Dawn of the Evolved |•| Wakanda x Xmen

Chapter 2: Kitty

I come to when Polly elbows me. "Hey," She says. "Are you okay?" My head still pounding.

Every word she says brings a fresh pang of pain to my head. I stifle the urge to scream. The pain is unbearable, but I manage to stay conscious.

This isn't the first time this has happened. Ever since my dad's death this past summer, I've been having frequent headaches and they seem to be getting worse. The doctor just said it was stress and grief and that it would go with time. So I spent the better part of my summer drugged up on painkillers, wishing I was dead.
"Hello? Earth to Kitty?" Polly waves her hand in front of my face.

I snap myself out of my little self-pity fest. "Huh? Oh, I'm fine, don't worry about it" I lie. She looks unconvinced, but shrugs it off.

"Well we've gotta get going to English. The assembly's over, in case you were zoned out for that part, too."

"Yup okay. Room 301 right?" Polly nods and we head off with the other students to our
classes.

I pass the rest of the school day without any episodes, probably thanks to the painkiller I took after lunch. The day wasn't that bad, until, of course, PE.

"Alright ladies, I'm going to make this clear on the first day," my gym coach, Ms. Mahoney barks at us. She has dark skin, short black hair tied into a low ponytail and a staff gym uniform, complete with a silver whistle. Talk about stereotypical gym teacher. We all listen intently, sitting in a circle around her on the huge gym floor.

"Today and only today will be the day that you can take it easy. I want to see a full one hundred and fifty percent in this course. There is no 'I'm on my period' or 'Tod broke up with me'. In this gym class, we do that, gym, which means no girl pushups."

The class around me groans and I join them. But the truth is, I don't really mind working hard. I do some jujitsu in my spare time, so I'm used to it. What really catches my attention is the fact that Sydney Sanders and Jamie Lopez are in my class and I can tell they've noticed me too from the snickering and gossiping going on. Great.

Sydney and Jamie were the living hell of middle school for me. I thought high school would be too big for us to interact and I would have a break. Obviously, fate thinks otherwise. Internally I'm dreading the next months, suddenly a semester seems like an eternity.

Ms. Mahoney blows her whistle to quiet us down. "And that is a perfect example of the first rule we have here." She lifts the whistle up for us to see, like some kind of trophy. "When I blow the whistle it means that everybody stops what they are doing, keeps their mouths shut and awaits further instruction. Understood?" Everyone nods.

"Good. Since this is a shortened period we won't be doing any exercises today. However you will be choosing your gym lockers. These will be with you for the rest of the semester or longer, depending on if you plan to be part of a sports team, like the junior girls soccer team, which I coach.

"Since we have a lot of freshmen this year, you will have to share with someone else. Don't be shy or else I will find someone for you. The girls' change rooms are out Door C and to the left. Pick your lockers and give me your combo."
As soon as Ms. Mahoney finishes talking everybody starts pairing up. There are a few girls, like me, that don't have anyone to share with. Before I can ask one, I'm flanked by Sydney and Jamie and some other new girls. This can only mean trouble.

"Hey Kitty Kat," Sydney says while she and Jamie grab my arms. "Walk with us." I don't even have a chance to protest and soon I'm whisked away to the change room.

"What do you want?" I demand, hoping they can't hear my voice shake.

"To be partners of course," Sydney coos, flashing her blue eyes. "Jamie will share with you and I'll be with Vanessa." She gestures to another girl with blonde hair, as well. Sydney's intimidating height makes me feel small at my 5'4" stance, but I refuse to be put down again.

"No."

Her eyes narrow, making me want to choke on my words. "What did you say dear?"

"I don't want to share lockers with Jamie or be next to you guys. I'll find someone else,
but thanks for the offer," I say turning away. But of course it just isn't that easy.

"Oh you don't?" Sydney asks her eyes wide in mock surprise. "But Jamie's already told
coach. That's too bad. Unless you want to tattle tale? I'm sure coach will totes like that." She smiles at me. At that moment Jamie enters. I didn't even realize she was gone, damn.

"Hey partner. Our combo is 24-58-06. You got that?" she says, speeding up when she mentions numbers. Luckily I have a good memory, but knowing her it probably isn't even the right one. She and Sydney both smile at me. Jamie locks our locker with perfectly manicured nails. Her long dyed brown hair kept back into high ponytail sweeps over her tanned complexion.

Sydney walks around me, scanning me with her judging eyes. I go stiff, not showing any reaction. "It looks like Kitty Kat got a makeover." I blush, then immediately kick myself mentally for breaking my resolve.
Jamie makes a clicking noise with her tongue. "Always a wanna-be, even stole my look," she says, flipping her ponytail.

"We can't have that can we, Kitty Kat?" Sydney says, holding my cheeks. "You have to be yourself. And that's a loser." On the last word Jamie viciously rips out my ponytail and some hair, ruining the curls I tried so hard to make.
"Hey! Stop it!" I protest, but it's useless. Once they've started they won't stop.

Sydney gets a wet paper towel and rubs it onto my face, no doubt smudging the makeup I had on.
"There, now you look like your true self. A freak," Sydney sneers. The others laugh. How is no one noticing this? I feel my lips start to quiver.

"Oh no. Is Kitty Kat going to cry?" Jamie taunts. That just sets me off. Soon I'm bawling and then the bell rings. I rush out of the change room, hands covering my face.

"See you tomorrow, Kitty Kat!"

Sorry for the messy writing. I just wanted to introduce you to Kitty's tormentors and her headaches. Stay tuned to get introduced to the next character!