Massachusetts Academy, Snow Valley, MA - Thursday morning
Ever since the incident with the X-Men, Angelica had tried to keep her distance from the other Hellions, as much as she could, at least. But both Empath and Roulette were in her dance class, and she could hear them snickering as she was called up to practice the new routine next. She concentrated on her steps, ignoring their whispers. Unfortunately, that also meant she didn't see Roulette toss one of her black light discs to the floor behind her, and the second she twirled and her foot touched it, she stumbled and fell.
"You stupid, clumsy buffoon!" Mrs. Cohen, the dance instructor, yelled. "How dare you come to my class unprepared! I've never seen such utter incompetence in my entire life!"
Angelica shrank back, confused and hurt. She'd never seen her teacher react like that before when she or other students made mistakes with their routines. She was normally so patient and kind and understanding.
Then she heard Empath snickering and realized the reason. He was using his powers to make Mrs. Cohen angry, just like he had used them to make her fall in love with him. Her anger at being used began to rise again, and though she didn't realize it at first, so did her powers. The fire alarm was her first clue, followed swiftly by the overhead sprinklers going off and drenching everyone in the room.
She was still soaking wet when Emma summoned her to the office of the headmistress. "I am extremely disappointed in you, Angelica," she said, leaning back in her hair as she studied Angelica. "You should know better than to let your powers run amuck like that! Not only did you endanger the lives of everyone by exposing them to your microwaves, but you might have revealed your mutant status to the entire school! What do you have to say for yourself, young lady?"
"Nothing, Ms. Frost," Angelica said, staring at the floor, "except...I'm sorry." She could have pointed her finger at Empath and Roulette, but it wasn't her way to tattletale.
"Very well," Emma said. "I trust that nothing like this will ever happen again. Consider the matter closed. I just hope old Mrs. Cohen doesn't come down with pneumonia."
Angelica nodded and turned to leave, but Emma's voice halted her. "Don't go yet, Angelica. We have something else to discuss."
"We do?" she said, turning back around.
"I've decided to send you to another school for a while," Emma said. "I think it would be good to put some distance between you and Manuel after the unpleasantness that happened."
"But I didn't do anything wrong!" Angelica protested. "He used his powers on me! It's not fair that I have to go and he can stay!" She hadn't run to Emma after what had happened; she'd already known exactly what had gone on by the time they'd all returned to the school.
Emma rose from her chair and moved around her desk to stand before Angelica. "Angelica, dear, what he did was wrong, and I assure you, he is being punished for it," she said. "And I am not trying to punish you by sending you away. You need some time away from him, and I know I can trust you while you're away. Manuel, on the other hand - I need to keep an eye on him."
"But I don't want to go!" Angelica said plaintively. "I want to stay here with you."
Emma folded her into her arms. "It will only be a few weeks," she promised. "The school is south of here, in Virginia, not too far away. And as soon as I'm certain Manuel will behave himself, I will bring you home."
Angelica clung to Emma, trying not to cry. She'd hated her old school where the students teased and bullied her, and she'd finally found a home here at the Massachusetts Academy, despite Empath and Roulette. Starting over again made her feel frightened and sick.
Emma drew back, catching Angelica's hand in one hand and pulling it up in front of her face. The gold bracelet engraved with her name, a gift from Emma, circled her wrist -- she never took it off. "I'll always be with you, dear," Emma said. "No matter what, you'll never be alone. Now go to your room and pack your bags and make me proud."
Angelica nodded, wiping her eyes. She could do this. "I will," she said. "I'll make you so proud of me, Ms. Frost. I promise."
"You stupid, clumsy buffoon!" Mrs. Cohen, the dance instructor, yelled. "How dare you come to my class unprepared! I've never seen such utter incompetence in my entire life!"
Angelica shrank back, confused and hurt. She'd never seen her teacher react like that before when she or other students made mistakes with their routines. She was normally so patient and kind and understanding.
Then she heard Empath snickering and realized the reason. He was using his powers to make Mrs. Cohen angry, just like he had used them to make her fall in love with him. Her anger at being used began to rise again, and though she didn't realize it at first, so did her powers. The fire alarm was her first clue, followed swiftly by the overhead sprinklers going off and drenching everyone in the room.
She was still soaking wet when Emma summoned her to the office of the headmistress. "I am extremely disappointed in you, Angelica," she said, leaning back in her hair as she studied Angelica. "You should know better than to let your powers run amuck like that! Not only did you endanger the lives of everyone by exposing them to your microwaves, but you might have revealed your mutant status to the entire school! What do you have to say for yourself, young lady?"
"Nothing, Ms. Frost," Angelica said, staring at the floor, "except...I'm sorry." She could have pointed her finger at Empath and Roulette, but it wasn't her way to tattletale.
"Very well," Emma said. "I trust that nothing like this will ever happen again. Consider the matter closed. I just hope old Mrs. Cohen doesn't come down with pneumonia."
Angelica nodded and turned to leave, but Emma's voice halted her. "Don't go yet, Angelica. We have something else to discuss."
"We do?" she said, turning back around.
"I've decided to send you to another school for a while," Emma said. "I think it would be good to put some distance between you and Manuel after the unpleasantness that happened."
"But I didn't do anything wrong!" Angelica protested. "He used his powers on me! It's not fair that I have to go and he can stay!" She hadn't run to Emma after what had happened; she'd already known exactly what had gone on by the time they'd all returned to the school.
Emma rose from her chair and moved around her desk to stand before Angelica. "Angelica, dear, what he did was wrong, and I assure you, he is being punished for it," she said. "And I am not trying to punish you by sending you away. You need some time away from him, and I know I can trust you while you're away. Manuel, on the other hand - I need to keep an eye on him."
"But I don't want to go!" Angelica said plaintively. "I want to stay here with you."
Emma folded her into her arms. "It will only be a few weeks," she promised. "The school is south of here, in Virginia, not too far away. And as soon as I'm certain Manuel will behave himself, I will bring you home."
Angelica clung to Emma, trying not to cry. She'd hated her old school where the students teased and bullied her, and she'd finally found a home here at the Massachusetts Academy, despite Empath and Roulette. Starting over again made her feel frightened and sick.
Emma drew back, catching Angelica's hand in one hand and pulling it up in front of her face. The gold bracelet engraved with her name, a gift from Emma, circled her wrist -- she never took it off. "I'll always be with you, dear," Emma said. "No matter what, you'll never be alone. Now go to your room and pack your bags and make me proud."
Angelica nodded, wiping her eyes. She could do this. "I will," she said. "I'll make you so proud of me, Ms. Frost. I promise."