Thursday evening, a small French bistro

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Because she’s a slow learner, Lorna goes on another date with Brent. Sometimes it takes a stranger to give you some perspective.


Okay so this was a lot more into date territory. She could justify coffee but cozy little bistros with flickering candlelight and discreet waiters with knowing smiles were date restaurants and not study restaurants. She bit her lip, feeling horribly guilty and stabbed half-heartedly at her salad. Brent interrupted himself mid-sentence and sat forward, “What is it? Did the lettuce insult your mother?”

She smiled and sighed, “I’m sorry. I’m being horrible company.”

“No, you’re great. You haven’t said a word since we got here. It’s kind of like having dinner with the Mona Lisa.” He grinned at her, his smile slightly crooked, “Of course as much as I appreciate the silent beauty act because I get to tell all my stories, I get the feeling something’s wrong. What’s up?”

Lorna considered lying or telling him it was complicated but she didn’t really like lying and it wasn’t all that complicated. “I don’t want you to think I’m not glad to be here, Brent. It’s not that at all.”

“Ex, huh?” he asked wryly. She nodded. His smiled went just a bit more crooked. “I wondered. So who was the moron that let you get away?”

“Alex. One year, two months, one day.” She propped her chin on her hand and gave up entirely on pretending to eat. “It wasn’t his fault. I screwed up.”

“Uh huh.” Brent sat back and lifted his wineglass, “So what did you do? Sleep with his best friend?” He took a sip, watching her expectantly.

Lorna’s jaw dropped, “What? No!” He barely knew her and he thought she’d cheat? She couldn’t even fathom the concept and the specific idea of sleeping with Shiro… Just no way. She shoved back from the table, ready to walk out.

He waved her back into her seat. “Yeah, I didn’t think so. Sit down and tell me what you did to the guy that was so horrible that a year long relationship couldn’t be saved?”

Lorna did, reluctantly. “I said some things. I didn’t mean it like it came out but…it just wasn’t the kind of thing you can forgive.”

Brent shook his head and drained the rest of his wine. “Lorna, as I say this keep in mind that I like you a great deal. Are you really telling me that you’re head over heels for this guy and you’re giving up this easily? Are you stupid?”

Lorna was beginning to wonder if there was something magic markered on her face ‘ask me about my stupidity!’ She rubbed at her forehead. “You don’t know the circumstances. It’s really complicated. We’ve been going through some things and we just can’t get over them.” she protested wearily, “And I didn’t say I was in love with him.”

“Are you?”

Denying it was entirely impossible, she discovered. “Yes.”

“Then shut up, Ophelia.” She blinked at him, “The lady doth protest...?” She nodded. “Right. As I was saying, I think you’re both idiots. Now this is a good thing for me because it means I’m here and he’s not. But given that I know you’re brilliant—don’t give me that look, I’ve read the notes you take—you’ll come to your senses sooner or later and so will he and I’d really rather avoid having my heart or my legs broken.”

“What are you some kind of relationship counsellor?” Lorna asked sullenly. She was really very tired of the whole damn world weighing in on what she should do about Alex. It didn’t seem fair that her rebound was reading her the riot act.

“Ex-girlfriend was a psych major. I think I was her senior thesis.” Brent shrugged, with a smile that suggested fond memories. “Want to hear what I think?”

“Would it matter if I said no?”

He pretended to give it some thought, “No.” She rolled her eyes. He poured himself more wine and settled himself so he could comfortably expound on his topic. “I think you had a fight and I think you aren’t used to that. I think it’s only a matter of time before you see that this isn’t an end of the world matter. I think you’re mistaken if you think it’s all your fault. It’s just not possible to have a fight all by yourself. These things always seem worse than they really are and assigning blame is a useless exercise anyway. I think you’re smart enough to know that too. I think you must been ridiculously in love in order to be this blind right now.” He contemplated his wine for a moment then took a drink. “I also think you’re beautiful though you could stand to gain some weight and that salad isn’t going to do a damn thing towards that. But that one is just a personal opinion.”

“I think you’ve had too much to drink.” Lorna said sharply and took his glass from him.

He nodded thoughtfully. “Possibly. But cut me some slack. I’m telling my dream girl she should try to patch things up with her ex. I deserve a medal, let alone a little wine.”

She sighed, “Brent…”

He lifted a hand to stop her, “It’s okay, really.” He smiled. “I don’t suppose you have a sister?”

He gave her such a pleading hopeful look that she couldn’t maintain her bad mood. She laughed and relaxed incrementally, “No. I have a roommate though.”

“Let me guess,” he leaned forward and stole his wine back, “sweet girl, great personality?”

“Christ, no. She’s a total diva, utterly unmanageable. But she’s hot as hell.” Lorna grinned, thinking that Alison would kill her if she heard this. “As she’ll be glad to tell you.”

“Sounds like my kind of girl.” He laughed then tilted his head to the side, “Hey, can I ask you something?”

“Ask away,” she said grandly.

“Who does your haircolor?”

“What?” Lorna stopped smiling, suddenly wary.

“And did you know there’s a paper clip in it?” He reached across the table and extracted it. She felt it resist, wanting to stay with her.

She accepted the paperclip from him and closed her fist around it, “Thanks. My colorist works in the city.” Maybe it was just simple curiosity. No need for panic.

“That’s a long way to go. Didn’t you say you worked at some private school in Westchester?” His tone was a little too conversational and his eyes a little too sharp. Oh god. “I saw a documentary a while back,” he continued amiably as though her face hadn’t just drained of all blood. “Looks like a nice school. Or am I thinking of the wrong one?”

Oh. God. “How…when?”

“The coffee shop on Tuesday.” He said it like it didn’t matter at all. Not at all like he was confirming her worst fears. “You dropped your pen.”

It had been just out of reach. She didn’t think he’s been able to see and… “Oh God.” She covered her face with her hands and prayed this just a bad dream.

“Hey, calm down. I think it’s swanky.” He tugged at her wrist until she looked at him again. “Really,” he assured her.

“You won’t tell anyone?”

“Course not.” He grinned crookedly at her, “Look at you. You’re white as a sheet. Come on, let’s get some air.” He dumped some money on the table and stood. She sat staring dumbly at him, feeling like she’d missed a cue. He laughed and pulled her to her feet. “Come on.”

She allowed herself to be towed outside, still processing the shock he’d just dumped on her. He kept hold of her hand as they started to stroll down the street, lacing his fingers with hers. He ran his thumb over the back of her hand but didn’t ask about the bandages. “So is the hair…?”

“Yes, it’s really green.”

“Wicked.” He reached up to touch it and the move reminded her of Alex. She ducked away. He let his hand fall to his side again and went on as though nothing had occurred, “So you can move things with your mind? What’s that called?”

“Telekinesis.” She shook her head. “I’m not a teke.” It was very strange, this conversation. She wasn’t used to talking about her powers to a non-mutant. She couldn’t remember the last time she had if the denizens of the mansion didn’t count which they didn’t. “I’m a magnokinetic. The pen had a steel barrel.”

He was oddly silent for a moment and his voice strangely shaded when he finally spoke. “Is your boyfriend a mutant too?”

“Ex-boyfriend,” she corrected, “Most of the students are.”

Brent gave her an appraising look. “You were dating a student? Good for him but didn’t the administration have a problem with that?”

Lorna blushed, “That was one of my arguments too. And the age difference and my…boss, his brother. I was overruled on every count.” It made her smile to think of it, though only briefly. If she’d stuck to her objections, none of this would have happened.

“I like your smile.” Brent told her, bringing her back to present.

She sighed. “Brent, I’m sorry. This isn’t fair.” She tugged at her hand but he held on firmly.

“Why? Because you’re still in love with him? That doesn’t bother me. You aren’t cheating on him, you know, even though you feel like you are. You broke up and right now you’re free to do what you like with whom you like. Maybe you’ll figure out that I was right and go back to him, in which case you’ll have to listen to me say I told you so as I step aside. And if you decide that I was wrong—well, then hey, I’m first in line”

Lorna tucked her arm behind her back, bringing his arm around her waist. She braced herself against his shoulder with her free hand and kissed his cheek. “That is incredibly sweet. Rather self-interested but very sweet.”

He caught her chin and held her in place while he brushed a kiss over her lips. “You seem like you need sweet. You can’t have had too much of it recently or you wouldn’t look so surprised.” He ran his hand through her hair. “This is the most fabulous color.”

“I used to dye it brown.” She eased back from him and he let her, though he stopped her with a gentle tug of his hands on her waist when she would have gone out of arms’ reach. “Until I came to Xavier’s, I’d never been anything but a brunette. Green still looks a bit strange to me even though it’s my real color. Alex prefers it green.” She was trying to explain something but was having trouble putting her thoughts into words. “That’s the way it goes in my head. Everything leads back to him. That’s why it’s not fair to you.”

“Lorna, are you trying to get me to give up on you?” He pulled her a step closer again, “Because it would be easier if you just said so. I won’t, but it would be nice to know if that’s what you’re trying to do.”

Was that what she was doing? “I just want you to know what to expect. I wouldn’t blame you if you decided it was intolerable.” Lorna bit her lip and made a decision. “However, there is this thing going on next Saturday. It’s a fundraiser for this group called HeliX that tries to foster mutant tolerance. I have to go but I don’t have a date yet. Would you be interested?”

Brent raised his eyebrows at her, “What kind of thing?”

“Black tie. Tuxes and fancy dresses. Rich people and teenage mutants on their best behaviour.”

“Sounds like a blast.” He tugged her a bit closer. She stopped him with her hands on her shoulders. “What are you wearing?”

“I don’t know. Something simple.” She hadn’t really thought about it and had figured she’d just wear something basic so she could keep an eye on the wait staff. “We’ve been renting tuxes from a local shop. I can give you their number…”

“I have a tux, actually,” He interrupted with a smile, “My ill spent youth comes in handy occasionally.”

“Oh…well, great.” Lorna blinked, “Do I dare ask how you were misspending your youth that required a tux?”

He gave her that odd look again, “Things for my sister.” He glanced at her watch. “I hate to say this but I have a killer essay to write still for an 8 am class. Can I beg for another date?” His fingers stroked coaxingly at her waist. She hesitated and he saw that she was about to refuse. “Nevermind. You have my number. If you find yourself with nothing to do on Saturday give me a call. We’ll hit a museum or something.”

Lorna nodded, not trusting that she wouldn’t say something she’d end up regretting. She didn’t dare encourage him but was equally reluctant to send him away. She didn’t object as he kissed her but she did think of Alex. She wondered who she was betraying most, Brent, Alex or herself.