Project X [18+] [Fanfiction]

Chapter VI: The Big Moment

By the time I arrived at the headmistress' office, the couch had already taken on the fashionable, designer look that I had come to associate with her presence. It made me walk to the couch a bit slower, and bring myself down atop it with a moment of hesitation. If the headmistress had already been waiting for me, it meant that I was in trouble for something that had happened the previous night.

After all, if she was not upset with me, she would have delighted in making me wait in her office beforehand. She enjoyed that part of our sessions, I believe. Keeping a confused young woman sitting impatiently, wondering what new trials she would offer that I would be forced to tackle. The fact that as I sat on the couch looking to the headmistress' desk, where her chair was turned so she could gaze listlessly out the window...well, it was not a good sign for me.

Headmistress Frost was dressed in a white pantsuit, her platinum hair nearly blending in with the finely tailored garment as it clung to her shapely frame. Her usual display of cleavage was strangely absent though, and her bust was covered under the layers of her button-up blazer. It gave her a look of authority and presence, and her stern expression helped to drive home the fact that I might have made a misstep.

Well, myself and Shifter. He was hardly blameless in the incident of the past night.

"So. Two of my students were nearly exposed last night, in one of the most public places in the city." Her voice was slow and calm, and I squirmed in my seat as I imagined her drifting through my surface thoughts and feelings. I was wearing my usual attire of my tight fitting leathers and my tank top, but in that moment I found myself wishing I had something baggier to hide in. A jacket, a sweater, at the moment I would have even taken a blanket to cower behind.

"Yes, Headmistress." I responded after a moment, once I had built up my bravery to speak. "We lost control of ourselves. I promise it will not happen again."

"Oh, Laura...it's not that I don't trust you, but..." The headmistress still had not turned around to face me; sitting in her chair with her eyes gazing towards the window beyond. She took a moment to unfold her legs and cross her knee with the opposite one, getting comfortable before she spoke up again. "Clearly this training is clouding your judgement. Perhaps it isn't a good idea for us to continue with it."

"No!" Instantly my mind went on the defensive, and I sat up on the couch with my hands perched against my knees. Once I realized I had acted so emotionally I calmed myself, and took a slow, deep breath so that I could speak with my voice devoid of any emotion or impulse. "I mean, I believe the training and conditioning is helping me. I feel that cancelling it now would negate the good work we have already accomplished."

"Good work, hmm?" The headmistress asked, and finally she turned to face me. She was holding up a newspaper, waving it before me so that I could read the headline at the top.

'State Carnival Sabotaged; Mutant Terrorism Expected.'

"You think this is good work, Laura?" She scowled, and tossed the newspaper to the edge of the desk. "You think two of my students, two of my X-Men should be behaving like this?"

"I..." I trailed off, and bit down on my bottom lip. It was difficult to form a response knowing just what was on the line, but finally I decided to let the truth speak. My head raised; my black locks falling to frame my face while I responded. My voice was stronger now, and I made sure that my eyes held fast on the headmistress' while I offered my proposal.

"Headmistress Frost, let me tell you the entire story. If I do, you will understand. I swear it."

The headmistress gave me a calm, cold look that felt like it lasted forever. Somehow, the same apathetic expression from her was almost frightening when I knew that underneath it she was furious. It was not hard to see why many of the students found her equal parts attractive and intimidating.