𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐂𝐇 | Scott Summers

CHAPTER 8

It was 7am, and a wave of butterflies danced in my stomach. Today marked the start of a new chapter, the first day of classes. My anxiety wasn't caused by the absence of companionship; after all, I had been assured that either Jean or Jubilee would share each of my classes. Instead, my worry stemmed from the fear of making a fool of myself, of doing something out of line and completely embarrassing myself in front of my newfound peers. Homeschooling had never prepared me for this; everything here was different and not something I was particularly ready for.

I stand in front of my closet in the bedroom provided to me. The clothes I've gotten from our shopping trip with Jean and Jubilee hang neatly, thanks to their help. For a few moments, I survey the contents of the closet, contemplating what to wear. I eventually settle on a pair of low-rise, slightly baggy grey jeans and a white long-sleeve shirt that hugs my figure. Adding a leather belt.

At the vanity in my room, I carefully apply a subtle makeup look, choosing to braid my hair into a neat French braid. I rarely wore makeup before, but I decided to give it a go today, feeling the need to present myself in the best possible light.

Just as I was putting on the last of my jewelry, I hear a knock on my door followed by Jubilee's voice. I take a moment to check myself in the mirror, adjusting my hair before walking towards the door.

As I open the door, Jubilee stands there, her friendly smile making me instantly feel more at ease. "Good morning!" she chirps, taking in my appearance. "Damn girl you look nice!"

"Thank you.. I'm not over doing it am I? ," I ask shyly, feeling a rush of gratitude as Jubilee compliments my appearance. Her kind words immediately make me feel more at ease.

Jubilee's warm smile reassures me as she responds, "Oh, absolutely not! You look great! I especially love your braid, it suits you." She says in an encouraging tone.

I nod and smile , then quickly slip back into my room to grab the piece of paper holding my schedule. I close the door behind me, holding the paper and then handing it to Jubilee. "This is my schedule,the professor told me yesterday that all classes I had either you or Jean would be in there with me." I say, pointing to the list of classes written out neatly

Jubilee accepts the paper from me, taking a moment to scan over the schedule. Her eyes widen slightly as she reads the list of classes. She then looks back up at me, a bright smile on her face.

"Ah, I see. Looks like we'll be spending a lot of time together, we both have Literature together first," she teases, a smirk on her face.

We both walk the halls toward the class

As we make our way down the halls, the sound of student chatter fills the air. The school is alive with activity. Jubilee walks beside me, her steps light and confident. We wecome into the classroom and I immediately spot Jean, seated towards the back of the room.

"Hey Jean!" Jubilee calls out, as we approach her. Jean looks up from what she is doing and smiles as she sees us. "Morning, good to see you both," she says, her voice friendly.

"Hi Jean" I say softly sitting next to her in the seat opposite

A warm smile graces Jean's face as I take my seat next to her. She looks over at me for a moment before speaking. "How are you feeling for your first day?" she inquires, her voice soft yet supportive.

I shrug, "okay so far" I say simply

"That's good to hear." Jean responds, her tone encouraging. She glances up at the clock on the wall, noting the time. "Class is about to start, Professor McCoy should be here any minute now."

"Hank teaches literature?" I say looking at jean. I expected him to teach a type of science or mathematics here but not necessarily literature

Jubilee chimes in, a sly smile on her face. "Yeah, Hank teaches science, psychology, one of the mathematics classes, as well as literature being one of them. Surprisingly, he's a total bookworm. He can recite Shakespearean sonnets and discuss symbolism in a pinch."