Is it even Possible to be Happy? (REWRITING)

Chapter 2

“Em wake up. Wake up little one.” I heard Erik say. I opened my eyes to see that I was still in the car with my head on Erik’s lap. I sat up, yawning and stretching.
“Good nap?” Erik asked smiling. I nodded smiling making him chuckle. “Come on let’s go meet the rest of the gang.” I got out and froze. Why were we at a CIA base? Did he know? Why was he doing this to me? Was I going to get experimented on again? All of the questions ran through my head as I fell to my knees on the cement putting my arms around myself shaking as though it was freezing. Charles and Erik were at my side looking confused and worried.
“Oh my god Erik, she’s terrified. Shaw must have experimented on her too.” Charles said shocked. Erik cursed and looked at me. He looked so helpless at the tears now streaming down my cheeks. “Ember it’s ok. I won’t let anyone hurt you. I promise. I love you Em, I won’t, no, I can’t loose you again.” I looked into his eyes and saw that he wouldn’t let anyone touch me. I nodded and hesitantly followed him scared still scared. I basically was attached to him as we walked through the building. I was led into a game room of sorts where there were six other teenagers standing there.
“Everyone this is Ember. Ember this is Raven, Angel, Darwin, Sean, Alex, and Hank.” Charles said. I smiled and waved at all of them rather shy. I was extremely nervous seeing as I hadn’t really changed out of my rags because we didn’t have time.
 
The blonde girl named Raven ran forward and hugged me. “It’s so nice to meet you!” She said. I smiled. “Are you always this happy?” She looked at me confused. “Is that a bad thing?”
 
“No it’s refreshing.” I said quietly.
“So Ember what’s your last name?” Darwin asked.
“Lehnsherr.” Everyone’s eyes widened.
“Yep she’s my baby sister.” Erik said putting his arm around my shoulder. I smiled proudly.
“You all have fun. We have a meeting to go to.” Charles said.
“Stay safe.” Erik said kissing my head before leaving.
Raven passed me some clothes and pushed me towards a door.
“There’s the bathroom with a shower. Get yourself cleaned up and changed so you feel more comfortable.”
I nodded and walked in.
I stood under the warm water for a long time letting it wash away all my cares and worries. Once I came out I felt extremely clean and fresh. It had been a while since I last showered. I blow-dried my hair turning it from an unknown color into a rich golden caramel. I changed in a dark blue long-sleeved v-neck shirt and a black pleated skirt with black leggings. I looked at myself in the mirror and gasped. I looked so different. The person in the mirror was a beautiful girl who could never have been a street urchin. I took a deep breath before walking out the door. I saw everyone stare at me in amazement.
“What?” I asked.
“Ember. You look amazing!” Angel said making me blush.
“Hey let’s play some music!” Raven said randomly as she walked over to the radio. I just stood there nervous as all hell.
“Hey.” I turned around and saw a rather cute boy with glasses smiling at me.
“Don’t worry about Raven. She’s always like that. I’m Hank by the way.”  He said.
“Ember.” I said shaking his hand. “It’s nice to meet you Hank.”
“Why don’t you come sit with me? Do you want a soda?” He asked. I nodded sitting down on a couch. He can back with two cokes and handed me an open one. I hesitantly took a sip and my eyes went wide.
“It’s bubbly!” I exclaimed. Hank chuckled. “This is your first time having soda isn’t it?” I nodded.
“When I got out of Germany I lived on the streets hiding from everyone.” I said sadness evident my voice. The whole room went quite. I shook my head not wanting to talk about it.
 
“We should think of codenames.” Raven said after we had all become friends for the most part. “We’re government agents now we should have secret codenames. I want to be called Mystique.”
“Damn I wanted to be called Mystique.” Sean said.
“Tough. I called it.” She shifted into Sean. “And I’m way more mysterious than you.” We clapped amazed. I got to admit it was pretty cool.
“Darwin what about you?” Raven asked shifting back.
“Well Darwin’s already a nickname and you know, sorta fits, adapt to survive and all. Check this out.” He got up and walked to the fish tank and put his head in it. On the sides of his face grew gills and he started breathing with them. I clapped smiling like a little kid.
“What about you?” He asked pointing to Sean.
“I’m going to be, Banshee.”
“Why do you want to be named after a wailing spirit?” Hank asked curious.
“You might want to cover your ears.” Sean said getting up and squatting down behind the table facing the glass window towards the courtyard. I covered my ears as he made a cry and the class broke. “That was wicked!” I exclaimed getting up to examine the glass.
“Your turn.” Sean said pointing to Angel.
“My uh stage name was Angel. Kinda fits.” She said having wings come up from the tattoo on her back.
“You can fly?” Raven asked excitedly.
“Uh-huh. And,” She spat and a ball of what seemed to be acid landed on the top of the statues head.
“What’s your name?” She asked Hank who just looked away embarrassed.
“How bout Big Foot?” Alex asked. I glared at him. Jerk! Hank was a sweetheart!
“Well you know what they say about guys with big feet, and um yours are kind of small.” Raven said standing up for Hank. I laughed while Alex glared.
“So Ember what about you?” Raven asked me.
“I don’t know.”
“What’s your mutation?” Hank asked. I sighed.
“Well I can control and change matter as well as telepathy.” I said.
“How about Kali?” Hank said
“Kali?” All of us asked confused as all hell.
“Kali, the Indian goddess of destruction. You change matter meaning you can create and destroy.” I thought it over for a minute before smiling.
“I like it!” I smiled. “Thanks Hank!”
“Alex what is your gift? What can you do?” Darwin said moving the conversation along.
“Uh it’s not um I just can’t do it, can’t do it in here.”
“Can you do it out there?” I said pointing outside.
“Come on.” Sean said as we all started changing his name until he got up and walked outside but not before glancing at me.
“Get down when I tell you.” He said walking over to the corner. We all leaned out the window to see what was going on.
“Get back.” He said. We leaned back and looked back out again.
“Get back.” He repeated looking mainly at me. “Whatever.” Suddenly red disks surrounded his body and he shot them at the statue cutting it in half. I cheered and ran over to him when he was done. ”That was bloody brilliant!” I said. He looked shocked and I think I saw a light blush on his face but he walked away before I could be sure. “I think his name should be Havok.” Darwin said. I nodded.
“That’s actually a pretty awesome name.” I said thinking out loud.
“So what about for Erik and Charles?” Raven asked sitting down on the couch. I immediately thought of my childhood nickname for Erik.
“How about Magneto for Erik since he’s like a giant magnet?” Raven laughed. “Perfect and for Charles?”
“Maybe Professor X?” I asked unsure. “Awesome!” She said. Suddenly a song came on the radio and Raven and I started dancing to it.
I felt someone staring at me as I swayed back and forth moving my body to the beat.
 
“What are you doing?” I heard a female voice yell. I turned and my face paled. I saw my brother with Charles and a woman. “Who destroyed the statue?” She asked.
“It was Alex.” Hank said nervously. “No Havok. We have to call him Havok, that’s his name now. And we were thinking you could be Professor X,” Raven said pointing to Charles, “and you could be Magneto.” She pointed to my brother, who was looking at me. “Exceptional.” He said in a sarcastic tone towards Charles. I would have giggled if I weren’t so nervous. I could tell he knew that I was shaken and gave me a look saying that we would talk later and that I wasn’t in too much trouble.
“I expected more from you.” Charles said to Raven, disappointed in her behavior. I looked at her before walking up to the statue and having it form back together. After I held my hand where the window would be and focused my mind feeling every glass particle and putting them back together like a puzzle. The window was soon fixed. I walked over to the couch and sat down next to a sad Raven hugging her.
“Don’t worry. He’ll forgive you.” She nodded obviously unsure.