• "MOM! Look out!!!" Jaci's heart was in her throat...Doesn't she see the truck?! She watched in horror as she realized what was about to happen. "MOM Noooo!" Jaci eyes went yellow as she tried to use her powers. But the truck was too big...it was going too fast....
    "MOM!!" She jerked upright.
    Suddenly, she was back in her room. The morning breeze with a hint of honeysuckle streamed through her window; a carefree robin sung in a nearby tree.
    Jaci groaned as she collapsed on her pillow again. When will these nightmares stop...it's been almost a year now. There was a thud beside her. She looked down. Her CD player was there, a dent in the left speaker. Jaci's eyes grew big. I must've been using my powers in my sleep again! She sighed. I hope I don't get caught someday...
    "Wake up, sleepy head!" Jaci's little sister Courtney banged on her door, "today's the day you leave for your new school!"
    "I'm up!" annoyed by the happy tone of her sister's voice. She's been planning for the day I move out ever since she could talk."Oh well," Jaci said to her self, "at least I don't have to worry about her anymore."
    As she got dressed for the day and finished packing a few last items, Jaci remembered back to the strange events of the day before...

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    "Tis a far, far better thing I do than I have ever done..." When Jaci was engrossed in a story, she was completely oblivious to all that went on in the outside world. That included the ringing of the phone...
    "Jaci!"
    She was instantly jerked out of 18th century France by the annoying voice of her sister.
    "What do you want, Courtney?" she said, completely annoyed at her for ruining the moment.
    "Well, excuse me for caring about my sister becoming a hermit, never coming out to see the light of day! Ya know, you really should practice your socializeability more," came the reply from behind the door.
    Jaci rolled her eyes.
    "That isn't even a word! And if you spent more time studying than practicing your 'socializeability', you'd realize that your feeble attempts at trying to participate in intellegent conversations only go to exaggerate your pathetic lack of mental abilities."
    Jaci smiled at the silence that came from behind the door. No one could ever match her for words.
    She heard her sister turn to leave when there was a sudden retort, "I suppose you don't care then, that I've got the phone," there was a short silence, "and David happens to be on the other end!"
    Jaci's eyes widened. She jumped up and flung open the door.
    "Why didn't you say David was on the phone?!" she snapped, grabbing the phone and slamming the door at the same time.
    "David?"
    "Hey, Sis!" her brother's voice sounded from the other end, "Sounds like you and Courtney are up to the same old stuff..."
    Jaci rolled her eyes, "Yeah, whatever..." was the reply as she flopped back onto her bed.
    "So, how's Annapolis?" A pang of homesickness for her older brother went through her as she said it.
    "School's good, the tests can get tough though...it's been a little rainy lately," he added with a tone of jest, "And don't think I didn't see that eye roll, either!"
    She smiled, "Nothin' gets past you does it?"
    David laughed, "That's right, and don't you forget it!"
    "I won't..." she giggled.
    She could hear a bell ringing in the back ground.
    "Well," he said, "that's the roll call...see ya later Kiddo, I'll call back soon, ok?"
    "K, bye," she waited till she heard the click on his end before hanging up.
    She sighed. It seemed like an eternity before he'd be back from military school. Until then, she'd have to put up with Courtney alone. At least we don't have to share a room. Jaci shuddered at the thought.
    She picked up her book again. Her Mom always used to say that sometimes, it was easier reading about other people's problems 'cause it made you forget your own. It was quite awhile before she was interrupted again...this time, the doorbell.
    "Jaci!" her father's voice called up the stairs.
    She sighed. "Back to reality," she mumbled to herself as she snapped the book shut. "Coming!"
    Before going down stairs, Jaci stopped in front of the mirror. Not that she cared to primp or anything, but it didn't hurt to check yourself sometimes...no use scaring people. She stared at the tall fifteen year old girl looking back at her; almost the spitting image of her father. The same straight nose, same determined chin, same quirk of the eyebrows that said she never quite believed what she saw...except her eyes, those were her mom's. Jaci bit her bottom lip as she finished putting her hair up. I don't have time to think about Mom right now...
    She heard strange voices as she came down the stairs. A wealthy looking man she'd never seen before was talking with her father. He was in a wheelchair. There was a girl, who looked to be about Jaci's age standing behind him. Jaci didn't have to wonder about them for long.
    "Oh, here she is now," Colonel Allbridge replied to the man as he spotted his daughter, "Jaci, I'd like you to meet Professor Xavier. He's an old friend of mine."
    Jaci shook the professor's hand, "Nice to meet you, sir," she said, still confused as to why he was here. Friends of her father's were usually from work and they rarely came to the house.
    "The pleasure is mine," he replied, smiling.
    Well, he seems nice enough... But there was something about the way he looked at her, it was almost as if he could see right through her. It made her feel vulnerable and she didn't like it.
    The professor continued, "I suppose you're curious as to the nature of this visit." He looked at her.
    Jaci nodded, still having the erie feeling.
    "Well, I shall keep you in suspense no longer." he said, looking to the colonel.
    "Jake, I believe your daughter is very talented and I would like to invite her to stay at Xavier's Institute for the Gifted," he paused for a reply.
    Jaci's head reeled. What does he mean, "gifted"?
    "Talented, eh?" Colonel Allbridge questioned.
    Jaci almost paniced. He surely can't mean that!
    Before the professor could say anything else, she quickly said, "You mean my music, right?" Nervously, she glanced sideways at the colonel.
    "Yes," the professor paused as if choosing the right words, "that and some other talents."
    Jaci gave a silent sigh of relief as he and her father continued conversing. That was close! Her secret was still safe, though she wondered if this man really liked her music...or if his intent was different. Her mind reeled with questions...
    "...So then, it's settled," her father's voice startled her, "You'll leave for Xavier's in the morning."
    "What?!" Jaci was certain she'd missed something while deep in thought.
    "I think this opportunity will be good for you," the colonel stated, "And while I think music is hardley to be considered a real career choice, I believe being around people your own age, with your own interests will do you some good."
    She just stood there, in stunned silence, not entirely believeing what she'd just heard.
    "What the hell?! Don't I even get a say in this?!" she cried.
    "Watch your tongue, young lady!"
    "First you ship David off and now me!"
    "Now just a minute-"
    "...I have problems coping, do I?"
    "THAT IS ENOUGH!" The colonel's voice echoed throught the house.
    Jaci snapped her mouth shut and fought back hot tears.
    "Now it's just that kind of outburst that makes it impossible to deal with you!" he finished, angrily.
    She was shocked. ...deal with me?
    Her father sighed, "I-I didn't mean it to come out like that..."
    His voice softened, "Jaci, you haven't been the same since your mother passed away you've been keeping to yourself more and more, reading your books and playing your music, locked in your room. We've all been worried about you. I think you need to be away from home for awhile."
    Jaci started chewing her thumb, it was a bad habit when she felt unsettled. Why'd he have to bring up Mom...
    She looked up. For the first time, she noticed the girl she'd seen earlier.
    "You'd like Xavier's," the girl said shyly, "We all fit in there."
    Jaci's eyes narrowed. What did the girl mean by "we"?
    "Well, if you're going to leave in the morning you'd better get packing." The colonel's voice jerked her away from her thoughts.
    She tilted her chin up and said," Yes, sir..." turned, and went upstairs.
    Could they possibly know? She hadn't ever told anyone. Not even David. Not even her mother...especially not her father, she knew how he felt about mutants.
    Jaci shook her head as she entered her room. She grabbed a suitcase and started throwing in clothes. As she was packing, Jaci glanced at the book still laying on her bed.
    Well, you've always wanted to be part of an adventure...
    She answered her self aloud, "But my own adventure is turning out to be quite unexpected."

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    Jaci was snapped out of her ponderings back to the present. Outside, she heard her father drive up, waiting to take her and their visitors to the airport.
    "Tell David where to call," she told her sister as she stepped onto the front porch, "Daddy's got the number..."
    "Alright, ya know, it's not gonna be the same without you here..."
    Jaci looked at her sister. Sometimes she can be ok, I guess. She smiled at her younger sibling.
    Courtney continued, "So, can I have your room?"
    Jaci scowled, then again..."Not on your life! And if I find anything different when I get back, you're gonna wish you were someone else's sister!"
    Courtney smirked and flounced off.
    Her father honked the horn of the car, "Time to go kiddo!"
    She looked at the house for a final goodbye. Then she turned toward the car and threw her bag in the trunk and slid into the back seat. Well, here goes nothin'...