ISSUE #40

" So, dude what happened?" Julian asked.

" Something turned the danger room on, man. And Magneto appeared. He ripped the metal that was in my body literally off my skeleton." Ian told the boy. " I feel lighter than before, but strangely, I don't feel any weaker. In fact, I feel stronger." Ian explained.

" Huh, well I'm just glad you're alive man. But seriously you need to take a damn break. It feels like you almost die every day now, man. I know I need a vacation from all of it." Brian spoke up.

" Yeah, well I wouldn't mind a break myself man." Ian groaned.

" Well, don't worry this summer vacation is at my place man, we'll have a good time. And all the Hellions are coming man. My house has a giant pool, and you know what that means right, Kevin? Cessily in a swimsuit." Julian gave his friend a nudge on the shoulder. For a while now he had been trying to play match maker for the two since Cessily seemed to like him.

" Oh, that's nice, hey I'm gonna go see how Laurie's doing. I know today's been rough for her." Kevin stated.

" Dude, she's head over heels for Josh. Don't get your hopes up too much man." Ian warned the boy. He could see how much, he liked Laurie. He just didn't want Kevin getting hurt.

" Yeah, yeah." Kevin replied. He got up from his seat and walked over to the New Mutants table.

" Well, I tried." Ian stated. " Hey, is anyone else creeped out by this damn wind?" Ian asked as he listened to the wind whistling outside the windows.

" Yeah, man. This whole place is creepy as hell at night." Brian replied.

" Oh, don't be a sissy you two. I'm sure it's nothing." Julian replied.

" Easy for you tae say man. Ye didn't have your skeleton ripped apart." Ian told the boy.

" Step aside, Foley. I just want to talk to her. No need to get territorial." Ian heard kevin speak.

" Well, that was fast." Ian muttered.

" Don't touch me." Josh shouted as Kevin raised his hand.

" Guys it's been a rough day." David spoke up trying to separate the two boys.

" Yeah, Josh knock it off man. You two just chill." Ian spoke up.

" You trying to pick a fight with me, Kevin?" Josh asked ignoring the other two.

" JOSH!" Ian shouted.

" No. If I wanted to pick a fight with you, you'd be dead." Kevin told Josh.

" KEVIN! You two knock it off, Kim is sitting right there." Ian shouted.

" Is that a threat?" Josh asked Kevin. The two continued ignoring their friends and started shoving each other.

" It's a warning, Josh. You don't want to fight me." Kevin warned Josh.

" Guys.... Don't fight! Please." Laurie asked the two.

" Um... Where'd the table go?" Kim asked.

Ian looked over at the girl and noticed that their table was gone. And then suddenly it reappeared right over the New Mutants heads.

" Look out!" Ian shouted. He dashed over and caught the table before it could land on anyone's head.

David, seeing this, looked over at Julian, believing him to have been the one to do it.

" What? I didn't do it." Julian told the boy.

" Yeah, it wasn't us this time man." Ian spoke up. He placed the table down on the ground and huffed. " Hey, I'm moving quicker too." Ian stated. Maybe losing all that heavy metal had its perks after all. ' Anyway, are you alright, Kim?" Ian asked.

" What is going on in here?" Scott suddenly came running into the cafeteria, having heard the loud noise.

" The table floated into the air and nearly crushed my sister!" David exclaimed.

Scott immediately looked over to Julian.

" Mr. Keller in my office, now!" Scott ordered.

" Yes sir." Julian groaned. He followed Scott out of the room and walked with him to his office.

"Dude, what the hell?! Julian had nothing to do with that." Ian said to David. " Just because you don't like him doesn't mean you can go around blaming him for every bad thing that happens to you."

" You saw it! We all did. Julian has telekinesis. He levitated that table up and dropped it on us." David replied.

" Oh, right because Julian's gonna hurt a little girl. Right, David. You really are so smart, aren't you? Whatever, I saved your ass again. You're welcome. And Kim you stay safe alright, things are getting crazy around here." Ian spoke. He walked out of the cafeteria and went to Scott's office to help Julian out.

" Look, Mr. Summers, Miss Frost is my advisor and she trusts me. And you and she are close... And you trust her." Julian spoke.

Ian entered the room just as the conversation had started and overheard Julian trying to state his case.

" Do I look like an idiot to you, Julian?" Scott asked.

" Well, yes actually with those shades you kinda do." Ian said to the man making his presence known.

" I didn't call for you, Sinclair." Scott spoke.

" Look, Summers, despite what David said Julian wasn't responsible for what happened." Ian exclaimed.

" I have no proof of that, and Julian is known for causing trouble. Heck you even tried picking a fight with the FBI. Miss Frost believes in second chances, and I agree. So, I'm going to take you at your word. But pray for the health and safety of the New Mutants because if anything happens to them, I'm gonna come looking for you. Have I made myself clear?" Scott asked.

" Yes, Mr. Summers." Julian replied.

" Good. It's getting close to curfew, you two should get some sleep." Scott told the boys. He pushed them out of his office and closed the door to the dark hallway.

" In this haunted place? Right." Ian mumbled.

" Hey.... Thanks for having my back there man. I really appreciate it." Julian said to Ian.

" Oh, don't worry about it man. That's what friends do for each other. You got my back, I got yours. Especially when I clearly saw you had nothing to do with it." Ian told the boy.

" Thanks man." Julian responded.

" Hey, don't worry about it. Let's just try and get some sleep. I've had a long day and I got a feeling this next week is gonna be just as long and full of ghost stories." Ian replied. He walked with Julian all the way back to his room before going on to his own.