xp_logs | Callie & Tabitha: Sunroom Discussions

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Callie and Tabitha have a talk about the New Mutants in the Sun Room

Thanks to finally not having a headache, Tabitha was practically gliding when she entered the sun room. A strangely good mood had descended upon her lately, even with the fiasco that was writing her ad with Cammie. So she smiled at the young woman who was in the room already. “Good afternoon, Callie, how ya doing?”

Callie was stretched out, lounging on a group of pillows, enjoying the feel of sunlight on her bare skin. A notebook was propped up by her knees and she stared at it, pen pressed to her lips, her brow etched deep in concentration. Every so often an idea would hit her and something would be jotted down before she resumed her pensive manner. So deep in thought was she that Callie failed to notice that someone else decided to join her until the tail end of Tabitha's greeting reached her ears.

"Hm?" Callie lifted her head up toward the sound and smiled upon catching sight of the librarian. "Hi Miss Tabitha. I'm fine, just enjoying the sun. Doing some thinking. How are you?"

“Surprisingly good,” she replied as she flopped into a chair. “If a little bit dorky over a side project.” She rested her head against her hand and tried to catch a glimpse of Callie’s paper. “What are you up to?”

"Side project," inquired Callie as she tilted her head. Then pen tapped against the page as her attention returned to it for a moment. She pulled a face, one that read as a mixture of thought and exhaustion. She shook her head and looked back up at the blond woman. "I'm trying to figure out if I want to be in the New Mutants this next year. It's not compulsory, so I don't know. I'm making a list."

Tabs only pursed her lips and went right passed any mention of her “side project.” She couldn’t believe she’d even brought it up in front of a student. “You guys did a lot of good last year. What have you got on your list so far?”

"Pros," Callie read matter-of-factly. "Looks good on college application, something to do apart from studying and taking classes, helping people, um, doing stuff with my friends, and that's it for right now."

“Looks good on a college application?” Tabitha exclaimed. “You are one driven young lady, man.” She rubbed her temple with her first two fingers. “What about the cons?”

Driven? Not really. College was just always expected of her; she expected it herself. And she wanted to go to a good school. Callie glanced over at the other column on her paper. "Cons: takes time away from doing homework, people don't seem to want to work as a team, no real direction, I could probably do more volunteer work on my own and it would be stuff that directly impacts what I want to do, and sometimes I need a break from everyone and that can't happen when I'm always with them. I mean they're my friends, but I still want time to myself, you know?"

Tabs stared at Callie. Her brain cranked a little bit, then moved a little faster. “So what could change to make you want to stay?” she asked.

Callie shrugged. "I don't know. I mean it seems that the program almost got off track, you know? I mean after Mr. Marko left then Mr. Kane it kinda feels like no one knows exactly what we're supposed to be doing. Not that I have any real ideas or anything." She stopped and sighed. "Maybe if we had a clear direction or something? At least then it might make more sense."

The librarian was quite for a moment, gaze distant. “So what say you were in charge of figuring out just what the group was all about. What would you give as a … mission statement, I guess is the phrase?”

"A mission statement?" Callie mulled this over for a bit, her lips pursed in concentration. "I guess if I had to take it a guess it would be something about building teamwork and unity. Oh and having fun. Because that's important as well. Having fun. While learning. Does that make any sense at all?"

Tabitha cupped her face in both hands, attention focused on Callie. “It actually makes a lot of sense.” She sat up abruptly. “Do me a favor. Don’t make any decisions yet, okay?”

A final glance was afforded to the sheet of paper in front of her before Callie looked back up at Tabitha. The lists were rather short at the moment, but she knew that she could find more to add. "Okay. I won't. I mean, I have some time still to decide." She shrugged. "No use rushing into things, right?"

Tabs grinned. “Exactly. You never know what might change.”