The Marble Notebooks

Chapter 4

After a few days at the compound, I began feeling more comfortable and less out of place. I've learned everyone's name and have become acquainted with the living quarters of the compound. Wanda and Pietro were still standoffish towards me, I understand. If someone burst into my home and revealed they were my long-lost sister and that our estranged father is still alive, I would have trouble dealing with them too.

Alex hasn't reached out to me on the phone yet, so I'm assuming everything back home is fine. If the Brotherhood attacked them, I would've heard about it. I don't know what the Brotherhood's next move will be. Usually, they are very predictable, considering I've been a part of those plans before, it's easy for me to figure out their next course of action. But, me being out of the picture has them stumped. I'm sure they will put me on the back burner and focus on something else soon. They don't like to feel defeated and not finding me might throw them for a loop.

There isn't much I remember being with the Brotherhood, considering most of the time I was under someone else's control. The time where I willingly went with Magneto was when I learned the most about the Brotherhood. They would hide out in abandoned warehouses and homes for as long as they could before they had to relocate. They rarely had a stable home base, which always made them hard for others to track down. They killed ruthlessly and had no remorse. They were always discussing the human race and their incompetence. At the time I felt betrayed by the humans who were constantly putting restrictions and laws in place to limit mutant activity. Eventually, I realized that this kind of talk was crazy, although I didn't have any non-mutants in my life at the time. I left shortly after in the night. They came after me to try and kill me, they never let a mutant that learned about how they work walk away. Magneto didn't allow that to happen to me. He did the bare minimum when it came to being a father to me, allowing me to live was part of it.

When I returned to the school after my few days with the Brotherhood, I thought everyone was going to hate me for turning on them. But they welcomed me back with open arms. The Professor knew it was temporary lust of having my father finally show interest in me. He was right, I was a sucker for him when he pretended to care for me. Sometimes it felt real. Once when we were fighting the Brotherhood I was badly injured. He called off the fight and insisted they take me back to the school. The Brotherhood was pissed at him. Of course, he didn't come to see me when I was healing, but at least he didn't let me bleed out on the floor.

I spent the morning reading and trying to get out of my own head. I couldn't stop thinking about everyone at the school. Diving in the books I found on the bookshelf in the study of the compound helped distract me. The glass door opened and Wanda walked out onto the porch in her workout clothes and her hair in a messy ponytail.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't know anyone was out here," She said when she saw me on the lounger reading.

"No, no. I'm not- I'm not doing anything," I said closing my book and sitting up straighter.

"I just came out to get some air," She sighed leaning on the railing of the balcony.

"They work you guys hard, huh?" I asked. I've been pretty awkward around Wanda. I just want her to like me and every time I see her she intimidates me and doesn't talk much.

"Yeah," She said releasing a deep breath.

"That's... that's good," I stuttered trying to keep any sort of conversation going.

"Guess so," She shrugged. "I'm going to shower," She said and left the balcony.

"Okay, bye then," I mumbled under my breath and leaned back in my seat. I know it will take time for us to not feel awkward around each other, I just have no patience. It's only been a few days since they found out about me, it will take time to want to get to know me. I had years to think about them and debate introducing myself, they had minutes. I took a deep breath and tried to get back into the book I was reading. It sucked. I got up and headed to the study to look through the other books.

The study was on the floor below us that we rarely spent time in. It was a big open space with couches and a bar, I assumed they had parties and gatherings here. The floor echoed as I stepped through the area to make my way to the large study across the room. I pushed open the door to reveal the dark wooden walls and rows of books. This room reminded me of the school. It had the same old smell and dark lighting. I walked up to the bookshelf when I heard someone clear their throat behind me.

"Oh, shit," I said turning around scared by the presence of someone else. It was so quiet and no one said anything when I walked in, how was I supposed to know someone was sitting there? In a chair by the only window in the room was Bucky with the metal arm. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you," I explained. He was holding a book in his hands.

"That's fine," He said not looking up from his book.

"What are you reading?" I asked.

"I'm trying to read Ulysses by James Joyce," He said still not looking over to me.

"What's up with everyone's attitude around here?" I rolled my eyes and turned back round to look through the books.

"Mhm," He mumbled back at me. I put my book back on the shelf and grabbed the first one I saw to get out of here and go to my room.

"None of you talk, you just meh meh around," I said which finally made him glance up to me from the book.

"Maybe we just don't want to talk to the girl that broke the gates and stormed the compound," He said looking me up and down.

"I did that for a good reason," I said pointing at him reprimandingly.

"Whatever, close the door on your way out." He said then looked back to the book.

"Dick," I mumbled under my breath and slammed the door behind me.

I got back to my room and laid on the couch feeling discouraged. All I wanted to do was talk to Wanda and I lashed out at that guy for no reason. Alex always told me my attitude will be the death of me. My mood switches in an instant and then I take it out on everyone else, similar to my father, but I hate to admit that.