Mystery Woman: “Well I’m not going to rush just because you need to get home to your bitch before she locks the door.”

He grabbed her roughly on her arms and pushed her to the bed.

Johnny: “Leave her out of this. I go home when I feel like it but with that little brat there she is always tired, and whether she likes it or not I’m getting me some tonight.”

Mystery Woman: “So what do you need me for?”

Johnny: “Because Marcy, you do things that would blow her little mind.”

Marcy. That sounded like the name of a home-wrecker.  I set up the camera to the perfect angle so that it would catch everything they did. Thankfully someone had wireless internet around here and I set up the address the video was to go to. I told my friend that she would be getting the video and she told me she’d save it for me. I started to work my way back up when my foot slipped and slightly banged back into the vent. I could hear Johnny getting up and moving away from her.

Johnny: “What… what the hell was that?”

Marcy: “Paranoid are we? It was probably just mice. They get in the vents from time to time.”

Ewww! I started to slowly climb back up the vent but kept listening to what they were saying.

Johnny: “Don’t no damn mice make that much noise.”

Marcy: “Oh they do have some pretty big ones. This place isn’t that far away from the slums where you live Johnny.”

Johnny: “Bitch…”

Marcy: “Right… Are we going to fuck or what?”

I couldn’t listen to that shit anymore and made my way out of the vent. I was brushing myself off when I heard someone talking behind me.

… : “Hey what the hell were you doing up there?”

It was the Super and he looked pissed. I was trying to think of a quick response when he grabbed my arm and started dragging me to his office.

Super:” Wait til’ we call your parents young lady.”

I couldn’t let that happen and when he stopped to find his key I brought my foot up and over my head and kicked him right in his nose. I had no formal fighting skills but I was pretty good at handling my own. He yelled out in pain and I could see his nose was bleeding but I had to get out of there. I ran as fast as I could all the way to my friend Faryn’s house because she was the one who had the video set up. I found the hide-away key and went up to her room. Faryn was without a doubt my best and closest friend. She was 17 years old, Caucasian, about 150lbs, she had black hair with red highlights, and she was 5’5”. I had gotten into a fight with the school bully, (before I really knew how to fight) and Faryn came to my rescue and beat the girl up. From that moment on she had been my protector and guiding force. She knew all about my family situation and she was the only person I could go to for consoling.

Faryn: “Well Nita, if I knew you were going to make a porno I would have sold tickets. She’s into some freaky shit.”

We laughed at that but then I got down to business. I was going to burn the video on a DVD and then leave it for my mom. She loved watching her DVD’s and she always watched a movie before she left for work.

Faryn: “You sure about this Serenity? Your mom is going to be crushed.”

“I know. But he has to go. I’m tired of missing school because I have to spend the whole morning in the hospital because he beat her. He doesn’t love her and she needs to see if for herself.”

Faryn: “You know I’m down for this. But I don’t want to hurt your mom. She’s already fragile. This could send her over the edge.”

I hadn’t thought about that. I didn’t consider what lasting effect this would have on my mom. But the alternative was worse. My mother dead at the hands of Johnny and me in foster care. That just would not do.

“I brought the DVDs.”

Faryn: “You sleeping over?”

“Not tonight. She has to find this early in the morning, so I have to be up before her.”

I burned the recording to the CD and then I left. When I walked in the door it was around 12AM and Johnny and my mom were laid up on the couch snuggling and watching one of those romantic comedies. I almost threw up when I remembered what he was doing with that bitch.

Mom: “Serenity why don’t you come watch the movie with us?”

“I have school in the morning.”

Mom: “Baby just for a little while. It’s a good one.”

“I have school in the morning. Maybe you should watch Chicago and then skip to the Cell Block Tango scene.”

Mom: “But that’s the part where they talk about how they killed their boyfr… Good… Goodnight honey”

I gave her a satisfied smile and then I went to my room. I set the disk down on my dresser, set my alarm, and then went to sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a hard day for my mom which would mean a hard day for me.

~ ~ ~

Every morning like clockwork my mom would get up at 5:30AM, set out her movie, use the bathroom, fix her coffee, and then sit down. I set my alarm for 5Am and waited for her to get up. None of our movies had cases and most of them were copies, so when she went to the bathroom I slipped the one I had made with the one she took out. She had picked out a movie that everyone knew she hated (Independence Day) and wrote that name on the disk. I ran back into my room and was under my covers just as she was coming out of the bathroom. I heard her ease into the seat and then turn the movie on. I could hear the DVD playing from my room and then I heard my mom scream.

I put on my sleepy face walked shakily to the room.

“Mom what’s going… Oh MY GOD!!!”

I acted like I was horrified and I grabbed my mom around her neck while she cried. I knew this was the last of Johnny. He came out of her room looking fresh out of bed and walked into the TV Room.

Johnny: “What’s with all the damn yelling?”

He looked at the screen and a look of fear passed over his face.

Johnny: “What the… how did you… where did this come from?”

Mom: “What the video of you fucking some whore?”

Johnny: “Renee I would never do that to you.”

“Bull crap. It’s right there. You’re screwing her right on our TV. How could you do this to my Mom?”

At first he looked scared but that soon turned to a look of anger and then he turned to me.

Johnny: “You… You did this.”

“What?! How the heck would I get a video of you with someone other than my mom?”

Johnny: “Where were you last night? You were gone an awfully long time. You probably downloaded some video and then pasted my face on there.”

Mom: “Are you insane?”

Johnny: “Shut up Renee! You did this. We both know you’re good with computers. You did this.”

“Are you fucking crazy?…”

Mom: “Serenity…”

“I was over Faryn’s house all night.”

Mom: “Baby listen we can get through this. I know the video is a fake. Somebody was probably just playing some sick joke.”

“There it is right in front of you and you’re still in denial. How long are you going to let him walk all over you Mom? I’m tired of this. He beats you down and then you’re in the hospital but the next day you’re back to smiling and covering your bruises with make up. What kind of life is that?”

I couldn’t stand to look at them anymore. I went in my room, grabbed some clothes, slipped on my sneakers and then walked back out the door.

Mom: “Where do you think you’re going?”

“I’m not going to sit around and watch while he kills you!”

I got to the door and then Johnny walked up behind me and grabbed me by my arm.

Johnny: “You don’t talk to your mother like that.”

I spun around and kneed him in the crotch and continued out the door. I walked to Faryn’s house and went up to her room. She was still sleeping so I took of my shoes and climbed on the covers with her and went to sleep.

I woke up a few hours later when I smelt pancakes. It was my favorite food and Faryn knew that. I sat up and that’s when I saw the plate she had set aside and she was at the computer.

Faryn: “I guess it didn’t work.”

“She’s so blind. Something has to work. Johnny needs to get out of our lives.”

Faryn: “Maybe you should just let it go. You’re mom obviously loves him. Love conquers all right?”

“But can it conquer death?”

Faryn: “What do you mean?”

“If he was dead he couldn’t hurt my mom anymore.”

Faryn: “You’re starting to scare me Serenity.”

“I gotta go.”

Faryn: “No wait. Serenity you can’t seriously be thinking about hurting Johnny!”

“I’m not going to hurt him. I was just thinking out loud.”

Faryn: “Don’t do anything you’re going to regret Nita.

I hugged her tight and then left. If I was going to do this it had to be before he went to work. Even though we were in the seedier part of town, hardly anyone this way had cars so there wasn’t much traffic. Johnny worked out of town and he had to go down a winding hill and to get to where his job was. I had a pretty good knowledge of cars (I fixed my mom’s car multiple times because we didn’t have the money) and I slid under Johnny’s car and cut the brake line. I had gone to work with him before and the only time he ever used his brakes was when he got to the top of the hill. I walked into the house and went directly to my room avoiding my mom’s questions and Johnny’s cuss words. I threw myself down on my bed and went back to sleep. I figured we had a long night ahead of us.

When I woke back up I heard a lot of commotion going on in the living room. I walked out of the door and our house was filled with cops. They all looked up at me and I started to get really nervous.

Cop #1: “Young lady can you step over here please?”

Cop #2: “Where were you at 3pm?”

“I was at my friend Faryn’s house. What’s going on Mom? Why are all these cops here?”

Mom: “Johnny was in an accident. His brakes stopped working and he… he crashed.”

“Oh my God! Is he ok?”

My mom started to cry and I felt my heart tearing in two. I knew he was dead. I wanted him to hurt as much as he hurt my mom but I never wanted to see her cry.

Cop #1: “What time were you home? Did you see anyone around his car?”

“No sir.”

Officer #3: “Sir we found this in the girl’s room. It’s covered in brake fluid.”

I turned around and saw an officer walking away from my room holding the shirt I was wearing earlier. My mom stood up and she was looking at me like I was a different person and I started to tear up.

“I did it. And I don’t regret it for a second. I’m tired of him always beating on my mom and she was to scared to do anything about it. She sits there and lets him beat the shit out of her and then it’s like it never happened.”

I snatched up her shirt and showed the cops the bruises that were all over her stomach.

Cop #2: “Did that man hit you?”

Mom: “He didn’t mean it. He works a lot of hours and he’s stressed out all the time.”

“That’s bull. I showed you a tape of him screwing that bitch and you let him get away with it.”

Mom: “That was you?”

“Of course it was me Mom. I love you and I was tired of him putting his damn hands on you.”

She slapped me across the face and then she walked to her room and slammed the door shut. I was led out to the police car and Faryn was just coming into the house.

Faryn: “What did you do? Nita what did you do?”

“I saved my mom. She’ll be okay now.”

We went through a trial with the judge and jury and I was found guilty of murder. The fact that I did it for my mom worked in my favor and I was only sentenced two years. I had a one month grace period before I was to go to prison and I was staying at Faryn’s house. We were wrestling around when she pushed me and I just floated in the air.

“What the hell?”

Faryn: “Oh my God! Amazing!”

“Faryn I’m scared.”

I tried to calm down and eventually I landed back on the floor. I sat on the floor and started to cry. It was bad enough that I was going to jail but now I was going to jail being a mutant. Faryn sat down next to me and she laid my head on her shoulder while I cried. My life seemed like it was going to end. I knew my Mom hated me but there was nothing I could do about that. I killed Johnny for her and if she couldn't see that then it was her problem. If she wanted men to walk all over her and treat her like shit then that was her business. I wasn't having it.

~ ~ ~

I continued to stay at Faryn's house until the day came when I had to leave. She had thrown me a party and a lot of my friends from school had shown up, even Ronny who had been my boyfriend for a little while. I didn't go to school for the last month but what happened had already been spread all over. The party was awesome and I got a lot of gifts (none I could keep because I was going away, but they would be there when I got back home). I tried calling my mom but she never picked up the phone and I wasn't going to beg to talk to her. The party was still going pretty strong and then there was a knock at the door. Someone opened the door and the Chief of Police and a few other officers walked in. Everyone in the party went instantly quiet and everyone turned to look at me.

“I guess it's time.”

One of the officers took out a pair of handcuffs and started to walk towards me.

Ronny: “Are those really necessary?”

The Chief nodded at the cop and he put the cuffs away.

Chief: “It's time.”

I grabbed Faryn and hugged her as long as I could. We were both crying and I couldn't cry when I got to the jail so I needed to get it out now. I hugged all of my friends and then turned back to the cops. I walked out with them surrounding me and got into the car. I gathered myself and watched as we left my old world behind.

- 17 -

For the last two and a half years I had been in prison. My sentence got extended by six months because of constant fighting when I first got there. I was amongst grown woman and they thought because I was younger and a lot smaller that they could walk all over me. My first night there I got into a fight with my cell mate Rashaun. She was 25 years old and was a heavy set black woman. Right after the guards left she started to ramble off her list of things I would need to do. She told me she didn't mess with girls but she would sell me out to get her necessities (soap, toilet paper, cigarettes).

Rashaun: “Listen little girl. You might be new here but I'm not and I know how this jail shit works. Somebody has to be at the bottom of the food chain, and baby girl you're right in at the bottom.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

Rashaun: “It means you do what the fuck I tell you to. If I need you to do something for me then you do it. I'm Queen B in here.”

“Whatever. I don't know you and I ain't doing shit for you.”

She stood up and slowly walked over to my bed.

Rashaun: “What the hell did you just say to me little girl?”

“I said BITCH. I don't know you, FUCK YOU, and I ain't doing shit for you!”

It took a second for the pain to register in my brain that she had just slapped the shit out of me. I looked back at her and her fist was coming at me. I jerked back and laid flat on the bed with her fist just missing me. I brought my foot up and kicked her in her mouth, then put my foot on her stomach and pushed her back. She got back up and so did I. We faced each other and then she swung at me again. I ducked and then upper-cutted her in her nose. She started to scream in pain and I brought my leg up again and kicked her in her mouth again making her fall to the ground.

“Bitch!”

She got back up and ran at me tackling me to the bed. I felt her pulling my hair and scratching me and I got fed up and grabbed the bar on the bed and pulled it as hard as I could until it broke off of the bed. I swung it as hard as I could and hit her on the back of her head. She screamed in pain and I hit her again and again until she stopped screaming. I pushed her off of me and ran to the cell door.

“Guard! Guard!”

It took a few minutes for them to get there but they finally did. I explained what happened and they carried her to the Hospital Area. I was sent to another cell but sleep didn't come easy and it definitely wasn't comfortable.

Another fight happened when I was in the courtyard about six months into my sentence. I had taken to working out during recess sessions and one day some chick named Laura from one of the jail gangs came over and just started staring at me. I was doing bench presses and out of the corner of my eye I could clearly see her. Even her just looking at me like that started to draw a crowd and pretty soon we were surrounded by mostly all the women out at the time. I tried to ignore them but when I going to put the bar back she came over and started to push it down on me.

Laura: “Little bitch like you trying to get all tough.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

Laura: “You put my cousin in the hospital. She has permanent brain damage because of you.”

“Unless you want a repeat performance I suggest you get the hell off!”

She pushed the bar down as hard as she could and I started to struggle with it. I had figured out I had more powers than I first thought and I used a little power to keep her from completely crushing me. I brought my feet up and hooked them around her neck and then pulled as hard as I could sending her flying over me and slamming to the ground. I stood up and waited for her to get up.

Laura: “You're going to pay for that bitch!”

She ran at me and I jumped into the air and kicked her in her throat. She stumbled back, holding her throat and she had this crazy look in her eye. She got her wind back and then she ran back up to me. I did several backflips and landed a few feet away from her.

Laura: “Scared?”

“(laughing)Shitless!”

I ran up to her and punched her in the mouth. We started going back and forth and I could see her getting tired. I uppercutted her in the stomach and then slammed my first on the bridge of her nose. There was a loud snapping noise and everyone watching heard it. I walked away just as the guards were coming to break us up.

But two and a half years had passed and I was finally free. I was waiting on Faryn, who was now 20 to come and get me so I could return back home. I was actually afraid of what Faryn would think of my appearance. I now had a scar over my left eye, courtesy of some girl who hit me in the face with a glass bottle. She pulled up and she looked exactly the same except now she had green highlights.

“Oh My God! I missed you so much!”

Faryn: “You look so different. You look older.”

“I don't know if I should take that as a compliment or an insult.(laughing)”

~ ~ ~

We got in the car and traveled the three hour drive back home. We talked about everything and just caught up on old times. She told me about everyone from school and what they had been up to. I found out that Ronny had gotten a girlfriend of his pregnant and he had a 6 month old daughter. I was really happy for him and planned on calling him up when I got home. I asked about my mother and she politely ignored the question and moved on to talking about other stuff. We were back in our old neighborhood when I asked her again about my mom.

“Faryn, you never answered about my mom. How is she?”

Faryn: “I promised not to say anything. I think you should just stay at my house.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

Faryn: “Your mom must have really loved Johnny. When you left she was all broken up. She's not even the same person anymore.”

She drove me to my house and when we pulled up the house looked a complete mess. Everything was dirty, the paint was chipping, the screen door was falling off, and the yard was filled with trash and dead leaves. I got out of the car and walked up the door and tried knocking but the door just swung open. I could hear noises coming from the bedroom and walked that way. I heard a man and my mom and clearly they were screwing. I waited around and when he came out he looked me up and down, handed me some money, and then walked out the door. A few minutes later my mom came out and what I saw almost made me throw up. She was no longer the beautiful woman I had grown up loving. She was skinny, I could tell she had been using drugs and she was walking around in a skimpy outfit.

“What the fuck happened to you?”

Mom: “Serenity! Serenity is that you? It's so nice to see you.”

She didn't even recognize me.

“What is this shit Ma? The house looks a wreck. Why are you dressed lke that?”

Mom: “Mama's gotta pay the bills somehow.”

“You're prostituting!”

Mom: “Don't you dare judge me. This is all your fault. You took Johnny away from me.”

“I did you a favor. He was going to kill you. Why this Ma?”

Mom: “You don't know what it's like. Being all alone.”

“All alone? Where the hell do you think I've been for the past two years?”

Mom: “Just get out of my house.”

“Here's your whore money. Guess you were to wasted to see the guy didn't pay you.”

I was walking out the door when a bottle whizzed past me crashing into the wall. I turned and saw as my mom started to cry as she sunk to the floor. I kept walking. She fucked her life up, I wouldn't go out like that.

~ ~ ~

I had been home for a few months and was broke. I wasn't unhappy, just never had any money. One day Faryn came home from work and said we should go out.

“Go out where?”

Faryn: “They have this new gem exhibit. We could check it out. Imagine ourselves with all that bling.(laughing)”

I reluctantly agreed and we were on our way. It truly was amazing and I saw lots of priceless gems and jewels. That night realization came over me. This museum probably stole half of this shit. So they wouldn't mind much if I stole it from them. I started to come up with a plan and the night we went to the museum changed a lot for me. I stole and sold a number of items and it just got easier as time passed. I didn't steal anything big, just necklaces and things. I had also ripped off a few jewelry stores. It was quite simple actually. Phase through the door, fry the security system, and snatch and grab as much as I could. Pretty simple actually. Even the more advanced security systems were easy to get passed.

I was on a job when things got kind of crazy. There was a new exhibit showcasing rare onyx jewels and they would make a pretty good amount of money. Things were going great until the night guard (guess he was getting restless watching the static) showed up and set off the alarm. It had been on the news about the recent thefts so the police showed up pretty quickly.

Cop #1: “Come out with your hands up. The building is surrounded. There is no place to go.”

“What the fuck?”

Guard: “You better listen to them. They don't mind shooting people and neither do I.”

I turned around and he had his gun drawn on me. I could tell he was just looking for a reason to shoot me.

“Do you really think that is a good idea?”

Guard: “I'm not letting you out of my sight.”

“Well then I guess we better take care of that.”

I used my powers and a black cloud started to cover his eyes cutting off his sight.

Guard: “What the hell?”

He shot off the gun and I did a cartwheel out of the way with the bullet barely missing me. I heard the cops calling into the building and I could hear more police cars pulling up. I walked up a few floors and waited for them to enter so I could take them all out at one time. I was waiting and waiting and I heard what sounded like a jet land outside. I walked back to the first floor and was greeted by five people wearing similar black outfits. There was a white woman with flaming red hair, a white guy with a devil like hair cut and thick sideburns, a black woman with white hair, another white chick with brown hair with a white streak in it, and a guy that had on some funky looking shades.

“What is this, the Police Negotiation Committee?”

Devil Hair: “Not exactly kid.”

Red Head: “You've been causing quite a lot of trouble.”

“Someone has to do it.”

Shades: “Well it stops today.”

“Is that right?”

I guess if someone looking from the side had seen us, it would have looked as if we were having a staring contest. But that wasn't the case. Not on my end at least. On the first floor they had an ancient weapons exhibit and using my powers I lifted three spears and three swords from off of the wall behind my welcoming committee.

White Hair: “We just want to talk to you. It's safe, we won't hurt you.”

“Oh I already know that.”

White Hair: “I am Storm, the red haired woman is Jean Grey, the man with the shades is Cyclops, the man with the black hair is Wolverine, and the other woman with the white streak in her hair is Rogue.”

“Wow spiffy names to boot.”

This shit was getting boring. I started to work the floating weapons and sent one in the direction of each of them and two in the direction of Wolfman or whatever. I caught everyone except him and the red head off guard and would have done some serious damage if they weren't magically pushed out the way.

Jean: “Think you're the only one with telekinesis?”

Mutants just like me. Fun!

I focused some of my energy on keeping the weapons in the air and attacking and with the rest I was going to take Red Head out. There was a pillar to the left of her and with a bit of concentration I ripped it from the wall and flung it at her. She looked up at it and it instantly stopped and crushed into dust.

Jean: “You're going to have to come better than that.”

I focused and started to make the ground beneath her start to shake and split. She stumbled for a second and then flew up into the air. I looked around and the rest of the team were still fighting off the flying weapons. I ripped the majority of the other weapons lining the wall and sent them out against the others. The Rogue chick was a real beast. She had ripped a sword from one of the models and was going at it with the invisible fighter. Wolfman was slashing the swords into pieces with steel claws coming out of his hands, OneEye was shooting red beams at them, and Storm was keeping them away from her with a wind vortex and blasting them out of the sky with lighting bolts.

I flew into the air and faced Jean again.

“I could kill you in a second.”

Jean: “You really believe that.”

She stood idle for a minute and then I felt her trying to invade my mind. I was trying to keep her out when she flew up to me and punched me in the mouth. I finally blocked her out and then sent an electric bolt at her.

“I have way more power than this. Trust that.”

I turned invisible and then flew up to the ceiling. I was going to do blast the room with a wave of fire when I thought I saw a woman's shadow move behind me and before I could turn around I felt a dagger being forced into my back. I didn't know what happened but I was out before I hit the ground.

Xander(pronounced with a Z)

-13-

Did you ever get the feeling that your family only put up with you because they had to. I knew for a fact that my family did. We lived in one of the better New Jersey communities and it actually was a nice place to live. But I wasn't like them at all. I liked reading and writing and they liked to go out to parties and drinking. I got good grades in school and my brother and sisters barely passed but got all the praise for being on the basketball and cheer-leading teams. My parents were exactly like them. They were born into money and only knew the fast paced life. I knew they didn't love me, well not like they loved my other siblings. My sister Kim was 19 years old, about 5'6”, 120lbs, and light brown skin (Puerto Rican and German mix. My dad used to be in the military and he met my mother in Germany). She was really dense, she had barely passed high school and was already close to flunking out of college. My brother Joey was 15, Captain of the junior varsity football team, about 140lbs, 6'1”,muscular, and dumb as a stump. My mom had to hire tutors for him for the last four years and when they all gave up she hired me to do it. I made $500 a week (my brother was really stupid) and every other night 7-9pm I would try and help him out and usually end up doing his homework for him. My other sister Rachel was 14, on the junior cheer-leading team, and about 90lbs soaking wet. All of my siblings were good looking and even though I wasn't outgoing like them I wasn't a troll. I was 5'4”, 130lbs, swimmers build, and I was on the swim team.

My parents were basically the same. So rich that they didn't feel the need to be smart. They let a guy they hardly knew handle their finances and he was charging way more than he should have. I looked at the records he kept once and he was robbing them blind. I told my mom about it and when she consulted another accountant he confirmed what I told her. She pulled her money instantly from the guy and the next day it was all over the news he had went bankrupt. My family was very wealthy and they had a lot of friends in very high places. My mom trusted me with their money and I invested a good amount in very promising stocks and companies that would soon be doing very good. I made another allowance doing that and with the tutoring I made $2000 a week. My mom's name was Maria and she was the definition of trophy wife. She was every man's fantasy. She weighed 140lbs, 5'7”, had a decent chest and a nice ass. My dad Henry looked like a businessman even though he barely ran his own company. He was muscular, 200lbs (football build), and a very handsome man.

Dinner was the only time I ever felt like I actually belonged in this family. Everyone would sit down and tell about the day they had or what their plans were for the night. It was usually all the same, my brother would go to his girlfriends house and my sisters would go to their friends or boyfriend's houses. With me I would either read a book or go to the mall or study. My parents would always go out to some function or to the country club and talk with their completely fake friends. My father didn't approve of my choice in sports because he thought it wasn't manly enough but he asked about me about it all the same. This was the only time we were actually civil to each other. We all went our separate ways and I went over to my friend Riley's house. He was 15, 210lbs, African-American, and he was the only real friend I had and he was the complete opposite of me. He was on the football team with my brother and when he came to a party at my house he was looking for a quiet place to regroup and he walked into my room while I was studying. I was kind of pissed at first but then we started talking and I realized he was a pretty cool guy. From that day on we had been pretty tight and I stayed the night at his place at least once a week. I knocked on the door and waited for him to come and when the door finally opened some girl I didn't recognize opened the door and she was only wearing a robe and it was wide open. She must have been one of Riley's new girls because he was quite a lady's man.

“Hi.”

... :” What's up?”

“Is Riley here?”

...:” He went to the store.”

“Umm... I don't mean to be rude but who are you?”

... :” My name is Stacy. I'm Riley's friend.

“Okay Stacy.”

Stacy: “You can come in here and wait for him.”

I followed her into the house like it was my first time there and went and sat on the couch. Riley hadn't told me about her and I knew about all his conquests. About fifteen minutes later the door opened again and Riley came in. He went in the kitchen, then the bathroom, then was heading up the stairs when he finally noticed me.

Riley: “Damn Z. You could have said something.(laughing)”

“She's cute.”

Riley: “You met Stacy?”

“Yeah. She opened the door for me.”

Riley: “You okay with this?”

“Why wouldn't I be?”

Riley: “You just seem kind of distant.”

“Naw it's not that. You just didn't tell me about her. You tell me about all of your girls.”

Riley: “This one's different. She's great. She met my parents, they love her, she's not like those other fly-by girls. I think she really likes me for me.”

“I'm happy for you.”

He hugged me and then I left. I really was happy for Riley. I hadn't found anyone for me yet. The girls at my school were just to superficial for me. This whole town was to superficial for me. I went back home and everyone was there.

“Having a night in?”

Dad: “Yeah. I guess none of us felt like going out.”

I was turning around to go back upstairs when I heard and felt my skin rip. I looked down and there was a red glowing spike coming out of my arm. I had known for years that I was a mutant. Riley and I had practiced with our powers all the time. This... this was just something different. I heard my mom scream and when I looked back everyone was looking at me in horror. I got scared and all of a sudden the spike launched from my arm and hit the chandelier over the dinning room table and shattered it. I looked back down and the spikes were coming out all over and they were shooting out of me. The pain was excruciating and I fell to my knees screaming in pain. My sisters cheer-leading really helped them and they evaded the spikes easily. My dad ran and hid behind one of the walls, my mom ran to the other side of the room and hid behind one of the couches, and my brother completely ran out of the room. The spikes kept coming and I kept yelling for help. I heard a noise and when I looked up my brother was standing there with one of the shovels. He swung it as hard as he could and the next thing I knew I was out.

Mom: “Is my son going to be alright?”

“We don't know Ma'am. He's in a coma and he might now come out of it. Most people don't.”

Dad: “The fire, it just got out of control. When the beam hit him he just dropped.”

“We'll do everything we can to make him comfortable but your son may already be gone.”

-16-

For the last three years I had been in a coma and when I woke up I didn't remember anything. I didn't remember who I was or anything about myself. I didn't remember the strangle people that were in my room. I just didn't remember anything. I was filled in on what had happened to me. Apparently we had a fire at my house and a beam fell on top of me. I fell into a coma and when I woke up I had severe amnesia. I tried to remember what had happened but nothing ever came. After I woke up I had to be re-applied to school and after a test to see where I was at academically, I was put into the 11^th grade where I would have been by now if there was no accident. I felt like a stranger in school and everyone looked at me like I was the new kids. In a way I guess I was because I didn't remember any of them. I was walking by a group of guys and they all looked at each other and then walked up to me.

... : “Xander?”

“Yes?”

... :”You don't remember me?”

“No sorry I don't. I don't remember anything.”

... :” It's cool. I'm Drake.”

He pointed to a few guys behind him and named them.

Drake: “This is Cory and Austin. We used to be on the swim team together.”

“I was on the swim team?”

Drake: “Yeah you were. You were one of the best swimmers. You're smart as hell too.”

“Thanks.”

We chatted for a little while longer and then the bell rung. I was completely lost and when I looked around I only saw Rachel who they told me was my sister.

“I don't know where my class is.”

Rachel: “Are you going to do this a lot? You're like a fucking invalid.”

I just walked away from her. I didn't need her help. I was wondering around the school and finally found my class. I walked in and everyone instantly got quiet.

“This is 210-B right? Calculus?”

The I took in the room and noticed that the teacher's name was on the board. Mrs. Wilks.

Mrs. Wilks: “Yes this is Calculus. Take a seat wherever.”

I started to walk to the seat in the front of the class and just put my things down and waited for her to continue. I was kind of uncomfortable because everyone was still staring at me. I took out my books and just sat there. Class was pretty decent. I got kind of lost in the middle of the lesson but with a little help I was back on track. I had a few other classes and this one guy was in all of my classes so far. I guess his name was Riley. It was lunchtime and I didn't know where to go. I saw my sister and brother and they all had their groups of friends. I passed my brother's table and he offered me a seat but I declined. His friends were all on the football team and I was a stranger to them. I found a table that was close to the door and started to eat my lunch.

... : “Hey.”

I looked up and it was the Riley guy.

“Hi.”

Riley: “I can't believe you don't remember me.”

“I'm sorry.”

I looked up and he had tears in his eyes.

Riley: “You were like my best friend. We did everything together.”

“I don't remember. I don't remember anything. Just what Maria and Henry told me.”

Riley: “It was a really bad fire. I saw the house after and it was completely caved in.”

“I saw some pictures. I'm surprised I survived in there.”

Riley: “We should hang out sometime. I mean if you're up to that. We can maybe get back where we left off. We were really good friends.”

“I'd like that a lot.”

~ ~ ~

I walked into the house and my mom was just heading to the door.

Mom: “I found some pictures of yours in a few boxes downstairs.”

“Cool. I'd love to see them.”

Mom: “It's so nice seeing you out of that hospital bed.”

I walked up the stairs and went to my bed and saw about six shoe boxes on my bed. I opened them up and saw pictures of me all throughout my childhood. There were pictures of us in different cities and countries. We had been to places all over the world and I didn't remember any of it. There were pictures of me and people I had seen at school hanging out at a local pool and at the arcade. There were also pictures of me and Kyle. He really had been my friend for a long time and these pictures showed me just that. The pictures showed us at my house, his house, at the park, at the mall. Back then I seemed so happy. I looked at the pictures to try and see if there was ever anything that might click. If a picture or home movie would make me remember something... anything.

I had fallen asleep and when I woke up it was completely dark outside. I looked to the clock on my left and it read 9:23pm. I got up and headed down to the kitchen and I heard my mom and dad talking. I guess some things you just don't forget because they were speaking in German and I understood every word.

Mom: “Er verdient die Wahrheit!”
<He deserves the truth!>

Dad: “I know that. It's just that he just woke up. He's finally out of that coma and telling him would just make everything harder for him.”

Mom: “Ich weiß den. Es ist gerecht, daß er gerade aufwachte. Er ist schließlich aus diesem Koma heraus und das Erklären ihm würde gerade alles härter für ihn bilden.”
<You don't think I thought of that? How this would affect him! We set our house on fire so our son wouldn't go to jail. But we let our other son go through life and not knowing what he really is?>

Dad: “Nein”
<No.>

Mom: “Dann müssen wir erklären ihm.”
<Then we need to tell him.>

I had heard enough and I walked into the kitchen.

“Yeah Maria I think that would be a good idea. Tell me why I don't remember anything about myself.”

They looked up and saw me and a blankness washed over their faces.

Dad: “How much did you hear?”

“The important stuff. How you set a fire to protect Joey.”

Mom: “We had to. We didn't want your brother to go to jail.”

“I guess me dying was alright by you though.”

Dad: “Don't you dare say that.”

“Well that's just how it seems to me. I just want the truth. How did I get like this?”

Mom: “You're brother... he hit you in the head with a shovel.”

“(laughing) Why the hell would he do that?”

Mom: “Because you're a mutant.”

I instantly stopped laughing. Clearly they were delusional.

“You have got to be kidding me. You like about how I got like this and then you tell me the most unbelievable shit I've ever heard.”

Dad: “You were having an episode. Red spikes were flying out of your body and he got the first thing he could find. He hit you harder than he meant to.”

“That's crap. I would know if I was a mutant. I would be able to do things.”

Mom: “We never told anyone at the hospital but sometimes things in your room would just start floating. Or your hair would change. Or you would hover above the bed.”

“Really believable. All of that while I was in a coma?”

Dad: “Yes. We wanted to tell you after you got settled in more.”

I grabbed a soda out of the refrigerator and was walking out of the room when my dad called me. I looked back and he had a knife in his hand. I thought he was going to come after me but instead he brought his arm back and threw it as hard as he could. It was as if things turned to slow motion. I heard my my mom scream and I saw the knife ripping through the air. I don't know how I did it but suddenly the knife slowed and stopped completely inches from my face. I grabbed the knife out of the air and just looked at it and then back at my Dad. His look wasn't exactly happy but more like he had revealed part of my past to me. I didn't know what to do so I ran outside and as fast as I could I ran to Riley's house. The whole way there I had this warm feeling all over. Like a part of me was coming to life.

I knocked and knocked on the door and I was about to leave when it finally opened. A middle aged black woman opened the door and I asked for Riley. She pointed me to his room and when I got up there he was sleeping. I waited for a little bit and then I went over to his bed and shook him a little. When he poked his head up and saw it was me, he brightened up really quickly.

Riley: “Hey!”

“Hi.”

Riley: “What's wrong? You usually sound happy.”

“Before or after my long absence?”

Riley: “Both.”

“I found out something today.”

Riley: “Whatever it is. You look really torn up.”

“I'm a mutant.”

Riley: “Oh. That's not something you want to tell everyone.”

“If you're not okay with it then you can try and beat me up later. I found out I didn't get hurt in a fire.”

Riley: “What do you mean?”

“My brother. He hit me in the head with a shovel. I was having an episode or something and the best fucking thing he could do was hit me in the head with a fucking shovel.”

He came over to me and I started to cry on his shoulder. I didn't know what I was going to do now. I had no memory and I was crying on some guys shoulder I just met. I got up and headed for the door.

Riley: “What's up?”

“I just need to do this on my own.”

Riley: “I wish you could remember.”

“Remember what?”

Riley: “How we used to dive off of the ledge over the pond and right before we hit the water we would stop in the air. Or how we would change into each other. Or change into grown ups and go see the R-rated movies. We used to have so much fun.”

He came over to me and kissed me. I didn't know where it came from but he did it. We kissed for a while and then I pushed him off of me.

“What the hell was that?”

Riley: “Like I said we used to mean a lot to each other. We always hung out together and we started messing around.”

“Messing around how?”

Riley: “It's hard to explain. But you spent the night over here a lot. It was just kiddy stuff but we were close. And then you had your accident.”

“I have to go.”

I left out of his house and just walked around for a bit. For the last couple of days I had been walking around and getting reacquainted with the neighborhood. I walked to the park and just sat around thinking. I wanted things to just be a mystery again. I had gotten a huge dose of my past and it was a lot more complicated than I thought. I got on one of the swings and was just mindlessly swinging when I heard a noise behind me. I looked back and it was a group of kids from my school. Two guys and three girls. They were a pretty tough crowd from what I heard and a lot of people avoided them

Guy #1: “What's up?”

“Not much.”

Girl #1: “You're the guy who lost his memory right?”

“That's me.”

Guy #3: “You do know that this is our park right?”

“Sorry. Just didn't see your name anywhere.”

Girl #2: “Everyone knows this is our park.”

“Well since I don't remember anything, I guess I wouldn't.”

Guy #2: “This fuckers getting smart with us.”

Girl #2: “Brody, Sean, Alex, please kick this guys ass? Me and Darcy need some entertainment.”

Sean: “You got it Trish.”

The girls backed up and the guys headed my way. I got off of my swing and faced them.

“Do you all really want to do this?”

Brody: “Kick his ass!”

They ran up to me and I without even thinking about it I pushed them back through the air. I walked over to Brody and using the ground around him I had it capture him in a cocoon where only his head, hands, and feet were showing. Sean had gotten back up and he was running up to me. I ripped the metal swing set from the ground, sent it crashing into him, and then had it wrap around him like a snake. The other guy Alex tried to run but I wasn't going to let that happen. I finally knew what the warm feeling was. It was my power coming back to me. I teleported in front of him and he ran right into my outstretched foot. I grabbed him by his shirt and I entered his mind and made him start seeing things. Like he was on a permanent high. I dropped him to the ground and looked at the girls. They started to scream and run but I muted the air and they kept screaming but no sound came out. I used telekinesis and I clunked both of their heads together and they were out. I walked back to my house and when I got there, there was a strange black Lincoln Town Car in our driveway. I walked in the door and when I looked to my right into the family room there were two people sitting on our couches and a bald white guy in a wheelchair. There was a white woman with red hair and there was a black haired Japanese woman and they were having a discussion with my parents.

Wheelchair: “We've been waiting for you?”

“I'm going to bed.”

Mom: “Xander can you please come sit down for a minute?”

“For what?”

Mom: “These people want to speak to you about your powers.”

“I don't have any powers.”

I walked up the stairs and went to my room. By this time tomorrow my night would be public record and I would be run from town. I packed a small bag and hid it under my bed just in case I had to come home quickly during school and leave.

... : “Going somewhere?”

“Might have to.”

Red: “My name is Jean.”

“Not to be rude Jean. But at this moment I really don't care. You must be from one of those places that “take care” of mutants.”

Jean: “We're from the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters. Mr. Charles Xavier was the man downstairs in the wheelchair.”

“So what do you want?”

Jean: “We want to help you with your powers. Help you learn how to control them and hopefully use them for the good of people.”

“Like a super-hero? (laughing) Seems like bullshit to me. I don't know you. People from those places will say anything to get what they want.”

The chair she was in started to float into the air and she started to float towards me.

Joan: “Trust me. I'm not trying to fix you. We're trying to help you.”

There was a movement behind her and a black figure started to come out of the shadows. I thought it was going to attack her and I sent a ball of fire in it's direction. It simply moved to another shadowy area and after a second, the other woman from downstairs was in my room.

Jean: “Betsy... people have to get used to that.”

Betsy: “Yeah, I guess you're right.”

Both of them were extremely beautiful women. The Japanese lady was in perfect shape and her face was beautiful, the scar over her eye only made her look more humanly. Made her seem like she didn't just walk off the cover of a fashion magazine. Jean was just as beautiful and her fiery red hair made her look like she had real fire atop her head. They asked me if I was willing to go back downstairs and discuss the school and everything it had to offer.

It was around 12am when we finally finished talking. My brother and sister had come home and even they got involved in the conversation. My sister, even though she had been a bitch earlier, seemed genuinely concerned with what would happen at the school. My brother took me to the side and apologized over and over again for hitting me and knocking my memory out. I didn't know what was going to happen but this place seemed like it might be a good place to go and get help. I went up to my room and not even looking I pulled the suitcase under the bed and started laying the clothes into the suitcase while I took apart my computer. The number Riley had given me fell off of the counter and I called him to tell him what was going on. I knew that we were close before and I felt an obligation to him to let him know and the I hoped we would remain friends.

I had all my bags packed and we took them out to the car. I hugged all of my family goodbye and got into the car. The two women helped the man in the wheelchair into the car and then got in themselves.

“Is there a way for me to get my memory back?”

Xavier: “We will help you as best as we can. There are many layers and complex details to the brain. It could take years for you to completely gain your memory back.

“Great.”

---

That's the end of this chapter and I hope everyone likes them and the new characters. Please tell me what you think of this story and how I can improve. Email is numberme30@yahoo.com