X-Men: The Next Class

My best friend Jenna and I entered the spacious gymnasium only to be greeted by the yells of our gym coach, Maura. We were coming directly from school, so normally we would have headed toward the locker rooms in order to change into our leotards so we could start working on the gym equipment. However, that's not exactly what we had in mind.

Because it was our last day of school, Jenna and I wanted to have a celebration picnic down on the beach with a few of our friends. Since our parents paid a lot of money to have Maura train us for state competitions, and to skip days of training could hurt our skills in the long run, Jenna derived a plan to sweet talk Maura into letting us miss a day of gym. Reluctantly, I agreed to go along with it. As soon as we walked by the bleachers, we dropped our backpacks on the silver steps, and scanned the room for Maura.

"Maura!" I giddily yelled, running across the mats that were laid neatly on the floor. Maura turned around and sighed. Considering I knew exactly why she had sighed, I stopped in my tracks and hastily took off my checkered vans, throwing them to Jenna who was still waiting for me by the entrance. I slowed myself down, and clutched my stomach for the rest of the way over to Maura.

"Yes, Hope?"

I started playing out the excuse Jenna and I had planned. "Jenna and I were wondering if we could take a day off of gym training for a day of relaxation... my stomach muscles are still feeling stretched and Jenna's legs are burnt from the bar routine."

Maura gave me a disbelieving look and then shrugged. "Why not? A rested gymnast is better than a strained one. Just be sure not to get used to this."

I nodded quickly and turned to start walking back toward Jenna when Maura suddenly called out, "Round-off, backhandspring, back tuck on floor." Once again, I stopped in my tracks. Reluctantly, I looked around me and saw no one else on the spread out mats. I sighed. I backed up to the edge of the mat, loosened up my limbs a little, and started the routine. I landed it perfectly with just one minor problem: a rip in my jeans that was not there before. In the most inconvenient location.

Maura was ecstatic. I could tell because she wasn't doing a very good job of hiding it. "Go on then."

Jenna and I left as fast as we could, and walked the seven blocks to my house located in the outskirts of Laguna Beach, California. My house was beautiful, I'll admit it, but I appreciated it for what it was: a roof over my head. Whereas other people in Laguna Beach bragged about their material belongings and drove their expensive sports cars to the grocery store, I had no problem walking through my neighborhood. I guess you could say my parents raised me with a grateful head on my shoulders.

"Mom, I'm home!" I yelled from the foyer, while Jenna and I both took off our shoes and our backpacks.

"Hey honey! Dad called, he won't be home until late. I'm going to Rodeo Drive to get that new dress for tomorrow night's function. You guys are going to the beach, correct?"

Jenna left me shouting up to my mom from the foyer and started walking towards the kitchen.

"Yeah, mom. Jenna and I are going to make the picnic basket and then we'll head out. Have fun shopping!"

I galloped into the kitchen to see Jenna going through the fridge. "Where's the salami?", she asked, while struggling to hold a pack of cheese, a jar of mayonnaise, mustard packets, and bread in her hands. I took the bread and mayonnaise from her, and pulled the salami off the top shelf in the fridge. Jenna rolled her eyes at herself and smacked her forehead in annoyance.

Jenna, in her slim body frame, reached only 5'2. She was blonde, but far from dumb. She and I have been inseparable since our parents enrolled us both in kiddy gymnastics at the young age of 4. For thirteen years, we've enrolled in the same classes so we could help each other out athletically and academically. As a result, we were actually better when we were together.

I passed Jenna the butter knife and got out a regular knife for myself. Jenna and I have a sandwich making ritual which entails Jenna putting the mayonnaise and mustard on each bread slice while I cut the salami. It's kind of ridiculous considering how often we make these specific sandwiches.

We fell into a comfortable silence as the process began. I was having a hard time opening the airtight seal around the salami, so Jenna was done coating pieces of bread way before I had even started.

"I'm going to go change into my bikini," she informed me before turning around and bouncing toward the staircase.

"Pull here, my ass," I grumbled at the package before opting to stab through the plastic with the knife in my hand. I stood the salami up on the counter and poked sharply at the side of the wrapper, failing to take into account just how close the blade was to my exposed wrist.

The tip of the blade cut through the first few inches of skin on my left wrist, severing the veins that ran there. The blood gushed to the wound and I began to freak out.

"JENNA!" I screamed, while rushing over to the sink to clean off the blood. It wouldn't have mattered anyway considering the blood was still oozing from the gash. I started to panic.

"Relax, I'm right here," she said coming around the corner. As soon as she saw the knife and the cutting board covered in blood, she rushed to my side.

"Just put pressure on the cut to try and stop the bleeding, I'm going to go get my phone," she said, starting toward the door where we had dropped our backpacks. I did as she asked and by the time she came back, I had calmed down considerably and was breathing normally.

"Hope," she muttered, her voice strained. I turned my head to face her. She had the phone raised to her ear but as she looked at me she slowly lowered it to her side. "What have you done?"

I furrowed my eyebrows and shook my head. What was she talking about?

I glanced down and noticed that even though I was applying pressure to the cut under the tap, the running water had washed away all traces of blood from my hands. Doubtfully, I moved my hand away and, sure enough, the cut was healed and there wasn't even a scar to prove there even was a cut to begin with. I gawked at my hands and then back at Jenna who was standing still in the doorway.

Before either of us could register what had happened, the doorbell rang, indicating that the rest of our friends had arrived to walk down to the beach with us. Jenna and I turned our heads toward the door, neither one of us making a move to go and answer it. Dismissing the oddity of the current situation, I walked away from the sink and looked at Jenna. She simply nodded, offered a slight smile, and pushed me toward the stairs as she made her own way to the door.

"The cutting board," I whispered harshly, already on my way up the stairs. Her eyes widened and she tossed the blood-stained utensils into the sink, running cold water over it until the stains had been removed. When I reached my room, I heard a chorus of whoops and cheers coming from downstairs, indicating that Jenna had finally opened the door.

I had just finished changing into a white strapless bikini when there was a knock on the door. Before I could entreat the person to enter, the door was pushed open and a tan, lean boy with spiky brown hair leaned against the door frame. I instantly lowered my eyes in consideration of how little clothing I was wearing and began to blush.

"Hey Hope," he said, walking over to me and placing a light kiss on my lips. His hand grazed my stomach as he went to place it on my waist. I ignored the sore muscles of my torso and smiled up at him.

Travis was an exceptionally good-looking volleyball player from school who recently realized I've had a thing for him since middle school. Thankfully, he was holding out for me too. The relationship thing would be new for the both of us, but we were willing to give it a try. I honestly didn't think it would be too bad considering summer had started along with us, so we'd have all the time in the world to be around one another.

"You ready to go?" He asked, peering behind me at the packed up beach bag. I nodded before reaching for the handles of the tote bag. As soon as my fingers clasped around the handles, he leaned forward and pulled the bag away from me, tossing it over his shoulder. He offered me his other hand and I gladly took it, following him downstairs.

We all walked toward the beach and my stomach muscles started aching more with each step that I took. I focused on breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth, a technique that always helped me calm down. This time was no exception.

As soon as we got to the beach, we started in on a rather intense match of beach volleyball.

"Set it!" I heard one of my teammates scream as I reached up to set the volleyball. My team was currently losing, 15-30. My fingertips made contact with the ball, and set it flying over to the other side of my net, towards Travis. All of a sudden, my stomach muscles contracted, causing me to double over, and fall on my knees. The pain was unbelievable and the last thing I remember seeing before I blacked out was Travis and Jenna running over to me, sand flying over their feet as they hurried to my collapsed body.

***

As I began to regain my consciousness, my mind registered the faint beeping noises of hospital machines and the rustling of other people's clothing. I attempted to open my eyes but found that the lids were too heavy for my tired self to reckon with. I felt ice packs being placed on my forehead and my stomach and I thanked God that health practitioners could tell that my insides felt like they were on fire.

"You can stop trying to open your eyes, I'm just cooling you down," said an unfamiliar male voice. I furrowed my brows trying to register what he meant by 'cooling me down,' when I realized that the ice packs on my bare skin were actually hands. I shot up on the hospital bed, forcing him to remove his hands. However, before I could open my eyes and realize where I was, my stomach muscles contracted again. I shot back down in pain, letting out a groan.

The hands returned and my muscles were again being cooled down. I exercised my voice, until I could speak regularly again. Unfortunately, I was unable to speak before someone else broke the silence.

"Bobby, you can return to class now."

Class? Following the hands' removal from me, I heard the door open and then shut. By this time I was able to keep my eyes open, though everything appeared hazy to me. What I am assuming were ice packs were placed on my stomach, and they were no where near as cold as what was on my stomach before.

"Doctor, these aren't as cold," I informed the man who had spoken to whoever Bobby was. The sound of wheels squeaking told me that this person was handicapped. I closed my eyes as another spasm rocked my stomach. What was happening to me?

The door opened and closed again.

"Yes, professor?" came the voice I recognized as Bobby's.

Suddenly, the dullness of my senses went away and I started to piece things together.

"How did you call him? I didn't hear you call him back."

I sat up tentatively, holding the ice pack to my stomach. I realized I was still wearing my bikini. My eyes widened and I heard a few people chuckle. As I swung my legs over the side of the table and tried to hop off, my body buckled and I collapsed onto the floor... again.

I groaned out of frustration as I felt my stomach muscles being stretched and pulled in every possible direction. I assumed the fetal position and cried out in pain. Moments later, I felt my body being lifted up off the ground and placed back onto the bed. Several pairs of footsteps shuffled out of the door before I heard it close again.

I opened my eyes and found myself staring at a bright overhead light, the kind you would expect to see in a dentist's office. Bobby was the one who had lifted me up to the bed. As my body began to convulse, the man in the wheelchair spoke up.

"Hope Johns, my name is Professor Charles Xavier, and I am the founder of a school for people with potential, people with powers beyond ordinary human extent. Your primary powers have been dormant for quite some time, but your mind was capable of sending off a mutant vibe which my mind caught. At the moment, your stomach muscles are expanding and being torn in order to compensate for your abilities."

"What in God's name are you talking about?" I nearly screamed, the pain unbearable. I writhed around but no position I could place myself in was any more comfortable than the one I tried before. "I don't have powers!"

Silence filled the room, and then Professor Xavier turned around. A young lady with grey hair nodded at him and then left. I heard the sound of shuffling footsteps and saw Bobby's hands hovering over me. After a minute of watching his hands, I looked up at his face and noticed that he was looking at me expectingly, as if waiting for permission.

I nodded desperately and felt him turn me over from the fetal position to lying flat. His hands touched the bare skin of my stomach and it felt so good. I closed my eyes and steadied my breathing as I enjoyed the icy sensation that began to slowly overcome the heat inside me.

"Can you push down a little more, please?"

I felt my throat tighten even before I made the request, but Bobby complied.

"What I was saying, Hope, is that you are a mutant. I was going through your mind earlier and-"

My eyes immediately open and I shot up off the table to look at the Professor. Not even seconds later I crumbled back onto the table and Bobby's hands firmly pressed any tension out of my stomach.

"Don't you ever learn?" I heard Bobby remark. I re-opened my eyes, and really stared at his face, which was currently smirking. If he didn't look like a softer, older version of Travis, I would've hated him for that remark that insinuated I was stupid.

All of a sudden, the pain left me. I felt it dissipate slowly through my limbs and I sat up slowly, shooting glances over at the professor. Bobby was about to remove his hands but I held onto them, scared that if he let go, the pain would return.

"Don't be afraid, Hope. I trust you know what a mutant is," the Professor said in a reassuring tone. Before I could contradict him, he continued on. "The changes to your body will occur in due time, and the pains will come back. You will sleep in here for the next few days until a room opens up. My power, Hope, is telepathy. I will know when you are in pain, and I will do my best to make you comfortable. Until then, please trust that you are in good hands."

Literally, I thought, as I gently let go of Bobby's hand that was resting on my stomach. The professor smirked, as if he had heard my thoughts. Who am I kidding, of course he did. I'd seen enough sci-fi movies with my dad to know what telepathy was.

Shortly after, he told Bobby to look over me, and went to look for somebody named Logan.