Rogue pushed her pillow further to the side of the bed before it fell, taking the alarm clock with it. As result, the small devise objected immediately, letting off a high pitched beeping sound. Rogue's head shot up along with her roommate, Kitty Pryde. Groaning, Rogue picked the clock up and slammed it on her night stand. The beeping stopped immediately and the girls' heads fell back on their pillows.

The night passed, slowly. Rogue found herself running downstairs for water more then sleeping.

"Almost four-fifteen," she muttered, drinking the last drop of her ice water.

"Ah'll gain ten pounds from water before breakfast!" She rinsed the glass out then dragged herself back upstairs.

Kitty looked so peacefully asleep. It wasn't fair. Rogue didn't have any bad dreams that could keep her awake. "So why am Ah so awake?!" she whispered harshly to herself in the mirror. The image stared back, same hair do, same scowling eyes, same tightened lips. Rogue sighed, then bounced on her bed. She snuggled in, hoping she'd actually sleep.

*~*

"Come on Rogue! Wake up! It's like, almost after eleven!" A jerking shove of Rogue's shoulder, sprung the girl's eyes open. The light from the outside stunned her hard, giving her a headache. Rogue looked up to see Kitty smiling down at her.

"Wipe that smile off before Ah do the honors," she muttered, tossing to the other side where the shade met her with welcome.

"Remember that new rule Professor made?" Kitty asked, leaning down. "The one where like, everybody has to be up by eleven?" She set the alarm in front of Rogue's face.

"Ungh," a muttering sound came from her pillow. Rogue wanted so much to rid of that rule.

"Please Rogue."

"Ah'm up," she said at last. Rogue stretched up in time to see Kitty's cheery face. Rogue didn't budge a smile. She stared in tiredness.

"Well like, everyone's had breakfast. I'm going out to the library with Jean. And, I think Scott, Kurt, and Evan have this basketball game they've totally challenged each other to. Ororo will be gone today. And like, Logan's out doing his thing he does every morning. Freaky, you know? And so that leaves Professor. He's like checking Cerebro for any bugs. A glitch phased through it the other day and-"

"Kitty!"

"What?" Kitty jumped.

Rogue gritted her teeth. One more word from the peppy valley high pitch voice of Kitty's and Rogue would scream. "Thanks." Kitty smiled and took off, grabbing her small brown book bag.

"Now what?" She asked, standing up. The curtain would have to be shut first. Rogue dragged herself over and ripped the curtains shut. "Shade, at last!" The bed looked so comforting. It almost called her name out.

"Better take a shower to wake up," she grunted, grabbing her clothes she laid out at 2 that morning.

*~*

"Checking .. Scanning .. No virus detected .." Cerebro reporter in its mono toned voice. Professor Xavior nodded with satisfaction.

"Just making sure," he said calmly. He turned and started for the study room where he began his other work. Sheets and files lay sprawled out on his dark furnished desk. It seemed like he never got done with the paper work.

Professor kept tabs on the students during their studies at school and their social life at the Institute. It seemed nosey, but he was interested on how their process was going. He pulled up a file that was labeled Rogue.

"I wonder how she is doing," he spoke out loud, flipping through her papers.

"Why don't you just ask?" Rogue's voice startled Professor, making him drop his file. The papers inside flew out.

"Oh dear," he groaned. He sighed, watching her pick up the papers and set them within his reach. "Thank you."

"What did you want to ask me?" she said, yawning.

"I've noticed you've been tired lately. Is there a reason why," he straightened the stack and placed them pack into the manila file folder. Rogue hesitated not wanting to tell him of her restless nights.

"Ah don't know. Ah've been getting to bed with Kitty, but for some reason, Ah keep waking up. It's really weird," she sat at the chair across from his desk.

"Hmm," Professor crossed his fingers, staring at her deeply. "How long has this been going on, Rogue?"

"This is been the first week. I'm so tired," she yawned.

"Would you mind if I explored your thoughts. Maybe I can determine why."

"Sure."

Professor leaned forward, once near her and placed her hands just within reach of her face. Images filled his mind. Many of her time at the Institute but one scene at the school. Within a week ago. Professor pulled away.

"Rogue, tell me about school."

"What's ta tell?"

"I got this image where you were hanging around Lance and Todd. Something about that day wasn't right. May I try again to explore?" Professor wasn't one to be persistence.

"By all means," she let her voice trail off.

Again, he leaned forward and mind melded with her.

---

"Hey pretty Kitty," Lance's unwanted voice spoke.

"Ugh! Don't call me that!"

"Hey ugly! Why don't you leave her alone!" In the distance, Rogue saw the flirting of Lance. She knew Kitty was disgusted by it.

"What's it to you, yo?" Todd asked, walking over. Lance followed, leaving Kitty and Kurt at the lunch table.

"Nothin' but Ah don't much like you pickin' on mah friends and Ah don't much like you!" Rogue shut her black covered book shut and glared at her uninvited ex-friends.

"Then maybe we should hang with you," Lance said smoothly, sitting beside her. He grabbed her book and began flipping through the pages. "What is this, anyways?"

Rogue's jaw tightened as she snatched the book back. "It's called a book. Ever seen one?" Lance smiled at her sarcasm.

"Cute, real cute."

After school, Rogue slammed her locker shut, still reading out of the black book.

"You still reading that?" Lance asked, walking up on her.

"What's it to you?"

"Hey man, look, I ain't tryin' to start anything. Really. I wanted to know if you would like to hang out with me and Todd. We're meeting-"

"You and the Toad?" Rogue found herself giggling. "Goodbye."

"We never hang out. We used to be real good friends," his voice trailed as he stared at Rogue.

"Just hang out?"

"Just."

Rogue knew this was wrong of her to hang with the opposite side. "Sure, why not."

The two drove up to Burger City where Pietro and Todd met them.

"Yo, the Black Princess has joined us," whispered Todd. He wore an unusual ring on his left hand he continuously played with.

Lance gestured for Rogue to sit on the left of Todd. "Want anything to eat?" he asked, eyeing Todd and Pietro.

Rogue noticed the way he glanced at Todd a lot. "Uh, a diet coke. That's all."

"Coming right up," Lance said, pulling his wallet out.

"So Rogue, you hangin' with today?" Todd asked, placing his hand on her clothed arm. Rogue closed her eyes, placing both hands on the table.

"Yo man, you okay?" Pietro asked, almost grinning. He walked to her side of the table, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"Yeah. Ah- Ah'm just dizzy." Rogue stood up and darted for the bathroom.

---

Professor sighed, looking at Rogue. "May I see your right arm?" he asked, already looking down. Rogue pulled up her green see through shirt. "Just as I thought."