Chapter 5- The Wallflowers


Kitty Pryde sat at a circular table by herself, her foot and curls jingling to the music. Missy Elliott's latest song was playing, and she really wanted to dance. But alas, she had no date. She didn't even have a group of girl friends to dance with. The brown-haired freshman heaved a sigh as she tapped her fingernails against the tabletop.

Resigned to the fact that she wouldn't be dancing to one of her favorite songs, she got up and headed for the refreshments counter. Ignoring the plates of cookies and brownies that ornamented the table, she helped herself to some plain carrots and celery.

Duncan Matthews, who had been talking to some of his meaty jock friends, spotted Kitty standing by herself. He grinned. "Hey guys, I'll be right back." He made his way over to Kitty, who was munching her vegetables absently. "Hey Kitty, you're looking good." Duncan said smoothly.

Kitty jumped in surprise. "What?" She dropped her plate of carrots and celery on the floor. "Oh!" Seeing it was Duncan, she blushed furiously. "Um, hehe. Like hi, Duncan!" She bent over to pick up her fallen snack.

"Let me do that." Duncan picked up the vegetables, dropped them back onto the fallen plate, and handed it back to a flustered Kitty.

"Uh, thanks." Kitty held her now dirty snack in her fluttering hands. She wanted to throw them out, considering they'd fallen on the floor, but it seemed rude to just dump them in the garbage right after Duncan had picked them up for her. So she just held them in her hands, feeling like an idiot.

"So, you having fun?"

"Um, sure! Like yeah!" Kitty said in a falsely bright voice. She forced a laugh. "The best time of my life! Totally!"

"Where's your date?" Duncan grinned at her. He placed a confident arm around her thin shoulders. "Why isn't he here trying to throw off the great Duncan Matthews as he tries to get his bid in on the hot little freshman? Cuz I think I'd like to steal you away for a while."

"Oh!" Kitty laughed in what she hoped was a flirtatious laugh. She batted her eyelashes at Duncan. "I'm actually here stag. I just dumped my boyfriend last week. So, like, no guy's got the bid on me just now."

Duncan's grin widened. He seemed to be trying to hold in a laugh. "Yeah, well, as much as I'd like to dance with you, I promised a friend I'd try to set the two of you up. But it's gonna cost me a stab in the heart."

"Really?" Kitty was thrilled. She smiled up at Duncan. Sure, the guy was a jerk, but he was cute. And popular. And going out with him would definitely boost her nonexistent popularity. Besides, no guy had ever approached her like this before. She didn't want to blow it. "Well," Kitty lowered her voice conspiratorially. "I'll give your friend one dance. Then how about you, like, cut in after?"

"Sounds good." Duncan laughed. "Hey Jackson!" He called loudly over the pounding music. A huge guy with purple hair turned in their direction.

"What?"

"Tell the boys to bring out the lusting rookie!" Duncan boomed. He laughed harshly. Kitty cringed in his arms, suddenly regretting her quick decision. Her cheeks flushed as people gathered around the refreshment table turned in Kitty and Duncan's direction. She wished he wouldn't call so much attention on the whole affair. It was embarrassing.

Her attention was diverted when Jackson and several other football players came in their direction. There was a figure amongst them, but Kitty couldn't see who it was. She craned her neck expectantly and walked forward.

Behind her, Duncan had a wide smirk on his face. "Kitty Pryde, curtsy to the indelectable, incredible, indescribable... Mr. Dumb Dumb!"

Kitty froze in shock as a dummy wearing nerdy glasses and pimples drawn onto his face was thrust in front of her. She stopped breathing as everyone around her burst out laughing, Duncan the loudest of them all. For a moment, she just stood in complete horror. She recovered in time to hear the blonde football jock say loudly, "DJ, put on the country tunes so Pryde and Mr. Dumb Dumb can share a square dance, will ya?"

Everyone gathered around the refreshment table was roaring. Jackson and another jock were hanging onto each other to keep from falling over. They were laughing that hard.

Kitty clenched her fists tightly as she struggled not to cry. 'I'm not going to cry. I'm not going to cry. I'm not going to cry.' She thought to herself. But the tears were already starting to leak out of her big blue eyes. She'd never been so humiliated in her life. At least at Bayville High. She couldn't believe she had fallen for Duncan's act. It was just the sort of thing Riley and her jock friends would have done back in Chicago.

Duncan came up from behind her. "Hey Pryde, aren't you going to give your new date a kiss?" A cruel sneer cut into his handsome face.

She couldn't help it. She burst into tears. Shoving past the laughing crowd, she ran. She stumbled through tables and bumped into walking couples. Her eyes were completely blinded. She was heading toward the exit. She didn't care how she got there. Sobs were starting to jerk up from her throat. Kitty just ran, not even realizing that she still held the fallen vegetables in her hands.

* * *

Todd sat by himself at a table, glumly watching the dancing crowd under the canopy. Besides dancing once with Lance's clingy slut of a girlfriend, he'd been hanging out by himself the entire night. Fred and Cindy were very wrapped up with each other in their own private corner. Despite being depressed, he was happy for his large friend. He had no idea where Pietro was. He'd seen Lily and Lorena walk by, with their respective dates mysteriously absent. Todd stared up at the ceiling, then back down to his watch. Geez, the thing had to be broken or something. No way time would move that slow. He was distracted when a figure in a pink dress ran by him. She seemed to be in tears, and for some strange reason, holding a plate of carrot sticks. With a start, Todd realized that it was Kitty Pryde. The X-Men. One of the enemy.

So no reason I should be worried, Todd told himself. He turned in the opposite direction where Kitty had come from. Absently scanning the gym, his pale yellow eyes came to rest on the refreshment table, where a large number of jocks seemed to be assembled. He saw Duncan Matthews (his eyes narrowed at the sight of the meat-headed jock) standing in the middle of their group. He seemed to be pantomiming a crying figure running away with a plate in her hand. Everyone circled around him was laughing.

It occurred to Todd that the reason Kitty was crying was because of something Duncan had done. He wouldn't put it past the blond-haired senior to pick on a freshman like Kitty. He'd picked on Todd plenty of times. Todd felt a wave of pity for the X-Men ditz. And a rush of anger towards Duncan.

What was the guy's problem? He was always going out of his way to make other people miserable. That stupid asshole. Todd looked in the direction where Kitty had run, which was apparently outside. To hell with it, yo. Enemy or not, he felt bad for the brown-haired ditz. And in a way, united to her because they had a common enemy. That foul son of a bitch, Duncan A-Hole Matthews.

Todd wearily got up and headed for the same door Kitty had run through. Heck, not like I got anything better to do, he thought. He looked outside. There were several tables set up under gold Christmas lights. He spotted Kitty crying at the farthest table. With a sigh, he walked over to her.

* * *

Kitty sat in a chair, sobbing to herself. It wasn't just the fact that Duncan had humiliated her. He'd chosen her out of the entire school to humiliate. She definitely ranked up there with the big losers. And all the popular girls hated her. They could easily have convinced Duncan to set her up.

She could imagine Charlotte Russell, that superficial bitch, telling Duncan to humiliate that nerdy Kitty Pryde, who still wore pink sweaters and embroidered capris. Charlotte Russell, with her violet eyes, rich brown hair, full bust, and sleek designer clothes. And Kurt had asked her to Homecoming. A competition between Charlotte and Kitty. It was no contest. Kitty felt absolutely miserable.

"Uh, heh, hey, s'up?"

"Huh?" Blinking and red-eyed, Kitty looked up in surprise. Standing in front of her was Toad. Or a cleaner version of him anyway. This Toad wore crisp ironed clothes and a tie. His hair was combed. A faint wisp of cologne replaced the regular wisp of slime. And his teeth were whiter. Kitty could see them through the nervous smile Toad gave her. It was amazing the difference just one brushing could make.

But why was he here? He'd probably seen the whole dummy spectacle and come here to further torment her. Her lips quirked downward. "What do you want, TOAD?" She shouted, angry tears bursting from her eyes. "Come here to make fun of me again? Think it's funny that I'm a big pathetic loser? Well, like, FUCK. YOU!" Kitty threw her plates of carrots and celery (which she'd still been holding) at his taunting, insolent face.

Todd ducked the incoming barrage of veggie missiles. "Hey," he held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I'm just trying to make peace, yo."

Kitty looked up at him in surprise and suspicion. He wasn't here to make fun of her? "Then why are you here?" She asked in a small voice. She hiccuped and covered her mouth.

Todd shrugged, seeming surprised with himself as well. "I just saw you running from that ass, Duncan, and," he shrugged again. "I wanted to know if you were all right."

At the thought of Duncan, Kitty burst into tears again. Todd stood still, horrified. He didn't know how to really deal in these sort of situations. After some great hesitation, he sat down next to her and awkwardly patted her arm. "Sorry," Kitty said through her tears.

"Uh, s'ok, yo," Todd said quickly, continuing to pat her trembling shoulders. He was practically quivering in nerves, considering he had no idea what to say to make Kitty feel better. The only other time he'd really talked to her before was during battle, and that usually involved throwing insults. He was good at that. Now, he was completely tongue-tied.

Kitty's cries finally subsided and her breathing regulated. Todd inwardly sighed in relief. Now he could just say a few reassuring things and be on his way. Sneaking a glance at his watch, he decided he would go home. He'd had enough "fun" for one night. If Lance didn't want to leave, he would walk. Home wasn't that far away.

However, Kitty wasn't done with her lament. "You know," she burst out. "All I wanted was a nice, fun, peaceful Homecoming. And this night has been the worst of my life!"

"Yeah, sorry," Todd mumbled. "Well, if it makes you feel better, yo, this night hasn't been that great for me either."

"Really?" Kitty turned shining eyes toward him. "Did you come with anyone?"

Todd shrugged and attempted a weak grin. "Don't see no girl hanging on me, do you?" He shook his head. "Naw, I don't got a date."

"Me neither," she said mournfully. She sighed and stared out at the lights that twinkled beyond them. "I don't know why they're always picking on me."

Todd knew she was talking about Duncan and the popular kids. "I don't know, they just go problems, yo."

"Yeah, like, seriously." She rolled her eyes. "I mean, what did we ever do to them? I just don't get it." She sighed.

"Losers need to get a life, yo." He told her. "They probably do all that cuz they know you're gonna get a lot farther in life than them."

Kitty turned and smiled at him. "Really? Thanks Toad." She snapped her mouth shut. "I'm sorry, I didn't, like, mean that. Thanks Todd." She sighed again. "You're right. They only pick on us cuz we're smart and better than them."

Speak for yourself, Todd thought. He was neither smart nor in any position better than those jocks. At least those guys had money, if not brains, for their parents to buy them some sort of opportunity after high school. He, unfortunately, had neither.


As thought Kitty had read his mind, she added, "we're special because we care." She turned big blue eyes on him and he felt the sincerity of his words. "They're so superficial, they don't know how to really live, but we do, and that's why we're better than them."

"Yeah..." Todd smiled at her, then both teens looked away. It was kind of awkward to be talking like this to one another, kind of awkward, but nice. They could still hear the music coming in from the gym. Alicia Key's 'A Woman's Worth' started to play.

"Hmm, I really like this song," Kitty said quietly. She snuck a glance over at Todd, who was staring at the ground.

"Um," he looked over at her, then at the gym door. The lights were twinkling all around them and the air seemed somewhat magical and surreal. Fighting against his hard-core mandate that he never danced to slow songs, he mumbled, "So, would you like to, um, dance?"

Trying to hide a shy smile, she answered, "Yeah, I would."

"Okay."

The two got up and walked a little ways away from the table. "You just wanna stay here?" He asked.

"Sure," she said. Was there really any point in going back to the gym? They could hear the music just as well, and the lights were pretty.

"All right." Todd gently put his arms around her waist and she draped her arms around his neck. It was a comfortable distance. Not too close, but not too far. They slowly moved back and forth to the music. Todd was nervous at first, but the steady rhythm gradually soothed him and he relaxed. The same with Kitty. By the end of the song, their movements were natural and comfortable and they no longer felt awkward about dancing together.

Another slow song came on. Instead of breaking apart, the two moved in closer. With each step, they inched their arms a little tighter, and by the end of the second song, they were basically in a tight hug, slowly revolving on the spot.

Kitty finally put her head against Todd's chest and the movement seemed somehow natural, despite the fact she'd never been this close with a guy before. He didn't resist, but looked downward, and the two smiled at one another. "Thanks for dancing with me," Kitty said softly. She looked past his shoulder, her eyes resting on the twinkling lights. "You know, this is my first real dance with a guy."

"Yeah?" Todd asked softly.

Kitty nodded as the two continued to dance. "I've never really had a lot of experience."

"You ever been kissed?"

She was quiet for a minute. "No."

Todd gently pulled away from her, and the two teens looked at one another. It was isolated and romantic and the moment was so surreal that they weren't afraid to let their feelings truly show this time. "Me neither." Then Todd moved in and gently kissed her, just lips on lips. Her lips were soft.

Kitty closed her eyes and received the kiss. When she opened them, Todd was watching her. With a soft smile, she moved in and kissed him back. Then they slowly opened their mouths and let in a little tongue. The movements were fumbling and unpracticed, but it wasn't embarrassing. In fact, the physical awkwardness somehow added to the moment, making this first kiss so much more innocent and special and mutual.

When the kiss finally ended, neither could keep a shy grin off their face. "Um, that was nice."

"Yeah," Kitty smiled, pausing to wipe her mouth. It had been a little more wet than they'd depicted kissing in the movies. Not that she regretted it at all. Her first kiss. Wow. And with Todd too.

Meanwhile, Todd was thinking the same thing. I never thought I'd ever kiss a girl in high school, much less Kitty Pryde. Neither knew what to say to one another.

"Um, hehe," Todd laughed weakly. "This night turned different than I imagined, yo."

"Yeah, like totally," Kitty giggled nervously. "Um, yeah."

They grinned at one another in the midst of their solitary Secret Garden. Both wanted to kiss again, but were unsure of how to proceed. In a sudden burst of nerve, Todd kissed her again, a little bit harder this time. The first kiss had been extremely soft.

Kitty seemed taken aback at first, but soon kissed him back, then put her arms around him. When another slow song came on, they started to dance in a circle. Their movements soon lost their awkwardness and were carried away by the song and the moment, Todd and Kitty slowly circled together in this magical space, savoring the taste of a first kiss, and first love.

~ Aww, sweet moment to end on, I thought so. I thought an awkward sweet kiss would be perfect and actually more meaningful for them. Anyway, so I finally finished this chapter! I really put this story on hold, especially with working on 'Long Way Home' which everyone should read, heehee. Well, I can't give any promises on when the next chapter is out, but I do promise to finish this. Reviews also help motivate, hint hint, especially LOOOOOONG gushy ones, heehee. Next chapter, when I write it, will bring back the Lance/Rogue, which will obviously happen, Scott/Jean (given, not too much on them), what will happen with Pietro and Evan? Hmm...they gotta learn how to treat their women as something besides Barbie dolls. And Kurt will be with...someone. I'm thinking maybe Tabby, or those three other girls, Jubilee, the wolf-girl and the fire-girl. If anyone's got suggestions or preferences, tell me. Well, here's what to look forward to in the next chapter! Btw, I don't think my italics came in for this and I didn't bother to put them in after I saved it, so sorry if it was harder to read. In the meantime, reviews! ~_^