"You're pairing him up with me!"

Mr. Howlett, 5 year art teacher, just wanted to leave his classroom and go home. It had been a long Friday and, hell, it's been a long week. He was sick of his students; even the ones that genuinely liked art class were getting on his nerves. Having a student complain about the group project on a Friday after the bell had rung was the last thing Mr. Howlett wanted to end his day with.

"Listen up, Lensherr, the groups were all chosen randomly. And besides, maybe he could help you get higher than a C- this quarter." Mr. Howlett began to back up his things in his briefcase. Maybe that would show Erik that he wanted to leave-

"I don't want to end up strangling him or myself." Erik wasn't going to do this. He couldn't. Erik didn't move an inch as his art teacher scrambled around the room, collecting his belongings.

Damn. Mr. Howlett knew he wasn't going to shake off Erik so easily.

"Like I said, the groups were random and it's either work with Xavier or fail. You are the last student I want to be held back." Mr. Howlett put his jacket on. "Don't you have a bus to catch or something?" And with that Erik student, fists clenched, muttering curse words in German under his breath.

Charles Xavier was a spoiled rich kid in Erik's grade who had everything that Erik didn't. Besides the gobs of money, Charles was smart; he, his friend Moira, and some nerdy underclassman named Hank McCoy were said to be the only hope of intelligence in the whole damn school. Erik scoffed at that thought as he pulled books from his locker. Sure, Charles was pretty smart but teachers made him out to be some Greek god of knowledge. Even Moira and Hank combined were below Xavier's level. Erik did have to sympathize for him though; Charles was the only openly gay person in the whole entire school and he sure did get picked on for it.

"Erik, we need to talk." Erik closed his locker door and came face to face with Emma Frost, the queen bee of the school. Scheisse! Erik shouted internally.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Emma, but I'm gonna be late-" Emma's gaze hardened. Her skin was snow white and her platinum blonde hair hung in loose curls around her shoulders. She was wearing the usual: something skin tight with a plunging neckline that showed far too much cleavage to not be dress coded. Emma smiled as she noticed Erik looked at her outfit.
"My eyes are up here, honey. I need twenty bucks for tonight." Emma held out her hand.

Erik's eyes widened. "For what?"

"Shaw and I are going out on a little date tonight. We need the cash." Emma smiled and held out her hand closer to Erik as if he was some bank teller.

"And why on Earth would I pay for you just so Shaw can get laid?" He knew she had money. She was rich-not Xavier rich-but she still had more money than Erik could ever dream of having in his whole life.

Emma smiled and stepped closer to Erik, now only a few inches from him. "Because then I'd have to repay the favor." She began to run her hand up Erik's thigh. Erik, not aroused at all, pushed her off of him.

"Sorry Emma, but I don't need an STD." Erik winked at her and walked away as the queen bee stood there, jaw dropped. Emma Frost does not get rejected.

By the time Erik had made it outside, after arguing with his art teacher and having one of his so called friends try to squeeze money and sex out of him, all the buses had left.
"Well fuck…" Erik didn't have his phone on him and his mom was working until late tonight. "Looks like I'm stuck unless I can get a ride from someone." Erik only had about six people he considered his friends: Shaw, Emma, Janos, Azazel, Alex and Angel. At least half that list hated him (the feeling was mutual) and the rest he only sat with at lunch. Erik sighed, sat down on one of the park benches and began to read some book on engineering.

"Could you use a ride?"

Erik looked up, never being more relieved in his life. The car in front of him was a nice white sports model of some fancy car Erik didn't even know the name of for two reasons: A. It wasn't German and B. He stopped looking at cars that he could never afford because it made his mother sad to see him looking at it and knowing he could never have it. Erik heart began to sink when he realize who at his school could possibly own such a car.

Charles Xavier smiled at him from the window.

Half of Erik wanted to just stay at school until midnight and wait for him mom. The other half knew that that Erik would never last.
"Oh," Erik got to his feet. "Yeah." He felt embarrassed for needing a ride, especially from Xavier. It probably makes him happy to help the 'less fortunate'! Erik thought sourly as he got into Charles' car.

"You're Erik, right? I do believe we are partners for Mr. Howlett's art project." Charles chirped as he started up the car again.

How is he so happy all the damn time?

"Yeah, we are." The conversation ended as Charles sensed that Erik wasn't in the mood for idle chit-chat.

"I live behind the Korean grocery store." Charles shot him a confused glance. "The rent is cheap because our landlord can't speak proper English."

Charles pulled up to a rundown apartment building. He knew Erik lived alone with his mother so he didn't except much after hearing about their money problems. Erik got out of the car and mumbled a thank you to Charles.
"This is nice." Charles said with a smile. The smile didn't seem fake, which surprised Erik.

Erik pulled his backpack from the backseat. "You don't have to lie. I hear you kitchen is bigger than my whole apartment. "
"Money doesn't buy one happiness, Erik." Pshh. What an old fart. Erik said to himself.

He stopped and turned to Charles. "Then why are you so happy all the time?" Erik's face was mixed with curiosity and frustration. How dare he say that I have it better off than him!

Charles Xavier simply smiled again and looked right at Erik. "I try to find something good in everything."

A/N: This is my first Cherik fanfic so any critics are MUCH welcomed!