This is a AU Evolution story with Movieverse and Comicverse parts in it.
Chapter 1 Rogue ground out the cigarette butt she was holding on the brick side of the school building. The bell had rung, but her mind was far from English lit. This was his period off, and she always cut to have some time with him alone. Shifting her weight impatiently from one leg to the other, she slowly expelled the last of the smoke left in her lungs. Her heavily made-up eyes followed the lone figure ambling across the football field. Repeating the words she rehearsed all morning to herself, Rogue inched her tight black skirt a little higher and started towards the guy she dreamt of every night.
"Hi there."
Scott Summers smiled at the girl he wasn't supposed to be seen with and nervously adjusted his bookbag on his shoulder. Rogue was good company and they routinely met after lunch. Walking around the campus, they shared jokes and traded 'least favorite teacher' stories.
"Hi Rogue."
Looking down at her black military boots, Rogue let the constant worry and rejection that normally filled her ease away. Like her, Scott shared the unique worry that came with the knowledge that he could kill and destroy at any time. Talking to him made her feel special, normal even.
"You missed the American History quiz last week Rogue."
"Miller? That bitch hates me, Ah'd rather fail."
Shaking his head slowly Scott responded in his most responsible voice, "That's not the point Rogue, we are graduating in three weeks and you need to pass that class no matter what."
Rolling her eyes in laughter, Rogue wondered how Scott could be so hot and such a boy scout all at once.
"Ah'll show for tha final, Ah just can't stand her attitude."
About to expand on his advice, Scott realized that Rogue was laughing at his expense. Uncharacteristically agreeing with a tight smile, he shrugged his shoulders and shoved his hands into his pockets instead. "She can be hard."
Not wanting to venture anywhere near the 'you have potential' rhetoric again, Rogue didn't respond to that. Kicking lazily at the grass in front of her as she walked, she reached for a cigarette she kept tucked behind her ear instead. Scott immediately perked up.
"Hey, not cool - you promised."
Holding it to her black covered lips, Rogue decided it best not to argue and begrudgingly shoved the cigarette back behind her ear.
Scott smirked in his small victory, "I swear Rogue if you only knew what was in those things."
"Not anotha conspiracy theory Scott, you watch X-Files too much."
Scott raised his eyebrows high over his shades in indignation, "Hey, it's true. They purposely add things to hook you."
Her giggling slowly dying out, Rogue focused on the grass in front of her again, while kids screamed and yelled on the soccer field. Despite his sweetness, Scott couldn't possibly understand the need to be – numb. Feeling her familiar anxiety returning, Rogue hugged her Physics book even tighter to her chest. Deciding to not to wait any longer, she took in a deep breath and interrupted Scott, who was already knee deep in his latest conspiracy theory.
"Scott."
Stopping and flipping his hair back, Scott cluelessly looked over at Rogue "Yeah?"
"Scott, tha prom is next weekend and Ah was wonderin' if you wanted ta come with me."
Caught off guard, Scott stopped dead in his tracks and swung his body around to face Rogue. Ever since they rehearsed Henry V for lit class, they had been cautious acquaintances. After Rogue squared off against the Blob to save Jean, they had become friends. He knew that she was probably nursing a crush, but he had never in a million years thought she would ask him to the Prom. Turning slightly pink at the ears he stammered on,
"I, well, I uhh, already asked Jean."
Nodding slightly, Rogue looked down at her boots and tried to act indifferently.
"Oh."
Resuming her pace, Rogue swallowed hard at the lump in her throat and cursed herself for being so stupid. Of course he would ask Jean, she was as close to perfection as humanly possible. Boys fell at her feet, and why wouldn't Scott be any different.
"Hey, wait up."
Scott flustered as he trotted to keep up with Rogue's long strides. He knew she was a little hurt, but he tried to play it off as best he could. He liked Rogue, just not the same way he liked Jean.
"It's cool, maybe you could come with us, Kurt and Kitty are sharing a ride and you can..."
Leaning forward so that her long bangs could hide her shame, Rogue waved his comment away with a gloved hand without stopping.
"No, it's okay, Ah'll go with my friends."
Emphasizing the last word, Rogue offered a sarcastic smile and focused on the kids doing jumping jacks on the far side of the track.
Feeling shittier by the minute, Scott went to place his hand on Rogue's to get her to look at him, but she jumped back when she saw his intention. Eyes wide with fear, she stared into the red shades that covered Scott's eyes. Although she longed for it, he had never willingly tried to touch her before and now that he did, she was more than a little terrified. Her fingers gripped tightly around her textbook, Rogue turned and ran to the student parking lot.
Scott followed her apologizing and asking her to wait, but Rogue reached her bike first and took off in a cloud of dust and gravel.
Cursing under his breath, Scott threw down his bookbag in frustration and watched the retreating girl as some students chortled in the background. Rogue was a Goth and he was a Freak and despite the fact that he was tight with Jean, one of the popular girls, he was overstepping well-known boundaries in his friendship with Rogue. But it was a friendship he valued. He would try and call Rogue her after school.
Disregarding the snickers and comments behind him, Scott regained his calm, bent over, picked up his bookbag and headed back to the main building for his next class. He was completely unaware of the Principal observing the scene from her office window and even less of the man photographing the entire scene from across the way.