Boys Don't Cry

“You have some nerve coming back here.” My mother says leaning against my door post. My mother hasn’t looked at me the same since she found out I…well, since she found out I’m mutant.
“I had to get my shit. You want me gone and I’m going, but let me get my shit first.”
“You do NOT talk to me that way, Natalia! I am your mother!”
“Since when?! Ever since you found out that I’m a mutant, you’ve treated me like I have the plague! I did not choose to have this lifestyle! I did not choose to have these powers!” My mother glared at me with tears in her eyes and stormed off. I finished packing what was left of my room into my suitcases and took one last look at what used to be my haven. What used to keep me sane. The only thing I didn’t pack was the pictures of my family. I don’t want any memory of them. Except my sister. My sister was the only one who understood that I didn’t chose to be a mutant. I put her picture into my bag and turned out the lights and shut the door. I walk down the hallway to Cassie’s room. Her door was shut and the Damned was blaring from her speaker. How I’m going to miss that. I knock on the door lightly.
“Cass. Cassie.” She opens the door with her eyeliner and mascara a mess on her face. “Cassie.” I sigh as I embrace my sister. She cried into my shoulder and squeezed me tight.
“Don’t leave, Nat. Please.” She begged. I averted her eyes because I know if I looked into her icy blues, I’d cry. And I never cry.
“Cass…I have to. Virgil and Linda are making me.”
“But you’re an adult! You’re 19! You can do what you want!”
“Cassie, it’s not that simple. If I don’t go, worse things could happen to me. And trust me, I don’t wanna go. I want to stay here and watch you grow up.”
“Then stay!”
“Dammit, don’t you think I want to?!” She embraces me again and sobs harder. “Look, I’ll visit every month, okay? I’ll even visit you at school and have lunch with you. And you can visit me at the school. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind.” She looks at me and wipes her nose on her My Chemical Romance hoodie.
“Tha-that sounds good.” She smiles.
“That’s what I’ve been waiting for!” I smile as I embrace her again. “But, I better go before-“
“Come on, Natalia!!!”My father yells from the stairs.
“Before that.” I chuckle. “I love you, Cass. And if you ever need me, you can call me, okay? Never hesitate to call. Even at four in the morning. And I’ll take you to that AFI concert, I promise.” I wink. She hugs me one last time.
“I love you, Nat.” We separate and I walk down the hallway. I turn to see her shutting her door and start playing I’m Not Okay by My Chemical Romance. I walk down the stairs with tears in my eyes as my sister cries for me and I’m not there for her.

I watch the trees as I pass them in my father’s Volvo. He was taking me to Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. He goes on to tell me some bullshit about how I’ll FINALLY fit in and how I won’t be the only mutant at school. But I was fine with my school. I had friends. Sure, not a lot. But it’s quality not quantity.
“God, Natalia. Why did you have to wear that? It’s not a good first impression.” He was, of course, talking about my Misfits shirt, plaid mini skirt, torn fishnets, and Doc Martens.
“I like it.” I mumble.
“It’s trashy as hell. You look like you belong on the side of the street.” I brush off his rude comment and put my headphones in and listen to Last Caress by the Misfits. As the end of the song neared, we pulled up to the school. It was huge. It looked like a mansion and it sure as hell didn’t look like a school.
“See. Why can’t you look like that girl? She’s wearing a normal shirt and jeans with normal shoes.” He said pointing to a blonde girl who was levitating an apple off of a picnic table.
“I’ll get right on that.” I retort as I get out of the car and get my bags. “Good riddance.” I say before I slam the door in my father’s fat, red face. He drives off like a madman, obviously pissed at what I had said, and leaves the campus. I put my bag over my shoulder and walk to the door as it opens.
Welcome, Natalia.
“Who the fuck said that?”
This is Professor Xavier. I am the headmaster at this school for gifted youngsters.
“Where the hell are you?”
Why, I am in my office.
“Then how can I hear you?”
I’ll explain it all once you come to my office.
“And where is that?” I was getting aggravated. Why can’t he just introduce himself normally?
Just follow my voice, Natalia.
I follow the ominous voice to an elevator. I get in and it takes me to an office.
“Ah, you’re here.” In front of me was a bald older man of about 50 in a wheelchair. “Natalia, this is Jean Grey.”
“Yeah, hi.” I say. I don’t like. Something about her, I just don’t like her. She looks at me stunned and steps behind Xavier.
“Jean will show you to your room, Natalia.” Great. A man with brown hair and sunglasses walks into the room and looks at me. “Ah, Cyclops. Cyclops, this is Natalia.”
“Hi, Natalia.” He smiles. “Here, let me get your bags.”
“No, I can get them. I don’t need anyone’s help.”
“Looks like we have another Logan on our hands.” Cyclops chuckles. I glare at him and pick up my bags.
“Maybe it would be best if I showed Natalia to her room.” Professor Xavier says.
“Yes sir.” Jean says as she walks over to Cyclops. We leave Professor Xavier’s office and he talks to me about the teachers.
“You’ll meet Storm later and I’m sure you’ll get along with Logan.” I wanna know who this Logan is that everyone is talking about. “And here is your room. I hope you don’t mind sharing with Rogue.”
“I guess I don’t have much of a choice, now do I?” I retort.
“Oh yes, you’ll get along fine with Logan. If you need any help, the administrators are everywhere.”
“Whatever.” Professor Xavier leaves and I start to un-pack. I finish putting away my clothes when a girl of about 19 comes in. She has a Southern accent and has a strike of white in her hair. I’m assuming this is Rogue.
“Oh, you must be Natalia. I’m Rogue.”
“Yeah, I’m Natalia.”
“Um, where are you from?”
“New York. You?”
“Mississippi.”
“I could tell.” I chuckle. She laughs weekly and moves closer.
“Do you want me to show you around?”
“Uhh…sure. Why not?”
“Okay!” She smiles wide and grabs my hand. She takes me out of the room and starts showing me around. “This is the cafeteria, and this is the kitchen, and this is the living room, and-“
“Whoa,” I chuckle, “you’re going too fast.”
“Oops! Sorry, darlin’! I tend to go fast when I get excited!”
“Haha, it’s okay.” I look around and see a very tall man sitting in the corner. He has facial hair for days and he’s built like a wall. “Whoa…who’s that?” I ask mouth agape.
“Him? Oh, that’s Logan! Do you want me to introduce you?”
“Uhh…sure…” She grabs my hand again and takes me to Logan.
“Hey, Rogue, darlin’.”
“Hey, Logan. This is Natalia. She’s new here and she’s my new roommate.” Logan looked at me up a down and smiled.
“Welcome, darlin’. And what can you do?”
“Me? Oh, well, uhh…this,” I make the claws come from my knuckles and wince at the pain. “I haven’t learned how to control the pain yet.” I say rubbing my hands around the claws. Logan sat there speechless with his mouth agape. “Wha-what?”
“Well, shoot! You two are just two peas in a pod!”
“What?” Logan looks at me as claws come from his knuckles. I looked at him in amazement. I thought I was the only one.