Come on, really. It was almost absurd. Torrence looked the note again once over, reading each word carefully and with a keen interest (almost disbelieving) at what was written on the wrinkled piece of notebook paper. Her dark eyes scanned it, and she could feel the beginnings of an embarrassed giggle rising in her chest. This was smashed down with a force so hard she almost hiccuped. Almost as if sensing her desperate attempt not to laugh, the younger girl next to her giggled for her; it was a soft sound, muffled somewhat by the small hand that had laid itself over her lips. The teacher did not look up; he had not heard it and they would be spared the embarrassment of him taking it away from Torrie's hands and reading the absurdity that was written on it. The younger mutant watched Torrence closely for a moment with a wide set smile on her face before turning her own blue eyes back to the paper in the senior's hand.
Where was the decency in the world anymore? The lack thereof made Torrence feel split between amusement and despair. If Torrie Hamilton could not even escape the gossip produced by idle minds full of teenage boredom, then no one in this school was safe. Nay... no one in this world. Torrie sighed softly, folding the paper again and letting it fall to her desk. Then, she placed her hands upon her forehead and let her head rest there as she closed her eyes and felt the wonder of the idiocy of youth. Were Torrence's feelings of no consequence to the authors of this note? Were they not to be considered when whoever had written it had laid pencil to paper and scripted such a horrid masterpiece of lies? Most of the time the senior was perfectly fine with ignoring what was said about her, but then again, very few people bothered saying anything mean about her at all, and this was just plain cruel. Torrie removed her slender digits from her skull and reached for the note once more, opening it swiftly and reading the contents yet again.
It read as such:
You know, I wonder where this Hamilton chick gets off thinking she's so much better than the rest of us. Always walking around like she owns this whole school. What's her problem anyway? Does she think she's all that just because she fucked Max Chadstone last year? I bet she's slept with half the guys in this school. What a whore.
It wasn't signed, obviously hinting that whoever had received this note first knew the author so well that they would recognize their handwriting. Frustration built as well as embarrassment in Torrence's chest and mind. Max had never so much as seen her naked, let alone ever having slept with her. That's probably why he broke it off so early. Torrence was no whore, and she did not sleep with every man or boy that bothered giving her a second look over. In fact, Torrence was a virgin. So much for the theory this genius had about her sleeping around with half the school, but then again, she had no way to prove to anyone that she hadn't been touched that way unless she lifted up her skirt and let them get an intimate look. Wouldn't THAT just cause a riot? Boys around school would no doubt be scurrying to her dorm room so they could get a sneak peek themselves at what they were missing out on.
It was then that the bell chose to rang, and as the rest of the class stood and gathered their things, eager to leave the room and head off in their respective directions, Torrence sneered half-heartedly at the vulgar note in her hands and crumpled it into a tight ball. She wanted to use her power to tear it to shreds so she wouldn't have to touch it anymore, but that would more than likely have caused a severe mess that Torrie really wasn't in the mood to pick up. Standing up, she grabbed her messenger bag from the floor beside her desk and swung it over her shoulder, crumpled note still in hand. "Can you believe this?" she asked Amelia, who had found the note sitting on her desk during her second class of the day. Amelia shook her head and smiled with a lack of amusement; it wasn't a pretty thing to see on the thin young thing. "Not really, but what can I say? Not everyone here loves you."
Torrie cut her a hard look, but kept it gentle. She didn't want to make the girl think she had said something wrong, because Amelia only spoke the very obvious truth. Not everyone was going to love Torrence, and she had never expected them to. But still... this... this was just outright dislike that someone at this school held for her; a dislike that she'd never really had to experience before. It was shocking, to say the least. Almost like a wake-up call. What was this? Was the great Torrence Hamilton, Ms. "I-don't-have-to-be-perfect-so-I-don't-care-what-you-think", actually caring about what someone had said so openly behind her back (or to be more specific, had written so openly)? Of course. Or, at least somewhat. No one had ever said such a thing to her face, and so Torrie was assuming that everyone at least, if they didn't like her right out, had a severe indifference to her presence. The idea that she offended someone so much by merely existing... well, it was a new one for Torrie.
The dark-haired mutant sighed heavily. She supposed that the older she got, the more likely it was that adolescent hatred was something she'd have to get used to. Which was funny in its own way, because weren't they supposed to grow out of that as they got older? Torrie moved now, heading for the door, and Amelia followed. The note, wrapped in tightly around itself, was tossed into the wastebasket by the exit. It would do her no good to keep it. After all, it was just a silly note from one silly person to another silly person. Don't let it get you down, okay?" Amelia said softly, though loud enough to be heard over the hustle and bustle of the hallway, and touched Torrence's shoulder lightly; a small comfort for a small wound in Torrence's not-quite-invisible pride. Torrie smiled at her warmly and shook her head a little. "I'll live," was all she said before she gave the girl a brief hug and they went in their seperate directions.
As it was, the note had added an extra bit of aggrivation to Torrence's day that she just did not need. Her plans had centered around going to see Connor during this, her free period, and she was a damn sight nervous to be seeing him at all after what Jean had told her about his amnesia. The note just made her anxiety a little bit worse for the wear. Her legs carried her quickly, that small bit of nervousness eating away at her center and making Torrence wonder if she should wait a few more days to go calling on Logan's son. After all, she didn't think he would remember her anyway, not unless he made some miraculous improvement over the weekend, which was highly unlikely. Still, though, as Torrence passed students and teachers alike as she headed for Connor's next class, a small shred of hope had folded itself around her heart. It was silly to assume that Torrence was special enough to the older boy to be remembered, but she could wish, couldn't she?
The halls where silent after a few moments. Most other students were in class by now, studying their little hearts out as the lone mutant walked through the now deserted hallways. Other students had this free period as well, but most of them were probably back in their dorms or in the library, or doing something more productive than wandering the halls (though Torrie wasn't really wandering at all... she did have a purpose to her direction). The door loomed ahead now, and Torrence adjusted her bag, hand smoothing the front of her grayish-green t-shirt. It had a swooping neck, allowing for a good peek at her slender shoulders but little else, and she also wore a pair of faded blue jeans and a pair of old green converses. Her hair was up today, the spill of dark brown curls kept back away from her naked face. Torrence rarely chose to wear make-up these days; the art was losing its appeal as she got older.
For a moment, Torrence waited, feeling a little silly for peeking into his class to see if he was there. But a moment later, as she glanced through the large glass window that seperated her from the room, Torrie was surprised to find with a quick scan of the room that young master Enright wasn't even there. A few faces turned to look at her, one or two smiled, and she smiled back, but upon a hard glance from the teacher sent Torrence packing. Connor wasn't in there, and it was no use to stick around and oogle at the students that were. The next likely place to look would be the family dorm, so Torrie headed in that direction. It wasn't much farther in any case, and though Torrie may have been nervous, she was still anxious to see Connor as well. She might even spend her whole free time looking for him if she had to. Torrence just wanted him to recognize her, to remember the time they had spent together after her mother had died.
Up the stairs. Around a corner. Torrie drew closer to Logan Howlett's dorm, and she cleared her throat a little. Mr. Howlett wouldn't be home right now; he was teaching. Madison and Arisa shouldn't be home, either. Torrie liked Arisa mostly, but Madison always seemed to push her away. Mostly, it didn't bother Torrie. She rarely saw Madison or Arisa anyway, not unless they were with Connor. The door was up ahead, and Torrence's slender legs carried her smoothly till she was standing in front of it. Her heart beat steadily, but at a somewhat increased rate. Why was she so nervous? It was Connor. And he probably wouldn't remember her anyway, so why was she so damn nervous? Torrie took a deep breath and knocked firmly three times on the wooden door. If Connor wasn't home, she'd go looking for him elsewhere. But as she stood here, waiting for someone to answer the door, Torrie couldn't help but wonder if she should have just let it alone for a few more days. This was too eager.
Perhaps Connor was surprised, or perhaps he had half expected it, but either way, Jean hadn’t come after him, or sent anyone after him. Maybe it was good, maybe not, but he found himself half waiting, for her or his father, just expecting them to rock up and start talking to him, explaining how he had to try harder, explaining something… anything really… As hasty a retreat as Connor had made, he really had wished he didn’t waste the morning. Without an understanding towards his temper, he didn’t have the same control he had gotten, he let small things bother him so easily and the feral knew that he shouldn’t… he couldn’t let them. Not if he wanted to be re-assimilated back into the school society.
Bored. After the morning break he’d definitely attempt to try the next classes on his list, after all listening to music for the day was hardly beneficial to his situation - hell even if it was - he was already so restless. The night hadn’t been so smooth, Connor blamed his experience in the lake, there was something about the water that stirred misplaced nightmares he just wished he had a better understanding of what those nightmares were instead of the looming unknown fear he felt on occasions. And this was hardly the only thing bothering the feral, on top of his rediscovered fear of being fully submerged, Connor also noticed the fact his powers were returning all the more stronger this morning, things were louder, smelled stronger, tasted so much infinitely more. Things were changing day by day and Connor felt as if he was lagging behind it all, though at least his father did warn him, and his sisters tried their best too. Wolverine’s strange behavior regarding certain things he did out of habit around Connor slowly started to make sense, which was both really good and yet slightly irritating to realize how people had to go out of their way for him on occasions.
So bored. The digital clock on one of the tables dragged forward, minute by minute, first five, then ten… wordless melodies played with a tender yet uplifting tune all the while, another ten minutes… that made it just over twenty having passed since he slumped down in the couch. Blue-gray jeans stretched out crossed over on the three-seater, white sneakers covering clean white socks, a white shirt wrapped smartly about his arm and torso. The top two buttons undone, a silver and black necklace snacked closely about the base of his neck. So typical of Connor… crisp, clean, yet an air of wilderness about him, the way he walked, the way his eyes burned with that passionate bright blue hue… Not to mention Connor was swaying form his habitual routine of shaving every morning, over the last month or two he let his hair grow that slightly more and he stopped spiking the fringe as his mother had always done for him growing up. It may have suited him…. But his current appearance fitted him all the more, and Connor didn’t realize the main reason he let himself be caught in time with his appearance was because he didn’t want to look so alike as his father… they’d been clashing for a few years now, but never so much as the recent months.
It was all swept away though, his muddled waves of confusion and anger, his irrational thoughts and misconstrued thoughts and behavior, all washed away for the most part and letting him take a fresh look at a life he never really allowed himself to appreciate for the right reasons. It was strange, without Connor fully aware, this major misshape in his life, was actually one of the most beneficial screw-ups he’s ever faced. Though Connor had glimpsed through a few pages of a diary he had found, the passages were far and few between though there was a good hundred or two pages scribbled in describing certain days of his life during his earlier years… before he obtained his laptop (that was constantly hidden), which all his recent things were placed.
Fingers played carefully with the digital camera he found in his room the first night here, once again scrolling through the pictures on the camera, mot random, a few faces though.. only Jean and his sisters were clearly identifiable though. One of Connor’s talents outside his mutant abilities was his fantastic camera skill; he was a photographer at heart and had been so since his mother gave him his first camera when he was just turning ten. Perhaps that made him even more passionate… knowing that it was a skill his mother had helped distinguish unintentionally.
A knock tapped at the door… then twice more and Connor knew his sisters wouldn’t knock and neither would his father, they all had keys after all. Was it Jean? The blue eyed feral slipped his legs off the sofa and sat up from where he had laid down, his eyes peering across towards the entrance to the apartment. Near silent feet carried him towards the door, his voice seeming to hesitate on answer and telling the guest that he was coming… Connor wasn’t sure why, he was still nervous about meeting people and he supposed he was just worried it was yet another strange face welcoming him back and that spark of hope fading the instant yet another realized he was unable to associate their face with the past he shared with them.
A strong hand slowly turned the doorknob, teacher or student… he couldn’t help but wonder about it curiously. An unfamiliar scent wafted in on the air however as the door pried itself open, Connor’s form half peeking from behind the door which hovered half open now. Bright eyes glimpsing around to see whom it was… a student, female, of Madi’s age too. Slowly Connor pulled the door further back, an air of politeness around him as he looked at her face.
"Hey… Are you looking for Madison? She’s in class." Had he seen her standing there before? Had she ever knocked on this door, a friend of his sister most likely… or was she a stranger, a student of his father’s wanting to talk to him regarding something she felt was important. His eyes dropped away for a moment, clutching to the hope that his guess was accurate so he didn’t seem as hopeless as he felt when meeting new faces.
Re: Remember [Connor]
Torrie took a moment while she waited to see if anyone was on the other side of the door to reflect on the last two and a half years of her life. It was a brief time, yes, only a short period in her life, but it had done so much for her that Torrence could hardly believe that the life that had come before it even existed... though the pain of knowing Olivia was dead continued to remind her just how real it had been. Torrie's dark eyes flicked downward unconsciously, looking more toward the floor as her heart swelled somewhat with the respectful mourning that Torrie would always have every time she remembered her adopted mother. But there had been more than pain in Torrie's years here at Xavier's. There had been joy, discovery, freedom, and the establishment of relationships that Torrie would never have gotten the chance to know if Xavier and Jean hadn't found her, and convinced Jeremiah to let Torrie attend the school.
Jeremiah... Torrie's eyes closed briefly, almost painfully. News had reached her recently that her adoptive father had begun dating again, and that struck Torrie as a bad thing. Olivia had been dead for nearly two and a half years, yes, and he would need to move on if he could, but somehow it made Torrie think that he hadn't ever really cared about his deceased wife at all. But how long did Torrence expect him to wait? Jeremiah had a life. He had money, a name, and success to achieve. What good would it do him to stay in grievance for the woman who had given her whole life to him and only received contempt in return. It was a wonder that Torrence didn't hate him as much as she should have, but what was really pushing the boundary was the fact that his most recent woman in waiting was a humans-first activist who was against mutants. It turned Torrie's insides cold to wonder what would happen if either Jeremiah or his new lady friend found out about Torrie being exactly what they hated. Torrie cut her thoughts off; they would only continue to ruin the rest of her day.
Today had not been the best of days, nor had she really expected it to be. It would indeed be a joyous occasion if somehow he recognized her, but Torrence highly doubted Connor remembered anyone except his family... and Jean. He would recognize her, of course; she knew about his condition, must have talked to him, and she had told Torrence as well. It been an obligation to her semi-ward who was friends with Connor. It had surprised Torrence to realize what had happened to Connor, and it had immediately filled her with sadness for the boy who, along with Jean, helped Torrence deal with the grief and despair that had followed her back to Xavier's when Olivia died. If it hadn't been for Connor's understanding and Jean's nurturing nature, Torrence was sure that she would have been a much different girl today. She wouldn't have been the cheerful friendly mutant that many liked... and a few who apparently didn't.
Jean had told Torrie very little. Only that Connor and the others had been found, brought back safely... except that Connor had not returned complete. His memories... oh, Torrie could not bear to try and imagine what it would be like to be in a place that had once been so familiar and was now as alien as being blinded and sent to a foreign country. She could not even imagine what it would be like to see so many faces that knew you, but you could not remember who they were. That had to be the worst kind of helplessness, and Torrie wasn't a key player to that feeling. She had never felt more helpless than when Olivia died, but to be in a strange place with strange people, that was more helpless than Torrie herself could manage. She breathed; once, twice, a third time. Letting the old air out of her lungs and the fresh air in. Letting her heart slow back down to the pace that the rest of her body was running.
Footsteps on the other side of the door. Torrie opened her eyes, ears keened to the sound, and knowing already that Connor was home. She braced herself, not sure what to expect; the only thing she was prepared for was seeing Connor again. Beyond that, she was prepared for nothing. Torrie would go where impulse took her... well, impulse and politeness, anyway. The door opened a bit, and a striking blue eye gazed out her before half of his body followed. Torrie started to smile, but his reaction caught her short, and it fell away. "Hey… Are you looking for Madison? She’s in class." Torrence merely looked at Connor dumbly for a few seconds, and as his gaze fell away, so did hers. This... yeah, this was definitely awkward. Her littlest hopes died. Connor did not recognize her at all. He thought that she was one of Madison's friends. Torrie took a deep breath, and managed to bring her gaze back to his face.
"Actually, no, Connor," she replied as smoothly as she could, trying to keep the slight emotion she was feeling out of her voice, "I was looking for you." Torrie swallowed hard and wished he'd look at her again. It was weird enough standing here, looking at a face that was so familiar to her, but who found no recognition in her own. Torrence managed a small smile as she continued. "I guess Jean was right... you really don't remember me..." she sighed a little, "But I... I'm Torrence Hamilton." Torrence paused briefly, running a hand hesitantly through her hair, still pulled back in its ponytail, and looked down the hall for a second before looking at Connor again. "Mind if I come in?" she asked tentively, gesturing with one limber hand toward the doorway which he was blocking with half of his body. Torrence felt a little weird standing out in the hall like this. Trying to reconnect with her friend would be better done inside the dorm room.
Re: Remember [Connor]
There was a silence, Connor feared why that was the case, was she staring at him? His eyes burned off to the side for a moment, low, unsure, his uncertainty growing by the moment, why wasn’t she walking away? Slight panic rose, what if she wasn’t looking for the girls? He hadn’t had any friends drop by yet, but… it wasn’t like his family was very helpful when it came to his social circle, Connor didn’t talk about his friends and save for their scents there was little clues for his family to go by.
"Actually, no, Connor," Well… she knew his name, and the way her heart rate was going, Connor felt she was more then just a little anxious, now it seemed… less so, as if she was disappointed, oh well, wasn’t like she was the first to react like that. It just so happened that she was one of the first few that he could use his abilities on, intentionally or not. "I was looking for you." Great, of all the choices he thought of he just instantly assumed it was one of Madi’s friends and now he had probably made things all the more awkward for the girl… and for himself really, he felt rather helpless on the fact but there was nothing he could do.
"I guess Jean was right... you really don't remember me..." At least she knew… at least Jean had gone and told her, though how many had she told? And if people knew, who were they and how did Jean know to contact them? Connor barely remembered how close he was with Jean, like a step mother without the title and it was amplified by the fact he could tell there was something between her and his dad… *something* regardless of how innocent the relationship truly was. Jean was married… kids… Connor hardly wanted that to be torn apart for his sake but that didn’t mean he shunned the attention Jean gave him while growing up, he needed that mother after all and at this point Jean was the only one who really took him in such a manner… though he loved all the other x-woman who he considered family, none were as warm to him as Jean.
"But I... I'm Torrence Hamilton." Awkwardly Connor looked at her feet, as if somehow that made up for not being able to look at her face just yet as he tried to cover up the humiliation of his mistake. Movement of her arm was picked up as her hand brushed through her tied up hair, he could imagine he wasn’t making this any easier for her and that made him feel even worse for the whole thing. His eyes lifted quickly, her face turned away to look off down the hall, his gaze instantly darting down again just as her eyes turned back to him.
"Mind if I come in?" A brief pause… Connor’s eyes lifted to her face for a moment, then his own face turned around to peer into the apartment, he didn’t know if he was allowed to invite people in or not… Well, he was old enough to have friends over, surely, but he only hesitated because his family didn’t know his social circle well and Connor had to wonder why, if there was a reason or if they just weren’t that interested in people he hanged around with.
"Oh.. sure," Connor stepped further back, rather blank on how to assess the situation, he wanted more friends after all… well this was a reply to his request and he was hardly about to turn her away just because of the awkward start. "Sorry… no one else has come to see me like this.." The feral awkwardly tried to explain as he closed the door, not wanting to sound too apologetic, or depressed, or whichever his tone sounded more like at this point. Right, but she was in here now, and he was apparently with someone who knew him, and that ought to be a good thing, so that’s how he was going to treat it.
"Would you like a drink? We have orange juice, hot chocolate.. water, we have biscuits too." Hot chocolate seemed to be a thing for the children of Wolverine, they were always tempted by it regardless, and Connor especially had to have it done in a specific manner so not to be overpowered by the sugar, though he loved his sweets… he tried to avoid sugar highs as often as possible. Caffine was definitely out of the question, coffee wasn’t appealing, the taste aside it was like a boost of energy Connor really didn’t need. And the mention of food… well that was Connor in a nutshell, the guy seemed to constantly eat, whenever he trained he had his bottle of water (which was constantly emptied by the end of the session) and then his typical assault on the kitchen, hell hath no fury like a hungry Connor!
A hand motioned towards the dark blue leathered lounge suite, 3 soft lighter shaded pillows lay shoved to one side of the three seater where Connor’s head had previously rested, one sitting on each of the two arm chairs, all centered about the TV and a glass coffee table between them all. It was a very open layout, perfect considering Connor’s claustrophobia, the windows allowed a lot of light in too, though with Chris, the young 9 year old who returned with Connor, things seemed a bit more crowded. Currently the youngster was off entertaining himself with some programs specifically designed for the younger kids of the school, which was good, as it gave Connor time with this unexpected guest.
Re: Remember [Connor]
The look on his face said everything. The way he wouldn't raise his eyes to her own spoke wonders to Torrie. Connor had no idea who she was, and seemed surprised that anyone would be calling on him, especially this strange girl standing in his doorway. It hurt, more than she'd originally thought it would, but Torrence was containing it as best as she could. And that was pretty damn good considering. Torrie had few people she could turn to these days, between Jean and Riley, and now Connor didn't even know who she was. To lose a friend that way... oh, it hurt, almost as badly as if he had died. Now they were strangers again, just as it had been before Riley had introduced him. Back then, Connor had been just another face in the masses of Xavier's. Now, he was as familiar as her daily schedule... except, it wouldn't be the same from now on, would it? No, not anymore. Not after this.
Was she being silly for feeling letdown? Probably. Before now, they'd been good friends, yes, and they'd talked on a regular basis, but it wasn't like they hung out all the time, or went to the movies together or the mall or something. They'd never been attatched at the hip; hell, Torrie hung out more with Riley than she did with Connor. Yet, the pain was still there. They had a connection, a common ground that only a few of the students here at Xaviers could claim. Neither had mothers. Connor's had died when he was ten. Torrie's had died only around two years ago, but that didn't make her pain any less than his, and Connor had known that. That's why it hurt so much. That's why Torrence felt so sad. He was the only other person she knew who had gone through the exact same pain, and he probably didn't remember anything about it. Connor couldn't remember how he'd helped her through that time in her life when nothing mattered anymore to Torrence.
She swallowed her sudden fit of disappointment with a pinch of salt. It would do no good to sulk over it. What Torrie needed to do was be as she always in the face of the bad things in her life: she'd suck it up and be optimistic. After all, it'd do Connor no good if he picked up the vibe that she was upset and then feel bad for her unhappiness. That's just how he was, memory or no memory. People didn't always necessarily change just because they lost their memory. Torrence watched him carefully then, trying to gauge his reaction to her declaration that she had come to see him. Was that a hint of surprise she saw on his face? Probably. Of course he'd be surprised. Connor had first assumed she was looking for Madison, and instead she says she was looking for him.
He looked away after her question of entrance came up, looking back into the apartment before turning back to her. "Oh.. sure," he said before stepping back, and Torrie hesitantly stepped across the threshold, tennis shoes making no noise to her own ears but surely able to be heard by the feral boy by the doorway. Looking around, Torrence gave the decor a once over. Better than her own dorm, she had to admit, but then again, this was a family dorm. More than two people were living in here. Jeremiah would have died looking at this place, though, and that made Torrence immediately like the abode the first time she'd been here. Torrie never actually came here often (maybe once or twice to call on Connor to join her at the stables or something similar), but it was still a nice place to come to nonetheless. It was simple, and Torrence rather preferred that to the cold lifestyles that her adoptive father rolled around in.
"Sorry… no one else has come to see me like this.." The door closed behind her, and Torrie turned to look at Connor. There was a sense of disappointment in his voice when he said that, and it stung at Torrence a little to know that she was his first visitor. Where was Riley? The telekinetic gave Connor a half-hearted smile, but didn't give him a reply. She didn't know what to say to that exactly. "Would you like a drink?" he asked, "We have orange juice, hot chocolate.. water, we have biscuits too." Oh, yes... the infamous hot chocolate. "A cup of hot chocolate would be nice," Torrence replied, but didn't bother continueing with the rest of the sentence that had been residing in her head. Hot chocolate to calm the nerves. Well, it would help ease her a little, help get Torrence into a calmer state so that she could see what needed to be done.
Jean wouldn't have told Torrence about this if she hadn't felt Torrie could do something about it. The telekinetic wasn't stupid, and Jean knew this. But Torrie did want to help, very much so. Connor motioned toward the couch, and Torrence moved toward it. She had been raised to be polite, and mostly it had stuck with her. His hospitality was promising. Torrence had heard of cases where amnesiacs could be quite... well, quite unpleasant. Connor was the opposite. As always. Her slender figure sat, sinking slightly into the blue couch, and looked around again. This apartment had such a warm atmosphere... it almost made her ache for the bedroom that Olivia had decorated for her. That was the one place Jeremiah couldn't touch; it was Torrence's place, her special place in a cold home, and he had no interest in it anyway. That place had been as warm as this, and the Howlett dorm radiated with a tenderness that Torrie knew wasn't always visible to those that occupied its rooms.
Re: Remember [Connor]
"A cup of hot chocolate would be nice," Wonderful. It enabled Connor to move off into the open kitchen, away, busy, but still in sight, still within talking distance. Connor always seemed to like that, he wanted company, it was easy to tell he wanted it, sometimes he’d do things with groups that were clearly not something he’d choose to do on his own, but he’d do it, just for the company. The Dying Star for instance, Connor never danced, he never left the table, not unless he was getting drinks, and mostly that’s all he seemed to do, it was amazing really, Connor and Riley could drink the entire night and barely be more then a tiny bit tipsy. Riley hated dancing. Hated. He was almost scared of it, but with Catherine, Riley didn’t mind giving it a go, he didn’t mind standing out there with her and just holding her, but the last time they went to the dying star with Catherine, she ended up walking out almost randomly, without a reason, and Riley hadn’t been the same since. He was shattered, he pulled away entirely and seemed to confine himself so badly it wasn’t uncommon to not see him for days at a time, he stopped his classes, though eventually took up more arty ones…
The whole reaction seemed to strike Connor hard too, it’s like Connor decided he wanted nothing to do with that, he didn’t want to love if all it did was hurt in the end. Being a guy, he would cast a glance from one girl to another if she showed interest, he was picky, it was easy to tell, so he didn’t pursue any, save for one, Lara… a friend of Max’s. But that turned out sour, very quickly, Connor hated how fast Lara was ready to move, first date and she was trying to get her hands where they didn’t belong. But lately, he seemed to not even bother looking beyond a passing glance, and as a 19 year old, Connor was more then ready to find *someone*, that was more then clear… he just didn’t have the heart to look any more and sadly enough, that had slowly become pretty clear as well to his friends.
"You talked to Jean then?" The feral began, his tone suggesting he knew she had and didn’t really need a reply, busily scrounging around the fridge for the milk and then setting up his area in order to prepare drinks for them. No wonder his father was well stocked on coco, it was almost amusing, as long as Connor didn’t try and think it was only associated with negative situations… It seemed every time he was offered one it was because someone was trying to calm him down in one way or another. Though, of all the bribes, Connor really liked the hot chocolate his father made. Not that it tasted different… just the simple fact that his father made it.
"Jean’s really nice.." It didn’t sound as if he’d known her his entire life, which hurt even him as Logan had explained Connor knew all the X-men, he knew them from birth for the most part, the older ones anyway, they were all his aunts and uncles and he still had a habit of addressing them as such, especially when he wanted to ask something that made him a little uncomfortable. "I’ve met some of the faculty, her, Uncle Remy," but it wasn’t enough, that much was clear by his voice, off hand it could easily be overlooked, but the edge of his words seemed tinged with a slight longing. A faint sadness lingered that he wasn’t rushed with unfamiliar faces, even if he’d be overwhelmed in the process, to know there were people missing him would at least make Connor feel a little more hopeful, perhaps depressed that there were so many he’d forgotten, but happy that there were so many around to help him remember.
"But honestly, father kept me to himself for the weekend, Madison and Arisa too," If only Connor remembered how near impossible it was for his sisters to inhabit the same room at the same, he’d spin about over joyed to see them trying to work together for his own benefit. Too often it was Connor who was the one shoved between them and forced to either deal with their bickering or separate them, one girl always jealous over the other should Connor appear to take sides (even if it was just him telling one off for having done something he didn’t approve having been done to the other).
"It’s been a busy.. when I came back here, I brought another kid with me whose nine, his name is Chris, dad’s letting him stay.. I’m kinda hoping we can keep him, but then I sound like I’ve found a stray puppy." The steaming liquid was finally ready, one not as sweet as the other to allow Connor’s delicate taste buds not to be overpowered by the sugar. His hands taking them up by the handles and carrying the clean white mugs over to the coffee table and carefully placing them both down n the polished clear surface. "And on top of that, I did meet one other girl last night, Racheal, she was nice," It wasn’t like he was miserably neglected or anything… he just… he wanted people walking to his door and declaring ‘hey, we’re friends’ a little more then he was getting. He wanted that before he arrived here, he’s wanted it from the first night he went to bed trying to remember the day before without any luck.
"But despite it all… I still don’t remember anything beyond a week and a half ago." Why he was telling her all this Connor only assumed had something to do with him wanting her to know how his weekend went, what he did, the severity of it all.
"What did Aunt Jean explaine to you?" The feral went silent after that, he was never the biggest of talker when there wasn’t a general topic to discuss and he usually spoke his mind, said what he felt could be said, then once it was all out that was that. He was never really one for the tiny pointless chit chats – aside from the ‘how was your day’ comments and the like. The young man sank into the the left of the three seater sofa, his hand reaching for the mug and drawing it close, merely holding onto it and not yet taking a sip, it offered a distraction to things… no matter how brief.
Re: Remember [Connor]
Once again, slipping down onto the couch and glancing around the room surrounding her, Torrence felt a twinge of envy. He may not realize it, but despite the differences he's had with his father and sisters, at least Connor had a family. Torrie's family was restricted to those few people who she could trust, and for the telekinetic, trust did not come easy. It wasn't a matter of being anti-social or dissassocative. Torrie just didn't click with most people. She would have loved to, but the way Torrie was treated by Jeremiah her whole life, it sort of left her in a rutt when it came to other individuals and how she connected with them. Being locked away in a big house and privately tutored, Torrence hadn't ever actually attended a school with other students until she started at Xaviers. It was easy to get along with people, but there was a difference between that, and truly loving them.
Olivia had been the only family Torrence had ever known until she met Jean, Riley, others. After Olivia was gone... that left so few people to care about. Connor was someone Torrie cared about, whether he knew it or not before his amnesia, and now that he didn't remember her anymore, Torrence felt as though that was one more important person gone from her life. Dark eyes followed Connor's figure as it headed for the kitchen, noting the visible ease that was beginning to come over him. He was still somewhat awkward, but wasn't Torrie, too? Sitting here, on his couch, glancing at Connor, then around the room, and then back toward the kitchen again. But he was still alive, and that's what mattered. There was still a chance that Connor would regain his memories. The thought eased her a little more, and Torrence looked toward the blank television screen without really seeing it.
"You talked to Jean then?" Torrie nodded, hearing in his tone that this question required no answer. Hell, it had been more of a statement than a question anyway, so she supposed that it didn't matter if she nodded or not. Torrence heard him scrounging around, looking through the fridge and cabinets. Even without his memory, he was a good host. "Jean’s really nice..." At that, Torrence smiled a tad, mostly to herself. 'Really nice' was an understatement. The woman was a miracle. At least, to Torrence she was. Jean was a godsend for the young woman. The first mutant Torrence had ever met... and the woman that had become like a surrogate mother for the telekinetic. Strange to think, really. Some children went their whole lives having a mother that they could never truly appreciate. Torrence had gone through two, and now she really knew what it was to appreciate someone that cared about you that much.
Connor continued to speak, and Torrence let him go on uninterrupted. He was filling up the silence with his voice, trying to make the atmosphere lighter, more comfortable for both of them. It was working, she supposed, at least it was for her. It was nice to hear Connor speaking to her so casually... or as casually as he could manage under the circumstances. He mentioned Arisa and Madison, and Torrence smiled again. Those girls fought over him so hard sometimes. Torrence always wondered what it would be like to have siblings. She didn't know if her biological parents had other children, all she knew was that she was the only one that Olivia and Jeremiah had taken into their home. Apparently, one girl was enough for both of them. Or maybe Jeremiah was going to have a child of his own with that new girlfriend of his. Torrence almost rolled her eyes at the thought, but refrained herself.
A new child? Torrence thought as Connor spoke of him, picking up the mugs and walking back into the living area. She watched the older boy set both of them down on the table in front of her, and wondered if she'd meet this Chris kid. Torrie was curious, especially if Connor wanted to keep him, so to speak. A stray puppy. Ha. Torrence remained silent for the time being, letting him talk till he wanted her to say something; she reached for her own mug only a few seconds after he set it down, wanting something to occupy her hands. She felt a little helpless without something to handle her fingers, like she would end up twiddling her thumbs in a bored manner. That would be just rude. Long, slender fingers curled delicately around the handle of the mug, gripping and lifting it. Bringing it to her lips, the telekinetic took a moment to blow on the hot liquid before allowing it to enter her mouth. It was sweet, warm, delicious; Connor was still a master of the cocoa, it seemed.
"What did Aunt Jean explaine to you?" Torrence looked at Connor again, chocolate brown eyes sliding toward his frame once more as he sat on the opposite end of the couch from her whilst grabbing his own mug of cocoa. Torrie took another meager sip of her own drink before letting the cup sink toward her lap, slender fingers of her right hand still curled around the handle while the bottom of the cup rested lightly on the palm of her left. "Well, uh..." she started, brows curling a little as she looked down at the drink, "Jean mostly just told me you were back, and that your, um... your memory wasn't intact." Torrence licked her thick lips a bit with the tip of her tongue, trying to moisten the dryness that was accumulating there, and looked at Connor again. "She knew I was worried sick. She didn't give me extensive details, just what I needed to know." A small smile. "I'm just glad you're alive."
Re: Remember [Connor]
It seemed both of them retreated to the comfort of cradling their mugs, Connor noticed it as he watched her hands for a moment. There were a lot of girls around him, he’s noticed. Well, three… Sarah, Racheal, now Torrie, not including his two sisters. It felt strange to think about it, so many females in his life… that made his father all the more important in a sense. Connor wondered how he felt growing up like that, sisters, mother, rarely seen father… as a young adult it was feeling strange, as a child? Connor wasn’t sure he was all too eager to remember that.
"Well, uh..." Striking eyes peered up at the girls face, delicate features, fair of skin, dark honey brown hair falling back into a pony tail, her fringe fallen down to curtain the sides of her face, at some point having been brushed aside behind her ear and a few strands still lingered there, while others escaped to fall free. His eyes looked over her as her own were focused on the chocolate, the way her clothes sat on her, the way she sat herself, it was all very important, very defined and yet casual. An interesting mix to study, at least Connor felt so, yet again the feral wondered what thoughts he had towards a person that looked at him as if they knew him well enough… yet Connor couldn’t say the same thing.
"Jean mostly just told me you were back, and that your, um... your memory wasn't intact." The tip of her tongue slid out swiftly, moistening her lips, so innocent in their manner that Connor found himself caught staring, his eyes lifting quickly to her own gaze as he recalled the way that Sarah had chewed her lower lip when she was thinking it was about time he followed her to bed… Thinking of that, Connor found himself wondering if he ever had any thoughts of that kind with any of the girls he knew… Racheal was nice, and being drenched n water with her arms around him had an unfair advantage towards being alluring. But if half of Connor’s friends looked or acted anything like these two girls, he was in trouble. Or he was really lucky… no no, he’d go back to being in trouble, too much temptation was never good. Look, he couldn’t even focus on the matter at hand, he was already trailing off! The feral chastised himself and shoved aside his thoughts to focus on Torrie as she spoke.
"She knew I was worried sick. She didn't give me extensive details, just what I needed to know." Allowing Connor a chance to explain whatever he chose he wanted to explain he guessed. "I'm just glad you're alive." They really thought he was in that much trouble? Connor felt bad once more for putting them through something he wished he could change, if only he could…
"Yeah, I was ok. It was a little weird, I man, they didn’t hurt me, where I was taken, but at the same time, they weren’t very honest with me either. They told me Chris was my half brother, and there was a girl, Sarah, she was supposed to be someone I was dating but she wasn’t really… she didn’t know me." He sounded confused, torn between betrayal and discomfort at the fact he had been fooled in such a way. "…I think they were taken as well, but I think they know where they are from, the look Chris gets in his eyes when my father talks about find out where the little guy came from, he doesn’t want to go back, which means he remembers all too well." There it was… that spark that came to his tone, his eyes, the glow that consumed Connor’s soul… The Big Brother. Connor’s greatest flaw and greatest strength, he’d give anything, everything for his kid siblings. He loved them, sometimes too much, he tended to get parental when his father wasn’t around and sadly enough that had been more often then Connor wanted.
"Actually… Last week, when I woke up, they were giving me things, I didn’t know I was a mutant until.. Thursday, when dad found me. I feel a little bad.. he come at us with claws and everything trying to show me proof of who he was. It was… a little overwhelming." Connor admitted, the fact he didn’t have memories hinting at how startled he must have been to witness all that. "I had agreed to talk more with my father but Sarah didn’t want to have anything to do with mutants, which hurt a little.. but Chris refused to have me go alone, so in the end when I agreed to come back, Chris came too." And that was that… at least, in a very short version. "Not enture sure what else to say about my time away."
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