Chapter Two: Damsel in Distress
* ~ *
Scott insisted at going to the diner for a "reward" on the team's
awesome performance in the Danger Room. Rogue didn't want to come, but everyone
wouldn't shut up about her being a "drag."
"So, like, who was that cute guy who was taking to you before class,
Rogue?" Kitty asked. "I mean, he was, like, a total hottie. And those
eyes? Weird, but, like, way gorgeous!"
"What guy?" Scott asked suddenly.
Rogue shot him a look that clearly read, "since when did you care?" She
then turned towards Kitty. "Ah dunno. Ah wasn't talkin' t' a 'cute guy.' Ah
was talkin' t' Gambit."
"You mean the guy who gave you the exploding card?" Jean asked.
When was she in the conversation? Rogue asked herself, but replied anyway. "Yeah,
him. He made me late f'r first hour and Kelly just about killed me!"
Kitty giggled. "You two were so flirting. I can't believe, like, you're
lying. You totally like him!"
She felt her cheeks grow hot under her friend's accusation, but quickly buried
the embarrassment beneath her hands. Why should she be embarrassed? She didn't
like that swamp rat, not in the least!
"Ah wasn't flirtin' with him," she snarled. "He's such an
egotistical jerk!"
Lance, Todd, Fred, Quicksilver, and the rest of the Brotherhood minus Wanda
walked in. They waved at the group. "Hey X-geeks!"
Rogue rolled her eyes. "Speakin' o' egotistical jerks," she muttered.
Jean dismissed them with a wave of her hand. "Just ignore them. Anyway,
Kitty, what do you think of that new dress I bought?"
"Adorable, but I, like, would never look as good in it," the younger
girl replied with envious eyes.
"Why of course you would, Kitty!"
Loathing the idea of listening to Jean and Kitty ramble, she rose from her
seat. "Anybody got fifty cents?"
Kurt reached into his pockets and tossed two quarters that Rogue caught. "Vhy
do you need it?"
"Just goin' t' change some music," Rogue told them, pointing at the
jukebox. "I don't think y'all wanna listen t' the Beetles."
She inserted her money in the jukebox and flipped through its contents. A few
songs from Garage sounded good, but she wasn't sure if the others would like
it. Maybe she should stick with some Lillith Fair song. The thought made her
sick.
"What are listening to, Roguey?" Lance asked, appearing from behind
her. "I've got a few selections you might like."
He leaned forward and poked a few buttons. "I know you'll love this
one." Almost immediately Billy Rae Sirus started to play. Lance smirked.
"Don't break mah hart, mah achey-breaky hart," he wailed in a
mock-Southern accent.
"Knock it off, Lance!" Rogue said angrily, pushing him away from her.
Lance stumbled backwards. A few X-Men rose from their seats, and the
Brotherhood members sneered at Lance.
"You gonna let a girl push you around like that?" Pietro asked
smugly.
Lance walked towards Rogue. "That wasn't very nice. Ah was just practicin'
foh mah concert, sugah!"
Her emerald eyes plunged into slits. "Shut the fuck up!"
Scott waked over. "Is there a problem?" he demanded.
"Don't break mah hart, mah achey-breaky hart!" By now, all the
Brotherhood members had joined in to mock Rogue.
She felt her face flush with anger. "AH SAID KNOCK IT OFF!"
Rogue pushed Lance again.
Lance pushed her to the floor and they just sang louder after that. The chorus
was broken when a man suddenly got up and shoved Lance into a wall so hard a
crunch echoed through the room. The entire diner shushed, but the jukebox
played on to another Country song.
"Ain't Mama ever told ya t' play nice wit de ladies?" he asked.
Upon hearing the voice, Rogue pushed herself up from the floor. "Gambit!
Ah can handle this mahself! They're just the Broth'rhood."
He didn't smile at her this time. "Mebbe Gambit ain't doin' dis f'r you. Mebbe
he don' like dese clown pushin' filles <girls> like you around."
Lance struggled under the boy's hold. "Hey! Let go of me! I was just
having fun!"
"Yeah!" Pietro said. "I'm going to tell Magneto."
"Well if you ever learned your manners, you'd know not t' pick on filles,
comprendre <understand>?" Gambit then whirled on Pietro. "An
you! Papa wouldn't be too impressed wit y'r behavior, non?"
"In de Bayou, where I come from, we treat de filles wit de utmost respect.
Mebbe you need t' be taught a lesson Bayou-style."
Avalanche's eyes rolled back and the floor shook. "Whatever, pretty boy. I
think you're the one who needs to be taught a lesson."
Rogue jumped on Lance, putting her hand on his face. "Well ah just done
taught you a lesson, jerk. Don't mess with me!"
He collapsed on the floor, groaning.
"I'm outta here, yo," Toad said. He hopped off and the other boys
followed him.
Gambit had been knocked to the floor when the tremor had been caused, but he
got up and glanced at Rogue. "Tu accord <You okay>, chere?"
"Ah never asked f'r y'r help," she snapped. "An stop calling me
'chere.'"
He grinned. "A simple merci <thanks>, will do, mon cherie."
She turned around to see Kitty giggle. "Rogue's in looooooove!" she
teased.
"Ah am not in love with that THING!" she yelled, and stormed off.
Jean and Kitty blinked. "Whoa."
Kurt looked at Gambit. "Vho's he?"
"Je m'appelle Remy. But mon services here are over. Au reviour <See you
late/good-bye>!"
Scott glared at his retreating figure. "I really don't like that
guy."
"Makes two of us," Kurt replied, scratching his fuzzy head.
Kitty almost swooned. "I think he's, like, totally dreamy."
* ~ *
Rogue sat in her bed, flicking on her light switch. She just couldn't go to
sleep. The young mutant kept playing the day's events in her head. First in
school and then in the diner, Gambit had made it an obligation to get on her
fucking nerves! Why?
'At least he stuck up for you,' a voice in her head said.
'So what, Mystique?' she asked the familiar woman. It seemed like the
shape-shifter always had something to say. After all, she was the girl's
mother. 'Scott woulda done somethin' if he had the chance. The team's like mah
family. They wouldn't let Lance an them make fun o' me.'
'Would you have let them? You barely even let Gamit raise a finger in protest
to their "fun." You don't want anyone to help you.'
'What would you know?' Rogue shot back angrily. 'Besides, he's the last person
on this earth ah'd want helpin' me. He's a total creep.'
'If you think so,' the woman replied, and the thoughts, memories, and
everything about her were disconnected from Rogue's own.
She reached for the Queen of Hearts Remy gave her with a sigh. Where did he get
the nerve to "rescue" her? She wasn't a princess and he definitely
wasn't her knight in shining armor! She wasn't some helpless little girl! She
could've handled the situation back in the diner, and truth be told, it looked
like she did. What? Did he think she was someone he could impress with his
cockiness and fluent French? It was even more reason for her to kick his ass in
the park tomorrow!
"Ah can take care o' mahself, swamp rat," she muttered under her
breath. "An ah'll be sure y'all find that out t'morrow."