Chapter 4- Snowball
Kitty was certain she had been transported into a Winter Wonderland when she stepped into Bayville High’s Cafeteria. Hundreds of snowflakes hung from the ceiling (and real ones flying outside) and a jazzed up version of ‘The First Noel’ boomed.The gently spinning disco ball bounced small lights off of the snowflakes, dancing around the room eerily.
Now they all knew why Rogue had been so tired when she had come home from the decorating session. And so proud.
"Wow Rogue, it’s wonderful." Rogue smiled at Kitty’s awestruck comment, that or the way Kitty was compulsively grabbing Kurt’s sleeve. Rogue wasn’t the only one who had noticed the two of them becoming closer.
Scott had enough time to nod and smile before Teren spotted him and dragged him off to dance, her own date forgotten. Rogue felt sorry for the poor guy, but not too sorry. It was his own fault for having bad taste in girls. After all, how great of a person could Teren be if she jumped Scott at the first sign that Jean, her best friend, wasn’t around? And if she didn’t know about Jean and Scott- jeez, she was pretty dumb, too. Maybe Duncan and Teren…
And speaking of Jean- "Marie! This is wonderful! Kitty told me that you helped decorate, this is fantastic!" Rogue didn’t need to be a telepath to tell that Jean’s enthusiastic smile and tone were fake, and that she did, in fact, mind that Teren and Scott were slow dancing near by. Rogue smiled politely and tiptoed away when Duncan came up to them, punch glasses in hand.
"Well, I requested something besides over-used Christmas carols, but we’ll see how that pans out." Rogue smiled at Lance as she loaded up her plate. He was lounging against the table, sipping his punch. He looked as he were trying very hard to look suave. He just looked silly.
"Isn’t that outfit a little risqué?" he inquired, when she didn’t respond. She adopted his pose next to him.
"All complements go to Professor Xavier, resident genius at the institute." she replied, attempting to eat a cracker without tipping over.
"Ah, so he’s doing full plastic surgery now?" Rogue choked on her cracker with surprise. Was he insulting- or, complimenting?
Lance laughed at her expression, and took her plate away from her. "Common, Marie, lets test that new invention of Professors." and she was promptly dragged onto the dance floor by the most unexpected (or expected?) person of all.
*
If Jean didn’t know Scott as well as she did, she would think that he had rigged the giant plastic Santa to fall on top of Duncan. But he looked openly pleased. If he had done it, he would be trying to put on a surprised face.
Of course, Durable Duncan was fine. But all the same, the chaperones had carted him off to the nurse’s office, just in case.
So she was alone until he came back.
Fun.
Jean tried to mingle, but that just didn’t work. People kept on asking about Duncan. Did you see his pass? Is he okay? Do you think having a 12 foot Santa land on him will affect his game? Who am I in this relationship? She wondered. The Chick, I suppose. How could a real life Super Girl compete with the star football player? Which in effect made her think of Scott, which was not supposed to happen that night. It didn’t help that he looked absolutely great in his tux…
*
Kurt and Kitty had successfully avoided any possibly uncomfortable situations by being struck by sporadic food cravings whenever a slow song came on. But both respective stomachs were more than full, and as Kitty eyed the cookie in her hand, debating the possibility of Kurt still liking her after she ate it a puked all over him, yet another one started up.
Kitty smiled at Kurt’s almost imperceptible groan as he reached for another cup of punch.
"Hey Kurt, do you want to dance?" Hey now! Did that come from me? Kitty was possibly more shocked than Kurt. Yikes! But Kurt relieved- and happy to oblige. Burning red, Kitty let Kurt lead her out onto the floor. He put his arms around her waist, and she carefully put her hands on his shoulders. This is Kurt, clumsy, silly and goofy Kurt. You’ve known him forever! Get a grip! Kitty avoided looking at Kurt, which was hard, because he was only a little taller than her.
After a while, Kitty felt her blush beginning to fade. This isn’t so bad. In fact, this is really nice! She realized, smiling. She peeked up to see if Kurt was having as much fun as she was. By the almost maniacal grin on his face- you could tell he was.
"Keety?"
"Yeah, Kurt?" She looked up, smiling. Kurt opened his mouth when the song tracks switched.
"I’m, too sexy for my love,
too sexy for my love.
Love’s going to leave me"
"I’m too sexy for my shirt,
Too sexy for my shirt.
So sexy it hurts!"
Kitty and Kurt laughed wildly at the song that was sending the chaperones running, clutching each other so they wouldn’t fall down when Mr. P tripped and landed face first into the Styrofoam snowman.
*
Marie laughed at Lance’s dance moves. "You requested this song, didn’t you!" she shouted over the music. He shrugged, then grabbed her hand and began to dance. Marie laughed, "You egomaniac!" she couldn’t remember having so much fun. "You’re crazy!" she yelled, spinning under his arm.
"I’m not the only one!" he grinned at her. Whoa! Marie thought. Am I flirting with Lance?! Oh well. She smiled again. Lance was singing along with the song now. He’s insane! Marie tipped her head back and laughed.
"Shut up you freak!" she hit him on the arm.
"Never!" he responded.
When have I ever had so much fun?
Never.
*
Just outside the cafeteria, Jean meandered through Fourth Period Art Class’s snow sculptures. It was cold out, but it was better than being inside, where everyone was having fun except, and without, her.
She scuffed her toe angrily. I will not feel sorry for myself! She ordered silently, tipping her head up to the sky, blinking away would-be tears. The starry night, now void of snow flakes, blinked and twinkled back
"Hey Jean, everything alright?"
"Oh don’t you even go there, Scott Summers." She noticed that his arm that her ‘friend’ Teren had been previously clinging to was empty. I wonder who lent him the crow bar. Maybe they could lease it out to me, also.
"Whoa hey, chill Jean." He held up his hands in defense, but came closer.
"That’s not the problem out here." she muttered, folding her arms.
"You’re cold?" he asked, coming closer, so that he could have touched her. Or she him. She was, and she wasn’t. She was shivering, but uncomfortably hot so close to him. Her cheeks especially. You’d think I was Kitty! She thought desperately.
"Jean, about Duncan-" he began, stepping even closer.
"I am not talking to you about him!" Jean narrowed her eyes. She could stare directly into his adorable sunglasses.
Adorable?
"Jean…"
But Jean was on a roll. The dance sucked, dinner had sucked, her date (who sucked) had to leave because he was squashed by a stupid Giant Santa (who also sucked), her best friend was a leech, a back-stabbing one at that, and all of her friends were having a blast. Someone was to blame, and Scott was the ideal person.
"Why are you always so ungenerous and small-minded about him? He’s a person to! He’s got feelings! I have feelings! But you just keep on talking like I’m not ever there! It feels awful, Scott! I hate it! You do it all the time and I hate it! You ignore me just like I’m one of the trainees asking why you wear those ador-stupid sunglasses! I hate it!" Scott had pulled back, at first he looked frustrated, then simply mad.
"If I’m simple-minded, then you’re selfish and clueless! It’s always all about you, Jean. ‘I don’t get to lead the X-men’, ‘Rogue gets off because she’s moody’, ‘I’m perfect, why aren’t you?’ Whine, whine, whine! Crap, Jean! Just shut up!" Blood pounded, It couldn’t be true. She was for loss of words. But that was okay because there were always snowballs.
"Ahh! Jean! Don’t! This tux cost a fortune! If you get it wet-" Scott dodged another snowball, grabbing some snow himself and hurling it at her.
Using her powers, Jean could easily deflect Scots attempts. No one looking out the window at that moment would notice the snowballs veering an inch and missing her completely as unnatural. Scott of course couldn’t use his powers, but snow art makes a good shield.
"Jerk!" she yelled, hurling a snowball. Scott ducked, and the snowball exploded against a Snow Princess, whose head fell to the ground.
"Watch it, Jean!" he yelled, throwing another snowball and ducking behind a giant duck. The sky above twinkled again, almost like the eyes of a Grandfather who knew something the squabbling children did not.
*
Jean panted for breath. It had started snowing again, but all of her dodging and running had kept her warm. She peeked around the gorilla before sprinting as fast as she could in her dress, for the panda bear. She hadn’t heard nor seen Scott for a couple of minutes, and the snowball in her frozen hand was starting to fall apart. Jean had just come upon the revelation that she could listen for his thoughts when something big and nice smelling grabbed her and wrestled the snowball out of her hands.
"Hey!" she laughed, as she squirmed in Scott’s grip. "Let go!"
He looked at her seriously. "No." She stopped squirming and turned to look at him. She could feel his eyes boring into her. "Jean, I came out here to say that it’s true. I don’t like Duncan." she frowned, the conversation was starting out strangely familiar, and badly, for all he was holding her in his arms.
"I came here to say that I’m sorry I was being a jerk. About Duncan, and other stuff, I guess, too." She didn’t know what to say.
"Apology accepted?"
"Oh Scott, I-I was being stupid too. About Duncan, and all that other stuff. I’ve been under a lot of stress, and you have too." He smiled softly. "And to tell you the truth, You were right about Duncan mostly. Gosh is that guy boring!" She laughed with him as the last of the tension disappeared.
"Tell you what, if you forgive me, I’ll forgive you." He sad, stepping back, and offering his hand for her to shake.
"On the count of three, we shake and forgive, alright?" Jean smiled.
"Sure."
"One….Two….Th-" Jean grabbed his hand and flung her arm around his neck and kissed him before she could change her mind.
"Three…"
*
Marie laughed with Lance sitting in a corner as the dance wound down. Most everyone had left, Though Teren and Duncan were sulking in a corner together, watching Jean and Scott flirt blatantly, and Kurt and Kitty were being absolutely cute to a point of grossness over by the speakers.
A perfect ending to a perfect night. Marie sighed happily as she leaned against the cardboard Christmas tree next to Lance.
"You sound pretty happy." Lance commented, poking her hand, which lay on the floor between them. She couldn’t decide if he was still amazed by his ability to touch her and escape unscathed, or if he actually liked it.
"I guess I am. This dance was a lot more fun than I thought it would be." she admitted, flicking his finger away as it darted in for another poke.
"Thank your truly for that."
"Never met him." Lance laughed and poked her arm.
"Oh stop it!" she exclaimed, waving off his fingers. "You’re like a little kid is taking apart the toaster to see how it works!"
"You are far cleaner than any toaster I’ve ever met. More interesting, too." he replied, poking her shoulder curiously.
"What!?" Marie laughed.
"Well, you see, a toaster only has one button to poke. You have many." he jabbed her knee, and her shoulder.
"See, here’s a funny one," he said, making her laugh by poking her stomach "There’s always this one," and he poked her elbow, "And this one," he said, pressing on her nose. "But, my favorite one of all is this one." and he laid his fingers on her lips. His eyes, close now, asked her permission, before he leaned forward, and kissed her gently.
A perfect ending to a perfect night.