C H A P T E R   9 :   W E L C O M E   T O   F E L I C I A   L A N D

I was making my way towards Chemistry class when I was intercepted by the world's biggest douchebag. Yeah, you guessed it. Trump. Kidding! Philip.

"Well, well, if it isn't Delicious Felicia." He pronounced my name slowly and in a smooth tone that I had heard lots of times before. I ignored him, so he insisted. "Has the cat got your tongue?"

I laughed at his lame joke. If you don't shut up it will soon get yours.

"No. I just thought you would realize by my silence that I have no interest in talking to you."

"Well, we don't need to talk, love. There's... other things we can do with our mouths, you know?"

I stared at him in disbelief. If this guy didn't give up after a punch and a punishment, he was dumber than expected.

"How's your face?" I asked instead, faking an innocent smile. "It no longer looks swollen."

Philip hid his anger under a charming smile.

"Come on, Felicia. There's no one around us now. You can stop the performance." His voice was husky and seductive and absolutely nauseating.

"Will it really bruise your ego that much admitting I'm not the least bit interested in you?"

"Stop lying, Felicia." He let out as a warning. He came closer to me and I fought the urge to step back. I wasn't afraid of him, I knew I could handle him. And this guy desperately needed to be taught some manners. "After the show you threw last night do you think I'm going to believe you? Why resisting me so much? It's obvious you're desperate to get some."

It took all the cells in my body to not punch him again. I didn't want to abuse Charles' confidence in me, but my patience was running short.

"What are you implying?" I questioned in a low, dangerous tone. He grinned, a grin like the Cheshire cat.

"Nothing." He shrugged, his hand rubbing his chin as he looked me up and down several times. "I'm simply stating the truth, am I not? What you did last night... dammit, babe, I couldn't stop thinking about it. I was so turned on. I still am."

I wondered if throwing up over Philip would be considered breaking the rules.

"So what?" I inquired, battling against my disgust. "Just because I was responsible for a collective erection, does that mean I'm a nymphomaniac? Does it make me deserve to be labeled a slut?"

"Oh, Felicia." Philip shook his head, disregarding my words. "You were provoking us all with your moves last night. Did you seriously think rubbing yourself like that wouldn't make us demand something for us? That you could get away with your provocations without us wanting a little piece? That you could turn us on without us having the right to crave... more? Don't you think we deserve more? A sexy striptease, with a lap dance perhaps? Come on, babe, you were literally offering us your body. And I came to collect. Please tell me I was the first, 'cause I know I won't be the last."

Hey, moon, did you hear the impact of my hand up there?

"Bitch!" He spit out, grabbing his already red face. "What was that for?"

He still thought he held all the reason. Unbelievable. I was shaken to the core, his words echoing in my mind, my anger desperate to be unleashed.

"I'm giving you a piece of my body." I said, my voice the only thing calm within me. I was turmoil, a time bomb ready to explode. "And I haven't finished yet."

I grabbed him by his collar and ferociously pushed him to the ground, my legs on each side of his body, trapping him against the floor.

"Just like I suspected, you prefer to be on top, right?" He jeered, trying to release himself. I stopped my fist mid air not because of that but because I thought I heard footsteps. "You're easy, Felicia. You rub yourself while others are watching, what did you expect? You are practically begging to be banged, so why don't you shut up and let me do you that favor!"

Screw the steps.

I started punching him ruthlessly. It wasn't just for me. But for every girl before, and unfortunately for every girl afterwards.

"I'm gonna make you regret every stupid word, swallow every stupid insult, you motherfucker." Punch. "You fucking bastard." Punch. This time, I was sure I had broken his nose. His blood was spilling everywhere. I knew he would soon lose his consciousness but I couldn't stop. "You disgusting harasser." Punch, punch, punch.

"Felicia!" A voice called out but I was so immersed in my violence I didn't recognize it or turned around. I heard someone running towards us but not even that stopped my fists from doing their job. "Felicia, stop!"

Only when his firm hands grabbed my arms did I realize. It was Logan. He lifted me up easily by my elbows, taking me away from the bloodied boy on the floor. I struggled in his sturdy embrace, trying to reach for Philip again.

"Felicia, please, stop." Logan whispered, his breath fanning my ear.

"Let me go!" I demanded through gritted teeth, fighting against his steady, strong arms. It was useless. Logan was an authentic straitjacket. "Let me go, Logan, he deserves it! He fucking deserves it!"

With a final push of strength, I managed to release myself enough from Logan's grip to reach for Philip again. I tried to grab his hair but before I could Logan grabbed me again, his muscular arms wrapping around my waist, making me move backwards. My legs kicked the air pointlessly, trying to hit Philip, but I was too far away. Logan had underestimated the power of my rage and he would not do it again. He was trapping me against his chest and I could feel his racing heartbeat colliding with my back. He was breathing hard too from the effort of keeping me still, matching my own enraged breaths, our chests rising up and down in sync.

"Get her away from me, professor Logan!" Philip cried out from the ground, finally scared. Finally recognizing my strength. Something he should never have doubted. I shouldn't have to resort to my fists for him to understand. "She's completely crazy!"

"Yes, I am and you need to taste some of it!" I shouted, trembling. Logan still hadn't let go of me so he noticed how my hands were shaking. My claws were begging to come out, and I was fighting will all my strengths to keep them in because as much as I hated Philip, I didn't want to kill him.

I knew once my claws came out it would no longer be up to me, and Logan knew it too.

"Philip." His voice was urgent but calm. "Can you get up or do you need my help?"

"I... I think I can..." With a whimper of pain I enjoyed hearing, Philip slowly and painfully raised himself. His face was all bloodied, whereas my fists were already healing. Too bad my regenerative factor didn't extend to my spirit.

"I'll walk you to the infirmary. Felicia, stay here. And don't move."

I rolled my eyes, but my heart sped up. Now that the rush of the fight was calming down, the consequences of my actions became more and more real. Scarier.

"There's... there's no need, professor. I'll go by myself." Philip said with a great amount of effort. Guess even after what I had done to him he still wanted to mantain some degree of dignity by not letting the almighty Wolverine carry him bridal style.

Unlike what I had expected, Logan didn't insist and instead turned his attention to me. I gave Philip one last deadly stare before he turned around and dragged himself through the corridor.

When he turned the corner, Logan spoke up.

"What the hell were you thinking, Felicia?"

"Hum, I wasn't exactly taking advantage of my rational skills, professor Logan." I snapped, my tone full of acid. My breathing was still hard and uneven, but at least I was slowly stopping shaking. My fingers weren't hurting anymore nor yearning with a thirst for blood.

"Clearly." He pointed out. "You crossed the limits this time, Felicia. You could have killed him."

I swallowed under the heavy weight of reality. I knew. I had snapped completely. Philip's attack had been the culmination of a sequence of bad events. The straw that broke the camel's back.

"I know." I let out, defeated. "Fortunately you arrived on time."

"Felicia..." He sighed, his voice devoid from its usual rudeness. I noticed he was still grabbing me, his hands placed solidly on my elbows, as if afraid to let me go. Afraid I'd turn into that killing machine he was teaching me not to become. I wondered if he was disappointed in me. I wondered why I cared. "What am I going to do with you?"

I could think of a reasonable number of good answers to give him, but decided it wasn't the moment. I felt exhausted. I just wanted to go home. Wherever that was.

"You can take me to Charles." I said, my voice serious and mature. "I'm ready to assume my responsibilities. As long as Philip is too. I accept my punishment as long as he doesn't walk out of this unpunished either. I'm ready to leave if necessary."

No, you're not, an insistent, annoying voice screamed in my brain. 

"No." The vehemence in Logan's tone caught me off guard. He shook his head. "You're not leaving."

"I'm... not?" I asked, my voice a little shaky. "Well... I don't think that's up to you to decide."

Ignoring me, Logan grabbed my arm, more gently than he needed. I was used to roughness. I was used to his roughness. It never did me harm.

"You're coming with me."

***

Logan led me to the nearest bathroom and shut the door behind him. Too bad I wasn't in the mood to make a joke because it would have been an amazing opportunity.

"You need to get cleaned up." He declared, grabbing some paper towel and drenching it in water. I looked at my reflection in the mirror. He was right. I had blood in my face, not to mention my hands. The vision scared me. But the peace in Logan's eyes as he handed me the paper calmed my violence.

"Thanks," I said and started cleaning the blood as best as I could.

"Are you hurt?" He questioned, continuing to provide me paper, his eyes wandering over my body in search of injuries. You won't find them there. His burning gaze left my skin tingling.

"I heal fast."

"That's not what I asked."

I sighed, crumpling the paper into a ball and throwing it into the trash.

"I'm fine. I'm a little shook up here, but that's all." I said, pointing with a finger to my head.

Logan pressed his lips but didn't speak. We fell into silence as I took every trace of blood from my skin. I couldn't stand having any fluid of that filthy guy on me. As I washed my hands for the hundredth time, Logan spoke from behind me.

"You shouldn't have done what you did." I looked up to meet his eyes in the mirror. I watched his face. Strangely, he didn't seem upset. He had been atypically serene throughout the entire time and I was expecting the moment when he would just lose his temper.

"I was defending myself." I said through gritted teeth.

"No." Logan argued, his arms firmly crossed over his chest. "For that you could have quickly knocked him out, you certainly have the skills. You were attacking him out of pure anger. Prolonging his pain. Enjoying it."

I swallowed. How could I be so readable when all of him was written in a foreign language? I hated that. I hated how he could decipher me so well while I just kept crashing against his walls.

"If you're trying to make me feel bad, you can stop, it won't work." I said firmly. "I don't regret it."

"Felicia..."

"He called me easy!" I exploded, closing the tap furiously and turning around to face him, my back colliding with the countertop. "He acted as if my behavior made me earn all the shitty labels slut-shaming produces and encourages. And I hate... I hate how they think they can play us around as if we are their toys! As if we aren't humans with own wills as well. I hate how they think they can get away with everything, using us as they please like we are their possession. And how society judge us, women, like we commited a crime just by behaving in a freer, more liberal way."

Logan opened his mouth to speak, but I kept going. I needed to speak. He was the only one here to hear.

"Men can dance and hook up and call attention and they'll be crowned champions. Women on the other hand are sent into the bonfire. They're supposed to be submissive and contained. Men are the ones supposed to act upon their desires. It's their natural behavior, right? To command. Honestly, I'm so sick of this shit. If I was a guy Philip would be congratulating me. Not crucifying me."

I dropped my stare to the floor, I couldn't stand Logan's gaze anymore, it was burning through me.

"I know," I heard him say. "You're right." My head snapped at how quickly I looked up. "I heard some of what he said to you. I'm sorry you had to hear so much bullshit, Felicia. Philip... I knew he was a player but I never thought he was this bad. I guess he's a really good actor, he hid it well. I won't let him come close to you again."

I didn't know what to say. Logan took all of the words away from my mouth. And he hadn't even finished.

"And I'm sorry you have to suffer with society's ignorance and prejudice, no one should have to go through that. I guess people don't know how to handle a force like you so they try to bring you down in a pathetic attempt to rise up."

My eyes widened at his words. My hands clasped the countertop behind me tightly.

"Are you the same Logan or were you kidnapped by aliens at some point?"

He smiled a little. He. Fucking. Smiled.

"I may be rude and harsh, Felicia, but I'm not heartless. Nor dumb. And I know it's hard but you just can't... you can't let people's assumptions and comments get to you. There is always going to be someone judging you at first sight. Not willing to see beyond appearances. There will always be someone making suppositions and come to their own conclusions without ever giving us a chance to change their opinions, to show our true selves. We have to live with that. It sucks, but we can't change what others do. Only how we let that affect us."

"Speaks the man who turns into a storm of rage with the smallest comment." I said, not being able to hide my small smile as well. I never thought... I never thought Logan could be like this. I guess I had judged him wrongly too.

"I admit I'm still working on that myself. I expect my apprentice to do better than her mentor."

"That's not going to be very hard." I smirked. We were getting along! We were actually getting along and having a conversation without pissing each other off.

"Careful or I'll have to penalize you in your training."

A soft laugh escaped my lips, surprising us both. Logan's light brown eyes locked with mine, the tips of his lips curling up. I swear my heart made a fucking backflip in my chest.

"What I'm saying is that you have to measure your emotions. The right amount of anger and you'll be unstoppable." Logan declared. "Too much and---"

"Yeah, I know, the world ends." I joked.

"How are you feeling?" He questioned, his brow creased in concern. I knew he was just doing his teacher job, but still I felt thankful.

"I'm... messed up." I admitted. "But I'm better than before."

Logan nodded. We fell into silence again, but none of us made a motion to leave.

"What about Charles?" I asked. "I'm sure this time I'll be expelled."

"Maybe not. I'll interfere in your favor, not that I need to since Charles will have access to the truest of versions. He'll see you had some reason. You won't get rid of punishment, but I don't think he will make you leave considering you..."

Logan shut up abruptly.

"You can say it, Logan, it won't hurt me." I lied, a lump forming in my throat. "Considering I don't have anywhere else to go, right?"

He shook his head and diverted his eyes from mine. When he spoke, his voice was hoarse like he was having trouble speaking too.

"Considering you already are a part of us."

***

Logan was right. I didn't manage to escape detention but considering what happened to Philip, I had been lucky. Philip had been expelled.

The official information was that he would leave school because of extremely intolerable behavior, but there were already rumors spreading that I had had something to do with it. Not that Philip mentioned I had beaten his ass into a pulp, of course, but this was a school after all. Truth never stayed hidden for long.

I also had a feeling Philip's expulsion and my not so severe punishment was due to Logan's intervention, which I was undeniably grateful for. Charles had given me a huge lecture full of warnings but in the end he had let me go with some hours of detention to fulfill. Considering the damage I had made to Philip's pretty face, Professor X had been nice. He and Logan seemed to have a good effect on one another.

So there I was the next day, entering the Detention room. Ah, how I hadn't missed those.

The room was empty except for the watching teacher and a guy with headphones on his head lazily leaning back on his chair with his feet on top of the table in front of him. 

He stared at me when I walked into the room and I stared back. He had dark brown eyes and shoulder length black hair with a pink strand (at this point I was pretty convinced having weird hair colors was a prerequisite to enter this school). Wearing a leather jacket and black combat boots, all he needed was a motorbike to conquer the heart of good girls around the world. 

Too bad I was more of a bad girl.

"I had heard you were tough but I never expected to see you here so soon." The guy spoke when I sat some chairs away from him. Since I doubted he was talking to the sleeping teacher in front of us, I answered him without turning to face him.

"Sorry to disappoint you."

"Only in your looks." Him saying that made me stare at him intensely from over my shoulder. "I also heard you were hot." He said in an attempt to explain himself.

"Thank you, because I care so much about what you or anyone else has to say about me." I deadpanned. Somehow my answer seemed to please him and he went back to listen to his music. When I realized it was "Little Bad Girl", I felt the rage invade me and got up, making my way towards him. I grabbed his phone without permission and pressed pause.

"Girl, what the--"

"Are you doing this on purpose?" I questioned, pointing at the song title in the screen. "Trying to send me some twisted subtle message?"

I saw his expression go from confused to annoyed once he understood.

"You're talking about your dance at the lake's party. The one everyone keeps talking about."

"Yes. Are you... making fun of me or something?" I felt so weak at that moment. So affected by what I heard about me. Unfortunately, not everyone shared Logan's mature view and I had had to endure some people accusing me of causing Philip's expulsion or looking at me as if I owed them something. Nothing too serious, but enough to make me a little paranoid.

"For your information, the world doesn't spin around you and I couldn't care less what you do or don't do. As long as you stay out of my way."

"Thank you." I let out, and his eyebrows raised in surprise. I got up to leave, but then he spoke.

"If anyone tries to use your body against you, use their minds against them. You're free to do what you want, girl. Don't let some douchebags taint your image of the school. Don't let a bunch of immature boys ruin your expectation on men."

I was taken aback. I had fallen into the mistake of judging him at first sight as well.

"Are you by any chance referring to yourself?" I smirked a little.

He laughed and shook his head.

"No, girl, I'm no man. I'm just fire."

"And does your fire happen to have a name?"

"Lewis."

***

When I went outside to lunch, all eyes were on me. Some people stared me suspiciously or angrily, yes, but what suprised me was the glances of admiration, empathy and respect I got from the majority. Perhaps Lewis was right.

"Felicia!" Dyani called from one of the tables. She was sitting with Bobby, Rogue and Kitty and I walked towards them a little nervous. Let's just say I had been avoiding everyone since the day before. "How are you?"

"I'm good." I answered honestly. Receiving support had made wonders for my mood.

"Are you sure?" Bobby frowned. "We heard Philip was expelled. And that you got detention. People put two and two together and concluded you had played a part."

"For a change, the rumors are right. Philip was... disrespectful and I had to put him in his place. Honestly I'm just glad he got what he deserved. For once justice actually worked."

"I swear, if that jerk tried anything with you..." Bobby gritted his teeth.

"We'll hunt him down and haunt him forever." Dyani completed just as dangerously.

I smiled at them. It still amazed me how I had made friends so easily after so long being alone.

"No need."

"I'm sure Felicia is sick of this subject, let's talk about something else." Kitty suggested, and I thanked her with a smile. 

"Yeah, for example, who else was in detention. Any bets?" Rogue questioned with a smirk.

"Lewis Thompson." Everyone else answered in unison. I widened my eyes.

"His reputation is that bad, uh?"

"Well, usually not many people here get detention." Kitty explained, logical as always. "Not that the teachers are that tolerable, more because the students are too happy about finally having a home and friends and people that understand them that they never behave badly, you know? We're terrified of having to leave. The threat of expulsion is enough to turn us all into angels."

"Except Lewis. He doesn't care." Rogue completed. It satisfied me seeing these two girls united, not letting love quarrels come in between.

"Because for him there's a thick line between detention and expulsion." Bobby said, and was it my impression or was he slightly annoyed? "He masters the subtle art of always getting the first and avoiding the latter like nobody else."

"That's not the only art he masters, I'm sure." Dyani smirked.

"Ah, yes, I'd forgotten he also likes to set classrooms on fire." Bobby replied sarcastically.

"Because I was obviously talking about that." Dyani rolled her eyes playfully.

"Wait, he really set a room on fire?" I intervened.

They all nodded.

"He's a pyrokinetic, a powerful one. But his temper makes him unpredictable and dangerous." Kitty informed.

"I talked to him a bit." I declared, remembering his words. "He didn't seem that bad."

"Wait, you talked to him? Did he answer back?" Rogue questioned, astonished.

"Hum... in reality he talked first."

All their mouths fell agape.

"Woow, I've been in this school for long and I can count by the fingers in one hand the amount of times I've seen Lewis talking with someone. We talk to him and he just ignores us so eventually we gave up trying." Rogue stated.

"If you're on talking terms with him he must have taken an interest in you." Bobby narrowed his eyes. "Just try not to mess with him much, Felicia, I know you girls tend to like his type."

"What, his loner style, unpredictable attitude and bad boy vibes? Hell yeah, you're right. And he isn't a teacher unlike someone we know." Dyani said, winking at me. I smiled upon the idea of having seen a side of Logan he didn't show to many students.

"He seems like the perfect challenge for me." I smirked.

"Felicia..."

"Relax, Bobby, I'm not crazy. Well, not that much at least. And now that I think about it, he sounds like the perfect rival to you. Ice, fire... opposites attract?" I winked.

Bobby rolled his eyes but a small laugh escaped his lips. 

"Fortunately, my soul has already been stolen." He said, grabbing Rogue's gloved hand.

"I swear to God if I didn't risk killing you, I'd kiss you right now." Rogue gave him a big grin. 

"Felicia! Can I talk to you?" Bianca approached me. I sighed since I already knew who the conversation would be about. I didn't want to have it but I knew she wouldn't give up, so I waved the others goodbye and followed her.

"I can't believe you punched Philip." She said in the firmest tone I had ever heard her use.

"I can't believe you're still defending him after he insulted me greatly. If he was expelled, don't you think it was for a good reason?"

Bianca bit her lip, suddenly hesitant.

"I... I didn't think about that. His version is more known than yours. He says he was wronged and that it was your fault."

"And because he's the guy, everyone believes him without questioning and put a target on my back. Great."

Bianca shook her head.

"Actually, no. I've heard some things... some other girls talking about how he was... intrusive. People are praising you for your courage. I guess I just didn't want to believe the monster living in him."

"I understand." I said truthfully. "We believe what's best for our heart, even if it damns it."

Bianca raised her eyebrows.

"Thanks." She ended up saying with a smile.

"For what?" 

"For being the girl I already knew you were." She shyly replied.

"Which is..."

"A girl I want as my friend." She concluded. "As long as you want to, of course."

I couldn't help but grin.

"Welcome to Felicia land, Bianca."

A/N: Music is "Little Bad Girl" by David Guetta, Taio Cruz and Ludacris.

Picture on the side is a slideshow of the characters :) what do you think of them?