S͎o͎l͎a͎r͎a͎ ͎|͎ ͎J͎o͎h͎n͎ ͎A͎l͎l͎e͎r͎d͎y͎c͎e͎/͎/͎P͎y͎r͎o͎

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

After meeting with Professor Xavier in his office, Valeria made her way back to her room, her thoughts blank, her energy had been exhausted from the training Storm had put her through. Understandably, that was the most active she's ever been in her entire life. Professor Xavier had asked Storm for her evaluation and feedback on Valeria's performance in the Danger Room, and then he proceeded to tell her what her school schedule would be like, slipping her a piece of paper that indicated her schedule. She placed the schedule on top of her desk. Above the desk, she had pinned a newspaper cutting of the events that took place at her old school a week ago. It was just a reminder to herself of what she was capable of, during those times when she felt low about herself.

A cold shower was exactly what she needed. She let the water run over her skin, washing away the tension from her muscles and helping to calm her racing mind. It was refreshing, like a reset button. She stood under the water for a moment longer than usual, enjoying the solitude and the simple relief it brought her.

Once she was finished, she dried herself, dressing herself into a dark long sleeve t-shirt and grey sweatpants before returning to her room. The late afternoon sun filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow across the space. She dropped onto her bed, sighing as she sank into the comfort of the soft mattress. Her empty duffel bag sat at the foot of the bed, but she didn't have the energy to arrange whatever she had unpacked earlier today. Some of the books that she had brought with her were strewn all over the desk.

She tried to close her eyes, hoping to drift into her dreams, but she couldn't. Turning her body to face the bedside table, she gazed at her family photo she had placed on the nightstand. She wondered if her older brother was aware that she's here, part of her didn't care, but another part yearned for his concern and support. The back of her hand laid flat against the duvet, her palm faced upwards. Concentrating slightly, light wisps from the afternoon sun shining into her room travelled into her palm, forming a small golden orb, the size of a snooker ball, illuminating the room with a golden hue. Her brown eyes gazed at it, and with a slight flick of her wrist, the orb split into smaller orbs, each dancing around the room, illuminating the space. Placing her hands behind her head, she laid there staring at the golden orbs gliding around the room. It was as though fireflies were flying about her room, and she grew calmer at the sight.

Sitting up on her bed, she glanced out the window. A small dirt track snaked through the woods just beyond the mansion's grounds, leading into a dense patch of pine trees. Beyond the treeline, she could make out the faint glow of a small town, its lights flickering on as the sun began to dip below the horizon. She must've passed it on her ride here, but the day had been such a whirlwind that she hadn't noticed.

She sighed softly, letting herself absorb the quiet moment, the golden orbs still floating around the room. No matter how hard she tried to think, words couldn't form in her mind. Her heart felt anxious. Even though she was in an environment where everyone was like her, a small part of her was afraid.

"What if it'll be the same as last time?" she muttered to herself, remembering the times she found it hard to form relationships and friendships in her old school, which resulted her in being alone majority of her school life. Her fingers reached out to one of the orbs that floated near her, pushing it against her finger and watching it bounce away. The stillness was interrupted by a knock at her door.

Her heart skipped for a second, breaking her from her reverie. She quickly adjusted herself and called out, "Come in."

The door creaked open, and standing there were two familiar faces – Jubilee and Kitty, the two girls Storm had introduced to her in the Rec Room earlier that day.