By: Franny
Xavier’s School for the Gifted
1995
The journeys to self discovery and tearful goodbyes were the beauty in the graduation of 1995. All diverse ethnicities and personalities wore white robes and hats with the tassels. Cheers roared at those who were called for their certificates, especially your typical brilliant Rockstar girl with long platinum hair. Alison Blaire.
She was the most loved of all students. Her misunderstood appearance of piercing and Japanese tattoos mistook her for a wild rebel. And she was. Alison spoke her mind through her free spirited voice, and her music was part of her voice towards mutant discrimination and peace.
She was brilliant in every way, and everyone knew when she had that diploma in her hand, she was to pursue a great future of importance. She was envied by most girls and drooled upon by most boys, but she was tough…oh yes she was. When you messed with someone very close to her…may God be with you. And yes, she had a very special someone.
“’Ro stop cryin’, you’re givin’ me a headache,” Alison laughed out loud as the sweet sixteen Ororo slapped her arm, frowning up at her mentor and her friend.
“Stop toying with my feelings!” Ororo sniffed, with her long ivory hair whipping about her face due to the whistle of the wind. “Besides…I’m going to miss you.”
Their playfulness of the two sisters was gone now, and the older Alison smiled warmly down at Ororo, pulling her into an embrace. Alison loved this girl so much, she wasn’t even sure she wanted to go to University of San Francisco in California.
Ororo was a little cutie when she met her, Alison was only nine, and Ororo was six. Alison was never serious about school, after staying back once, she loved to run about and break the rules. She didn’t even pay much attention to Ororo, because to her, Ororo was just one of the abandoned brats who came to the mansion for a stay.
But there was something about the brat that lured Alison to look at her sitting all by herself in the television room, or silently trying to speak out the English words of Peter Pan. One thing, her white hair was weird. And those striking blue eyes in contrast to her smooth caramel baby skin; even now Ororo was beauty in its uniqueness.
The first time she spoke to Ororo, was when Xavier tried to get her attitude in check by teaching the girl some English through reading her stories. First times weren’t always good. Alison would get frustrated and rolled her eyes at Ororo because she asked word in the book, or the two would argue for hours because Ororo ‘was too much of a nutcase to speak English’.
Ororo as a little girl even showed that fierceness and integrity she still had. Alison didn’t know why only elders and she noticed that, but Ororo had integrity oozing from her graceful walks. Sometimes Alison actually had to scare away those boys who decided to say that they were interested in Ororo, rather than explain how ‘interested’ they were.
When she and Ororo clicked, was when Ororo began to cry at something she said. She told Ororo that her parents had tossed her over here because she was so dumb for them to believe she was their daughter. Alison mentally slapped herself for talking too much. Ororo couldn’t stop crying, and Alison remembered just standing there.
But then her guilt had finally taken a hold of her. She remembered sitting by Ororo, and hugging her. She almost broke down when the girl allowed it, rather than slap her away…that was all she ever wanted, someone to hold her and say everything would be alright.
“I’m gonna miss you too, you dope,” Alison smiled in Ororo’s soft hair, laying her cheek over it. “Besides…who’s gonna keep me motivated huh?” Ororo laughed, sniffing softly and trembling slightly.
It was true, Ororo was the reason she gave a damn about school. She taught Ororo to improve her English and learn to have fun; but Ororo taught her the power of reading and education. Both of them studied together, laughed and played together. They were their own clique, they were sisters, and no one could tear them apart.
“Next time that Forge comes around flirting again, call me and I’ll castrate him,” Alison murmured, and Ororo giggled.
“Nah, he’ll be done with already.” Ororo answered, pulling back and allowing her sister to wipe her tears win her thumbs.
“I see I’ve got influence on ya,”
“Of course you do, little sisters sometimes go after the big ones right?” Alison smiled. “I think you’re gonna be a great activist Ali.” Ororo murmured, knowing Alison’s one time goal.
“Think so?”
“I know so.”
“Aw shucks” Alison said happily, her lips trembling for her own tears to fall as she hugged her sister again.
“Love you, Ali…”
“I love you too, dope.”
When Alison hopped onto the plane to go to California days later, Ororo never had the idea that she would never hear from Alison again.
