A Rogue's Tale

Keeping up the Pretense: Part 1

Chapter Eighteen: Keeping up the Pretense

Monday morning came before anyone knew it and a new week of school had started. The boys would groan about having to attend school, like being a mutant made them above it all. Rogue didn't mind. Some classes were boring but at least it got her out of the house, and she got to see Remy during lunch. Todd and Pietro cut classes a few times and even got caught once, but they didn't get in trouble. It could be because Mystique was actually their principal. She found that out when she touched her. The X-men didn't even know, but she was sure that Professor Xavier and maybe even Logan, the guy with the claws, knew it.

She hadn't given Remy that bit of information and she wondered why she didn't. She would tell him everything she learned from Mystique one day, even her connection his to his father. She knew there was tension when it came to him and Jean Luc, but she knew it would hurt him more to know his father was part of some dangerous conspiracy.

Every morning before school, Mystique had them train, and training did become strenuous seeing that the boys never cut her any slack because she was a girl. In fact, they were harder on her because of it, but she managed to hold her own. Fred was the only one who didn't outwardly try to humiliate her, but it seemed Lance and Pietro were always making wise cracks and calling her demeaning names. Rogue just shrugged it off and most of the time and made them eat their own words.

Anything that happened in the training yard stayed there. Nothing of what happened was ever voiced. It was the way Mystique wanted it. She told Rogue repeatedly she was proud of her for standing up to the boys, but even with all her praise she was still going through the pretense of drugging her. Rogue always took that personally poured glass of orange juice. As long as Mystique believed she still didn't remember the better for her and the X-Men.

The boys and Rogue was soon off to school, piling as usual into Lance's van. They had a reputation of being a gang, and many of the students at Bayville High were afraid of them. That fear was cemented after Fred lost his temper one afternoon and roughed up half the football team, no one ever bothered them again after that. Most kids stayed clear of the Brotherhood gang, especially Fred for his size alone. They didn't dare go near Rogue, especially, since half the school thought they were dating.

She and Fred had most of their classes together so most kids treated her kindly, those who had the nerve to speak to her.

They got to school just as the first bell rang. She made it to homeroom just in time, and she walked in and saw that a few of the girls, cheerleaders, were whispering and pointing at her.

One blonde girl that she knew had a crush on Duncan Matthews, the so-called school hero, turned to her and whispered, "Question, vampire girl." Rogue turned to her and gave the girl her famous death glare. "When you and Blob boy fuck, are you on top?"

The blonde and two of her friends that were sitting next to her laughed. Rogue grabbed her wrist and twisted it slightly. "None of your fucking business," Rogue whispered back and then let go.

"You bitch," the girl said, rubbing her sore wrist. "You could have broken..."

"That's right, you pathetic little Barbie doll. If ah wanted to ah could have, just remember that." Rogue stood up just as the blonde did and faced her eye to eye. "Be careful who you piss off, Barbie."

Rogue moved to the back and sat next to Tara who passed her a note. She took it very discretely and sat down. She opened it up and read it.

Rogue,

You know that I am always your friend. Please, be careful where Mystique is concerned, and the thing about Fred... you can fool everyone else but not me. Meet me after school by the bleachers on the south side. I need to talk to you.

BF

She put the note in her purse and looked over at Tara and gave a quick nod. It was all Tara needed to know that Rogue was going to meet her. She sat back and waited for homeroom to be over. It was kind of a stupid procedure. It was only to make role call and act stupid like those two dumb cheerleaders attempting to make fun of her. As far as they were concerned she was Fred Duke's girl, but if they knew the truth they would be more afraid. Both she and Remy had dangerous powers. He could probably level the school in no time flat, and she had the capability to put everyone into a coma. Doing just that to those three girls did appeal to her, but she didn't want those airheads' psyches swimming around in her head.

She was relieved when the bell rang, and she got up and ran out of the room.