3. My second chance

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After gathering all my savings, and precious belongings, I left. I left everything I'd ever known to start a new, better life. Yet, this better life, so far, was pretty much a semi-permanent camping trip, not so luxurious I know, but I'm working on it. It's been a few weeks and I've been getting by on public services, coffee shops and the one person tent my dad gave me.
Lugging a backpack and two duffle bags around everyday isn't a picnic, I'll tell you that, but it's definitely better than being completely homeless.

I decided to grab myself something to eat and drink at the coffee shop a few blocks away and make use of their free wifi to search the Internet for any odd jobs I could do to get me going. My savings could only last so long.

I was just about ready to order my lunch when four professional looking men entered the shop and sat at the table next to me. Two of them held themselves as if they were of some importance to the world while the other two were big and buff.
'If anything, those two beefcakes should have their heads held high, not the scrawny string beans who accompanied them.' I thought. They were both concentrating quite hard on surveying their surroundings, their gaze turning repeatedly towards the kitchen doors, the bathrooms and the entrance to the shop.
I managed to catch the gaze of the one sitting across from me. I smiled, somewhat in greeting. He simply looked away and at the string bean diagonal to him. It was then that I noticed a Bluetooth or comm device of sorts in his ear. My brain was buzzing with theories about these four, completely out of place, men when the waitress came to my table for my order.
"What can I get you?" I snapped out of my thoughts.
"Oh...um." I looked back at the menu.
"What did I end up deciding on?" I muttered.
"Oh yes. The vanilla milkshake and a blueberry muffin please." I finally replied.
That had actually been an on the spot decision. Milkshakes are sweet, childlike and boast innocence, while blueberry muffins are fun and colorful, kind of surprising and exciting because you never really know when next you'll bite into one of those fruity blue berries.
I figured this choice would make me seem like I had an innocent, childlike personality, oblivious to the dangers of the outside world and therefore not a threat to these apparent VIPs.
I'd decided that the beefcakes were looking for any possible threats to the string beans whom, I concluded, were probably government figures of some sort. Or just involved in something controversial and dangerous, therefore needing their beef cake bodyguards.

The two small guys kept chatting as their big defenders assessed their surroundings.
"You heard about that mutant facility upstate." One of the string beans said.
"No, you mean like a anti-human base sort of thing?" The other asked.
"It probably is but it looks like a normal prep school. More like a safe haven than informal army it seems." The first took a sip of his coffee.
"Anyone doing something about it?" The second looked slightly nervous at the news.
"Not the last I heard."
I tuned out after that lost in my thoughts about a possible safe haven and new home.
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I left the coffee shop with a sufficiently full stomach and hope of a second chance. I was just about to drop my bags and start pitching my tent for the night when I saw a short yet muscular man with an...odd (for lack of a better word) hairstyle. I try my best to not look like I'm a homeless kid who should probably become part of the adoption system and avoid being seen in, around, pitching or packing up my tent to avoid someone calling social services, so I carried on walking to the next appropriate patch of grass.
I could feel the man's presence nearby but when I looked around, I saw no one. I went to bed that night certain that someone was nearby, watching, analyzing me.
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"Hey, Sam. Sam Barton-lee?" I faintly heard a man's voice.
"I don't go to school anymore, dad. Why are you waking up early." I grumbled, still half asleep.
" oh, but soon you'll be going back to school Sam, I'm here to offer you a better life." I sat up immediately. That was not my dad's voice, and I don't live with him anymore.
"Why? What do you mean by better life?" I babbled.
"Well, I'd prefer..." He started.
"Selling drugs? Selling alcohol to the underaged? Doing drugs? Drinking alcohol? Let me tell you now I am absolutely not interested in breaking anymore laws, you hear me mister?"
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"An espresso." The waitress smiled at him before looking at me.
"Just a small chocolate milkshake." She turned and walked towards the kitchen. He turned to me to begin this ever important conversation, not about drugs, alcohol or anything that would break anymore laws; or so he'd said.
"Now, Miss Barton-lee....." He started.
"It's Sam thank you." I interrupted. He smiled.
"Sam, have you heard of doctor Jean Grey?" I had, but didn't really know much more than that she supports mutant rights.
"Isn't she some sort of mutant rights activist?"
"In part, yes. You see..." he stopped as the waitress returned. An over exaggerated smile spread across her face as she carefully set our drinks down in front of us before walking her model on the runway walk back to the counter.
I heard him chuckle slightly at her 'customer service'.
"I believe I have a right to know with whom I am speaking." I interrupted his thoughts about the tip seeking waitress.
"Summers, Scott." He sipped his coffee, leaning on his elbows.
"Well then Summers Scott, what does Jean Grey have to do with your teen stalking." I sipped my milkshake as he almost choked on his coffee. I couldn't suppress my giggles, he rolled his eyes.
"She happens to be the representative of mutants across America in government related matters." At this point I noticed that he hadn't taken his sunglasses off even though we were indoors.
"She has an associate who is the head of a school for mutants. I've been sent to invite you to this school." He looked at me waiting for an answer. Since he most probably knew about my mutation, I decided to use my telepathy.
It's concerning that you know so much about me.
"Fair enough, this associate happens to be a professor with similar abilities to you. He's found a way to amplify his power, resulting in the ability to connect to every being on earth. Mutant or human." His explanation made sense.
So I assume you'd like me to go to the school with you
"Yes." He seemed interested in my wellbeing.
It doesn't seem that bad an offer. Maybe these people could help me, train me, to control my mutation. Perhaps the professor could read my mind and find out something about my family.
I stared at him, straight in his eyes and took on an expression of pure concentration.
"It appears you're telling the truth." I said after pretending to read his mind.
"I know what it feels like to have someone messing with my head." He smirked. This proves as evidence that he is associated with said professor.
"Seems legit then. When do we leave?" I finished my milkshake and dug in my pockets for the ten bucks my drink had cost.
"As soon as possible." He said before standing, placing some cash on the table and waiting for me to follow him out the restaurant.

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