Lost

A Chance to Change

12 months later......

I scribbled down the order of this nice lady who wore a cherry red coat and her daughter who was colouring in her colouring book outside the lines, which was rather triggering. The little girl looked up to me and scrunched up her nose as if I was the ugliest thing she'd ever seen.

"Why do you have pink hair?" She asked tapping her pen against her chin. "because it's my favourite colour," I replied simply and smiled at her. Her eyes widened and she gave me a look. "But pink's for girls and your a boy!" The little girl said sourly. "Ruby!" Her mother snapped. "I'm so sorry," She replied, her eyes glinting. "It's quite alright, miss," I replied. "No problem at all,"

"Your so weird, could you just do your job and get our drinks already?" Ruby rolled her eyes at me. Her mother got really angry and ordered her to apologise. "Why should I apologise? He's the one who isn't doing his job!" I left while her mother talked to her and came back with their drinks 10 minutes later. I served another customer before coming to clean their table down, the lady had given me a $20 tip. I strode over to this table with two young men sat talking to one another.

"Hi, what can I get you?" I asked politely as I pulled out my notepad and pen. Suddenly, I had this weird feeling in my mind, as if I wasn't the only one in my head, thinking. I glanced up at the man and I just knew it was him. He was just like me. I nearly dropped everything. 

"Your.... your a telepath!" I half gasped half whispered. 

"So are you," He replied smiling at me. "My name is Charles Xavier," The man extended his hand towards me and I hesitated before shaking it. I didn't know if I could trust either of these men, even though they are mutants, there are mutants out there who intend to wipe out the human race and I didn't want any part of that.

"my name is Erik," the other man said after a minute of awkward silence. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you both," 

"So, Cameron, your mutation is quite remarkable, I am the principle of a school for young mutants, you should come," He smiled at me. 

"That sounds awesome, but I think I'll pass, I've got a job and apartment, I'm doing pretty alright," I replied smiling. I still didn't trust them one bit, even if this school existed, I wouldn't go. 

" Cameron, if you don't mind me asking, how old are you?" Charles asked. I knew there would be pointless to lie since he could just easily read my mind and know if I was telling the truth or not. 

"I'm 16," I replied quietly. 

"And you live with your parents?" Charles inquired further. 

"No, I uh, live on my own,"  I didn't know why he was prying into my life, but I didn't like it. I didn't need anyone worrying about me or pretending that they care. Why couldn't he just read my mind and we could just be done with this conversation? I've been doing just fine on my own. I'm earning enough money to sustain myself. This guy had no right to try to change everything I had planned. This school wouldn't be able to help me. 

"Cameron, this school can help you control your ability," Charles said interrupting my train of thought. "You don't have to go through this alone," 

He's wrong. He's wrong. He's wrong. I've been alone since my mother died and left me alone in that godforsaken house with my father. I've been alone since my friends left me when I got to high school and I became the new target for the bullies. I've been alone since I ran away from home and I've been doing just fine. I had this sick feeling churning in my stomach at the thought of going back home. This felt like a trick as if this man was pretending and was actually a police officer trying to take me back home. That thought set it off. A chain reaction of memories flashed through my mind. I could never face my father again. The man who was supposed to love me more than anything. The man who was supposed to check for monsters under my bed at night when I got scared, instead he was the monster, lurking in the dark, running on alcohol. More memories flashed through my mind as my hand started to shake. The drinks on the table, the paintings on the walls, the lights that hung above us began to tremble as if an earthquake was hitting. I felt a sudden tightening in my chest. The lights began to flicker. There was no way this school could exist. The government would never let that happen. Someone grabbed my hand and brought me back into this moment. I looked up at Charles who had concern hidden deep in his eyes. Begging me to tell him what was going on. How could I say, hey this is a panic attack it happens when my head pulls the trigger to set off a bunch of memories. 

"Cameron, we can help you," Charles said softly. No one can save me from me. I'm on my own and that's all I'm ever going to be. I shook my head and pulled my hand out of Charles's grasp. I pushed open the door of the cafe that took me out onto a busy street. I breathed in the cold air into my lungs as I walked quickly back to my apartment, glancing over my shoulder every two seconds to check if someone was following me. I kept walking, thinking about the opportunity I had missed. I didn't care. I didn't need anyone's help, I don't want anyone's sympathy or guidance, I'm doing just fine on my own. Oh thank God, I had my apartment keys in my pocket or I would've had to go back. I couldn't get rid of this feeling of pure paranoia. I tossed and turned all night, thinking about Charles and his kindness that could've been disguised, hiding something much darker. 

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