Inner Conflicts

Inner Conflicts-- Part 29 Mea Culpa Inner Conflicts Part 29 Rogue waited until everyone was in bed.  She then made her way into Scott's room. "Scott?" she called out softly. "Still up," Scott answered. Rogue approached his bed.  "I noticed you didn't look too surprised," she said. Scott sighed, sitting up. He grabbed his glasses and slipped them on.  "I sort of suspected something... but was kind of hoping that it wasn't that serious."  His whole posture was one of defeat. "I don't understand, Rogue.  If things were that bad, why didn't he talk?" "I don't know," muttered Rogue, sitting down at the foot of Scott's bed.  "Maybe he was ashamed or something." "But still. . ." Rogue narrowed her eyes.  "Or Lance manipulated him into thinking he couldn't talk to us.  It's all very possible." Scott nodded.  "Yeah." Rogue stood up.  "Well, I just hope everything turns out okay." "Me, too," said Scott, grinding his teeth.  "Me, too." X Lance stood outside the school building, waiting for school to start.  Kurt was in the library, and there was no way he was going to let anyone sneak in like Summers did. He gave a start when he saw Kitty heading his way. He tensed up as she got closer. "Hey, Lance," she said, a nervous smile on her face. "Hey," Lance responded, wary. "Like, I was wondering...did I do something wrong?" "Huh?" That was unexpected. Kitty looked at the floor.  "Well, you never talk to me and such," she said.  "I was wondering if I said or did anything to make you mad at me." Was it possible?  Was it possible that Kitty didn't know? Lance wouldn't put it past Summers to tell Kitty what was going on.  It would make her sick.  But then again, who was to say that the older mutants would keep what goingoing on a secret.  Kitty was so innocent that who would want to subject her to the realities of life? "No, you didn't do anything wrong," Lance answered. "Oh, good," giggled Kitty.  "So, um, can I sit with you at lunch?" ""Uh, well, I'm sitting with Kurt and the rest of the gang." "Oh." Kitty looked disappointed, before she took on a curious look.  "No offense or anything, but why is Kurt hanging around with you?  I mean, your place isn't exactly the greatest." "No offense taken," Lance remarked. Then he shrugged.  "I think it has something to do with an argument between him and some of the other mutants." "No one is saying anything.  Do you know what it was about?" "If Kurt hasn't told you, then it isn't my business to tell you either.  Sorry, Kitty." Kitty frowned, then perked up.  "Hey, I heard Tina's thinking about throwing a party if her parents leave for an overseas trip.  It's, um, s-suppose to be a c-c-couples only party.  I w-wanted to know if y-you'd like to come with me if it happens?" "With you?" Lance asked in disbelief.  Was Kitty really asking him out to some kind of orgy party? Kitty's face turned red.  "I-if you want to." Lance grinned.  Man ,was he ever lucky.  "Yeah, of course I'd like to go with you." Kitty beamed.  "Cool! I'll let you know if it happens.  Can I meet you after school?" "Sure thing," said Lance. "Cool!" Kitty turned and practically bounced away. Lance couldn't believe his luck.  Pretty soon he'd be adding another trophy to his imaginary wall. The thought of being the first one to have Kitty aroused him.  He couldn't wait to get back home and nail Kurt to the bed. X "So?" Kitty heard Tabitha ask. "Like, ew? He so bought it." Kitty shivered, her face still red, only in apparent anger.  "I can't believe he didn't say a word about him and Kurt, not a one!" "What were you expecting him to say?" asked Tabitha.  "I'm screwing Kurt, so sorry, Kitty?" "Well, no! But an 'I'm seeing someone' or a 'not interested' would have sufficed!" "Sorry, Kitty.  But what Lance is interested in is between your legs," growled Rogue. Kitty subconsciously tightened the space between her thighs. "Ew," she repeated. "So now what?" asked Rogue. "We continuewardward. Kitty's gonna have to put some serious moves on Lance before this day is up." "What?!?! No one told me that was part of the plan!" X Kurt was about to step out of the library when Pietro zipped by. "Hey, Blue!" he greeted.  "What are you doing here? Hasn't hanging with us taught you that it's kind of pointless to study and all that? I mean, what a waste of time!" Kurt sighed. &n"Can"Can you please step aside?" he asked.  "I havemeetmeet up with Lance." Pietro darted out and then back in before Kurt could even move a step forward. "Surely you don't have to spend every single second with him, do you?" he asked, a smile on his face. "Could you please close the door," one of the librarians suddenly barked out.  "That draft is blowing papers around!" Pietro shut the door behind him. "Heh, so much for being a library.  Isn't that lady suppose to ask more softly?" "Pietro, you're enough to make anyone shout in frustration. Now please, move?" "What's the rush? Have something against talking to me? Yeah, we weren't the best of friends, but neither were you and Lance, and now look at you guys, sharing rooms and all, shouldn't you give me the same chance?" ". . . " ". . ." "Your mouth shoots out words faster than your brain, doesn't it?"  Kurt pulled back a step, eyebrows furrowing, looking completely uncertain and uny. y. Pietro's pale face immediately flushed.  "Er, sorry, yeah, didn't mean  for it to come out like that..." Kurt moved to one side, as if to step around the speed demon. Pietro moved right with him.   "Well, actually, I did want to talk to you about something.  Like, why Lance, I mean, yeah he's a friend and all, but he's not exactly boyfriend material, not that I checked him out for anything like that, it's just that he's always got like five different girls in different places, which I'll admit I do too sometimes but only cause everything goes to slow..." Kurt continued to stare at him. In the meantime, Pietro couldn't help but think...Gods, this is embarrassing!! What the fuck was I thinking when I said yes to running interference? Pietro glanced at the wall.  "Oh, time for class. Can't be late." And with that, he took off. Kurt spun around, fear in his face. Lance is gonna be mad! He rushed out the door and spotted Lanc"Sor"Sorry, I lost track of time..." Lance smiled at him.  "No problem," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "Well you look like the proverbial cat...where's the canary?" asked Kurt, suddenly suspicious.  Lance usually didn't smile at him in the public's eye.  It was always in private. "Somewhere below your waist," Lance teased, before heading down towards the classrooms. Kurt felt his face burning. X Lunch time was tense where the X-men sat.  Only few people knew what was going on, and knowing that something would happen at the end of the school day made them all nervous. Kitty and Rogue sat with Scott and Jean. Kitty kept looking at Scott who was acting all too calm, and Jean looked nervous. Despite his calm exterior, Jean was able to pick out the anger that was churning in the young man.  She only hoped that he would be able to control it. Meanwhile, halfway across to campus, Tabitha kept her place with others,pingping an eye out on Kurt. It hurt her to see Kurt acting so damn submissive around Lance, as if afraid to anger the boy.  And it hurt her knowing that by the end of the day, Kurt would either emerge stronger, or broken.  She hated the idea that she would be responsible if Kurt was damaged in any way.  But at the same time, it was for his own well being, and that alone made her determined to go through with the plan. She watched as Lance turned to Kurt. "Hey, I have to hang out here and do some time.  Why don't you go home with Pietro and the others?" Kurt nodded, giving Pietro a quick glance. Tabitha raised an eyebrow when she saw Pietro's cheeks start turning pink. He gave her a look and raised one finger as if to ward off any questions. Pietro quickly looked over at Lance.  "I'll make sure your guy gets home unharmed!" "Thanks," Lance said, with a wry grin. The bell rang. Everyone rose and began to take off into different direction. "You don't mind walking alone to class, do you?" Lance asked, catching Kurt by the arm. "Of course " Ku" Kurt responded.  "I don't want you to be late on my account." "Thanks." Lance gave him a quick squeeze and then hurried down the opposite direction. Tabitha glanced at the other Brotherhood members.  They took their cue and moved away, fast. Tabitha reached out and snagged Kurt's shirt. "Wait..." "What is it?" Tabitha looked around nervously.  "We need to talk.  After school, before you head back to our place." "About what? Lance again?" Kurt was immediately defensive. Tabitha just stared into his eyes.  "Please, Kurt.  Not now.  After school.  Meet near the custodian closet down the north wing. K?"  She took off, not giving him a chance to refuse or accept. Kurt sighed in annoyance.  He shook his head and headed towards class.  Then he paused.  What if it were the others that wanted to meet him?  God, now he really wished he was a lot more insistent with getting the information from Boom-boom.   X Class was awfully slow after lunch. Most students, after having had their fill, would tend to become sleepy. Especially when the teachers droned on and on with slow and monotone voiced, showing notes with not a single bit of originality, nor variation in their teaching methods. And if students weren't asleep, they were doodling, or doing their own form of origami with the pieces of paper torn from the corners of their notes. But there was always at least a couple of students that managed to pay attention. Scott was not one of those students this afternoon.   Most of the time, he spent it trying to keep a calm looking exterior, when in reality, his hands trembled slightly, his heart was threatening to beat out of his chest, and his lungs were starving for the air that he was denying them.   He kept having to brush the palm of his hands across his pants, wiping the sweat that was making them slippery. Scott looked up at the clock. He was only five minutes into class. Then tension was going to kill him before he had the chance to kill someone else. tbc...