The School for the Gifted

Chapter XV

Fifteen

MOST GIRLS LOCK themselves in their room and cry their eyes out watching romance movies and eating chocolate after their boyfriend dumped them. I'm not like most girls, though.

     For one thing, I wasn't allowed to go to my room tonight. I had to stay in the medical room for observation. Or at least, that's what I got from the Professor. And trust me, being in this room is not like my room.

    For a second thing, I hate romance movies. I'm being honest. TFIOS is the only exception. Besides that, all other romances can stay away from me. I'm not a very cliché romance person. I like sci-fi and fantasy.

     For a third thing, I have no chocolate. I don't think I could contact anyone and ask if they'd go to the store and buy some chocolate for me. I could text Claire, I suppose, but I don't want her to constantly ask questions. She's my best friend, but she can be annoying sometimes, you know? I love her to death, but I don't want her to know about this yet.

     And lastly, for a fourth thing, I have cried too much recently. I have cried more than I ever have in my entire life. I can usually keep myself together, but this was different. I'd never had a proper boyfriend before this. Logan was my first actual boyfriend, and he made my expectations for guys too high now.

    So, I lied on my cold, uncomfortable, metal bed emotionless. I stared up at the ceiling, blankly. I wasn't sure what to think. The voices inside my head ceased, without being in that room Jean is in. I didn't want to go through people's minds. I also didn't like the silence, though. I needed a good distraction right then.

    And as if on cue, Scott came inside, looking concerned.

    "Is Logan okay? I saw him crying then steal my bike."

    I sucked in air and murmured, "Please. Logan's a touchy subject right now."

    He nodded. "Right. Sorry."

    I nodded, still staring up at the ceiling. I wasn't really in the mood for talking, but I knew Scott was. I was expecting him to leave, but that obviously didn't happen.

    "I heard you spoke with Jean today," he said, trying to break the silence.

     "Yeah," I breathed out. "She's psychotic, Scott." I rubbed my eyes, picturing Jean in the padded room.

     He put his hands into his pants pockets and nodded, sighing. "I figured as much."

     "Did you know?" I was referring to the Phoenix.

     "No," Scott said simply. "I-I didn't. This was news to me."

     I nodded.

     Another awkward silence.

     I knew Scott was mostly in here to talk about Jean. He cared about her so much. I wasn't sure what she saw him, but I only saw him as a friend, and he's also like twenty years older than me or something. But I guess, at the moment, she probably isn't interested in him. She just wanted out. He wanted her out, too, but to be with him and to be okay. He wanted the old Jean back. I think everyone wanted the old Jean back.

     "Did she try to hurt you?" he asked, breaking the silence after a moment.

     I shook my head. "Not physically, if that's what you mean."

     "Ah."

     Another pause.

     I was hoping he'd leave now, but instead, he stepped forward to the bed and looked down at me. "You look tired," he whispered.