Log: Maddie and Sue: Universities

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Sue turns to Maddie for support when it's time to open her acceptance letters.

A bundle of envelopes landed on Maddie's lap with an audible thump, a familiar blonde appearing at the edge of Maddie's vision after them, her hand still raised from the throw. "That's the last one," Sue told her girlfriend in a small voice as she perched on the hand-rest of the sofa, "letters from every college I applied too." The teenager had been up early everyday for the past two weeks to meet the postman when he arrived at the Mansion to see if there were any new envelopes for her. She had barely been able keep her focus during class and had even let her mind drift away once during training, a mistake she wouldn't make again, she thought, ruefully rubbing her arm. But this was what she'd been waiting for, that collection of letters scattered over Maddie's lap.

It was not a difficult task for Maddie to turn her attention away from her book as the pages were now currently covered with Sue's stack of mail. She flashed the blonde a wide smile, barely able to contain her excitement at this very important junction in her girlfriend's life. She couldn't even count the number of envelopes in her lap, but there were a lot. "Ohmig-d, Sue!" The redhead quickly shuffled through the stack, taking stock of the names on the envelopes. "Princeton! Stanford! MIT! Wait." Something had caught her eye, and Maddie wrinkled her brow in confusion.

"You didn't open them?"

Just for just a fraction of a second a look of panic flashed across the blonde's face before it was chased away by a smile that didn't quite make it all the way to her eyes. "But the envelopes are so official, with the crests and stamps; they look way too nice for me to damage them by doing something like opening them," Sue replied lamely as she smiled at Maddie. "Besides, this way they have the whole mysterious air going on."

That didn't make any sense. Why wouldn't Sue open her admissions letters? She had been waiting for these for months now. Maddie shot her girlfriend a confused look, which quickly faded when she saw the pained smile on the other girl's lips.

"What's wrong?"

"What? Nothing, everything's fine," she hurried to assure the other girl, if not entirely believably. "I just wanted to open them all together, you know make the whole thing more memorable."

That earned her a very pointed look. "Sue...."

Sue sighed and nudged Maddie with her shoulder, sliding down onto the couch next to her. "If I don't open them then I don't have to deal with not getting in anywhere," she admitted in a small voice as she gestured at the envelopes. "What'll I do if all the universities rejected me Mads?" the blonde asked shaking slightly, a hiccup in her voice. "I mean so I've got high grades, but so do loads of people. Why would they pick me?" The blonde shuddered and looked down at where here her hands were twisted  together in her lap, "I didn't...don't wanna open them," Sue admitted quietly, "I don't wanna have to face disappointing everyone."

"Oh Sue." The stack of letters was instantly abandoned (along with Maddie's book), banished to the coffee table so as not to impede her ability to drape her legs across Sue's, wrap her arms around her girlfriend's neck, and bury her head in those golden curls. Maddie knew the blonde was anxious about receiving her admissions decisions, but not this much. "You'll get in somewhere," she whispered. "Safety schools. Community college at the very least."

That moment of comfort was all it took for Sue's tenuous control to shatter and she buried her head in Maddie's shoulder, "But everyone has all these expectations; how can I turn around and tell everyone that they were wrong? How do I tell people that I failed?" the teenager's muffled voice asked, "I'm a Storm, I'm supposed to be a genius, what happens if I have to go home and tell my dad that I didn't even get into his Alma Mater but that I'm going to a safety school instead? I don't think I could do that, I couldn't face his disappointment. Couldn't face anyone's, I'm not that strong Maddie."

Maddie sat in silence for a few moments, one hand idly playing with Sue's hair as she tightened the embrace, her lips planting a kiss on top of the blonde's head every so often. She wanted to just take all of this stress and anxiety and fear away and carry it herself; the pain in Sue's voice and the tension that had taken over her entire body were almost unbearable. It was never easy for Maddie to see someone, anyone she cared for in pain, even worse when there was nothing she could do to make it all just go away. She knew nothing she said would make the fear of rejection disappear; this was, after all, a mega life-changing deal that would dictate the next four years of Sue's life.

~I won't be disappointed with you, baby.~ She said, using her powers so as not to disturb the silence. There was something that compelled Maddie to remain quiet, like there was a bubble around her and Sue and speaking would cause it to pop, letting in who only knew what. ~I could never be disappointed in you.~

Thank you,seriously, you have no idea what that means to me Sue thought back giving Maddie a grateful squeeze. Without realizing it Sue echoed Maddie's desire to maintain the silence. The blonde wasn't sure if Maddie could sense the relief her girlfriend's words had sparked, but hoped she could. I just...I know it's stupid, but I hope my dad feels the same way; we're just starting to get to a better place now; I don't wanna be the one who screws it all up again.

"He won't be disappointed in you." Maddie felt some of the tension in her girlfriend's body ease, not entirely, but enough to know that the worst was over. Hopefully. She understood not wanting to disappoint one's parents, and remembered that feeling all too vividly. The realization of what Maddie being a mutant really meant, and how much it was going to impact her life had been tough; even though it wasn't her fault, she was afraid of disappointing them.

"He won't," she said softly. "Remember when you told him about us dating? He loves you and wants what's best for you and for you to be happy. Maybe MIT isn't the school for you after all. Plans change, people change. I always hoped I'd land a soccer scholarship for college, maybe one day make the U.S. team and go to the World Cup, but I can't cause I'm a mutant. But I don't mind much now, really, 'cause it's what brought me here to Xavier's and Clint, and Billy, and Topaz, and KGibz, and everyone, and you."

Sue slowly rolled her head, pulling away from Maddie till she was just resting her head on the other girl's shoulder as her hand slipped down to entwine with Maddie's. "Awww, I'm really glad you ended up here too Sweetie, I can't imagine the mansion without you." she admitted honestly, a genuine smile peeking through on her face."  "Yeah, my dad's been really awesome recently, It's like having my old dad back, I think that's what scares me the most." The blonde fell silent for a moment, "How do you handle it? All your dreams and plans vanishing all of a sudden?"

Maddie shrugged. "You mourn. You accept it. And you try to find something new." It sounded so simple in theory, but in practice it was completely different. She had tried to cling to some of those dreams by playing soccer down in the city, but it didn't feel right any more. So she branched out. School musical, cheerleading, Model UN, archery... things she may not have been able to do before had she simply been playing sports. Thinking of all that made her smile. "And somewhere along the way you realize that maybe... maybe this is better."

"You're smart." She gave Sue's hand a squeeze. "And hard-working. And driven. And passionate. You're gonna do great, no matter what's in those envelopes."

"This is better," Sue echoed playing with the concept in her mind, it seemed so simple but, "It's true isn't it? Learning to surf, being taught robotics by Emma Frost, building the spiders, making real friends, meeting you." the blonde smiled as she gave her girlfriend's hand a squeeze. "I'd never have done any of that without being here. Besides, if I can do all that then I really don't need to worry about what some letters say do I?"

"Well you still to know where you're going to college." The mood was lighter now to the point where Maddie felt comfortable making a joke. Well, she was serious, but it was said in joking tone. "Still. They're just pieces of paper. And you're Sue Storm. The worse they. can do is give you a papercut; you can take 'em. I believe in you."

Sue grinned, "Well when you put it like that, there really isn't any reason to put this off any longer," she noted wryly as she reached for the first envelope. "I wouldn't want anyone to say that I got my butt kicked by an envelope now would I?" As she spoke Sue slipped a finger under the fold of the envelope and caught Maddie's eye.

"Here we go."