Alexandra was furious. And pacing around the room in circles.

She seriously couldn’t believe just how stupid she was to believe in a man’s words. All were liars. No matter how sweet they were, they were still liars. How could she not see trough the lies? Let herself be deceived like this? Love. What a stupid word. She should have known there was no such thing.

When looks thrown her way on her way to the infirmary seemed suspicious, she thought it might be because it was the first time when they saw her after five months. She thought that when they looked at her as she passed them and they quickly started a heated chat it was because of the same reason. Nope. She was completely wrong.

When reading the paperwork that had been done during her absence and finding out that Sam and Raina came to the infirmary so drunk that they needed saline IV’s to get them sober that they were just two friends, crying on each other’s shoulder. One because he had gotten out of a relationship. The other because the boyfriend was away for a long time. Wrong again.

It didn’t take a long time to find out the truth. Actually, it lasted until the first patient walked trough the infirmary doors, complaining about a few scratches she’d gotten in the Danger Room. The younger girl had looked at Alexandra with that ‘I have something to say’ look for quite a while before finally voicing out the question: “So, you and Sam aren’t dating anymore?” Of course, Alexandra stared at the girl slightly confused before answering. “No.” Then, pausing for a moment while putting on some wound disinfectant, she looked at the girl a bit suspicious and asked a question herself. “Why are you asking?”

The girl shifted her eyes away from the Alexandra’s suspicious glance. Alexandra made her glance even more piercing. In the end, she got her answer. The younger female had witnessed Alexandra’s ex-boyfriend go out with another woman. And she was worried that he might cheat on her. Right. At that point, Alexandra slapped a bandage on the girl’s scratches and dismissed her as quickly as possible.

At first she tried to tell herself that it was a minor slip. That he was actually hurt and tried to go out with one girl but realized that he was still loving the ex. The other option, to accept that he’d gotten over her so fast was painful. But soon, that option became the only one. When the Mansion’s little spy-all, the pink-eared Kara had gotten into the room, Alexandra found out that there wasn’t just one girl. They were many. And apparently it didn’t take Sam very long to get over her.

And that leaded to her current situation. Pacing trough the room in circles. The room she once missed now felt like a cage. She needed to go out. Or she’d go look for Sam and insult him. Possibly hurt him. And that, that was one thing she wanted to avoid. It didn’t sound like her. So she needed to avoid any kind of temptation.

Alexandra picked up her phone and dialed Lily’s number. Without even letting Lily say a word, Alexandra spoke. And she sounded like someone who wasn’t in the mood to hear a no, too. “Lily, 30 minutes. In front of the mansion. We’re going out.” And she hung up, trying to think about getting ready and get out of the mansion as soon as possible.

And she seriously hoped that Lily didn’t know anything about what Sam had done during her absence. Cause if she did, she had no excuse for letting her find out like this.

“Lily, 30 minutes. In front of the mansion. We’re going out.”
Saying Alex sounded upset would have been an understatement. Not a minor one either. Liy could tell from the moment she heard her voice that something was up, although she had no idea what. The safest bet, as always, was Sam - she suspected that even though Alex told her that relationship was over, neither party could possibly have gotten over is to quickly. Even if she knew for a fact that Sam was dating someone.
Someone who was not Alex.
If she found out...
Lily showed up in front of the mansion 25 mintues later, dressed casually (actually she put on the first thing that she could grab from the wardrobe, Alex didn't sound like she cared much), waiting anxiously for her friend to appear.
"Alex, are you all right? What happened?"

It hadn’t taken Alexandra more than 15 minutes to be ready. A quick shower and grabbing some clothes out of her closet without paying too much attention. At this point, she couldn’t care less if she walked out of her room wearing her pajamas or an evening dress anyway. Long before Lily arrived, Alexandra had already gotten the car out of the garage. Currently, she was sitting on the driver’s seat, door open, a leg dangling out of the car. Also smoking. Two cigarette’s butts were resting not far away from her position. A third was dangling from her fingers.

Blue eyes followed Lily as she walked from the door to her. Alexandra took a long drag from the cigarette before tossing it away, not far from the others. At Lily’s question, Alexandra blew the smoke out and simply gestured Lily inside the car. “Get in.” After pocketing the cigarettes pack resting in her lap, Alexandra closed her door while waited for Lily to get inside.

Once the girl did that, Alexandra started the car, the engine roaring to life immediately. The familiar clicking sound announced that the doors were locked. Lily could not escape now. The red and black Audi R8 started to roll away toward the Mansion’s gate. Before they reached it, Alexandra turned her head to Lily, her current emotions – lots of it, varying from anger to betrayal and back – written across her face. “Please tell me you didn’t know about what Sam has been doing while I was away.” Cause seriously, just how many disappointments could one handle?

Lily got in the car and she couldn't help but feel nervous as the doors locked. She remembered the last time they went out together - back when Alex just got home and was a little bit upset. Little bit compared to how she looked and sounded now.
“Please tell me you didn’t know about what Sam has been doing while I was away.”
Lily glanced at Alex, more alarmed than she thought she would be.
"I..."
She couldn't lie to her. She would find out sooner or later, and Alex was her friend, one of the few good friends she had, and she just couldn't lie. It was not fair.
"... I'm sorry." she sighed, looking away from her, staring at her hands on her lap "I was trying to tell you, I really was... but you just seemed... so sure that you did the right thing. I didn't want to tell you. I couldn't."
Lily was blushing in embarrasment as she looked at Alex, waiting for her to react. Or something to happen. Anything.

That. Was not what she wanted to hear. Alexandra’s expression became more severe. Guess what, Alexandra Kettler, another friend turns out to be a disappointment. She looked away from Lily, her attention apparently on the road now. It really wasn’t. She was trying to calm herself down. The fact that she was gripping the steering wheel so hard that it made her knuckles turned white was a proof of that. The proof that she was trying hard not to spill all the venom inside her on Lily. She only said one thing. “I trusted you.”

The words echoed in her mind. She’d trusted so many. She should have known better. The grip around the steering wheel became stronger. She wasn’t helping herself. So she did the only thing she knew that it would help her. As soon as the gates opened and the car pulled into the street, Alexandra pushed the gas pedal to the floor. She didn’t bother to even look how fast the car was going. She was just grateful she had something else to pay attention to.

“I trusted you.”
Lily forgot to breathe as the car tore out of the mansion grounds and onto the road. It was much too fast for her taste on a good day, and this time she knew for a fact Alex was pissed off out of her mind. Her knuckles turned white too as she linked her fingers into each other on her lap.
"Alex." she said after a few moments of near-death experience "Alex, I am sorry. I didn't want to hurt you. But you were already very upset when we talked, and I didn't have the heart to tell you more bad news."
That was really all she could say, and it wasn't even bad, considering the circumstances. She was proud she could speak at all.
"Alex?... Where are we going?"

Alexandra gritted her teeth, wishing the car would go faster than it was. More bad news? Really, she found it hard to appreciate the good intentions Lily had at that time. Finding out from someone else felt worse than finding out from a friend. At least she would have been prepared. Her body tensed more as she continued to be silent, focusing on listening the sound of the engine as the car sped further away from the mansion.

"Alex?... Where are we going?"

Where were they going? She’d said out. But she didn’t have anything in mind, really. Now, she couldn’t really think about anything. She wasn’t in the mood for anything. Not even driving at an insane speed. Alexandra paid more attention to the surroundings now, noting the neon sign not far away from their position that advertised some sort of bar. Before she realized it, they were only a few feet away from it.

The car made an abrupt U turn, stopping on the side of the road, inches away from another parked car. A short breath later, Alexandra looked at Lily, her eyes cold and unforgiving. “I somehow find it hard to appreciate the good intentions you had Lily.” Her hands slid away from the steering wheel, instantaneously starting to gain back color. “Put yourself in my place for a moment and tell me how you would feel if I would have let you find out the way I did. If I would have let you wonder why the hell people are pointing at you when they think you aren’t looking and why the hell they are laughing behind your back.” With a short movement, she removed the keys from the ignition and looked back at Lily. “I’m not saying that if you would have told me they’d stop doing it or it wouldn’t hurt. But at least I would have known what to expect when walking out of my room. And I’m pretty sure it would have hurt less.”

Lily shut her eyes the moment the car took a turn, dead sure they were about to crash into something - a wall, another car, anything, really. When the car stupped abruptly but without a crash, she slowy opened her eyes, and took a breath for the first time in what felt like a hundred years, give or take.
She listened to Alex and she had to admit her friend was right. She was not helping anyone by keeping secrets, even if she thought it was the best thing she could do at the time. She felt worse now that Alex said it out loud.
"You are right." she sighed, looking at her "I don't have an excuse for letting you find out like this. I'm sorry, it was my fault."
Looking around, lily tried to guess where they were. Judging from the speed they could have been in any part of the city...
"Do you want to... go in and talk?" she asked timidly, afraid Alex would start the engine again "I know it's not much help, but... I could tell you things I know, if you... still want to hear." she offered "Or... you can leave me here too if you want to. I'd understand."

Alexandra sighed too. At least Lily admitted she was wrong. It didn’t change the facts but it didn’t fuel her anger either. “Right. Leave you here.” She snorted. Did Lily think she was that bad? Yeah, she was furious, yeah, she’d done bad things, but leave her in some unknown place, mutant powers or not, didn’t really sound like her.

“I can’t… I don’t want to go back to the Mansion at the moment. I don’t want to drive. I’m not sure if I want to hear what you know right now but if there’s something worse than what I already know, I have to hear it. So yeah, we go in.”

And hope that nothing else happens.

Alexandra looked away from Lily and pushed the car door open. Once she was out, she looked absently toward the bar, wishing she could smash something before getting in. Something else than her car, of course, because her baby had done nothing wrong.

Not going back to the Mansion, fine. Not driving, even better. At this point Lily was prepared to talk or not talk about anything Alex wished for. As long as she was not driving. She nodded, a bit more relaxed, and got out of the car, following Alex into the bar.
"Okay, so you can ask the questions if and whenever you want to." she sighed "And I'll tell you the truth, I promise."
That was really all she could do for her right now.
That, and make sure she got home safe. Lily didn't trust Alex to be in a driving condition on the way back. Not after this.
She also hoped they managed to pick a bar that was not dangerous and not fully packed. Mainly because she didn't want to go look for another one.

With Lily out and the car locked, Alexandra stomped her way to the small building. It didn’t look fancy, actually, it looked just like the type of bar where a handful of people that usually knew each other came to enjoy a drink.

The door popped open and a young male supported by two friends came out.

“SHE SAID YES!!!”

And he pushed himself away from his friends only to faceplant to the ground.

… Or get drunk really bad.

Alexandra blinked a few times before continuing to walk, and was careful enough to avoid stepping on any part of the happy male’s body that was sprawled on the ground. His friends sighed before going to pick him up.

Alexandra let herself in, glancing around slightly. Just like she guessed. Only a handful of people, most of them in groups, chatting and drinking. Like it usually happened, they looked at the new faces entering the bar for a few moments before shifting their attention back to the drinks, only some of them throwing curious glances her and Lily’s way from time to time.

Alexandra slipped inside a booth and leaning against the wall tiredly, she placed her hand on the table, her head turning so she could look at Lily.

“I want to know everything. When, how, for how long, with who. I assume you don’t know why.”

“I want to know everything. When, how, for how long, with who. I assume you don’t know why.”
Lily sighed. She had agreed to this. She didn't want to let her friend down again. Ever. But the question - questions, many of them - was not easy to answer. So first Lily made some drinks appear. It was easy for her. Call it another kind of ability.
When.
"After we got home from Romania... it was obvious there was something wrong, with Sam. No surprise, there was something wrong with all of us." she added with a sigh "It took some time for me to notice... I didn't spend much time outside my room in the first few weeks."
How.
"He was not exactly hiding it... I mean, he was trying to, I guess, but even the Mansion's not big enough to keep things lake that secret. He was out of it, really. I guess because he is the leader and all, he tried his best to keep it together, so there was nothing really bad..." Lily bit her lip "He got drunk, a couple of times, and there were girls, but it as only rumors... mostly."
How long
"It was on and off, as far as I know, nothing permanent..." she shrugged "I guess he was trying to deal, like everyone else. I have to be honest with you, I didn't pay much attention. Took me a long time to get back to normal."
With who
"So I can't really tell you who they were, or how many of them really. I only met one of them in person." she paused there, as far as this conversation was considered, this was going to be the worst part "I just kind of ran into Sam when he was with her, so we got introduced. She looked... more serious than the others. For Sam, I mean."
Why
Lily paused again.
"Look, Alex, I don't know what happened exactly, or why you decided to do what you did, and I respect your decision. I just... well, I really got the impression Sam is not over you, not by a long shot, and he is more hurt than he shows. I think most girls and all the stuff was his way of trying to hide it."
Another pause.
"That's all."

A chill ran down his spine. He didn’t know what it was but something was coming, the old man in his head spoke, ‘looks like a storm’s a brewing…’ Sam shuddered and took a step closer to the bar. ”Sam… what’s wrong?” he shuddered again and looked down to see Haley pressed up close between him and the bar, he nearly forgot she was there. His eye locked on hers and she knew something was up, ”You alright?” he didn’t respond for a moment all he did was inch backwards to give her a bit of room.

He looked to the door to see the group of drunken men leave only to see another pair of hands on the door enter shortly, his attention was brought back to Haley who poked him in the chest when he didn’t respond. He looked at her and smiled, ”It’s nothing, had a chill down my spine for a second.” he looked up to the barkeep and ordered another beer as he felt her hand trace over the left side of his face where his scar was, ”It’s funny…” he looked down and lifted his right eyebrow, ”You getting the chills… it’s funny…” with that she laughed and Sam smirked.

She was what he needed right now, he still hadn’t been the same since Romania at least in the romance field mentally and physically he was there but his heart wasn’t in it like it usually was. He was afraid of getting hurt but even though one of the main reasons he started dating Haley was for a rebound he started to be thankful he chose her opposed to someone else.

He leaned in and kissed her and then turned his attention to his beer. He smiled and looked back to Haley who moved out from under him and left for the bathroom for a moment. He watched her walk away and then smiled when she placed her hands behind herself only to turn around catching Sam smirking at her as she entered the bathroom. An inside joke between the two, one he found hilarious whenever she covered her butt as she walked away.

He took a sip of his drink and kept her drink close to his, a precaution of his that she had instilled upon him. She was as she admittedly told him afraid that someone was going to spike her drink and so whenever she left her drink at the table Sam watched it the way a robin watched his chicks protecting it with beak and talon.