「 The Professor & I 」VOLUME II

(196) My Brave Girl

Lynn's POV

With Charles securely holding my hand as he maneuvered his automated chair alongside my manual one now powered by telekinesis, he ushered us down the corridors and it was still silent, except now distressingly awkward as the children packed on it gaped down at us dumbfounded.

Their thoughts were wildly amiss, and even if I expected it, I never anticipated it to be this crazily nerve-wrecking. I attempted to avoid the intent gazes from the sea of mostly unfamiliar youngsters, but their eager interests quickly grew into hushed gossips by the farther wall and my escalating discomforts were clearly noticed.

Immediately reducing his speed to match mine, Charles squeezed my clammy palm and gently stroked the back of it with his thumb, but it was no method to diminish the skyrocketing anxieties I was experiencing.

My heart was pounding like the grassland beneath a ruthlessly galloping stallion and my breathing accelerated erratically yet I felt like I was trapped in an oxygen deficiency, suffocating, literally drowning in the little ones' judgmental ogling and discriminating murmuring.

A screaming sense of shame ignited the urge to hide myself, to jump into a hole, but it was not like that was even physically an option.

Relax, my love. They're just curious, Charles sincerely reassured as my chair came helplessly to a halt.

The combined effects of his soothing voice ringing sweetly in my mind, him consistently rubbing my back and meeting my lowered head with his compassionate gaze gradually managed to revert my frame to moderate calmness.

Do you want me to introduce you? Charles sought warily and I agreed after giving it some thought.

"Good morning, everyone," Charles composedly addressed the young crowd and they immediately quieten as their headmaster turned stern while still gingerly holding my hand.

"Good morning, Professor," the kids sang in unison.

"What did I say about mumbling and speculating? If there's something you want to know, you have to...?" Charles prompted the children in a kind tone.

"Ask..." They answered in sync.

"Excellent," Charles commended with a gratified expression.

"Now, since we're here, there's someone I'd like all of you to meet," he announced, trying to contain his utter excitement as he tugged politely on my hand.

As requested, I complied to move forward and the children gasped again when my chair appeared to motion on its own but it rapidly ceased as Charles shot them an uncharacteristically fierce glare.

"This is, the legendary, Mrs. Xavier," Charles acquainted gleefully and I smiled, feeling his sheer happiness rushing through me like an energetic bolt of lightning, severely revitalizing me.

There seemed to be a bearable silence for a long minute but apparently I was still jittery enough to be jumpy when a little boy suddenly approached me.

"Are you Lady Seraph?" He enquired in his kiddy tone.

Patiently awaiting my response, the young Caucasian mutant in a pair of gold-wired circular glasses stared up innocently at me with his eyes that held some sort of electromagnetic pulses capable of being released every time he blinked. Partially fazed by his peculiar question, I haphazardly gazed towards Charles but he simply smiled and shrugged.